On Quitting Your Job, Freelancing, and the Pros and Pitfalls of Both
I feel like everywhere I look lately, I’m spotting articles encouraging people to quit their jobs and freelance instead. For those of you who hate sitting at a desk for eight hours a day, looking at running your own business or freelancing is not the solution. You’ll likely be parked on that office
Seven Years and Four Blogs Later: What I’ve Learned From Blogging
I first started blogging back in 2008 when I was 18 and attending art school. I mostly shared video skits (before Vine, people!), scribbles from my notebook and excerpts of self-discovery. After art school in 2012, I started a blog called We Are Not Special which I used as a platform to share my personal proje
The Unexpected Result of Laziness
It’s not in my nature to sit still. Even when I don’t have anything to work on, I make work for myself. But lately, I’ve been singing a different tune… Last week I went on a family vacation to Cuba and, and I saw it as a great opportunity to get some creative personal work […]
Why It’s Time To Burn Your Business Plan
I once heard that planning is actually just guessing in disguise, and it’s stuck with me since. I mean think about it: You don’t plan to have a brilliant idea—rather, it hits you as you go about living your life. That’s exactly what the term “lightbulb moment” describes, and it happens completel
What I Learned from Hosting a Collaborative Art Project On Social Media
Organizing a free-for-all open-source art project is a huge undertaking. If I’m being honest, the first year of #365DaysofType was easier–and I made and designed every single number myself. Overall, this project was more about managing expectations, staying organized and chasing people than I had an
Become a Better Writer With These Tips
These days, writing is an essential skill, no matter what field you’re in. We text, we email, we convey instructions in messages. But boy is writing difficult! Good, clear writing is indicative of good, clear thinking and should read as easily as a casual conversation. But it’s not so eas
How To Channel Inspiration: Three Things To Do When You’re Inspired
Finding inspiration and getting inspired is the easy part. But what to do and how to channel that energy is the hard part. This past 2 weeks, I’ve been teaching/guest lecturing to second year Illustration students at Sheridan College, my old stomping grounds. My goal was to inspire them to think outside o
My Interview with Tuts+ About My Job as a Creative
Original post from Tuts+ Many thanks for Mary Winkler for the interview! Mary: This month I had the pleasure of interviewing Sabrina Smelko, whose work varies from illustration to graphic design to art direction to blog writing. She’s worked with Mozilla, AARP, and a host of other companies. It seems her
10 Ways Yoga Can Enrich Your Life and Career
(Pictured: Yoga Handstand | Wearing: Blundstone boots, Danier leather jacket) I first started practicing yoga when I was 15. I was recovering from a rough time — both physically and emotionally — , and I still remember my first class like it was yesterday. I felt so out of my element and in my own
6 Productivity Tips For Those Who Work From Home
I thrive when I’m doing many things at once. I’m currently helping design Mozilla’s Firefox Operating System and working as a freelance illustrator/Art Director/designer. I also blog and have taken up a few new hobbies such as knitting, weaving, making jewelry, sewing home goods etc. But I sti
How Yoga Helped Me Stop Over-Working
This article was first published in Computer Arts Magazine’s July 2014 issue. “Hi, My name is Sabrina and I’m a freelance workaholic.” You’re a freelancer. You’re constantly working — whether it’s on an actual task or on finding the next one. Even on your (forced) nights off, y
Personal Design Projects: My Year-Long Labour of Love
Any self-initiated work requires plenty of discipline, but taking on one every single day is an altogether different prospect. Here’s what I’ve learned so far from my personal project 365 Days of Type. Setting out to create something every day for an entire year seemed like an enormous task, and yet
