Meet Nazrin Farook

We were lucky to catch up with Nazrin Farook recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nazrin, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

As a freelancer, my work ethic has grown from being fully accountable for everything I do. I’ve learned to create my own schedules, prioritize tasks and deadlines, and balance work with necessary downtime. Focus and dedication have become my guiding principles, shaping the way I approach every project.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Professionally, I’m a Surface Pattern Designer. I create the patterns and designs found on greeting cards, gift wrap, stationery, fabric, and bedding. It’s an incredibly creative and rewarding field. At the same time, I’m building a portfolio in children’s book illustration. The process has involved much more preparation than I expected, but I’m determined to see it through. Along the way, I’ve met many inspiring and influential people, and I’m really enjoying every step toward reaching my goal.
I recently had the wonderful opportunity of joining a “Writing Retreat’ with other authors and illustrators. They were so incredibly encouraging and inspiring to be with. I would say that experience has been the best part of my journey in children’s book illustration so far.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The most important lesson I’ve learned is to do the legwork myself. While it’s often said that contacts can be made through friends or acquaintances—and that may be true for some—I’ve found that personally introducing myself at events and conferences has had the greatest impact when it comes to creating and following up on opportunities.
Secondly, stay focused. It’s easy to get carried away with new ideas or shifting ambitions, but when you’re truly focused on a goal, things start to fall into place.
And finally, enjoy the journey. It’s often the most rewarding and inspiring part of reaching where you want to go.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

Having discovered the joys of remote work and train travel across Europe during the pandemic, I would spend my last decade exploring European cities by rail. I’d visit both the renowned and hidden museums—returning to some favorites—and study the art, architecture, and culture of each place. Spending at least a month in each city, I’d immerse myself in local life, not only to experience the world fully but also to feed my own creativity and perspective as an artist, designer and illustrator.

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