“Don’t wait for permission to go out and create.” Baz Luhrmann.

What is Hirameki?  I’m so glad you asked!  It is the Japanese word for ‘brainwave’ or ‘flash of insight’ or ‘flash of inspiration’. 

My Hirameki moment was during the final stage of my first online Illustration course with Domestika.  I just knew that, despite being very comfortable in a life drawing class, I was not and had never been an artist.  I am an illustrator!  It set me free – I no longer suffer from imposter syndrome.

I’ve previously said that I thoroughly enjoyed the course, but there was one thing that I could not get my head around.  The tutor discouraged overthinking; I was to turn off my brain, adopt the mindset of a child and connect with my own inner-child.  Hmmm! For years I worked as a hairdresser because I love obsessing over style, shape and design.  It’s the attention to detail and the precision that excites me.  Overthinking my creations is sheer pleasure.

Herewith my results of the final exercise – four double pages of a sketch book using the techniques demonstrated throughout the course.