Since this is our first post, I thought it would be appropriate to write about one of the first graphic designs I created for our SmoojeeStuff CafePress shop. I was highly ambitious in starting the shops and decided I would teach myself how to use Adobe Illustrator, so with the purchase of a Wacom drawing pad and a month-to-month software subscription, I dug in.
Now, I had taken art classes in high school, but given that that was really too many years ago to discuss, I didn’t quite trust my ability to draw freehand and decided I would use one of my photographs as both inspiration and guide. The subject seemed kind of quirky and cool (and fairly easy to reproduce), and I thought it would look good on a black t-shirt; it was the warning light on top of an x-ray diffraction machine.
Looks fairly simple right? Well, given what I know now (and believe me, I’m still learning every day!), it would probably take me less than an hour to put this together in Illustrator. Back then? I’m embarrassed to tell you how long it actually took and how much hair I probably pulled out teaching myself how to use the basic tools, but when I was done? Let’s just say the warning light wasn’t the only thing beaming!
If you’re thinking of teaching yourself a graphics program or anything really, my humble advice is to have patience with yourself, utilize your resources (I love YouTube tutorials!) and have fun! β
