Experienced illustrator teaches illustration, drawing and art fundamentals, as well as how to find *your own art style* in North London and online. Fun, creative and relaxed classes!

Find out more about Nassima

• 1) When did you start practicing? How did this passion find you?

  I was always passionate about drawing and other forms of arts (creative writing and music especially). I started working on my art more seriously when graduating from high school and started working as a freelance illustrator and concept artist 5 years ago, in 2020.

• 2) Which artists or works affect you the most?

  When it comes to traditional art, I would say Gustav Klimt, Frederic Leighton, John Millais, Marjorie Miller, and Marija Tiurina.
  
  On the digital art side of things, my biggest inspirations are probably Amber Ye, Livia Prima, Cynthia Sheppard, DON (Meng Zhang), and Timofey Stepanov.

• 3) What are the qualities and skills required to succeed in this area?

  I think the most important qualities to have to succeed in illustration or digital art are:
  -Be Curious: It's important to look at other artists' works, and to ask lots of questions. If there are specific things you would like to be able to do, just ask how to get there, and ask for resources and references that might help you get there.
  -Be humble. Most people who start drawing or painting don't yet have the eye or the knowledge to spot a good composition, a beautiful line work, a striking work on values, or a dynamic pose. Being humble means being open to getting constructive feedback and therefore being able to assimilate information and learn much much faster. I know it feels harsh to get criticism on a work you've put your heart in, but that will definitely make you a better illustrator/artist.
  -Persevere: It's easy to get discouraged, because very often our brain understands what goal we want to reach before our hands are able to make it happen physically. It requires lots of patience and confidence in yourself to achieve a level in drawing or painting. Don't be afraid to fail, the more you fail now, the fastest your growth will be.

• 4) What is the most valuable advice you can give to help someone stay focused on creative projects?

  I would say keep experimenting with new techniques, new media, and always go back to what made you want to create in the first place, and to what made it fun originally. It's really important to keep that original motivation in mind because it's usually a very strong feeling that's linked to your core values or your pure personality, and that definitely helps keeping up the motivation.

• 5) How would you describe your passion; how does it make you feel?

  For me, drawing, designing, creating in general always makes me feel like that's what I was always meant to do. It just feels like I'm doing exactly what I should be doing, which is always a great feeling. It's also exciting, relaxing, and a great way to grow.

• 6) What creative achievements are you particularly proud of?

  I would say my biggest achievement is to have found the courage to choose to be an artist in the first place, and to have stuck with it even when it was hard and discouraging. Thanks to finding that courage, I've had the chance to work on lots of projects I had dreamed to work on when I was younger such as board games, video games, tabletop roleplaying games, or fantasy novels.

• 7) Have you ever been surprised by a student; by their ability or quick progression?

  Definitely. A lot of my students impress me by how quick they progress. Some are sometimes more surprising, when they are a bit more shy or reserved, or when they don't necessarily seem excited about the class, but then I see that they've really assimilated everything we've talked about. One of the biggest pleasures in being a teacher is definitely to see my students progress so much.

• 8) Being a Superprof is an art! What is your secret?

  My main secret is empathy! I have never forgotten how it felt for me when I was trying to learn or understand something new, and thanks to that I can really empathise and connect more easily with my students, which makes them feel comfortable and less scared of asking silly questions or of making mistakes.