Chris is a freelance designer and illustrator based out of Cape Town, South Africa. Keep reading to check out the beautiful garden view from his home office and to learn more about what a typical work day looks like for Chris.
Where do you work? Tell us about your space.
I work from my home studio, in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. My space opens up onto my garden, where I spend a lot of my off time. I have a couple of prints up on the wall and have a few indoor plants scattered around.
What hardware and software do you use to create your designs?
I have a 13 inch Macbook Pro, which I use along with my 22 inch LG monitor. Whenever I’m not using my monitor I switch over to my Wacom Cintiq. I use a Logitech MX Master mouse, as I find the Apple mouse doesn’t provide enough palm support. I work in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
Tell us about your routine (or lack of one.) How do you structure your days to get things done?
I wake up early, normally around 6:30 AM. I get up, make my first cup of coffee and shower. Then I drop my girlfriend off at work, and head back home to the studio. After my second cup of coffee and breakfast, I’m ready to begin my day of work. I like to get any admin tasks done first thing and then I start with brainstorming. I find random word association works well to kick off ideas when I’m not sure what to draw. Once I’m settled on a concept, I will search for reference imagery and start sketching things out either digitally or on paper. Then it’s over to the standard display to vectorize the work (if I am working in Illustrator) and finalize the colours before hopping back onto the tablet to add in texture and finishing touches.
How do your space, tools, and habits benefit you? What about those things do you think needs improvement?
One thing I enjoy about working from home is the lack of commuting. Not only do I have more time to focus on work, but I also feel less stressed out. The best decision I made as an artist was upgrading my setup and investing in a Wacom Cintiq. Next on my wishlist is a Herman Miller Embody chair!
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