My dad is handy. He can fix just about anything, and he will teach himself if he does not know how. Growing up, I knew that if I broke it, my dad could fix it. He also learned to play the guitar when I was in kindergarten, and I remember thinking that was so cool! He got good at it as I grew up and the impression that left on me is underappreciated. I don’t think I realized how great of a message that was for me. Learning a new skill takes time, and over the course of a decade my dad learned a pretty great skill, and it was just for his own pleasure and relaxation, not to make money or start a career out of it.
Like my dad, I am a handyman. And before you ask, no, I can't fix your garbage disposal. I am a digital handyman. I can retouch and edit photos, optimize your site for search engines, code a little HTML/CSS, edit videos, design marketing collateral, and so much more. I can figure out a solution to just about any problem and if I don't know how to do something, I'll learn the skills necessary to complete the project. In the age of YouTube tutorials, there is no excuse to stop learning and expanding my skills. I am constantly utilizing online resources like Skillshare to find some other branch of design or digital media that I can learn and get better at. (UX/UI design, I'm coming for you!)
As the (self-appointed) 'graphic design friend' of my friend group, I get all kinds of requests to help them out. From photoshopping an Instagram post to drawing a friend's new puppy to designing posters for school or work projects, my friends know that I can do it all. I love being the go-to person when someone is having tech problems because I know that I can figure it out and be helpful to them. When I learn a new program, I want to know what every single button does and the reason someone would ever need that tool. When I was first learning Adobe software, this curiosity was invaluable. I also love to look for patterns, like icons that mean the same thing across all digital spaces.
I recently gained over 15 thousand followers on TikTok and have been using that platform to share tips and tricks to other designers and artists. Knowing that I taught a fellow artist something new makes me feel so happy and fulfilled. I am so young, and I have so much more to learn, but I am excited to continue sharing my advice and my progress.