We often associate doodling with daydreaming—but what if you were *paid* to draw? The immensely talented illustrator Moran Shaham, aka lamonastudio on Fiverr, does just that. We asked the self-proclaimed “profesh doodler” to illustrate a day in her life as a Fiverr freelancer. Scroll down to get a sense of her creative process and beyond-cute drawing style!
Hey Moran! First things first – tell us a little bit about yourself
Hi, My name is Moran! I’m 32 years old, I live in Karkur, Israel and I’m a professional doodler! I’m married to Andres, who also happens to be a graphic designer himself, and together we have a two-year-old daughter and a design studio, LaMona. The best thing about owning your own studio is that I get to do lots of awesome things for awesome people around the world, and get to spend time with my family.
How did you become interested in illustration?
I’ve been drawing and doodling ever since I can remember. I studied visual communications at a design college in Israel, but drawing and lettering were always my favorite way to express myself. After my daughter was born, we opened our own studio and I decided to sign up for a course specializing in illustrations for children. The class inspired me to pursue my own thing. I started LaMona’s Instagram account as a way to share my drawings with the world. When we started receiving job offers, I realized how much people liked my work and decided it was time to start making a living off my illustrations.
Walk us through your typical day!
6:00 AM Rise & Shine
My day starts VERY early! As soon as I hear my little girl calling out to me, I’m up on my feet (any parent with young kids can relate to that!). I’ve always been a morning person so it’s not that bad. I like to start the day quickly and get to work as soon as I can. That’s when my concentration is at its peak.
8:00 AM Work Time
After breakfast, my husband and I go over our tasks for the day and we each do our own thing. We make sure to help each other out when we can and always ask for the other’s opinion. We’re both very serious about work and like to get things done, so we’ll usually put on some music and start our day at the office.
13:00 PM Quick Lunch
We normally prepare a quick lunch or order vegetarian sushi from our Japanese neighbor. If it’s a nice day out, we love sitting on the balcony or grabbing a quick falafel on the go.
17:00 PM
Family Time
One of us (or both of us, if it’s possible) takes a break around the afternoon to hang out together as a family. We play, read, cook, draw and basically just do fun things together.
20:00 PM Back to Work / Inspiration Break
This part of the day can change quite often. But I’ll usually get back to work if I’m mid-project or enjoy a glass of wine / catching up on my Netflix binge / SLEEP!
What criteria do you use to critique your work?
Like most designers, I’m a perfectionist, so I critique my work even before I start drawing it. It’s important to have a smart concept, original and humoristic twist or a message you’d like to pass on. I also turn to my husband and friends if I need a fresh point of view.
Why Fiverr?
It’s a great platform for freelancers to share their services and get amazing work opportunities. I’m pretty new here myself, but things are moving really nicely and I get to do what I love – draw for a living.
What advice would you give other young women who are pursuing a freelance career?
I would say, find things that keep you motivated, but don’t feel bad if there are some days when you’re just not. If you like (and are good at) managing your own time and juggling different projects at the same time – I say go for it! Everything is possible.
Lightning Round
Instagram or Facebook? Instagram
B&W or color? B&W
Patterns of characters? Characters
Movies or books? Movies
Stills of Gifs? Both
Pics or selfies? Pics
Rihanna or Beyoncé? Obviously, BEYONCÉ!
Crushing on Moran’s style?! So are we! Leave her some love in the comments below, and then check out her illustration Gigs on Fiverr.
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