Side projects fuel creativity and attract unexpected opportunities. Examples: an illustrator’s daily coffee doodles went viral, landing a book deal.
The ‘No Rules’ Project: Choose something intentionally low-pressure—no client briefs, no algorithms. Digital painter Lisa Nguyen started a ‘Bad Fan Art’ series (think blurry cartoon characters) as a joke. It became her most shared work, leading to commissions. ‘Play reminds us why we love art,’ she says.
