emmalaiho.net/blog

Lately I have been wrestling with technology. First my mobile phone broke and then *gasp horror* my computer went dead. No backups, naturally. Save for the ones stored around the web. And most of my artwork can be rescanned.

The computer’s guarantee has of course run out, so I need to pick up the costs of possible repair. Plus I alredy had to buy a new computer, to be able to resume work. Bye bye savings, I am now a very broke imac owner. Thank god for savings though, at least I am not in debt. And let’s hope the hard drive can be saved.

It’s strange how our lives are so bound up with these little plastic boxes.

At school this week we have a typography workshop. The best way of learning is naturally by doing, and doing it old school. We have been drawing letters, or rather replicating old ones, by hand. A very humbling experience, but I am loving it.

I leave you with some typography links:
daily type
underware (I want the Bello!)

Life shrinks and expands in proportion to one’s courage
-Anais Nin

The above sentence is written on a postcard that came with Living Out Loud. Last week I taped it above my desk, to serve as a reminder, motto, intention, whatever you want to call it. Since then I have built my portfolio, applied to one magazine illustration job (they liked my work and will contact me about the next number) and started blogging again. After feeling stuck for a long time, something is shifting.

I am starting to believe in what seems to be written in every success/creativity book. You need to state your intention. And not in a vague kind of way. I want to make it as an illustrator some day, won’t cut it. I am a successfull illustrator, is more like it. Whatever you want, write it down. Post it in the place you see it. Think it, breathe it, live it. It will happen.

My intention - to live on my illustration alone.

Right now I am employed otherwise. And little by little my work has become (to paraphrase Tuukka) a life-sucking experience. But to make the leap to full-time freelancing? Scary as hell. Yet I think about it everyday, so I know, something’s got to change.

I also have the hardest time promoting myself. In my mind every magazine AD becomes a scary monster. Do I want to email a scary monster? No! But now I push myself. I stare at the postcard and think: I want my life to expand.

Scanned some old work. This is actually from entrance exams, last spring. Probably my favourite work then.

At school next week, we have a workshop held by some people from the Anteeksi collective. Should be interesting! All the info we got was to bring a big bunch of stuff: newspaper clippings, thread, buttons etc. Nice change from all the drawing!

Oh yay, look at all the pictures over at the portfolio section!

It’s still new and raw and this blog side of things is a mess. But everything will be fine again. I promise.

In case you want to update your links, the url to blog is:
http://www.emmalaiho.net/blog/

In other news: I am looking for work. Illustration projects preferably. If you want to hire me (or just say hi), drop me a line at emmalaiho@gmail.com.

love, Emma