By popular demand, we finally talked to Brett Stenson from Portland, Oregon. Brett is a multi-disciplinary artist, illustrator and Senior Art Director at Young Jerks. Heavily influenced by forgotten ephemera from bygone eras, Brett’s work reflects a deep connection to the natural world and explores the delicate balance between nature and human existence. 

In this episode, Brett tells us how the ability to get lost in creating something can feel like an advantage during difficult times. He shares insights into his creative journey — from his early days in Wisconsin to working at Jolby & Friends — and we get a detailed description of his wood-carving process and daily routines, despite dark days and buggy video calls. 

Throughout the conversation, Brett emphasizes the need for balance in life, the importance of working with a supportive team and how developing his style was a natural process influenced by experiences. We also touch on topics like mentorships, mental health and Midwestern work ethics. And we almost uncover where the milk comes from. Almost. 

Don’t miss this front-row seat into Brett’s biome! 🧠 And make sure to tell all your design friends about it. Subscribe to stay updated on future convos with other talented artists. 

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD): Product Design Major

• Jolby (Portland-based creative studio)

• The Dans: Dan Cassaro & Dan Christofferson

• Ed “Big Daddy” Roth

• Richard Scarry

• Nucleus Gallery in Portland

• Kelly Thorn (Sr. Art Director at Young Jerks)

• “Desperate Oasis” from Weast Coast Games

• 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' logo by House Industries

• Brett’s Prosperous Innkeeper card for Secret Lair / Magic: The Gathering 

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FOLLOW BRETT: 

Instagram: @brettpstenson

Website: brettstenson.com

Shop: brettstenson.bigcartel.com

YJ Instagram: @youngjerks

YJ Website: youngjerks.com
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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.

And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.

Music by Amanda Deff. 

Raman Djafari is a Berlin-based illustrator, animator and filmmaker who has created visuals for some of the biggest musicians and brands, including Elton John, Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Adult Swim, The New Yorker and Spotify. Their award-winning “Cold Heart” music video was beamed across the world during Elton John’s Glastonbury performance and has been viewed over 600 million times on YouTube. Currently, Raman is represented as a director by the London-based production studio BlinkInk. 

Animation is a labor of love. This week, Raman takes us on a deep dive into navigating the animation industry — and shares their love for the craft and the community. With a background in illustration and design, Raman ventured into animation, filmmaking and music videos, expanding his practice and toolset with each project. Transitioning fluently from 2D to 3D animation, they create surreal worlds and characters that transcend all norms and oscillate between the familiar and the fantastical. 

In this episode, Raman explores the role of artists in envisioning alternative realities through their work. They emphasize the need for fair compensation and the importance of collective action to overcome current labor rights issues in the animation industry. Raman also reflects on his own creative process, the significance of keeping a sketchbook, and the challenges of pursuing personal projects while navigating commercial demands. 

Don’t miss this intimate conversation with one of the most innovative artists and filmmakers of our time, live-recorded at The Boys Club in Berlin on June 23rd, 2025. 

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• HTW Berlin: BA Game Design
• HAW Hamburg: MA Illustration
• Annecy Animation Festival
• Artists/Animators: Bobby Chiu, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Jack Zhang, TOKAY, Daniel Almagor, Haneen Koraz
• Directors: Wim Wenders, Andrei Tarkovsky, Alice Rohrwacher
• Painters: Cecily Brown, Dana Schutz, Jordan Kasey, Sasha Gordon
• Authors: Ottessa Moshfegh, Ocean Vuong
• Music videos:“feelslikeimfallinginlove” by Coldplay, “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” by Elton John & Dua Lipa, “Pamphlets” by Squid, “Worms” by Ashnikko, “Snow” by FJAAK
• BlinkInk (world-class, London-based production studio)
• Blender 3D
• TVPaint (2D animation software)
• Thanks to The Boys Club Berlin for hosting!

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FOLLOW RAMAN: 

Instagram: @ramandjafari
Facebook: ramandjafariartwork
Tumblr: ramandjafari.tumblr.com
Website: ramandjafari.com

Agency site: blinkink.co.uk/directors/raman-djafari

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram, Spotify and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff. 

