Internet world: The Toxic 'Now' and The Will be Missed 'Then'

One day I came across a meme picture that described the differences between the internet now and then. So, I decided to draw the picture in my own version.

As someone who live in the era before and after the internet become a common thing in life, I truly know and experience the differences in real time. I spent my early childhood in the 80s, teen life in 90s, young adult in 2000s and adult in current 2020s. To put it simply, I'm included in the era between generation x and millennial or known as gen xennial. I've been through the era where the technology shifted faster than ever and things did not last as it used to be for a long time.

Before the 2000s era, everything has been manually done for life and computer still in its early development and so did the internet. Every day was filled with Daily mail, postcards, magazine, newspaper, television, home phone, fax, radio, limited and slower information about everything etc. However, things were changed after that era when the internet slowly easier to be reached and used as tool.  I remember back then, I was so fascinated with internet and felt that I found a whole new world as an introvert to communicate with people from other side of the world, let alone they were strangers to begin with. Back then, there were no such thing of faking IDs and scam or spam as a bunch of it now, or at least it was not something so common as today. I even befriended with some people from different countries and chat so often as if we live nextdoor. That time I thought I finally found a place for me to runaway from the hectic daily life, social pressure and boredom and it worked. However, as time goes by, everything has escalated quickly, the changes is unstoppable and internet is now no longer a place I know as it used to be.

Nowadays, in the span of not only 15years but more than 2 decades, internet has turned into a scary and toxic place to be if we don't use it wisely. Yes, the technology is much more advance and all the things that seemed to be impossible, now is truly possible and information is faster by the minutes or even seconds.  We can share everything but the scary part is, we can lose everything and affect or damage our lives seriously. The doxing, scam, phishing, fraud, crime and all other bad things that could possibly happen is in our very own hand through mobile phone to see. So much so, to avoid it, many people suggested to go back to real life, nature and limit the access to it. Life is shifted into online, socialize online, work online, even everything has to be online. It would be extremely exhausting and troublesome if we don't follow it for the sake to stay relevant but it can't be helped anyway. Well, do we even have other choice to make? none. And now AI finally made it worst. I wonder if there will be new founded thing to counter this to be better next time, again who knows.    

 
 

Art and Clients Series: 3. The One who Think of Family & Friend the Most

The first time I received a project offer from her, to be honest, I was a bit skeptical. Why? because I was a bit trauma with some people who gave me projects for certain price but they expected more results and files which in the end did not match with the early agreement. However, I was truly wrong. She turned out to be one of the best clients I've ever work with and truly understanding and not to mention, appreciated my ideas and efforts for her projects.

 

The  first project was that she wanted me to create illustrations for her custom song book for her grandson. She gave me full freedom in doing the illustrations based on the songs she chose to be on the list. It was a great pleasure for me and she was satisfied with the result as well. Then, another projects a few months after that which were similar but for different purposes such as a friend's birthday cards, motivational book for family, etc. I couldn't be grateful enough to her for the work plus the appreciation she'd given me and I was really happy whenever she contacted me for any project she wanted me to do because she would rewarded me handsomely for it. I truly wish her the best in her life.  

 

*the picture above is the example of my work for her. For portfolio purpose only. Any use/copy/share/repost is not allowed. 

Art and Clients Series: 2. The One who like it Customize for Holiday Season

The story went back to 2012 when I won in his contest for custom Xmas family postcard illustration which featured his family and related to the current trend that year - Gangnam style music video.

Since then, he regularly contacted me every year near holiday season to order custom illustration related to any trend happened that year for his family postcard to be printed and sent to all their family, friends and colleagues with a very specific details in his brief of what I should do to come up with the illustration as he would expected. Until one day, it stopped because of a reason.  

 The reason was Covid19, and so he stopped ordering in those years until he finally reached out again for another annual custom card illustration after the pandemic era was over. we still continue working together until last year because I wouldn't know whether he will do so for this year. Nonetheless, I wish him the best. I almost forgot to mention that he also let some of his friends and neighbor to give me their personal projects and I really was grateful for him for it. 

*the picture attached in the post is a part of early concept for one of the illustration I made for him. For portfolio purpose only. Any use/copy/share/repost is not allowed. 

 

 

Art and Clients Series: 1. The One with Unique Imaginations

In more than two decades of my life working in art designing, both in fashion or clothing and graphic or illustration, I've come across so many different challenges and type of clients.

As for now, I would like to share one of my experiences with one certain client who wanted to build his own business in clothing industry with his his own brand back then a few years ago. He was a young man with a lot of unique imaginations which I need to put into illustration or graphic design form for his clothing products. The picture which attached in this post was one of it. He had one original character as the main brand mascot in all of the illustrations I did. There were many other illustrations in which I, as a designer wouldn't think that far for the ideas and inspirations. 

We worked together for 2-3 years producing some designs and he even sent me the sample of his products and a nice appreciation letter. However, we suddenly stopped working when I asked him to give me some times to finish other project with tight deadline before working on his latest idea. Maybe he was also in a rush and couldn't wait for me to do it.

In the end, overall it was a nice experience and I always appreciate what he had done for me in the past and for his trust in using my design service. I wish him the best.   

