You have to work for your art. Odd jobs help a lot of people out along the way. If this has also been your experience of becoming an artist, that is okay. Include your followers in the products you make because they are the ones who will buy the finished product. Create the art that makes you happy and at the same time remember who will buy your ar…

As an artist, consider the implications of the art you create. Make your art meaningful and intentional. As designers, artists, human beings - have a point of view. Share your point of view on what is happening around you through your work. Products solve problems. Adam sees murals in this way. Murals are a way to start a conversation and get close…

Very Gay Paint began as an indoor mural project. When you put something up on a wall inside a home it is very different to a print or a piece on canvas. Consider the environment where your mural is going to live. Try to avoid a situation where your mural is fighting with the furniture in the room, or other art on the walls. Make the mural an extens…

Always be open to trying new things – you don’t know what new adventure might begin as a result. While living in Brooklyn after a long stint travelling, Brolga took some illustration classes and was pleasantly surprised by how much he liked it. Illustrators and artists are versatile and have to have a lot of strings to their bow. Being able to work…

Using your unique life experience to inspire you as an artist gives you a perspective no one else will have. For instance, Wyatt’s background in field ecology with a focus on birds clearly influences his art. Through his ‘day job’ and working with children in nature, he better understands people’s connection with the world around us and how it cont…

Figure out what is the core principle that inspires your work. This core principle is something that is close to your heart. When you know this, it becomes your focus, and it's not as tempting to compar your art to others. Follow people that inspire you by how clearly they communicate their passion through their art. What do those people do every d…

It is easy to think looking at the social media accounts of your favourite artists that they didn’t go through a period of growth and learning a the beginning of their careers, but that’s where you’re wrong. Every artist will tell you that the first 5-6 years of their career were filled with doubt, uncertainty and hard work. If you want to make a c…

It always seems that art and marketing are on opposite ends of a spectrum but it is possible to blend them. Make your work about things that you’ve experienced, that are relatable to other people and that make you laugh. If you have a great idea that you can’t wait to get started with, ask yourself how you can create a series from this one idea? Ho…

Does perfectionism drive you crazy? One slightly off brush stroke, and it seems like a disaster when you’re up close, but as you take a step back you can see the whole picture coming together. Life can be thought of using the same metaphor. It is so easy to get lost in the busy-ness of every day. It's only when you take a step back and see how far …

Today on the podcast we are joined by Meg Lewis (@yourbuddymeg) who is a designer and illustrator, podcaster, comedian, and educator. She has worked with over 100 brands and continues to create art that brings joy. Meg talks abut spontaneity vs. structure, and how to create a productivity and lifestyle that works best for you. She also discusses ho…

Put yourself and your "weirdness" into your work. What makes you different will set you apart. Exploring in your process is a great way of finding the techniques that best suits your practice. It will take time to get used to a new medium, keep practicing and eventually you will hit a breakthrough that will be worth it. Be authentic and real in you…

Studying in the States can be very expensive. Consider other options, living abroad (like Emily did!) might be a fun adventure which also works out to be more affordable. Figure out what is important to you, what your personal values are and how your art can help to promote this message. This will help to connect you to like-minded artists and peop…

1. Don’t follow trends by creating what you think is popular right now. Make things that are uniquely yours. Remember that it is your experience that you are putting on the paper. The end product will look different for every artist and each viewer of your artwork will take something different from it. 2. Once you paint a mural outside, people will…

Richard Haas was a printmaker and painter for many years before designing his first mural. Don’t be afraid to try something new, even if you have found success in your field. You never know where a new project that is outside your comfort zone might lead you. Walk through the city with your eyes open. Notice the buildings, streets and people around…

Look at the work that has been done by other muralists in your city or area. What is different and similar in your work? What would make a client want to work with you? Think about what you like to make and what art is missing, the overlap is where you will find your niche. You don’t have to take the traditional path if you’re interested in a speci…

Does your art have a mission? Use your art to shed light on unknown or little known historical figures. Painting the history of a person or place in a prominent spot can begin a conversation about something important that might otherwise be forgotten. Murals are a powerful medium that can inspire people and promote change. Think about what you can …

As an artist, there are some lessons that are harder and take a longer time to learn. Sharing your artwork without fear or anxiety about how it will be received takes practice and patience. But it will be worth it in the end. There are lots of great ways to sell you art, and it is all about figuring out what is best for you and your practice. For i…

1. Create a work space you are happy to spend time in. The ethos in our team is that if you’re going to spend 12 hours a day somewhere, it might as well look nice and be a space you enjoy spending time in. This is a sentiment that can apply to any office or work space or even your home. 2. Be willing to share your ideas and collaborate. The success…

