We were lucky to catch up with Wojciech Maśliński recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Wojciech, thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

Success is, in my opinion, the result of hard work and discipline rather than a random occurrence. Therefore, I believe that an essential part of success is discipline, which involves doing things not just when you feel like it but when they need to be done. I have experienced firsthand that hard work pays off. I created my Instagram account in October 2020, and since then, I have consistently managed my profile. For the first three years, I posted at least 3 times a week without any breaks. I remember staying up late to finish drawings just to publish them on time. At some point, my effort paid off, and I quickly gained many followers, receiving inquiries about commissioned drawings. So, once again, discipline equals success:)

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

Hi! On the internet, I’m known as Mawo. I’m 16 years old and I engage in computer graphics. I design characters, and for some time now, I’ve been fascinated by the world of fashion. I’ve managed to gather over 10,000 followers on Instagram, and I’ve worked with people like rapper Steven Malcolm and the clothing company Relab.

I started my drawing journey a little over 3 years ago. It all began with YouTube videos of two artists, gawx and vexx. Their videos greatly intrigued me, and I wanted to draw like them. So, I created an Instagram account and started sharing my work, and that’s when everything started.

Drawing completely absorbed me; I fell in love with it. Initially, I drew a lot of inspiration from them, but over time, I developed my own style, which I believe distinguishes my work from others. Above all, my characters stand out with eyes of unusual, oversized proportions.

Additionally, clothing is an important part for me. Regarding clothing, I have an interesting story. I’ve always liked to dress well, but everything changed 2 years ago. While listening to music, I came across a song by rapper Tyler the Creator. I liked it so much that I listened to his entire album “CMIYGL.” After listening, I checked who this guy actually was, and since then, he became my idol in the field of fashion. I personally think that Tyler’s dressing style and all his fashion-related actions are amazing. Thanks to him, I discovered what fashion means to me, and I understood that I want my future to be associated with it.

That’s why by the end of the first half of 2024, I plan to open my own clothing store. And if you want to see more of my work, feel free to visit my Instagram: @art_mawo. If you like what I do, giving it a follow means a lot to me, and it costs you less than 30 seconds.

How did you build your audience on social media?

To build your audience on social media, time and perseverance are essential. I’ll focus on Instagram since I consider myself experienced in this matter. However, I’ll mention only a few key aspects, even though the topic is much more extensive.

First and foremost, consistency and respect for your followers matter. If you decide to post every other day, stick to it. Using my own example, I can say that I adhered to my plan, and only after a year of consistency did Instagram start promoting my posts on the Explore page, which is crucial for reaching new people.

Another significant aspect is building relationships with your followers, treating them as individuals rather than just profile pictures with usernames. It’s about respecting that they dedicate their time to you and finding ways to reciprocate, such as liking their posts or leaving a kind comment, etc.

Additionally, factors like:

– The quality of your posted content
– Reaching new audiences through Reels
– Thematic consistency in your profile

are important.

But the most crucial aspect is to remember that everything takes time also build audience on social media.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Being a creative is something incredible and, at the same time, mysterious for me. When I start creating something, initially, I only have a blank sheet, and when I finish the work, I see something that my imagination has crafted. I don’t know how it happens, but when I start drawing, an image spontaneously forms in my mind of how what I’m doing should look, and I feel what I should draw at a given moment. If someone were to ask me what I would be drawing, I could tell them only in broad strokes, without many details. However, inside myself, I feel exactly what I should draw, and the only way I can bring it to life is to transfer it onto paper. That, for me, is the most satisfying aspect of creating.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @art_mawo

Image Credits
Mawo