From Clay to Canvas: My Journey Into Graphic Design
I got into graphic design because I’ve always needed to make things. As a kid, I was constantly drawing, molding things out of clay, or building something with my hands. I liked taking raw materials and shaping them into something new. That love of creation never left—it just evolved. When I got older and started getting into computers and technology, I realized I could blend the two worlds. That’s when everything changed.
I was twelve when I got my hands on a copy of Photoshop. Not long after, I discovered Paint Tool SAI. I had no idea what I was doing at first, but I was hooked. I started experimenting constantly—learning how to make digital art, understanding what vectors were, and exploring how to manipulate color, space, and form in a digital environment. I made whatever I could: graphics for my friends, projects for fun, random creations just to see what was possible. I didn’t think of it as learning at the time, but that’s exactly what it was.
In high school, I started to get into photography, and that added a whole new layer to my work. I began combining my own photos with the graphics I made—blending assets I created from scratch with the images I captured. I wasn’t just editing pictures anymore; I was building pieces from the ground up. It was around then that I started to understand what it meant to truly design something. Not just decorate it—build it, shape it, craft it.
After high school, I took everything I’d learned and started putting it to use in real-world settings. I designed logos for small businesses—some of them mine, some for friends or clients. I made album covers. I started to see how graphic design could be both an art and a service. It was creative, but it was also functional. It solved problems.
Later on, I began merging my vector work with physical materials. That’s when I got into vinyl—designing graphics that could be printed, cut, and applied to real-world surfaces. I created decals, custom logo stickers, and even full race liveries. Watching a design go from screen to machine to vehicle was one of the most satisfying things I’d ever experienced.
Most recently, I’ve been applying those same skills to web design. Having the ability to create my own icons, custom buttons, and assets on demand has been invaluable. I don’t have to rely on cookie-cutter elements or stock graphics—I can make exactly what I need, exactly how I want it. Every part of a site can carry the visual identity I imagine, and that’s a power that only design gives you.
Graphic design has been more than just a creative outlet for me. It’s been a core skill that’s fueled my entrepreneurial work, shaped my projects, and given me a voice when I didn’t have the words. It’s evolved with me—just like everything else I’ve built.