Value change. Learn from change as often as you can. Even if something is difficult, it may be beneficial to make the leap and try anyway. Allow your style to find you. You have to draw a lot of things you don’t like to find out what you do like. Your earliest jobs will teach you so much about what you do and don’t like, when you have that figured …

Many artists find themselves in a new lane of art activism at the moment. Remember your privilege. Continue to elevate others as you grow. Art is healing. Enjoy the therapy that can be found in the creation process. The societal narrative that you will get more for your work in a big city is an illusion. No matter where you are, a closed mouth does…

Create art that reflects/complements the place where it was created. Become an artist that changes what they create depending on where they are. Use your freedom as an artist to be inspired by the culture that surrounds you. Seek out collaborators that can give you insight into the nuances of where you are creating a new piece of art. Allow the can…

Your key takeaways for today Every time you accept a new project, ask yourself one question - what client is this going to help me to attract next? Plan your murals carefully. Some muralists can walk up to the wall and improvise from the beginning. However if you're a beginner, you don’t have to rely on your ability to improvise. There is only so f…

Your key takeaways for today During some projects you might feel you’re not going to make it over the line. Don’t be afraid of collaboration. What seemed impossible for one person, might be possible with a team of artists. You will learn the most from the challenging projects. Remember the role of the advertising agency. They are hired to create ca…

Extra Paint is a podcast created by Eric Freidensohn aka Efdot, artist and muralist based in Brooklyn, New York. This podcast is for artists, muralists and art lovers of all kinds. In each episode we talk to artists and makers who are truly dedicated to their craft.By Efdot

In this episode I sit down with a good friend of mine, Jason Naylor, a prolific muralist who paints positive messages that are uplifting and eye-catching. We speak about Jason’s transition from working as a graphic designer for six years at a cosmetic company to becoming a full time artist, the importance of feeling ownership of your work and how i…

Anyone else overwhelmed with how many tech products there are out there to run your business?Today I'm breaking down everything I currently use to run my biz and giving you insight on how it all helps me work! I'll start with the highest priced products down to the free stuff. I've included a few links so feel free to check them out further!Tech Mo…

I came across Eric's work while on an Instagram scroll. Oddly enough, I'd just gotten a message from a girl wondering how to get into the surf/skate industry of design (something I'd worked on doing about 10 years back), and on this Instagram post, it was announced that Eric would be giving a graphic design on skateboards class. After sending her t…

Back in the day, selling your art meant getting into galleries and doing all the same things as everyone else. Luckily today, you can get wayyy more creative - which is good, since that's probably your specialty as an artist! What might not be your specialty? The business part. Totally understandable and I definitely get it! I would much rather be …

In 2013, I had found the podcast, The Lifestyle Entrepreneur by Kris Gilbertson, and became obsessed with listening every chance I had. I was kind of early for podcasting and hearing about lifestyle entrepreneurs and it was basically the only place I could get my fill! (I had to look that up to remember the name!) On my list of 2014 Goals, #8 was s…

I met today's guest last year at ConvertKit Conference, which could be the nerdiest beginnings ever - a conference for people that use the same e-mail service HA! Becca is super fun and outgoing so it was cool to hear her talk about how she'd quickly built her, at that time, new calligraphy business.One of the biggest mental hurdles to get over as …

Today's guest is truly incredible. It's one thing to travel, but another to travel and be so touched that you take your whole life in a new direction. Amber did just that after she visited Ethiopia and saw how much change was needed. On this episode, I'm talking with Amber about her company, Eleventh Candle. Eleventh Candle Co. is a social enterpri…

My 31st birthday was over the weekend (yippee!) and I thought that called for a solo show of one of the topics I talk about that gets the most response: Shiny Object Syndrome. If you don't know what it is, consider yourself lucky! Or maybe you didn't know it was referred to as this! Well, if you're an entrepreneur and ever find yourself jumping fro…

You all are in for a treat today! I've got Gemma O'Brien on the podcast today, an artist who's wowed me for a while on Instagram and in a fun turn of events, I flew across the country last week to help her paint her latest mural at Google Headquarters in Silicon Valley.It's a funny thing meeting people you've only seen on your Instagram feed - mayb…

Okay Passion Designers, I see you out there, shrinking back & becoming clammy every time someone asks you what the price of something is. It seems that we all feel like we are each the worst at selling our stuff. Can't we just do it for free and have a magical life where everything works out? Yep, I hear you! Pricing, negotiating, getting rejected,…

