We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Melo Phova a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Melo, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The first dollar you earn in a new endeavor is always special. We’d love to hear about how you got your first client that wasn’t a friend or family.

The story of how I got my first client is so special to me because it was completely unexpected. A few years back, I had just started painting. At the time, it was dollar store canvases, paint and brushes – the basics. It ignited this flaming passion to create. As I got better, I decided to share my paintings on Instagram so that I can keep track of my process. I only had a couple hundred of followers and didn’t expect much to come out of it. It was mainly friends and family interacting with my posts. One day, I unexpectedly receive a message from an old my high school classmate. We had never really spoken at school nor social media. He messaged me telling me he had been following my painting journey and that he would like to hire me for a painting commission. This was my very first commission ever! I felt so honoured and realized that it would be possible for me to make something out of this passion I have. And from then, I’ve been taking commissions ever since with so much gratitude and joy.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

How I got into this discipline is, first and foremost, by pure passion. I genuinely love painting/drawing, and would have continued to do so even if it was not tied to my business. I am truly grateful that it is though so that this passion can be beautifully translated through other people’s vision and projects.

I provide illustration designing (character design, environment design, etc.) as well as creative directing (concept, development, planning, research, etc.).
I help elevate my client’s vision for their project’s visuals by introducing my creative ideas and skills.

I really enjoy simultaneously connecting with my clients and their project which I get the opportunity to take part in. To see a vision come to fruition through collaborative brainstorming and communication, among many others, is what I strive for when working with a client.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

What I wish I knew earlier in my creative journey is that it’s okay to ask questions/for help! I started my journey during the pandemic so most of my research was done online by myself. I thought that anything you need to know and learn would be found on the internet. This is true but limited. I learned the most when asking questions/for advice. Whether it was the simplest questions about how to write up a commission contract or how to mix different art mediums; the most valuable lessons about the creative journey came from conversations with other fellow artists.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Personal for me, I think the best source for new clients is to make sure every project you take is executed with pleasant intention, communication and connection. This makes the overall experience of working together more fun and valuable. In turn, your clients will most likely want to refer/recommend you more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.melophova.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melophova/

Image Credits
All images by Melophova.