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Screenshots of the App I designed mentioned in my Evaluative Report. 

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Evaluative Report

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Throughout my blog I have been considering what makes a digital nomad just that. I recently read this book about the filming of ‘AFRICA’ the documentary narrated by David Attenborough. Is a digital nomad someone who uses social media and the internet as a means to continue working and earning money whilst travelling or living in another country or is a digital nomad someone who does not conform to the norms of a daily job working in an office etc. In my opinion it is the latter. These camera men and woman are in my opinion digital nomads, they have used the rise in technology (cameras etc) to live a nomadic lifestyle whilst still earning a living. Just the same as my previous research when I went around Costa coffee shops and asked people if this was their working environment. I believe the same applies to them although they may not be surrounded by such nice scenery. For me, the digital nomad lifestyle is ever-changing and may not mean the same thing to everyone. This idea is something I want to develop and look at in the future, talking to people such as cameramen and woman to see what their perspective on it is. 

(Bright, M., 2014. AFRICA. EYE TO EYE WITH THE UNKNOWN. 1st ed. London: Quercus Natural History.)

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The 8 Most Common Digital Nomad Careers

1. Web or app development

2. eCommerce Entrepreneurship

3. Online Marketing

4. Blogging & Affiliate Marketing

5. Content Writing

6. Graphic Design

7. Coaching and Consulting

8. Software Entrepreneurship

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The Future of The Digital Nomad Lifestyle

In the future in my opinion the digital nomad lifestyle is set to become even more popular. As creative industries become more prevalent and we adjust to the ever-changing market I think up-and-coming designers and artists will realise that there is more money to be made and more adventures to be had by travelling and living abroad. Social media and the internet are only going to expand and grow which will also enable us to use these platforms more and more. As seen in my interview with my peers, some had doubts money-wise about partaking in the nomad lifestyle however they all said it was something they are interested in.  

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I have found this archive of interviews from nomads in Tibet. I have read through 6 of them and find it interesting how much has changed in the world since then yet many places have stayed the same. For example hunting for food etc. A nomadic lifestyle is one that is built of very few personal possessions yet is rich in culture and adventure. Although these people who were interviewed probably do not own a mobile phone and do not have social media I still feel it is important to note that the Digital Nomad Lifestyle which we are all familiar with now has risen from the same ideals of having a simple yet fulfilled life and knowing that that idea has mainly sprung from history and the original humans who lived it out. 

(Tibetoralhistory.org. (2017). Tibet Oral History Project. [online] Available at: http://tibetoralhistory.org/interviews_culture.html#24 [Accessed 21 Dec. 2017].)

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Photos taken in Liats studio/living space. The area she has to work in is very spacious. There are materials and clothes everywhere. She really opened my eyes to the opportunities creatives now have in terms of living where you work but also making a move to another country successful. The importance of keeping social media updated as well as keeping in close contact with friends and family back home really struck me. You have to keep on top of everything as a freelance creative because you are in charge of your income which is why she suggested having sick days is hard. For me re-settling in another country seems more appealing that continuously travelling a there is more stability involved in all areas.  

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Conversation with Liat Polishuk

I visited Liat who is a menswear designer in her home in Ladbroke Grove. She moved to London from Switzerland a few years ago. She rents a warehouse with others which is where she works and lives. 

“The pros of moving is a sense of freedom. I came here to study, and not having certain restrictions, either my parents or my group of friends, actually somehow set me free. I wanted to do well by me first, and also in a place like London you ‘run with the big dogs’. If you’re very good at what you do you have a chance of both working and competing with some of the best in your field. It’s incredible. The cons are, the other side of the coin of being away from your family and friends. At times you don’t have the financial freedom or even time to visit them. If I get sick or if anything happens to me, I rely on kindness of friends, which most of them will be in a similar predicament. I can’t really afford to take days off or be sick, most of us are freelance and London is an expensive place.”

“I do not have clients outside of London, but I did use to have a business partner in a small town near Milan, Italy. We used to meet up once every 5 weeks and also Skype at times but mostly we used to Facebook chat which was the fastest and the friendliest. I imagine if I’ll have a client abroad it’ll still have to be a combo, garments are tangible, as much as you can understand each other online eventually you need to meet up and discuss the garments and see how it feels in real life. You can post it but it just works best if you meet face to face.”

“Social media definitely helped me out. I got quite a lot of work from individuals just contacting me privately on my Instagram account. I have witnessed a massive rise in the use of it amongst my creative friends. Even Facebook opened a market place, and it’s just a matter of time where you’ll see full on shops using that format.” 

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I mean who wouldn’t want to relocate to somewhere like this while still earning a living from something you love...

(Instagram. (2017). Instagram post by @chris_halderman • Dec 11, 2017 at 5:57am UTC. [online] Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/BcjQ-cbDnLP/?hl=en&taken-by=chris_halderman [Accessed 14 Dec. 2017].)

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My questions to Chris Halderman and his responses. I have found throughout my research so far that most people say living the nomad lifestyle is something you can partake in for a while but not long periods of time either because of money issues or purely the fact that they prefer to be at home with friends/family. However it is a different story when instead of travelling one decides to actually move location and live in another country.

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I have been communicating with an artist called Chris Halderman who is currently travelling Asia about the ups and downs of being a creative and producing work whilst travelling. Above are two of his recent pieces. He is a designer for the music industry for example record sleeve covers and posters.

(Picssr.com. (2017). Hldrmn's most recent Flickr photos | Picssr. [online] Available at: http://picssr.com/photos/halderman/page3?nsid=24809504@N07 [Accessed 14 Dec. 2017].) 

