We all have friends and people around us who would do new things and start something innovative but we rarely get inspired by them. Well, this wasn't the case with Nur Fazlin who saw her best friend start her own business and a simple event coverage changed her life! From the thriving suburbs and the beautiful beaches and cities of Malaysia, Nur is a talented individual who takes care of everything from digital content creation and Canva templates to its management as the digital marketer for her friend’s business!
Although with a degree in Architecture, Nur still managed to ace this new field that she stepped into due to her talent and motivation to do her best. Although creating and managing so amazing digital artwork requires proper time and focus, Nur was still so kind enough to take out some time to answer our questions:
How did you become a graphic artist?
I have a Bachelor's degree in Architecture but whilst I was taking a break from it, one of my best friends started her own business of selling her designs on keepsake items. My friend is a highly creative and amazing person. She paints and writes poetry and also creates illustrations. So much talent in a single individual. She started working alone in the beginning. In Malaysia, we have a lot of events and marketplaces that help curate pop-up stores and so, as a small business, my friend would join in these events.
After a few events, one day she asked me to accompany her to one of them. All I had to do was cover the event, take pictures over there, and upload them to Instagram. That's when it all changed for me. From that day onwards, I was essentially in charge of her business's socials anytime an event came up. These events provide a doorway to the creative community in Malaysia. They provide you with an amazing experience of being part of this community and help you build connections with local artists.
Is it your passion? Do you know why?
Well, after becoming a part of my friend's business, I became its digital marketer. Now my tasks were way more than covering an event. I spent my days creating and updating digital content and then posting it online. Not only that, but I also handled all the social media interactions and monitored the campaigns to have the best outcome.
Working this way is so much fun for me. From learning new trends and design techniques to experimenting with new ideas, I enjoyed the creative freedom my friend entrusted me. And to be honest, with all this, there wasn't really a going back!
What inspires your art?
My surroundings, the music I listen to, the books and magazines I have read, the movies that I watch, and the work of other artists, I find inspiration for my work in literally everything!
What is your daily process like?
I wake up, make my coffee, and spend a lot of time researching new ideas. I look up what's trending or what's in high demand. I then make mood boards with different color palettes and match different fonts together.
Once I'm pleased with the theme and aesthetic, I begin slowly putting pieces of the project together. There are days when I do experience a creative slowdown and have trouble focusing. So I stop pushing and focus on a completely different activity.
On days like these, I tell myself it's ok to rest and recover. Sometimes it's good to walk away and stop looking for inspiration in the usual places. I try to play around, and by this, I mean playing around with a different tool in Photoshop, Illustrator, or another design program that I'm not proficient at.
I also often try to distract myself with a completely different focus. I will choose to do other things like cleaning or reading or watching endless videos of random things. Usually, by the end of it, I'd have renewed my imagination and gotten creative again.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I want to have learned more and grown within this work. I want to improve my skill set, take on more interesting projects, and most importantly, work with people from whom I can learn and who will help me grow as well. I also want to grow a whole team under my brand and gain some career stability.
Can you tell a bit more about your design theme/style?
As for my design style, I am not really sure how to describe it. You can say that a lot of it has minimal and neutral themes. I like these styles better because they give you a sense of calm and it's likely that my inclination towards these is influenced by my time in architecture.
Supporting Designers on Social Media Calendar
To see the amazing designs Nur has created, you can visit her store on Social Media Calendar. Nur isn't the only talented individual selling her designs, there are tons of other amazing creators and artists who are selling their gorgeous templates, calendars, illustrations, and much more on Social Media Calendar. So, buy from them to support them in their artistic ventures!
Getting Featured on Social Media Calendar
Are you an artist yourself who creates wonderful templates and artworks? Then what are you waiting for? Social Media Calendar provides you with the amazing opportunity to showcase your work in front of a big audience. All you need to do is to sign-up here, fill in your details, and let us do the rest!
Do you want to learn to create and sell Canva templates?
Check Jerry's super popular 6-Figure Canva Course and get started.
Take a look at Nur's products
From here, you will find Nur's shop ChillinLilin.
