Turning a Creative Hobby into a Career
In this article, we interviewed Graphic Design Course student Mithara (Mimi) Peiris, whose lifelong passion for art has become the foundation for pursuing freelance graphic design.
Based in London, Mimi is on track to completing Section 2 (all things design process, baby!), where she created the lively brand identity for the skincare brand “SKINT” from early concepts to client presentation. She shares with us her takeaways from the course so far and offers us a personal glimpse into what it looks like to transform a hobby into a creative career.
Logo ≠ Brand Identity
ILC: You did such a stunning job creating SKINT’s visual brand in your coursework.
Did you have any takeaways from creating a brand identity from scratch?
Mimi: Oh, thank you so much, that means a lot to me! One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that inspiration can spark from absolutely anything, and what really matters is how you craft and mold that into something more. Also, that experimentation is everything. The more variations I create, the more I know what works and what doesn't, which gives me the space to finetune and create something that perfectly translates the brand’s messaging into a visual identity.
I no longer feel shy about presenting different directions of a branding concept to my future clients. I am now a lot more confident as a designer, and I have realized that people will come to me because they need me. I have learned to be firm and avoid pixel-pushing client.
Checking in: A quick course debrief ❤️
ILC: You’re on your way to completing Section 2: Design Process, which is super exciting! Was there any aspect of the course that was particularly impactful for you and your growth as a designer so far?
Mimi: Yay, thank you, super excited and only halfway through! My favorite part about the Graphic Design Course is that I get to connect with the ilovecreatives community on Discord. Everyone is SO supportive and inspiring. I also love the fact that the lessons are immersive. I have ADHD, so the way this course is set up works really well with me and makes the experience of learning fun and moreish.
Zooming out: Mimi’s creative journey
ILC: You also mentioned that you had been a self-taught designer for many years before taking the Graphic Design Course—how did you first get into graphic design, and what inspired you to learn more through a course?
Mimi: I’ve always been a creative girl growing up, obsessed with all things art. I first got into graphic design when I was eleven years old. I remember browsing Internet Explorer on my dad’s old PC one day looking for new games and ended up stumbling upon a graphic designer forum instead. There were tons and tons of tutorials, heaps of inspiration, and a huge creative community. Back then, being a pre-teen (lol), I couldn’t afford Adobe, so I downloaded GIMP and got to designing. I taught myself through forum tutorials and YouTube videos over the years.
Fast-forward to now, after exploring jobs in various industries, I finally decided to take my lifelong hobby seriously. I have SO much fun creating and designing, translating emotions into visuals, and connecting with people through the medium of art, so why not turn it into my career? At first, I thought maybe I should go back to university and get a degree, but I quickly realized that a degree is nice to have, but it’s not very necessary*. The Graphic Design Course at ilovecreatives ticked all my boxes, so I took the leap to polish my skills and reach my full potential as a designer.
*Side note: Mimi is SO right! A formal degree is nice but not critical for entering the creative industry. We say more on this in our article on how to land a creative job.
ILC: We love hearing how creatives arrive at the decision to pursue their craft professionally—that “why not?” clarity is SO real and exciting.
Since you already came into the course with some self-training, we were also curious: Did you have any prior experience designing for clients?
Mimi: Yes, in 2020. It was the peak of the pandemic, and I was in the house all the time and decided to begin a lil side hustle. I created a quick logo and marketed myself on social media as a graphic designer. I made lots of album art, flyers, and logos for very cheap, like twenty quid per project. I can’t even breathe thinking about charging someone that little now. Back then I didn’t really have a good understanding of the business side of things. I’ve also worked as a freelancer for social media marketing agencies and helped them with all of their graphic design needs.
ILC: Pricing your services can be hard, especially when you’re first starting out! We’re excited for when you reach Section 4: Business to get ~deep~ into the business side of freelancing 💸. But it’s also awesome that you gained those experiences since it’s so important to build a portfolio to attract future clients. Speaking of, are you currently freelancing and open to work 👀?
Mimi: I am currently freelancing and open for work, but my website is still in the works. My Instagram is @mimidigitalstudio!
Thank you for sharing your story with us, Mimi!
Is graphic design also YOUR lifelong passion? If you’ve been thinking about making the creative leap of faith, we’re here to help you land on your feet with allllll the tools and confidence you need to jumpstart your career 🐈. You can enroll in the Graphic Design Course here. And for those looking for industry advice from real graphic designers, make sure you check out our free Job Directory resource!
P.S. We also have more course offerings beyond graphic design: digital marketing, 3D Blender, Shopify development, personal finance, video creation, and more. Browse our Course Directory to see our full catalog.
Are you also an ilovecreatives course student or alum? If you’re interested in sharing your student story with us, you can do so here! We would love to hear how you crossed paths with us during your own creative journey 🫶🌠