A few people have messaged me lately asking how to get started in the art world and what my trajectory has been like. Although I think it's an ever-evolving world as an entrepreneur, with the world moving SO FAST, on this episode I'm talking about things I've done that have worked and haven't worked. As a spoiler, here are the top 2 things I learne…

I've been thinking a lot about Niche-ing down lately. For the longest time, I worked hard to stay as open as possible so that I could get as many potential clients as possible. The weird thing about my method is that it almost ALWAYS backfires. Logical thinking would say that if you open up a pool to anyone, you will give yourself tons more options…

Anyone have a case of the "I'm not doing enoughs?" Thought so!Here are 10 things to remember when you find yourself anxious about being behind or that you'll never get to where you want to be. Listen in as I talk in detail about each one and how I'm working on them in my own work and life. You'll never totally "arrive," most likely you'll always wa…

I met Molly in Fashion school back at the University of Cincinnati. She was always creating extremely innovative designs, pushing design limits way past simply "next season's style." So I was super amped to see that she is in the midst of creating her own line of clothing for teens with Autism.After working at the Mayo Clinic after getting her Fash…

On the Passion Design Project website, I not only have the podcast but also keep a Travel Blog on there. I love writing about exploring different places and hope that others can find the blogs handy if they find themselves in the same spots!Pertaining to business, I think there are a lot of different ways to grow, and they don't always have to do w…

About 5 years back I started a "company," more like a blog called "Thee Bold." Spoiler alert: it stopped almost as quickly as it started, but the funny part about it is that I took forever to launch it. And by launch it, I mean, simply make the website public. It's like I thought the world would come sprinting towards the site once I made it go liv…

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Starting and running your own business can and usually is a daunting task. People on Instagram love to show the beautiful, exotic, freeing part of working for yourself, but what's usually lost in that are the grueling hours of nothing happening or the numerous rejections that occur when starting out. It's…

Recently I met Christian at a Silicon Couliour meeting in Jackson Hole. As someone who left a secure (yet intense) life in the tech start-up world in San Francisco, I was anxious to hear how this change to a totally different lifestyle (snowboarding, travel, love, entrepreneurship, coaching) came about!On this Episode, Christian describes in depth …

If you're an entrepreneur or have a business or want to have a biz, what do you think about the most? I'm guessing you probably think about money quite a bit and how you're going to make it.I'm real guilty of putting my sole focus on how I can make a buck. I like to shuffle around the online space to see what's making money and then see how I can w…

When was the last time you were rejected? Maybe it was today or yesterday, or maybe a year ago and you're still upset and mad about it. Whenever it was, I surely can relate and am guessing most listeners can. I hate rejection. I really do. It's annoying, hurtful, makes me feel like I wasted time, is depressing, can crush a good day, must I go on...…

Today I go over all of the details on how I started a Podcast. Kara wrote in with the following questions and I answer every single one in great detail. Enjoy and let me know if you start a Podcast!! What equipment did you start with? Where did you buy it? How did you prepare? How did you set up interviews and prepare for those interviews Editing, …

On this episode, I'm talking with Bubba from the company Give'r. Starting as just an idea from an adventure back in 2011, this company has grown in recent years and is now regularly featured in some of the outdoor industry's biggest publications!Today, we deep dive into what it takes to start a product company (hint: a lot of patience and enjoyment…

Do you ever have a book sitting around for a long time but never make the time to get around to reading it?Okay, I have more than a few of these, but The Go-Giver is probably the shortest book that has been. Yesterday, I gave myself a rare off-day and decided to pick up the book. Actually, I won't lie, I threw a delicious smelling bath bomb into my…

Yooooolo!That's right, I'm bringing back that obnoxious cliche phrase that went viral a year or two ago. But to be honest, I wish it hadn't been simply a fad.If you weren't in the YOLO loop, it stands for You Only Live Once, and people used it mainly to describe silly things like having a huge piece of cake or staying up all night in Vegas. But I w…

Do any of you have an Alexa Echo? I got one for Christmas and even though I thought I wouldn't use it that much, I'm constantly talking to her. She tells me the weather, gives me morning inspiration, helps me study Arabic, and reads me free Audible books, which brings me to this topic! My current one is How to Win Friends and Influence People.Now, …

Oooooh! This is a fun one! So I recently helped launch a church campus and as part of Fresh Life Church's Crash Course, you go through a series of personality tests, one of which is 16personalities.com. I'm sure most of you have done personality tests sometime in your past. I always found them somewhat hard to understand - they describe you in lett…