Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sofi Gutiérrez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Sofi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I actually have a regular job! I work as graphic designer for a marketing agency, so what I often wonder is what it would be like to have a full time job as an artist. For now, and while I’m still in the process of growing, I like the fact that I have both my regular job and my creative, side job, and, if I’m being totally honest, even though my main goal is to be able to earn a living from my art, I wouldn’t want to just turn off my design skills, as I really enjoy doing that too. So my ideal would be to turn things around: make art my regular job and do some freelancing design every now and then :)

Sofi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a Digital Illustrator and Designer. I opened the Made by Sofi account at the end of 2018 after being inspired by other artists that would post their work on social media. I would admire their art styles but mostly their courage to show their art to the world, regardless on the different opinions and definitions of what Art is or means.
I offer commissions in the form of portraits in my art style of one or more people, that could be bust, half body or full body sized. I can also be commissioned to draw fan art or my client’s original characters in my style.

I also sell my own merchandise at local art shows, my products include stickers, prints, tote bags, t shirts, pins, and more.

I think I’m really proud of the way my art has evolved from when I first started drawing, also the fact that selling art was a goal of mine that I had pushed back until I felt I was ready, but when the opportunity presented itself and I wasn’t ready yet (under my own judgment), I still took it and I’m very happy with the response I’ve had.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It may be kind of cliché, but it is really beautiful to be able to transform something I love doing into something I can earn money from. And the fact that some people actually like what I do, and are willing to pay for my commissions, my products… it’s still mind-blowing and I wonder if that’s how big artists felt like when they were starting, and if they got over those feelings at some point!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

This is a subject that’s not easy to answer, as I still struggle with it myself and don’t have a huge audience on social media. I sometimes wonder if I should have waited a couple of years and tried open my account later, cause I have a few friends who started off in 2020 and now they have an amazingly big audience. Other times, I doubt myself and wonder if it’s my art that just isn’t good and that’s the reason I haven’t grown as much as I’d like to. Social media can also be the problem, as we all know the struggle with it at the moment. So, as someone who’s been here for 4 years and has grown very slowly, all I can say is that even when it’s not easy, you should care more about your art and your own satisfaction and progress than the numbers. Also, be nice with people, and people will be nice to you. I think something that has helped my growth, slow as it has been, it’s to support fellow artists, interact with their posts, befriend them, it will open you the doors to the amazing art community and people will start noticing you, interacting with your own posts, etc. :)

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.sofigutierrez.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madebysofi_/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/madebysofi1
• Other: https://beacons.ai/sofigutierrez