We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anna Aichinger. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anna below.
Anna, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Imposter Syndrome is difficult in and of itself. The term was coined in the late 1970s, but only recently has it become integrated into our common vocabulary. I am not sure that anyone can fully overcome the complexities of feeling inadequate, especially in the current age of smartphones. Our handheld devices are constantly buzzing with alerts.. It’s overwhelming; as if there is always something better out there than what we could achieve ourselves (or someone better to achieve it).
I had to teach myself how to get out of the anxiety that comes from doom scrolling and just allow myself to defocus so that I could create. As a child living in the pre-tablet age, I had a lot more time to be imaginative. In my 20’s, the amount of anxiety I used to have before creating led me to stop making art for a few years. I kept to my day job, which is strictly designing on the computer. However, I found that I do need an outlet for creation away from a screen.
I got to a point where I had to overcome my feelings of apprehension and get back to the act of creating freely. I knew that the stagnant feelings of uncertainty were worse than ending up with a piece of bad artwork. As humans, we should constantly strive to learn new techniques inside and outside of our direct work! By allowing myself to curate traditional art again, I grew to remember what it was that I loved about being creative.
I am still practicing allowing myself to make mistakes when taking on a new medium. Which does help in making me feel more empowered! Creating for myself allows me to keep my brain in the mode it needs to be in to carry out jobs for work. Many times, in order to get over the crippling thoughts that stop my flow, I try to gather inspiration. This might be looking at other work online or going through old travel photos. The feelings of inspiration help me to tap into the focused state I need to take on the task at hand by putting the idea of Imposter Syndrome behind me.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a freelance artist who works in advertising. My typical work day could consist of anything from illustrating storyboards to editing a video or even creating a fully animated ad. Sometimes I receive print design jobs or brand marketing gigs. I like to be flexible and take on a variety of work. This allows me to not become bored with one thing.
Currently, I am in a group gallery show coming up in February. For the last few years I have had personal pieces showcased in the Dirty Show, which is Detroit’s largest erotic art show. This year I have a piece in the gallery, and I will also be selling prints for the first time! This is my first set of linocut prints. It has been exciting to make something new, but of course it came with a number of frustrations in learning the process further.
I had not touched any linocut tools since middle school. I had a friend who wanted to hang out and carve some block prints together; I got hooked. The linocut prints are so expansive in what you can do with them, and it allowed me a new outlet. From printing on paper, to fabric, even pottery – it allowed me to drive into a new world of tangible items I could make.
It has been a lot of fun but also challenging in ways I did not expect. I started by presenting a personal project in July of 2023 that consisted of different stamps, then scanned and edited into an animation. I have since found that making the animation in some ways was much easier than producing a batch of prints. I am still learning and trying to be gentle with myself – but it’s difficult when you really want to hone a new craft.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
As far as working in advertising goes, newcomers need to remember one key thing. You are being paid to carry out an idea for a client who, in most cases, is not creative. That means a few things in terms of communication and what it means for your portfolio.
One – Not everything you make (and most things you make for money) are not going to become portfolio pieces. When I was younger, I thought more of the ad work I made would be “creative.” However, I have done many ads for different kinds of industries, and sometimes the work produced ends up very corporate. Just remember you are being paid, and the client needs to be happy with the work at the end of the day – not you. During the starting process of the job, if you make a cool style board or a motion test, keep it in your back pocket. It’s okay if that’s not what the final ended up looking like.
Two – Communicating with clients can be difficult. I recall one meeting where I had to explain that a photograph and an illustration were different. Remember: the client is hiring you because you are the expert; guide them as kindly as you can. They are relying on your ingenuity to provide them with a professional product.
Three – Always keep making work that makes you proud. This can be any medium. Make sure that along with making money, you keep creating for yourself. When you create for yourself you never know where your personal work will land you, and it can help bring in similar work for hire.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Nothing like a good book! Here are a few of my favorite all-inspiring books for continuing a creative journey:
I originally started college in the TV/video department. I wanted to work in production as a camera woman and actress. Different interests ended up taking over in the post production world; however, I had a highschool teacher gift me “501 Must-See Movies.” This book is amazing, filled with classics in all genres – I still go back to it. Film was originally a very inspirational part of my life. I still like to explore new directors and genres.
When I wanted to come back from my downward funk and start creating again, I sought out help from literature. I stumbled upon “The Art of Noticing.” Which is a fantastic book, full of prompts and personal discovery. From drawing everything you notice around you to taking a walk where you pay attention to every scent you smell, it can really help reawaken what inspires us.
I also have a number of random art books. These can be anything from old illustrated fairy tales to pictures of old movie stars and pin-up illustrations. I really love a good coffee table book. I find images inspiring – and it’s fun to see other people gravitate towards them when they visit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aichingercreative.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aich.creative/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aichingeranna/
Image Credits
No need to credit anyone, I have ownership of all photos. As they are from personal trips and studio images taken by friends.
