Maria Solias grew up painting anything and everything — here, this jovoto Creative shares 7 strategies to develop your creative self.  By the time she was eight years old, she thought all surfaces were canvases — from walls, to school notebooks, even her grandmother’s bible. Maria’s young passion for art was hard to miss and people around her quickly noticed her talent.  

“Everyone used to tell me how much they liked my doodles, so i said to myself, “This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.””

Today, Maria’s childhood dream is a reality.  Besides an active jovoto Creative who has participated in Crowdstorms for global brands like Ricola and Loqi, she is a full-time illustrator and painter working on an Editorial in Venezuela. Her esteemed work has a particular style of tremendous depth noticed by premier Venezuelan publications like Luster.

Here are her 7 strategies to develop your creative self

1. Surround yourself with your creative heroes

Maria’s friends and colleagues are a huge inspiration. I fall in love every week with different creators, some on jovoto. She explains, “It’s so important to find other creatives whose work speaks to you. They can give you the confidence and energy you need to continue your journey.”

2. Stimulate yourself with personal projects

It’s a tremendous privilege to make art full-time. However, Maria devotes her spare time to work on personal projects which inspire creativity in their own way.  “This allows me the space to explore my own interests and expand my creative reach.  jovoto has offered me a valuable space to be myself and connect with creatives from around the world.”

3. Work on projects outside your area of expertise

When an international textile design company enlisted jovoto’s community to design fresh “Artificial garden” patterns, Maria discovered a new passion.  Though not an expert in this field, the process made Maria realize how much she wanted to work with patterns and fabric design.  Ultimately, it the project inspired her to design her first clothing collection.

4. See criticism as an opportunity

Criticism might seem to be a surprising site of inspiration, but Maria sees it as more beneficial than a compliment.  Force yourself out of your comfort zone, your context, and your background to see through a different lens.  The process of doing this will offer new creative material.

5. Combine structure and chaos

Maria describes her process as very organized and structured. That said, she always leaves room for the unexpected.  The combination enables her to stretch between new and traditional, staying true to herself while pushing the boundaries.

6. Do a lot with a little

“Having little can give you a mindset that makes you work with the things you have and do your best. You are your best inspiration.  Speak your voice and find inspiration where others may see just despair. My designs are a way to change my reality and the reality around the people I love. I feel this to be my responsibility and my fuel.”

7. Don’t be the one closing your own doors

Maria finds creativity by just going for it. “Whatever it is, if it interests you, don’t let anything or anyone stop you. If you’re uncertain, create something and see what happens! You might surprise yourself.”

Develop Your Creative Self & Build Your Portfolio on jovoto

With a variety of Crowdstorms continuously present on jovoto, you can begin developing your brand at any time.  Beyond inspiration, many Creatives like Maria utilize the platform to access big-name clients.  The opportunity to work for companies like Adidas, Mercedes Benz, Deutsche Bank, Audi, Starbucks, Coca Cola and others, jovoto can help you build your portfolio and creative brand.

Do you want to follow in María’s footsteps? – Join jovoto today to become part of our professional community of creatives worldwide.

For more of Maria’s work, visit her on Behance, Facebook or Instagram.