At twenty-five years old, Moscow-based illustrator and designer Ólga Davýdova is already thriving as a freelancer. Ólga’s work is focused around surface pattern design, illustration, wall murals, lettering, and packaging design. As a mother and fairly recent graduate from the Russian State University of Cinematography, she’s got a lot going on! Check out her workspace and what rules she has in place for herself to ensure she stays on track.
Where do you work? Tell us about your space.
Most often, I work from home and I really like it because I’m sort of an introvert when it comes to my creative process. I’m also a full-time mother and my husband works from home most of the time too—so our home is a pretty fun place.
What hardware and software do you use to create your designs?
It’s very important for me to be as mobile as possible which is why I work on my 13” MacBook Pro. I take it everywhere on our journeys as a family. I thought about buying an iPad but decided it’s not my thing for now. I’m going to change my setup to a 15” MacBook Pro soon instead. I’m a huge fan of Adobe Illustrator so I need a laptop and don’t need to have too many gadgets.
I also have a Sony Smart Band 2 bracelet which gives me a slight vibrational signal every thirty minutes to remind me that I need to stand up and move a bit. I think that it’s an important gadget for drawing people!
Tell us about your routine (or lack of one.) How do you structure your days to get things done?
I don’t have a strict schedule, to be honest. But I do have some general guidelines for myself. I try not to work on more than three projects at a time for the sake of quality. After I review a project brief, I give myself one or two days (or even more if the timeframes allow) to collect information and let it sit in my brain. That’s because I believe the brainstorming period, when you’re running through a ton of different ideas in your head, is the most important for creativity.
I love to deliver projects in advance—I try to deliver them all in advance actually. It’s really like a gift for my future self. Another rule of mine is to create sketches so they are as detailed and thoughtful as possible—also a gift for my future self!
Regarding the sketching process, for me, there’s nothing better than a sharp pencil, retractable eraser, and standard A4 office paper. I’ll usually ask all my friends and family to give me paper they don’t need that’s already been printed on one side. That way, I’m not wasting any of nature’s resources and it relieves any fear of messing up a nice white sheet of paper.
Another important guideline for me is to find time for personal projects. I’ll usually work on them between orders and on weekends. I like to listen to pop-science lectures or different podcasts while working (I don’t know why, but music distracts me). Right now, I’m listening to an awesome Human Behavioral Biology course by neuroendocrinologist Robert Sapolsky which I highly recommend!
How do your space, tools, and habits benefit you? What about those things do you think needs improvement?
In terms of my workspace, I own the giant IKEA desk of my dreams. It fits my laptop along with A3 paper and traditional painting materials so it’s perfect for me. Unfortunately, it’s waiting to be used again since moving to our first (very own) flat last year because it’s too small of a space! Let’s connect again after a couple of years so I can hopefully show you my perfect workspace.
Want to keep up with Ólga? Find her on Dribbble, Instagram, and Twitter.
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