Studio Update: January24
Dear imaginary friends,
Welcome to my first monthly update!
How January treated you? It is another snowy day around here in Copenhagen. I have my coffee and a 55min timer for exclusive writing about my January to you.
Hope you get your favourite drink or snack to tag along with this babbling.
Now, let’s begin this studio overview/update recap!
CLIENT WORK
I started the year already with a briefing in hand - Love it! It’s going to be quite a long project. But quite often starts with the Sales Material (“deadline yesterday, please”).
For this year, as some already know, I setup a new schedule and used it religiously. My week is: 4 days client work and 1 day personal work. Weekends free. It worked more beautifully than I expected!! It was intense, I’m not gonna lie to you. There were some days with really late hours, but all was worth it to have my FULL day personal work every week and weekends free.
Since I can’t share anything, here is a numbers translation: 32 Spot illustrations (stickers!!), 2 Scenes Spreads and a Cover between 3rd and 23rd January. Following my new schedule, I used 11 days - around 4h focused per day. They were fast with feedback and love everything ❤️- which helps motivation and time! Ok fine, here is a bear in progress :)
PERSONAL PROJECT TIME
- my first book!!
My time for personal project was used for a new book I want to make since forever (aka last year). I’m not ready to share it yet - sorry, bear with me here. It’s getting more and more personal by every line. It’s a book that I wished I had when I was a kid. It’s scary to think about if there will be a market, if someone is going to publish or like! All the practicalities I’m leaving outside the process for now. Speaking on progress, it’s going great. I wish I was faster but again, I’m taking my time, and putting a lot of thought and love. It’s currently in detailed sketch phase. It’s going to be 20 pages + Cover + extra silly things. No words. My goal is to have it ready by end of April. And make a print version for myself. Eeeeeek! It’s going to be my first book. So, of course there will be lots of posts about it. Ok fine, just a peak, to share my excitment!
- social media/ sharing
I neglected sharing my art for months. And it’s hard to find the pace again in the middle of this huge ocean of super cool kids.
So, I also wanted to use personal project day to go back to social media. Find my voice to share… My choices were Instagram, re-activate my Patreon and here. Also keep my website updated. Yes, it’s a lot! even though I’m reusing content - I have only one day a month for most of it after all. The goal for instagram is to post once a week - I managed 2 posts and they look in hurry - because they were made in hurry! *sigh* I’m really doing a poor job. But hey, I’m doing it! Can only get better! Right?! Right?!
You can check them here: a reel and a post - look at me! sharing!
- Sketchbook play
As you can imagine it’s already a stretch of what is possible to do with a day a week for personal project. Most of my time I carefully use to sketch my book. (MY BOOK sounds so adult!)
So, my sketchbook saw one drawing only. I’ve been obsessed about a “seal of approval” so here it is.
Also manage to join a virtual drawing session with Beth Spencer about Ducks . It was mid January after working hours and it was super fun! I wish I was brave and had made on my sketchbook. I used loose paper.. oh well. It was scary but refreshing. Everyone was nice! I should do that at least once a month!
FROM DIGITAL TO REAL PRODUCT
This month finally arrived the Calendar I made for WHSmith last year. It’s always magical to see something that was created on your screen become a real product! Specially if looks exactly the same colours! I made a video about this magic.
Real talk: well, not all is nice. My art was very cropped around the borders which means the bleed was way bigger than the client told me. I really wish they could have told me, so I could adjust. Now, every other page has a bird or cat half cropped - breaks my illustrator heart… I don’t get it.. so easy to fix! Anyway. lesson learned, I guess.
That’s all the studio update this month! :)
on the personal side…
LIFE AS HUMAN OUTSIDE STUDIO
On fantastic news, this new schedule gave me weekends and mostly of my nights free for some nice home dinners! Hooray to life balance!
It was more cozy home month than social. It fits the weather, in my opinion. I’m continuing Danish Classes on Tuesdays nights and my Therapy on Wednesdays Boyfriend played a super cool gig at the cool Vega club here in Copenhagen and THAT was quite a night off!!
We celebrated boyfriend’s aunt 99years old birthday! Inspiring.
Also the Queen.. retired?! Passed the throne to her son. And was a big day here. I went to the street to wave goodbye to her. I saw her pretty close! I’ve been quite attached to the Queen’s personality since I moved here 6 years ago. .. I guess I have to get used to her son now…
I had a couple of dates with friends, some drinks after work, nice food outside and mostly cozying up in the couch for movies, series, playing video games.. Also organising the house - which I love.
I had one day at the hospital for exams. Nothing bad, but also not fun. A surgery for better results was scheduled to April. We’re still on IVF journey and this is an annoying set back. On the other hand, our wedding plans are moving forward. We have a date and maybe a place for this year!! So exciting!!
I guess that’s all the updates for this month ! :)
Hope you are taking good care of yourself and have a short but sweet February.
all the love,
xxMalu
PS: Now some links for what I listened/ watched/ played this month in case you are looking for some inspiration :)
JANUARY: listened/watched/played/readed
- Music:
January 24 : My own playlist on spotify
-Substacks highlights for me this month:
Slow Multitasking by Julia Pott
Pencil Pals by Helen Stephens
The Pen Powell Letters by Claire Powell
-Audiobooks:
In December I listened Braving the Wilderness book by Brené Brown. And one big thing I took from that was stop surrounding myself with negative voices and look for inspiring, positive voices instead. I hadn’t noticed before how surrounded my workplace was with imperative, productive voices (including the ones in my mind) and not much sweet and kind ones. So, January I decided to focus on audiobooks with positive mindset building:
How to not always be working by Marleen Grace (2h).
Keep Moving by Maggie Smith (2h)
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (5h)
The Creative Act: a way of being by Rick Rubin (6h) I’m now beyond fan of this book! I think I need to listen at least once a month…
And this interesting novel : The forgotten Bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood (11h)
-Podcasts:
Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin
3 Point Perspective: The Illustration Podcast
-Series:
Summercamp Island - Currently obsessed by everything about it
Fargo - just finished the 3rd season. Loving it
Welcome to Earth - National Geographic I thought was interesting way to show nature.
- Movies:
The Creator
The Worst Person In The World
-Games:
Cocoon - just, the game of the year ❤️❤️
Vampire Survivors - not artsy AT ALL but sooooo addictive!
That’s all folks!
Thanks for being here.