The Coterie Interviews

@elphadora

elphadora

When did you first start making graphics?

About 5 months ago. I tried a few and realized I was horrible so I put it off for a few months, but then the bug hit me again and I decided to keep trying until I got better.

Where does most of your inspiration come from?

Most of my inspiration comes off the top of my head. If I'm starting to get stuck on a cover I'll look for cover inspirations online. I'll just search for the type of cover, like "dark fantasy book cover" and lots of times see things that I think would work. Then it always ends up looking completely different than the inspiration because I come up with new ideas that work.

What do you enjoy most about designing graphics like this?

I love the satisfaction when I finish a graphic and know it's one of my best. There's just a great feeling in looking at something you made and feeling proud of it.

What do you think motivated you to try graphic design in the first place?

I was really envious of all the beautiful cover, and I was really bored one day so I decided to try it. I really wanted to help other people find covers as well, because I found a lot of graphic designers to be a little high and mighty. I wanted to be easily accessible to everyone should they need a cover.

What advice do you have for any new designers out there?

Learn to take the criticism that people give you. I'm not going to say the cliché of don't give up because I did that many times and it only brought me back again. You'll get better if you take people's advice. But you should still always do what you want to do for the graphic.

Do you see yourself going into a graphic design field later in life?

Probably not unless my future job involves a little of it. I'm an environmental studies major right now, and my school doesn't really offer the right classes for it. It will mostly remain a hobby unless I get good enough to do a few commissions on the side.