In this episode, we talk to award-winning Japanese illustrator Yuko Shimizu (清水裕子) about her journey from quitting a career in corporate PR to becoming a successful artist and educator—highlighting all the challenges and triumphs along the way. Our conversation touches on the importance of self-promotion, how to deal with imposter syndrome, and the role of art education in shaping an artist’s career. 

Instead of fixating on what she can’t affect, Yuko focuses on the things she can control. All we can do as illustrators at any given time is to create the best work within our capabilities—the rest is out of our hands. With over 20 years of experience, Yuko shares valuable insights on finding your unique artistic voice, the significance of mental health in creativity, and the importance of giving back to the community. 

Working in this field is all about learning to deal with disappointments. Rejection is a normal part of the creative journey and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. This episode is a treasure trove of advice for both aspiring illustrators and seasoned professionals alike. Yuko shares useful tips on how to navigate the creative industry. She emphasizes the need for artists to be genuine, to share knowledge, and to navigate their careers with honesty and humility. 

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Artists: Christoph Niemann, James Jean, Marshall Arisman, Minh Uong, Tomer Hanuka, Shepard Fairey, Marcos Chin, SHOUT (Alessandro Gottardo), David Sandlin, Gary Panter, Chip Kidd
• Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan
• SVA MFA Illustration as Visual Essay
• NYT email format: [email protected]
• Yuko’s FAQ page
• Thanks to Ari Liloan (aka @madeby_ari) for the thoughtful questions. 

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FOLLOW YUKO: 

Instagram: @yukoart
Behance: be.net/yuko
Facebook: fb.com/pages/Yuko-Shimizu
Website: yukoart.com
Shop: yukoart.bigcartel.com
Yuko’s Skillshare courses
Books: “The Cat Man of Aleppo”, “Up, Up, Ever Up!”, “Barbed Wire Baseball” 

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram, Spotify and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff. 

Carina Lindmeier is an award-winning illustrator from Austria with a unique style blending playful and figurative elements, rich with textures, colors and patterns. Drawing inspiration from everyday life, pop culture and the culinary world, her goal is to uplift and evoke emotions through her art. Her passion for drawing food and still lives has enabled her to work with the likes of Adobe, Bombay Sapphire, The Wall Street Journal or Penguin Random House. 

On the episode, we talk to Carina about her journey into illustration, the evolution of her artistic style, and the importance of community and collaboration in the creative field. By leading workshops and sharing knowledge, Carina strives to empower the next generation of creatives. Running your own art studio can be quite challenging, so sometimes it’s good to know you’re not in it all by yourself. 

Support and encouragement are the corner stones of every successful art business. Sometimes it just takes one person to guide you in the right direction when you’re feeling stuck. Carina shares her passion for mentoring emerging artists and the significance of giving back to the creative community. We also discuss the challenges of rejection, the future of illustration in the face of gen-AI, and the best way to ignore pesty song requests during your DJ set. 

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• ⁠Kyle’s Brushes⁠

• ⁠Still Here Still Life⁠

• AOI (Association of Illustrators) ⁠Mentorships 2025⁠

• ⁠OFFF⁠ in Barcelona & ⁠Pictoplasma⁠ in Berlin

• ⁠Adobe Firefly⁠ 

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FOLLOW CARINA: 

Instagram: ⁠@carinalindmeier⁠

Website: ⁠carinalindmeier.com⁠

Behance: ⁠be.net/carinalindmeier⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/carina-lindmeier-70966763⁠

⁠Subscribe⁠ to Carina’s newsletter (via PencilBooth)

Carina’s Domestika Course: ⁠Illustrated Portraits: Adobe Fresco for Beginners⁠ 

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.

And follow Paid 2 Draw on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠ and ⁠TikTok⁠. 

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Hosted by ⁠Vicky Cichoń⁠ and ⁠Dave Leutert⁠.

Music by ⁠Amanda Deff⁠. 

Lisa Tegtmeier is a Hamburg-based illustrator who’s known for bold characters, vibrant colors and energetic compositions. Inspired by nostalgic color palettes from the 60s to the 90s, Lisa creates worlds filled with optimism and empowerment. What her characters are lacking in eyes and noses, they wholly make up for in personality. “Emotion comes through movement,” she says “You can express so much through gestures.” 

