If you’re like me, you probably spend maybe a little too much time scrolling through Instagram. With nearly 500 million daily users (https://adespresso.com/blog/instagram-statistics/), it’s no wonder the social media platform has such a wide variety of engaging content to keep you inspired. It’s also no wonder that many artists and other creative professionals use the site to showcase their work. Here are some awesome female creatives that I love to follow.
Joanna Muñoz, @winkandwonder
Joanna is a lettering artist from Los Angeles. She creates both gorgeous pieces both digitally and on paper, using a variety of styles from brush to monoline. Joanna also wrote a book for other aspiring hand-letterers, titled “The Art of Hand Lettering for Beginners”. Her website is filled with tips about her favorite tools and resources, as well as her impressive portfolio. Passionate about creating with her hands and empowering others to do the same, Joanna says “Wink & Wonder was born from this desire to explore creatively and has since evolved into an ever-growing love for the imperfect world of hand-drawn art”. Check out her Instagram for live looks into her process and endless inspiration.
I got to ask Joanna about how she gets through a creative block. She says, “I try to take the pressure off myself by first acknowledging the fact that my creativity isn't flowing freely that day and granting myself permission to relax and enjoy what is essentially a part of my creative process. I know it won't last forever and it's okay to sit with it and not feel compelled to push through if it's not working”. She recommends doing something unrelated to clear her mind. “The luxury of time isn't always an option though, so if it's a client project or a tight deadline, I start by surfing the internet for inspiration via Instagram, Dribbble and/or Behance. Listening to creative podcasts like Meet the Creatives, The Honest Designer's Show and Drunk on Lettering are a great way to get my mind prepped to be creative. Then... I'll just start, which is often half the battle”, she continues. “At this point in my career, I know the end result can look completely different than how I begin, and it's putting pen to paper or mouse to screen that can be the
biggest hurdle. If it's a personal project, I remind myself it's about just having fun with it and letting go of any expectations. If it's a client project, I know that revisions will be part of the process and I'll get it to where it needs to go. I've found that accepting all of these steps as a natural process helps alleviate the anxiety and stress creative block can often create, and the rest will eventually fall into place”.
Find her on Instagram, or at her website winkandwonder.com
Brittney Janae, @brittney.janae
Brittney is a Los Angeles based filmmaker and content creator. Her feed is full of inspiration for up-and-coming creatives. Scroll through her page to find behind the scenes looks at current projects, technology insight, and examples of her work with Under Armour, Issa Rae Productions, and Creators of Color, as well as amazing passion projects. In addition to her Instagram, Brittney hosts her own YouTube channel offering industry advice. She also has a website that not only showcases her versatile skill set, but sells inspirational Black Women Create apparel and an introductory course in Adobe Premiere to help future filmmakers get started. I love everything Brittney does to empower black women to tell their stories.
Find her on Instagram, or at her website www.brittneyjanae.com
Shanti Sparrow, @shanti_sparrow
Shanti is an Australian graphic designer currently residing in New York City. Many of her designs combine both graphic and photographic elements, creating visually complex, yet cohesive, pieces. Each piece is as different as the next, while equally stunning. Shanti does it all from print, to pattern, to packaging. Her feed, organized by project, is particularly interesting to scroll through. In addition to her design work, she is the illustrator of two children's books, “Colors” and “Shapes”, introducing children to the fun world of creativity. Join in on the fun by giving her a follow.
Find her on Instagram, or at her website shantisparrow.com
Maggie Cole, @maggiecoledraws
I came across Maggie’s work recently and I became obsessed with her beautiful depictions of diverse women. Maggie is a freelance illustrator in Minnesota. Her rosy-cheeked characters are captivating and textured. Her whimsical style is an evident thread running through her account, but her portraits are all very unique. She says she got her start as an illustrator by posting her work on Instagram.
The social media platform has proven a very valuable tool to get noticed by potential clients or just share and be encouraged by fellow creatives. She says it has also helped her with accountability. Maggie says she is inspired by human emotion. Having only entered the field of professional art recently, her advice is particularly relevant for college students and it’s awesome to see her succeed.
Find her on Instagram, or at her website maggiecoledraws.com
Meg Loeks, @meg_nlo
Meg is a Michigan based photographer. Meg takes stunning portraits of families, newborns, nature, and more. She applies her love of the outdoors to even her indoor portraits, using beautiful rich colors. She uses her experience as a mother of four to create genuine images capturing authentic expressions of human life. Meg often uses low light and warm hues to contribute to her classic style. Meg took an interest in photography when she was 14, using a film camera and darkroom. After having children, she rekindled her old passion on a mission to capture fleeting childhood nostalgia. She credits her children as her biggest inspiration. When she’s not creating her own work, Meg helps others develop the craft by teaching workshops and selling her two eBooks. Check her out and fall in love with her dreamy feed.
Find her on Instagram, or at her website megloeks.com
Written by Catherine Nester, Creative Content Producer