After a year without any weekends off, the time has finally come. I have completed my training and can now call myself a media designer. Originally, I just wanted to grab a little extra artistic credibility this way. Sneaky, I know! But in fact, I’ve had an amazing amount of fun immersing myself in design principles, creating logos and business stationery, getting lost in typography and layouting, finding packaging solutions, and designing brands.

Whenever I could, of course, I incorporated my own illustrations into project assignments. And I have to say that my graphic design skills probably benefit more from my drawing talent than vice versa.

But what do I do now with the skills I’ve acquired? I don’t think design skills are ever completely wrong for most professions. This seems especially true in the science field – my natural habitat. Because there, they are remarkably rare. But maybe my education will turn into more than a professional add-on as a stopgap for graphically challenged colleagues. Yes, I have to admit that I’m flirting a bit with the idea of helping the world achieve better design. After all, it should perish beautifully!

For now, though, I’m enjoying having more time for my art and also being able to focus a bit on the business aspects of Water Bear Illustrations again. But who knows! When the tardigrade is back on track, maybe there will be a second leg -or more a accurately a ninth – to stand on 😉