On this week’s episode, Lisa talks to us about how her style has evolved over the years and why it’s important for illustrators to find their niche. She explains how to develop your own voice through experimentation and self-expression, encourages artists to dodge perfectionism and share their work, and—most importantly—to just keep creating. 

Lisa also shares openly about burnout, mental health and the pressure of keeping up. Freelance life can be quite hectic, so it’s nice to touch grass every now and then. Other topics include: embracing imperfection, developing healthy habits, the human touch in art, and the joy of doing nothing. We hope you enjoy this conversation like a sparrow in a puddle!

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Cowgirl boot-shaped mug
• HAW Hamburg: B.A. Illustration / M.A. Illustration
• Abstract – The Art of Design: “Paula Scher: Graphic Design” (S01E06) on Netflix

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FOLLOW LISA: 

Website: lisategtmeier.com
Shop: lisategtmeier.com/shop
Instagram: @lisategtmeier
Threads: @lisategtmeier
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-tegtmeier
Behance: be.net/lisategtmeier
TikTok: @lisategtmeier

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow @Paid2DrawPodcast on Instagram, Spotify and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff. 

For the season 4 premiere we talk to lettering legend and muralist Ximena Jiménez. Born in Cali, Colombia, she moved to Argentina in 2014 to study graphic design in Buenos Aires where she fell in love with hand-lettering. Today she creates lettering for brands, paints murals for cafés and restaurants, gives workshops across the globe, and live-paints on jackets at festivals. Her lettering work is raw, dynamic, expressive and immediate while effortlessly conveying important messages about equality, self-care and mental health. 

After moving to Bogotá—one of the graffiti capitals of the world—she discovered street art and started experimenting with spray cans. Ximena explains how the city has influenced her work as a muralist and gives us a detailed description of her process of creating her signature large-scale, hand-lettered murals using spray paint. Hint: “caps” and “cutting” are a thing, apparently. 

Throughout the conversation Ximena reflects on the importance of political and personal messages in her art and how she has gained more confidence through therapy and self-reflection. She describes the balance between personal and political art and the value of giving herself permission to take risks. Lastly, Ximena generously shares her social media strategy of focusing on her community rather than viral content to maintain her artistic integrity. 

Go check out this engaging conversation with one of the best letterers of our time and make sure to tell all your type-obsessed friends about it! 

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Berlin Letters Festival
• University of Buenos Aires: Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism
• Fileteado Porteño (Argentinian sign-painting style)
• Bogotá Graffiti Tour
• LetterWest 2026
• Circus Network (Gallery from Porto, Portugal) 

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FOLLOW XIMENA: 

Instagram: @jimenezlettering
TikTok: @jimenezlettering
Website: jimenezlettering.com
Online Shop: jimenezlettering.com/tienda

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff. 

YONK is a Dutch 3D animation studio consisting of artistic power couple Victoria Young and Niels van der Donk. Coming from different backgrounds like fine art and graphic design they decided early on to combine their individual skills to create 3D work. Since 2019 they specialize in using Virtual Reality and 3D sculpting tools to create uniquely strange, textured and colorful artworks, animations and character designs for an increasingly international client list such as Google, Sprite, Nike, Amazon and The New York Times, but also just for the sake of creating and having fun experimenting. 

In this episode they take us into their world and explain how sculpting 3D figures in virtual reality is more intuitive and less technical than the traditional way with a keyboard and mouse. Working in VR has led to quicker results and helped them discover their unique style. By embracing the explorer’s mindset they experiment in a way where everything is allowed and create a body of work by describing their nightmares to each other. 

They generously share how their style gradually developed by not knowing how to do things “properly” and how they made a conscious decision to leave the imperfections and happy accidents in their work to give it a more organic feel. While collaborating they acknowledge each other’s strengths and try to involve each other throughout the whole process to create a cohesive result. 

