Hello; Thanks for visiting my blog!
I have a special guest to share with you today. A friendly and talented freelance artist from Malaga, in the south of Spain. Her nickname is Nika. I feel happy to have her here as I admire her work, her energy and enthusiasm. I hope you enyoy reading this interview.
Did you feel you wanted to be a designer since you were a child? Did you have a strong vocation for it?
Well, I remembered me making dresses for my dolls, barbies, etc, but it was another way to play I think… I didn´t know that it could be a job! I wanted to be a fashion photographer to work in fashion magazines, a secretary, a teacher and a flight attendant.
Tell us something about your background. Are you a self taught designer? Have you done any course about patterns?
Well I´m a graduated photographer.I have done some courses about design but mostly web design, or graphic design as well(2 years). For a while ago I have been trying to polish my skills and learn more about seamless patterns, so I did the following ones:
Pattern Design: Create Repeats for Printed Textiles and Products by Kristy O´Meara in skillshare (follow this link: http://skl.sh/1gk8nkE )
Reign Repeats: Create Perfect Repeat Patterns in Illustrator by Majo in skillshare too (follow this link: http://skl.sh/1evtqih )
and now I´m immersed in The ultimate guide to Repeats by Pattern Observer and I love it !
The Ultimate Guide to Repeats Workshop
How would you describe your style?Which colours do you like most?
Well my fab style in patterns is geometric right now. About colors I think I belong to warm colors.
http://vividly.co/summer-breeze-scarf/
What inspires you to create your designs?
Good question, almost everything can inspire me, but I feel more inspired on the beach (don´t know the reason, maybe the fresh air at the sea?) I love native cultures all over the world,but I think Spain is a good place to get inspired as well. We are very near to different cultures as the African ones. But mostly my inspiration comes from the Alpujarra blankets and the native textiles of Mallorca. I also get inspired by other great artists, nature and architecture.
Do you usually paint by hand?How is your creative process?
No, I usually sketch with my wacom tablet, but sometimes, I use a pencil and paper.But I must admit that I write down everything when I´m not at home and of course, I go everywhere with a cam (ipad one) or even my reflex one.
About the process, I don´t have an organized one, it´s more like a mess.. (another thing to change, I guess ) sometimes I create a moodboard on pinterest ( you can follow me here: http://www.pinterest.com/nika75/ ), or sometimes I use my own photos to get inspired, or quotes that I´ve written down, or old ideas that I forgot in my desk drawer ( I have one just for this, full of papers, notes, objects and things that once inspired me, leaves, etc… ) .. but my most inspiration comes thru colors and music.. If I can be motivated by a color palette then my imagination does the rest, and I can´t work without listening to music .. (for about a year the drive film soundtrack works well).
You are promoting your work abroad. Could you tell us the reason for it?
Because nobody will do it for me ?? nah ! just kidding ! If nobody sees my work how can I pretend to make sales or a contract ? I don´t work for a design agency, I don´t have an agent, how about representing myself?
Do you license your work? Which brands do you work with?
I have a few business partners: Kess Inhouse, Fab.eu, Raaad.fr, Kekacase, Artscase, Huru nia, Creacover, and about 2 more that I´m waiting to lauch, to stay tunned you can have a look on my brand new web : http://www.nikamartinez.com/
Could you tell us the worst and the best about being a freelance designer for you?
The best is easy; you do what you want when you want. The worst; your incomes are not fixed.
You are a good promoter of your work using the social media. Could you give some us tips?
The tip is promote everyday as a job, maybe 1-2 hours per day.
It would be nice to discover something about you dayly life. How is a week day for you?
Well I wake up at 8 am, and after breakfast I start to work till 14pm. (I spend my first hour checking the e-mails and trying to organize my day). Lunchtime is just 30 min. Then I start working again till 17 pm. I take a few hours to spend time with my family and about 9pm (I ussually have a lazy hour in front of the p.c), I reserve these hours to make my courses, or learning new things (I´m an online courses addict !! ) till I fall to sleep (somedays at 1a.m somedays later..) and all this, day by day.
What are your plans for the future? Any dreams to fulfill?
Keep working and learning new things and techniques, some collaborations with friends and a few of funny projects on the desk.
As a dream I want to become a good pattern designer with full of licensed works and maybe start to work with a design company (such a dream! )
It was a pleasure to interview to Nika, and although I haven´t been lucky to meet her in person yet, I hope one day we can meet each other and have a nice chat about our passion, pattern designing.
Have a great weekend ahead!
Beautiful work Nika!!
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