  

 

Music Cover Illustration from a Missing Client

A few years ago, I had a string of projects from someone who claimed to be a newbie artist/rapper as for the new beginning of his career after he left his old work related to martial art or sport (I forgot which one). 

 

He continuously gave me new order for each song he wrote and recorded. He even gave me the lyric and song to understand better about the specific concept he wanted for it. And so I did as he requested for all the songs with various illustrations. He even started his own channel on one big social media to share his music and also showing those illustrations for each of them. We worked together for almost a year for it and I tried to support him on his channel. Until one day the project came to an end. He said he would contact me one day if he ever need my design service again. He was good as a client and I had no problem working for him that time.

 

Time went by and after around a few years later and many other projects that came after him, I got curious to see how he's doing with his new career and I checked his channel only to see all of his songs had been gone as if those weren't there since the beginning. I googled him by his real name that he'd once mentioned to me but to no avail. I wonder what had happened to him because it seemed like everything related to him were erased. Until now, there was no clear news about him or rather, I found out something but couldn't be confirmed that it was him related to it. Something that definitely would made it understandable as to why he disappeared. Only God knows.

 

The picture I attached in this post was the initial illustration for one of the song in which the final one was way different than this.  

 

Annual Girl's Scout Event in T-shirt Design

I got a special project back then from one girl scout organization from U.S back then a few years ago.  

It was a project with specific brief of how they want it to show to their young members. It supposed to also show the spirit and youth with cheerful vibe and most of all, the relationship with nature as girl scout.

I came up with this idea after reading their brief and they instantly approved within a day after I showed them the concept. The picture in this post was the one their agreed on which showing a little girl scout with her backpack facing the mountain scenery, bird and sunrise with tent. They only want the design with minimal colors used on the t-shirt which was only 3 colors.

In the end, this was one of the most satisfying projects which finished within less than 3 days and the client was happy with it. 

Feel free to contact me for any design or illustration commission/inquiry/project without AI through e-mail: thedreamernoodlemie@gmail.com or DM through Instagram: @noodlemie  

An Unfinished Music Cover Concept for An Abandoned Contest

I got invited into one contest for music cover with quite high price back then a few years ago. They specifically described the elements that should be included in the illustration and I came up with the concept as the picture attached in this post.

It was a rather unfinished contest since the contest holder in the end abandoned the contest without explaining the reason why. I left it unfinished although it crossed my mind several time the urge to finish the concept but still I finally decided just to let it be as it is. 

This kind of things happened a couple of times whether due to the client being busy or lost interest in continuing because they didn't find what they wanted or simply changed their mind about it. Of course the curiosity arose in our mind as people who participated in the contest but we could do nothing about it but only to let it go.

Anyway, in this art business, things happened and not all process are smooth as we want it to. Once again another lesson learned. It may seem like I've been sharing many bad moments in life in several post I've written here in my blog, but believe me, these things were only 20 to max 30 percents compared to the good things that happened in it. Life is never flat and it never will. Because at the end of the day, another day another chance to take and another new door to open.   

 

Mural Design For a Contest that did not finished in time

A few years ago, there was a competition for one famous beverage cola brand to create a mural design based on their commercial advertisement at that time. This mural will be painted directly on a wall in one European country. 

After I've watched the ads over and over again, I came up with this idea. I wanted to combined all the elements from the ads in one picture. Due to contest's short time, I didn't manage to finish coloring the concept in time because apparently it took quite long time to finish this concept. So, in the end, I just submitted the outline without colors to show them thinking who knows they would consider my initial concept as a good one. Unfortunately, my concept was not convincing enough and failed to go through to the next round. 

A couple of months later, in between my free time after finishing some projects, I came across this unfinished concept and then finished it until the concept completed and I kinda wonder what if I finished it on contest time. Anyway, I posted in my social media as my portfolio. Here is the result as on the picture attached. 

Feel free to contact me for any design/ illustration service through e-mail: thedreamernoodlemie@gmail.com or DM me on Insta: @noodlemie 

 

A Tribute for Late Friend in Custom illustration/Design

This would be the last post in the last day of year 2025. A throwback of a heartfelt experience I had back then. 

A couple of years ago, I got an inquiry from someone for a personal custom design/ illustration as a tribute for his late friend.

He specifically described the details that he wanted me to include in the design and he also provided me the references of his late friend in photos. His late friend was a quite young man, a gym enthusiast and a happy friendly person with so much energy and spirit to dedicate, live and share his life for his loved ones, his friends and his work. Not to mention, his healthy life style that he tried to maintain until one day he suddenly passed away.

The client didn't disclose further why he passed away and I didn't want to ask since it was a private matter. He wanted him to be remembered as the best person he was and that gave me the motivation to do the best I could at that time.

So, this was the illustration I did for him with some details such as wording small front part design were left out here to emphasize the person and the background only for this blog post. He was satisfied and thankful for the result. He will print it on t-shirts that will be worn on his late friend's memorial day with the rest of friends and family.  In the end, we all wanted to be remembered and loved by people around us. 

For portfolio purpose only. Any use/copy/share/re-post is not allowed. Feel free to contact me for any illustration/design service through e-mail: the dreamernoodlemie@gmail.com or DM on Insta @ noodlemie.