Even though their work is mostly created in VR it can be transferred to many other mediums and be experienced by everyone as an animated video, a 3D print or traditional 2D image. But their activities are not only limited to making art — they also develop tools to solve specific problems within the sculpting or animation programs and share them with the growing VR and 3D sculpting community. 

It was that constant sharing of their personal work on Instagram that has caught the attention of potential clients who want be a part of their exciting experiences and set their mark in the VR space. To YONK, client work not only poses creative challenges, but also requires them to incorporate some planning and organizing into their process while still keeping it as intuitive and natural as possible. 

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Adobe Medium

• Substance 3D Modeler (by Adobe)

• Joseph Melhuish

• Meta Quest Pro

• YONK & Friends (live stream)

• Christopher Rutledge

• Blender (open-source 3D & animation software)

• Step Motion on Blender Market

• WarpySTEP v1.2 for Blender (by Will Anderson)

• Grease Pencil Resources for Blender

• Geometry Nodes for Blender

• Dédouze

• Other 3D software: Cinema 4D, Houdini, ZBrush, Maya 

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FOLLOW YONK: 

Instagram: @yonk.online

Website: yonk.online

YouTube: YONK

TikTok: @yonk.online

Twitch: yonkonline

Threads: @yonk.online

Twitter: x.com/yonkonline

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.

And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.

Music by Amanda Deff. Assistance by Diana Lazaru. 

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This interview was recorded on May 5th, 2024, during the 20th annual Pictoplasma Conference at silent green in Berlin. Each spring, Pictoplasma transforms the city into an international meeting point for a diverse scene of artists and creatives, trailblazing the face of tomorrow’s visual culture. The central conference brings together 900 key players on a global scale and features 20+ lectures by forward-thinking creatives. The accompanying animation screenings showcase cutting edge short films, with most of the filmmakers present in Q&A rounds. The character lab offers hands-on workshops, immersive media demos, panels and networking.

Get your tickets for Pictoplasma Berlin 2025 (May 1st–4th).

Slovak illustrator Martina Paukova has come a long way from originally studying politics to completely switching gears and moving to London — studying at Camberwell College of Arts — to now settling in Berlin. On her path, she developed a distinct style marked by her trademark vector lines, bold color palettes and flat character-driven subject matters, allowing her to accumulate an impressive client list spanning from Google, Apple and The New York Times to IKEA, The Economist, Die Zeit, and many more. 

Starting out in the illustration world as a “late bloomer” in her mid 20s, Martina relied on three different ways to land her first clients: University connections, referrals from previous industry projects and competitions (a.k.a. self initiated work). 

She explains how one job led to another and how having a set of recurring clients can bring financial stability to one’s career, but can also lead to stagnation and hindering growth. As clients usually hire based on previous work to ensure a safe outcome, it is easy for artists to get stuck in the hamster wheel of repetition. 

Martina also points out the importance of not relying on a single way of finding clients (like an agent or referrals or one social media platform) and that as professional freelance illustrators we must be our own agency and find ways to motivate ourselves to grow both creatively and as a business. Even though life tends to get in the way and time for personal development is limited, Martina wants to keep experimenting — dabbling in 3D and textile illustration; maybe even knitting or sewing quilts — to keep herself and her clients excited for what’s to come. 

We are definitely excited about Martina’s path to becoming a professional illustrator, just as much as her useful industry insights and hilarious anecdotes like the one where she lost her Apple Pencil on the day of a deadline.

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Reps: Agent Pekka & Making Pictures

• Camberwell College of Arts

• Illustrator on the iPad 

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FOLLOW MARTINA: 

Instagram: @martinapaukova

Website: martinapaukova.com

LinkedIn: Martina Paukova

Twitter: x.com/martinapaukova

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.

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This interview was recorded on May 5th, 2024, during the 20th annual Pictoplasma Conference at silent green in Berlin. Each spring, Pictoplasma transforms the city into an international meeting point for a diverse scene of artists and creatives, trailblazing the face of tomorrow’s visual culture. The central conference brings together 900 key players on a global scale and features 20+ lectures by forward-thinking creatives. The accompanying animation screenings showcase cutting edge short films, with most of the filmmakers present in Q&A rounds. The character lab offers hands-on workshops, immersive media demos, panels and networking. 

