Vivian On How Working With Others Can Boost confidence in your craft (12 years old)

I have always loved doing arts and crafts. I have grown up doing art in school where we make the more “common” forms of art like painting, drawing, and clay. I wasn’t introduced to digital art until I got older and had social media. Everything I saw was so cool. I was blown away that someone could make such beautiful artwork in a way I had never been told about. Immediately, I started searching for more about it and I started looking into what it really was.

Once I learned a little more about it, I knew I wanted to try it. I watched tons of YouTube videos about it and discovered Procreate. Procreate costs money and I begged my parents to let me buy it. Eventually, they said yes and I was so excited. I had the phone version so I didn’t have all of the features, but I really enjoyed it. Even on my phone, without a stylus, on a small screen, I started playing around with hand lettering and name design and really liked it. I did a bunch of designs on my phone until I started using my dad’s old iPad. I got the app, bought a cheap stylus on Amazon, and started upgrading my work.

I went back to watching lots of YouTube videos so I could get more familiar with the full version of Procreate. Slowly, I got better at navigating it and felt comfortable with the app. I tried so many different styles to find what I liked, but got back to name design and hand lettering. That was what I enjoyed doing. I practiced a lot and got a better at it. Then thought about making a business out of it. 

After a lot of thought, I started vbnamedesigns. I told my friends and family about it, and orders slowly started coming in. Every single order I got was so exciting. I was checking my dms so much just waiting for more to come in. I was so invested in everything I made but I second guessed my designs a lot. Whenever I finished a design, I always kept asking if they liked my designs or not and I would always ask if they wanted to completely change it, because I wasn’t ever very confident about my work.

Out of nowhere, there was a huge incline in orders. I was getting more and more every day and I was excited and stressed at the same time. Finding a good system that worked for me was hard, but I got there eventually. Around that same time, I reached out to 6 or 7 businesses because I thought that working with someone would be a good thing for my business to grow beyond my friends and family. At first, nobody responded, but after a little bit of waiting I got 2 responses. One said no and one said yes. That one yes was from 8apart.

8apart responded shortly after my big wave of orders passed so it was perfect timing. Little did I know that them saying yes would change my whole mindset on my work. When I saw their dm saying they were interested, I was so excited and I didn’t know what to do with myself. I responded immediately and we took some time to brainstorm ideas. Then, they dmed me again and told me they thought of something.

I was so happy that they took a chance on a very small business and that they believed in me. I also loved what they wanted me to do for them! I spent hours and hours working on their designs. I wanted them to love it. On Procreate there is a setting where you can see how long you have worked on the artwork. So, I checked and one of the pieces I did for them took me 10 whole hours! That design was the longest I have worked on a design and by far the most dedication I have put into one. The other design took me 3 hours which is still a lot and I also put a lot of dedication into it but I had a more clear idea of what I wanted to do with it.

Throughout the whole process, my confidence grew crazy amounts. I will forever be thankful for what 8apart did for me and my business. When I realized how lucky I was to be working with another business and that they thought my artwork was good, my confidence boosted higher than ever. 8apart truly is one of the best brands out there.

Art can take you so many places you never knew you could go. Since I discovered digital art I have started a business, bought a brand new iPad just for my business, gotten orders, worked with the best brand ever, and much more. I really encourage anyone who is reading this to take my story of how I discovered my passion, and think about how you could find your passion. Times have been very difficult lately and it is great to find something that helps you relax. Just remember, even though you might not find what you love right away, you will get there eventually and when you do, I promise that you will be happy you didn’t give up.

Xoxo

vbnamedesigns