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I have visited 5 Costa coffee shops, 3 in London and 2 in Kent where my family lives. The purpose of this was to talk to people who were on their laptops to see if they use this space as an office/workspace instead of the regular of having a set building to work in everyday as this is also a development of the rise of the internet and living the nomad lifestyle. I ventured up to 16 people and to be honest most looked older than they were and were actually students. However I had one really intriguing conversation which stands out for me. A man called Luke in his late 20′s was designing a book for a client. He illustrates children's books. I asked him how he feels his work life is better and more fulfilled now he can work in his own space wherever he chooses without stigma or fears of earning less now the internet and social media are so prevalent in his line of work. 

His response was this: 

“As a creative I believe we must be free to be just that; creative. And with being creative comes the need to be free to pursue that which comes with working wherever and creating your own schedule (to an extent). It makes me so happy that our generation have got to witness the rise of platforms such as Instagram which both enables people like me to showcase my work which in turn brings in more clients yet also use these platforms as a spring board to fulfil other aspects of your life such as travelling whilst still earning a living.”

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Here are a couple more designs by Dinara Kasko.

(Dinarakasko.com. (2017). DINARA KASKO – Pastry Art. [online] Available at: http://www.dinarakasko.com/ [Accessed 14 Dec. 2017].)

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I have found another artist who uses 3D printing, her name is Dinara Kasko. Her form of art is food. She used to be an architect so uses architect software such as CAD to design the mould for her desserts to go into, she then 3D prints the moulds and uses them as a basis for her finished product. Honestly, when I found her work on Instagram I was amazed. I stalked her page for about 30 minutes solid. The way she uses food as an art form is incredible, her desserts would not look out of place in an art exhibition. These sorts of findings excite me so much because it makes me realise how far we have come as creatives in terms of merging the lines between each discipline and the way in which we work. Please take some time to watch the video above but also have a peak at her Instagram/website. You will not be disappointed. 

(YouTube. (2017). Algorithmic Modeling Cakes. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Z00Z1ujx8 [Accessed 14 Dec. 2017].)

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From the 6 answers to my question it has given me a great sense of relief that I am not the only young creative who wants to explore the notion of travelling while working. Everyone mentioned in their own way how exciting this new venture is for working creatives, the fact that generations before us would not have even considered partaking in this as it is all so new, which I think makes the idea more inviting. As you can see I have interviewed an array of different creatives including fine art students and textile students. This is because I wanted to see if they had conflicting views on the idea depending on what your field is however, although some people were cautious due to it not necessarily being a stable income, everyone said it is possible.

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Interview with Young Creatives

I asked 6 of my peers this specific question: 

Because of the rise in social media/the internet as a creative how do you feel in the knowledge that you can now travel/live in remote places and other countries yet still earn a living? For example does this excite you etc? Is it something you are thinking of taking up?

Here are their answers: 

Megan (Graphic Design Student): I think it’s really exciting yeah! Because it’s giving you the access to expand your outlook on the world and create things that perhaps hasn’t been done before. I think it really broadens the horizons for lots of creative minds as it’s giving us way more inspiration from all over the world. 

Natasha (Photography Student): Well it’s not just a good idea for the ability to travel (and even include travelling in the work) but it’s also a way to work according to your own schedule so you can have a life outside of work. But, some work which involves using the internet could be quite unstable and not necessarily a secure way of earning money. So for me it depends if I want to sacrifice financial security for a more exciting, free life. 

Sophie (Textile Student): Ummm yeah I guess so! I still think that the geographical location in which you are based still affects how your success in terms of your network and opportunities you get offered, e.g. Kent in comparison to London or Manchester doesn’t have as much of a thriving art scene. But yeah the internet and social media does offer great opportunities wherever you live, in the sense that even if you do live in a remote place you can still get opportunities and showcase your work. Most of the opportunities I hear about are on Instagram to be honest, so yeah without it, it would be much harder I think!

Woon (Graphic Design Student): Social media does help me to live in a different country because I can feel connected regardless of whether I have been there or not. There’s a lot of local information and pictures which make me feel more familiar with the place even if i’m not living there. This means I have a higher chance of wanting to work and live in a different country. 

Alex (Fine Art Student): I think the rise in social media has been a very positive thing for artists with regard to being able to find and keep an audience or market, especially since your followers are able to keep up to date with your work even when travelling and makes it much easier to market your work, it is something I have thought about as I would like to travel, and I think it offers a great opportunity in allowing you to move between countries while constantly staying connected to your audience and buyers. 

Lothar (Graphic Design Student): It does excite me, but I also feel there are certain aspects you’d be missing out on. Living as a foreigner in this country (and also cutting and styling hair) I know that words are only a very small part of the way we communicate. It’s like having a catch up with an old friend. Text messages and phone calls will never feel the same as meeting up in person. To catch the essence and energy of a person you simply have to be there. Depending on what I end up doing creatively this may be the path I choose. I feel that meeting a person in real life for the first time will never be able to be replaced through tools such as Skype or similar. However feedback meeting could definitely be replaced through it. In other words: Yes. I could imagine living remotely, but still at a proximity that would allow me to reconnect easily if need be. 

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Not only are there advances in the technology world but also in the social media world. There has been a rise in people becoming smarter users, adopting it to sell their work, contact people, for research etc. I want to find out how my peers (young creatives) find this step forward and if they’re contemplating using this new rise in social media/the internet to their advantage, for example, travelling/living in a different country whilst still doing a job they love.