Today we’d like to introduce you to Monique Dominguez.
Monique, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started drawing when I was a child. I would fill my grandmother’s notepads with silly doodles while she was on the phone. As a teenager, I would lose track of time, staying up late drawing and painting – I felt like I found myself. My grandmother saw that and began to support me the best she could. We didn’t have a lot of money growing up but my savvy and frugal grandma found free art classes for me and paid for my art supplies out of her own pocket. I’ll forever be grateful to my grandparents and aunt for being my champions, patrons, and chauffeurs.
I was actually discouraged by my high school teachers from getting an art degree. They were adamant that art was an unstable career. In college, after a year of being undeclared, I took the plunge and decided to major in Illustration. My family’s low socioeconomic standing and my grades landed me grants and scholarships that made a university art degree possible. I’m the first in my immediate family and one of a handful of people in my extended family to have a college degree.
After obtaining my Bachelor of Fine Arts, I continued to take classes, workshops, and mentorships with the money I saved from my day jobs. What I love the most about art is that you can never stop learning. You constantly have to push yourself day after day. I’m on a never-ending journey to be a better visual communicator, draftsmen, and painter than the day I was before.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road but I’m grateful because I have learned so much along the way. There were times early on in my art journey that I doubted myself and my abilities. I was paralyzed by anxiety and stopped making art for a while. I’m thankful for family, good friends, and mentors who pulled me out of that rut by encouraging me to continue drawing and painting. I haven’t looked back since.
Please tell us more about your art.
I’m an illustrator and graphic designer with a love for visual storytelling. I enjoy applying my creativity and technical skills to produce engaging illustrations and designs. I’ve helped make publications for children, professionals, artists, and art enthusiasts.
In my spare time, I love to paint still lives and en plein air with my painting group, The Warrior Painters. Painting in gouache is both an exercise to improve my skills and a form of meditation/relaxation. I love it!
I think what sets me apart is that I’m very adaptable and a good team player. I like the challenge of changing styles and tailoring designs to meet the brief and appeal to the intended audience. I recently took a workshop with Annie Atkins to learn about graphic design for film and a Background design for animation class with Angela Sung because I would love to one day work in entertainment design. It looks like they have so much fun.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I would try to have more confidence and take more risks. I used to never feel like I was ready so I wouldn’t apply for my dream jobs or ask people for help. I learned over time that no one ever really feels ready so you got to just go for it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://moniquedominguez.carbonmade.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moni.domii/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/moni_domii
Image Credit:
James Okubo
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