Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Who are you :
Marcos Chin
Your current job :
Illustrator
In which city are you located?
Brooklyn
A word to define what kind of worker you are :
Serious
What tools are essential to your life (app, software, etc..)
computer, scanner, printer, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, black ink, brush, pencil, charcoal, paper, Bristol and/or watercolour paper, marker or tracing paper, light table.
What does your office space look like?
My studio is in a building that is filled with various types of businesses, most of which are in art and design. I’ve designed my space to allow me to playfully work on personal art and design projects alongside my commercial illustration work (that is mostly done using the computer). It consists of an desk area for my computer, as well as an area for silkscreening, a dark room, sink/washing station as well as an area for sewing.
What kind of music do you listen when you are working ?
This varies on the kind of mood that I’m in; it can range from slow singer/songwriter to pop music. However, oftentimes however I listen to radio programs on National Public Radio, CBC Radio, or The Moth Radio.
Do you have a way to organize your day to maximize your work ?
I typically start the day by responding to emails, and then look over my calendar for the week and month to see what I have to do. Mentally, I make a note of what I need to accomplish on that particular day, and also sometimes write out a schedule that lists these tasks. As a freelancer, it’s easy to become distracted and procrastinate since there is nobody telling you what to do, so making a list keeps me accountable.
What tips would you give to improve productivity ?
I think it’s important to understand the time of day when you’re most productive. Through my experience, I know that I am a morning person, I do my best work and am most awake in the morning, at around 2:00pm my energy begins to dip and so I typically take a break by going to the gym, and then pick up again around 4:00pm. This is not a schedule that I always adhere to, but I know that if I listen to, and respect my body, then it will affect my productivity. Also as much as I like to be “in the zone” while I’m working, wherein which times passes very quickly, I try not to work longer than 2 hour blocks to prevent from becoming too exhausted. Yes, there are those projects when I find I’m working for four, five, or six hours straight; however I make sure to take regular breaks, even if they’re for 15 minutes, in order to give myself more work endurance.
What is the best advice anyone has given you ?
The best advice that I received was given by my friend’s mom to her, which was to work three times harder than everyone else. This mimicked the advice my father gave to me was that when you think that you’ve finished working, spend a few hours longer on that particular piece.
What is your best tip for saving time ?
The best tip for saving time is to be organized: know what it is you have to do, write it down and cross it out when you’re done. Also try to allot an amount of time for each task.
What is your routine start and end of the day ?
Oftentimes I begin my day around 8:00-8:30am. I usually begin by responding to emails and doing office work (paying bills, invoicing, filing, etc.). Afterwards, I work on whatever project needs to be done; by that point, I’ve made decisions about which projects have priority over others. I draw until about 1:00 or 2:00pm, and then take a break (go to the gym, have lunch, etc.). I resume in the late afternoon, and work until I feel like I’ve completed my tasks for the day. Usually, I spend about 10 hours working per weekday, and sometimes less than that on the weekends. Having said that, there have been times when I have worked all night in order to meet a deadline.
Aside from your computer and your phone, what gadget can you not you go without?
What other gadgets could there be? 😀
Seriously, though my computer and phone are the 2 gadgets that I cannot go without. I have an iPad, a camera, and other electronic devices, but I really don’t use them very often.
