MEET #1483 DANIEL NYARI

Illustrator • New York City

WNW Member #1483 Daniel Nyari moved from communist Romania to Austria before ultimately taking his illustrative talents to New York City. We talked to Daniel about finding an identity amidst familial and cultural pressures, while striking a balance between working and not working.

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1. How long have you been freelancing?

I've been attempting freelancing since 2004 and only successfully so since late 2012.

2. Is there a time or place that you feel most creative/have the best ideas?

Like most freelancers I feel more productive in the evening and there's a reason for that. When I worked full-time I got used to working after 5 or 6pm into the night. When I started freelancing fully it just carried over. Nonetheless when I wake up, my brain tends to still remain somewhat in hybernation so I created a system where I do a lot of the repetitive stuff that doesn't necessarily require me to be "creative" and as the day progresses and I have enough cups of coffee I tend to move on to projects that require a little more creative attention. When ideas hit me tends to be random. I can sit, lay down in bed, I can be out shopping for groceries, I can even be in the bathroom but ideas come clearest to me when I am most relaxed and not burdened with numerous deadlines and related concerns.

3. What's your ideal Working:Not Working ratio?

This depends entirely on how much money I can get from a specific amount of work. If I am working on one or two projects a week that don't require me to seek out more work I am comfortable allowing myself free time to do personal projects. The ideal scenario is a 50/50 Working/Not Working ratio with the working client section financially secure. The reality is that on average it's been 90/10 Working/Not Working for me. I'm also a workaholic and like the challenge of pushing myself with multiple projects.

4. Do your parents understand what you do?

No. I can try explaining it to them and they will just understand that I draw images and some of them end up in magazines and some on websites. They don't understand the industry or the concept of freelancing to a full extent. They are old school former soviet-satellite traditionalists coming from completely working class backgrounds. Most creatives seem to have parents who were into the arts or have some kind of background that allowed them to guide their children towards the profession. I never had that luxury. Nor did my parents ever really encourage me to pursue the arts or rather they were entirely indifferent as long as I would bring money to the family. As a result; whatever progression I've made came as a direct desire to be completely opposite of what my parents represent or have known growing up.

5. What scene from a movie makes you laugh just thinking about it?

The Bobby Peru/Lula Hotel Room Scene from Wild At Heart.

6. If you were stranded on a desert island, with your computer, what 3 websites would you take with you?

Only one. theonion.com so I can get all my world news.

7. What do you do when Not Working?

Usually working on personal projects. My personal projects list is enormous and always growing. While I'm a commercial illustrator, I don't like the idea of being one most of the time so I try to find comfort in the illusion of being a real artist who has complete control over his content and style.

8. Do you have a hidden talent?

I'm a football (soccer) fan and have been since I was five so I have an extensive knowledge of the sport and its tactical philosophies.

9. Any tips or advice for fellow freelancers?

If you're starting out, make sure you develop a style that is distinctly you and you in every decision you make throughout the creative process. Do and treat personal projects with the same importance as paid projects. And do what you love or tackle subjects that interest you and if they are good you will attract clients who will want to pay you for something similar.

Learn to pace yourself and more importantly how to predict the time you will need for particular projects and the more efficient work management will become.

Also, don't underestimate the power of social media.

10. What's your favorite thing on the internet this week?

My favorite thing on the internet this week are over 14,000 images of the French Revolution finally released online. http://frda-stage.stanford.edu/en/images