Introducing our best designer for the month of September.
Do artists really get inspired by the things around them? Well, yes. That’s where Shandale S., DotYeti’s Best Designer for September 2023 gets inspiration from every day.
In this blog, we’ll highlight her techniques to continue fostering creativity during an art block, the influence of anime in her artistic journey, and her future goals as an artist.
But first, some introductions.
Shandale has been part of DotYeti’s team for two years now. While she doesn’t have a set role in her team, you can say that she’s the go-to person for:
- Photo manipulation projects
- Static design requests
- Illustration, decks, and e-book
And while creating art and designing for brands is great, it’s sometimes a taxing job to use your creative juices. Here’s how she gets over those difficult moments.
Beauty in everything
“I think the work itself you have to use your creative juices, sometimes you run out of ideas in terms of doing personal art for yourself or the things that you like to create,” she explains.
And let’s be honest. As creatives, haven’t we all experienced this?
Art blocks, writing blocks…we’re all too familiar with how constant creative work can be exhausting.
But Shandale’s solution is simple–almost a no-brainer. And that’s to take inspiration from the things, people, and places around you.
It’s also her advice to younger artists who want to sustain their passion for the industry: “Take inspiration from the things around you because it’s really common to have art block in this industry and take some time off as well if you need to.”
“To appreciate the art around me it helps me to have inspiration again,” she explains.
Old-school throwback
Her artistic interests go back to her childhood, when she and her siblings were exposed to classic 90s anime series like Ghost Fighter, Chobits, and Ranma.
How did she get into art? “It was mostly the influence of my family, my siblings when we were younger…” She added that her sister was the one who initially wanted to draw a lot, “But then I kept going at it and really liked creating art.”
Prior to joining the team, her personal art was also her vehicle for expression. She created artworks that relate to her faith and being a Christian.
An introvert’s dream?
DotYeti’s remote set-up is a ‘perfect environment’ for introverted Shandale. There were some challenges at first though, especially with communication.
Now though, she has adjusted well to the set-up, explaining that at first, she would ask a lot of questions about the design brief and what the client wants.
She stresses the importance of communicating well, saying that “sometimes the idea doesn’t stick if it’s not properly communicated.”
Plans for the future
Like any creative, Shandale enjoys artistic challenges that drive her to expand her skills. While she currently finds that in some photo manipulation projects, she also wants to dabble in other things too.
“I want to explore working with 3D elements, UI/UX designing, and exploring more on my personal art.”
Fun facts about Shandale
In her spare time: She likes spending it with her family, going outside, and spending time away from her laptop.
How she describes her style: “I think I prefer to use textures to bring out life into the works I create. I also like symmetry and cleanliness but I sometimes can work with illustrations that can be cluttered.”
Her favorite project + project highlights
She says that her photo manipulation project for Flawless Moissonite has been a standout in her career in DotYeti.
Check it out below, along with the rest of her project highlights.
Flawless Moissonite
Oswald Marketing
Ambl
Designer Spotlight: September 2023 Honorable Mention
Danya Y. is this month’s other standout artist and honorable mention for best designer. Check out how her Art Director describes her knack for animation.
DotYeti has seasoned designers who are growing their artistic skills. To get quality designs with a unique spunk, book a demo today!
