ARTIST: SIMBARASHE MUTANDWA
COUNTRY: ZIMBABWE
MATERIALS USED: ANDROID ILLUSTRATOR and AUTODESK SKETCHBOOK
Initially designing to me was a hobby, as someone who has been into art for as long as i can remember. The spread of Corona virus gave me the motivation to venture into the graphic designing industry now as a source of income, where i design song covers, posters and digital cartoon edits or paintings for sale.
The illustration i submitted above is one of the numerous designs i had been working on during this national lockdown we are currently in here in Zimbabwe. I realized that i had to stop relying on my parents for money for data (for my Senior highshool online classes) since they had limited income as they were no longer going to work. Since my computer got stolen, i have been using my mobile phone to design this portrait.
On the other hand, business got slower as the lockdown extended. Since i earned income from artists, they haven’t been able to go to studios for recording sessions due to the lockdown and this in turn affects me as well as there are now fewer artists releasing music which require song covers. My computer recently got stolen and due to the lack of money, i haven’t been able to purchase a new one so i have been designing using my mobile phone
In conclusion, i can say that COVID-19 has affected me to a greater extent in a positive way. I have found a way to earn the little i can from this gift of art. As a young adult i now have something which might help me earn a living slowly as i finish my studies. I do hope that this graphic designing gets me somewhere far by perhaps getting contracts to design advertisements or illustrations for different firms. During this COVID-19 pandemic i wish to take part in the awareness campaigns, creating visuals for viewers in different parts of the globe. That way people can be constantly reminded to never relaxed until this virus has been defeated and my income can be increased.
