"a little of what I see." @umianny_

Dear Diary, 

My name is Anny, I’m 21 and I’m from Brazil. 

One thing about my art is that it is more visual than sentimental. The way I draw is how I see people and the way I create characters is how I see them inside my head. 

@umianny_ (2025) Omggg Gumball nd Darwin in my style!1!1!!... [Instagram]. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ_FYBJt17E/?img_index=1 (Accessed: 21 June 2025).

I currently work as a freelance illustrator, so I can say that social media has been very important for me to gain loyal clients and followers who like to support my work, whether by paying for it or admiring it. I have always managed to keep my social media as a healthy environment, so it has become a great source of inspiration and motivation for me.

When it comes to the numerical side of social media, I think it can affect anyone's mind. It's very difficult to be an artist on the internet and not care about how many likes you get on your art. Nowadays, I can deal with it better and they don't affect me as much. The important thing is to learn to deal with it and realize that the number of likes on your post does not define the quality of your art.

Lately what sparks my creativity is interacting with and drawing things that I admire, doing activities such as: talking to my boyfriend, playing video games, watching a comfort series or just admiring other artists. 

I usually motivate myself mainly by creating a goal of what I want to draw and looking for references for it. For example: if my goal is to draw a character that I like, I would watch the series the character is in, play a game where he appears on, or look for references and edits of the character. 

@umianny_ (2025) ATHENA MÍMISBRUNNR [Instagram]. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJp7drNMaTA/?img_index=2 (Accessed: 21 June 2025).

I've actually been selling my art since I was a little girl, when I was in middle school, when I would sell little sketches of my friends for a few cents and over time I developed my art and adjusted the price for different clients.

A little advice I’d like to share is that: your art is your art. It's important to be versatile, but you don't have to draw what you don't like or what doesn't make you comfortable. Art needs to be a consensus of ideas between you and your client. And always talk to your client! You don't have to be best friends forever, but creating a small friendship base beyond the professional layer (being kind, answering questions and talking about the art) makes them like you more and increases the chances of them coming back more than once.

Overall, I like to show my creations to people, to make them see a little of what I see. I like to interact with people and help them evolve. When I was growing up on the internet and in my art, I didn't have many people to turn to for tips and instructions. Today, I like to be that person who provides support to those who are starting out.

Till next time,

Anny

Featured image: @umianny_ (2025) New version of my RPG character ;3 [Instagram]. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFg8Ah7sX1L/?img_index=1 (Accessed: 21 June 2025).