See that header image? It represents a pretty significant turning point in my creative journey. It was a cold December afternoon in 2018 when I first ventured into the world of Photoshop.
Two colleagues from the graphics department organized a workshop for individuals like me who were curious to explore Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator. Little did I realize how transformative that two-hour session would be and how it would open doors to new creative interests.
A Peek into my Creative Journey
This blog is like a snapshot of my life – what I like, what I’m passionate about and what I do. While I often introduce myself as a copywriter with a creative touch, my journey into the world of words and design didn’t happen overnight.
Let’s take a look at my “copy and creative timeline.” Even when I was a kid, I loved writing. And though time has passed, I still have that childlike passion (it might sound cheesy, but it’s true).
Library Enthusiast
During my primary school years, I used to visit the library a lot. I fully embraced my inner bookworm, visiting the library 2-3 times a week. My indecisiveness often led me to read three books simultaneously – I’d flip through five pages of one book, then repeat the process for another, and so on.
Annual Writing Contests
When I was young, I often thought about my passions and what I might do in the future. Different jobs crossed my mind. One moment I thought of becoming a teacher or flight attendant, and the next moment I contemplated becoming a book author.
However, one thing remained constant – the yearly writing contest held by my school. I loved it. Each year, I’d write either a poem or tiny story based on a given theme. Out of five contests, I secured victory four times, earning the title of “Best of Class.” In my final year, I was gracefully asked to step aside to give others a fair chance – oops!
My First Taste of HTML
Around the age of ten, I created a profile page on a platform called CU2. It was a predecessor to social media platforms like Facebook. CU2 was unique because it used basic HTML to design page content. My persistence and countless Google searches paid off as my page gradually took shape.
I figured out how to:
- Apply bold, italics and underlining
- Create (un)ordered lists
- Utilize block-level elements
- Embed images, GIFs and videos
- Insert jump links and hyperlinks
- Add breaks
- Perhaps overuse the “marquee” tag to create scrolling texts or images
Dabbling in Tattoo Design
In my teenage years, I ventured into designing tattoos for a couple of friends. While I’m no tattoo artist, I did enjoy sketching a lot. I designed a bonsai tree design for an upper arm tattoo and a grand depiction of Saint George on horseback for a full-back tattoo.
Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator Workshop
Ah, a full-circle moment. I clearly remember sitting and absorbing all the knowledge shared by graphic designers Katrina and Martijn. I soaked it all in.
At that time, concepts like the pen tool and layers were foreign to me, and my inexperience was pretty clear to see. Thankfully, Paul, a fellow coworker from my team, came to my rescue during the hands-on exercises.
Despite my initial clumsiness and a few sighs (mostly from Paul), I managed to create something worthwhile by the end of the workshop. Over the next couple of months, I dedicated myself to further exploring Photoshop and Illustrator.
Embracing the Drawing Tablet
On my 29th birthday, I got a Wacom Intuos S tablet as a gift. I loved it so much and it made me wonder why I hadn’t bought one myself sooner.
Drawing digitally became a part of my life. To test my digital skills, I began with creating cartoon-style drawings, a style I was already somewhat familiar with.
I took online course for Illustrator CC (2018) and Photoshop, learning about selections, masks, transformations, brushes, layers, and more. Initially, I primarily used Photoshop for digital painting, but I eventually expanded my knowledge.
2023: The birth of hellomai.nl
In 2023, I felt that my website, originally created in 2021, could do with a makeover. I got me a new domain name and carefully planned the content I wanted on the website. The rest, as they say, is history. Welcome to hellomai.nl!