Get your tickets for Pictoplasma Berlin 2025 (May 1st–4th).

Julia Rothman is an award-winning illustrator, pattern maker, NYT columnist and party motivator from New York. Her drawings appear on a variety of things, from newspapers and magazines to posters and billboards, wallpapers, bedding, towels, apparel, mugs and other merchandise. Julia has authored and illustrated over twelve books and has an illustrated column in the New York Times called “Scratch” about small businesses with big personalities. 

A lot of her projects were self-initiated. Julia just reaches out to people she wants to work with. She enjoys having a variety of projects at the same time and a lot of them are found by proactively pitching ideas. Many artists may not know this, she says, but she encourages everyone to just take a leap and contact prospective clients. You never know who might need your art. 

Julia likes to maintain a regular drawing practice. She always keeps a sketch pad around and can be found doodling most of the time. Sometimes she draws with friends and other times she just draws to stay busy. If she hasn’t drawn for a while, she feels a certain sense of discomfort. She regularly attends drawing nights, meets up with other artists and has co-founded Women Who Draw, an open directory of female* professional illustrators, artists and cartoonists. 

On this episode we dive deep into how Julia found her way into the illustration world, what teaching at RISD and SVA has taught her, the benefits of starting the year with a More/Less list, and why you shouldn’t be afraid of bad drawings. She even shares the backstory of how she became a professional party motivator. Such a fun and informative conversation with one of the most prolific illustrators of our time! 

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Women Who Draw: an open directory of female professional illustrators

• Ladies Drawing Night: a female-only (trans-inclusive) drink and draw

• “Scratch”: Julia Rothman & Shaina Feinberg’s New York Times column

• The Anatomy Series: The Julia Rothman Collection

• “Every Body – An Honest and Open Look at Sex from Every Angle”, Julia Rothman & Shaina Feinberg

• Julia’s wallpapers at Hygge & West

• Skillshare course: “How to Make A Repeat Pattern with Julia Rothman”

• Purchase Julia’s books on Indiebound

• Matt Dorfman: art director of the NYT Book Review

• Lynda Barry’s “Making Comics”

• Vogue article about Julia’s More/Less lists 

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FOLLOW JULIA: 

Instagram: @juliarothman
Website: juliarothman.com
Twitter: x.com/juliarothman
Patreon: patreon.com/juliarothman

HIRE JULIA: [email protected]

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.

And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.

Music by Amanda Deff.

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Berlin Letters Festival: Come to our live interview with Ximena Jiménez on Sunday, July 7th, at ~1:15pm at silent green in Berlin! ✨ There are also various workshops available during Berlin Letters, even for non-ticket holders. You can find a workshop overview right here. 

Aliyah Salmon is a tactile artist based out of Brooklyn, NY. Her art explores the intricate crossroads of black femininity and the Afro-Caribbean diaspora in contemporary America. Through textiles and collage, her work challenges and reframes simplistic narratives surrounding Black identity. Using traditional textile methods like hand tufting with an Oxford punch needle and bead embroidery alongside modern materials and collage techniques, Aliyah embraces “slow craft” to construct dream-like compositions. 

On this episode, Aliyah talks about how she enjoys exploring techniques and materials through 3 different sketchbooks — writing notes, trying out colors with markers and sampling yarn. She loves the process and all the work that goes into making a composition and a piece look good. But more than anything she loves playing with color. 

In the digital age it’s important to Aliyah to feel a connection to her work. Understanding how to use your hands to make things, she says, is a skill that everyone should have. Because making stuff with your own two hands is a very grounding experience. 

Aliyah embraces pieces she sees as “bad work,” because to her they’re the foundation of the really good ones. No artist creates a hit every time they pick up a pencil. People tend to get discouraged too easily by perceived mistakes, but to Aliyah they’re a gateway to the good stuff. In a way she enjoys being frustrated and challenged, so she encourages everyone to keep making bad work. 

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FOLLOW ALIYAH: 

Instagram: @tyrabanks_official
Website: aliyahsalmon.com
TikTok: @aliyahsalmon

HIRE ALIYAH: [email protected]

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff.