Get to know Elements Expert NassyArt to find out how she creates her stunning work, and hear her top tips for aspiring artists and designers…
Designer NassyArt is well known across Envato Elements and Markets for her gorgeous line art and watercolor illustrations. A creative project brought to life by artist Anastasia Smiyan – an illustrator and graphic designer from Kiev, Ukraine – NassyArt’s work is easily recognizable for its experimental materials, concepts and textures. In addition to featuring her work on Envato, NassyArt also shares her stunning creations on platforms such as Behance and Instagram.
Since childhood, Anastasia has always loved drawing and working with her hands – whether it be sculpting, embroidering, painting or decorating. To this day, she still enjoys getting back to basics with drawing, crafts and handmade textures to add an authentic touch to her designs. After Anastasia graduated from design college, her close friend – who was an author on Envato Elements – recommended she give Envato a go. And the rest is history!
We got to know Anastasia (AKA NassyArt) to find out how she creates her stunning work for Envato Elements, where she gets her inspiration from, as well as her tips, tricks and advice for aspiring artists and designers…
What’s your artistic background and how did you get into design?
Since childhood, I have loved creative activities. I’ve kept product packaging, collected interesting designs, and paid attention to everything in the field of art.
We love the themes explored in your graphics and illustrations. What inspires you?
Recently in my illustration work, I’ve loved using the theme of people in their environment. I love to draw minimalist abstract people of various races, nationalities, skin colors, and genders. I also love depicting happy families, pregnant women and children. Most of my inspiration comes from other creatives on Instagram, as well as Dribbble, Behance, and Society6.
You create such a wide range of items! What kinds of items are your favorite to create and why?
Most of all, I love the process of creating graphics – particularly handmade textures which I then scan and process in Photoshop. I enjoy creating watercolor, marble, coffee, pastel, ink, and acrylic textures with paint drips, cracks, and antiquity effects. My most successful item kits are usually gold glitter textures and old grunge paper. The last sets were made from just torn paper laid out with a collage of mountain landscapes. I love to experiment!
How exactly do you create items for Elements? What’s your creative process from start to finish?
Before I create something new for Envato Elements, I search for in-demand themes from buyers; I look at my sales history and try to produce something in accordance with what people are looking for. However, every website has its own specific target audience, and what sells well on Etsy might not be in demand on Elements, for example. On Elements, Photoshop brushes, Procreate brushes and various textures seem to work best.
What is the meaning or mission behind your work?
My mission is to simplify the work of creative people around the globe, and to give them quick tools for creating their own projects or products. It’s nice to know that people from all over the world use my work. Some use my illustrations of people for their blog, some create handmade earrings with my portraits of abstract girls, some sew dresses from textiles using my patterns, and some even arrange photo exhibitions using my nature effects brushes. I’m on cloud nine when I see the fruits of my labor and feel that I’ve contributed to the creative community.
What programs, tools or techniques do you use to create your work?
Mostly I work with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Procreate. Also, I create handcrafted textures and scan them. Lately, I have also been drawing a lot in vectors. My advice is to experiment and feel the deep response from within yourself. I suggest looking to the artists you admire for inspiration, while at the same time creating your own unique style.
How has Envato Elements helped you grow your career as an artist?
I see a lot of cool and interesting designers on Envato Elements, each of them strong in their own field. Fair competition is constant development. I like to look at trendy new graphics in my down time and study what my peers are creating by analyzing their products. This inspires me to design new things and explore my own creative ideas.
What’s the best thing about Envato Elements for designers?
On Elements, you can explore any topic or technique – there are no restrictions on what you create, the main thing is quality and creativity. On my account, I can track every month what’s most popular and most downloaded, which helps me to better understand what to create and which creative direction to go in.
Outside of Elements, where else do you sell or promote your work? Or where else has your work been featured?
I also sell on Creative Market, Etsy, and Shutterstock. In my humble opinion, in addition to Elements, these sites offer the best passive income sources for graphic designers or illustrators. I also promote via Pinterest by creating Moodboards and GIFs with my graphics there. The platform is free and very inspiring.
Do you have any exciting creative projects on the go at the moment?
I am currently working on a project to create an annual calendar. I’m drawing illustrations for each day of the year, conveying the mood of each season with colors and meaning. For me, color is always the most important thing in a drawing as it conveys a clear first impression to the viewer.
Which other Envato Elements authors do you admire and why?
Most of all I admire M-e-f. His artwork and artistry were the first things that influenced my work when I signed up to Envato. I was impressed by his creativity from the beginning.
What’s your advice for new designers or Envato authors who are just starting out?
Never give up, find your niche, and never compare yourself to anyone else. Instead, compare yourself today with you yesterday. The work you put in now is the best investment in your future.
What are your top tips for creating unique, high-quality digital art that stands out?
Find a topic that interests you. The most important thing is that you get pleasure from what you’re doing. You can always feel how much effort and passion an artist has put into their work. Quality is more important than quantity. And don’t forget that doing a good job depends on good rest, good sleep and a healthy lifestyle. Don’t rush – just find inspiration, experiment, and keep trying.
What’s one thing Envato has enabled you to achieve that you might not otherwise have had the chance to do?
Envato Elements is a great platform for passive earnings, and it stands out from many other websites for its high-quality content. Thanks to Envato, my skills and knowledge have grown. I recommend it for both beginners and professional designers.
Feeling inspired? Head over to Envato Elements and start creating today! Or, for more creative inspiration, check out these Inside Illustration Q&As with 3D Illustrator Amrit Pal Singh, Watercolor whiz Kaleriia Tverdokhlib and illustrator Danilo Sanino!
