When a two-year stint in Hong Kong inspired Mel to pursue illustration, she put her fine art degree to good use and began teaching art workshops to top up her income.

Mel soon bought a Mac and taught herself how to use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, setting up a website and building a portfolio over time.

Mel’s earned money in a variety of ways since then, experimenting with workshops, commissions, products, and collabs. “You’ve got to be open to having conversations with people,” Mel says, “Your confidence and ability will grow with every project.”

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