An Interview With Marina Laduda
The Artist
'Drifting penstrokes caught in a paper web,
Lyrical daydreams swimming in artistry,
Drowning sorrows in a tank of art,
Changing identities in a mirror of deceit,
Fiery sunrises burst into movement,
Soft sketches glide into visibility,
Burst vessels furrowing in concentration'
Meet Marina
Hi, my name’s Marina Laduda. I’m 23 years old and mixed race (Slovak and Salvadorian, born in the USA) currently living in Prague, Czech Republic. I’m a blogger by day (www.MarinaSays.com) and a singer/songwriter by night (www.MarinaLaduda.com/music). I guess you could say I’m one of those people who does a million things at once. Since starting MarinaSays back in late 2012, my attitude towards blogging has really blossomed. Instead of getting frustrated over constantly trying to fit in to some niche or certain style, I’ve really started to focus more on doing what I think is interesting or worth talking about. It’s really liberating to stop caring so much about doing what everybody else is doing and just write about what I want. Interestingly, it’s brought a lot more traffic to my blog than anything else.
Back in the spring I was going through a lot of things emotionally. My dad was in the hospital, I had just lost my job, and my dog Ruby was on the other side of the planet with my mom since my boyfriend and I had decided to travel six months earlier. I’d struggled with depression as a teenager and knew that the best way to avoid getting depressed from all the negative things in my life was to keep busy. I spent a lot of time on my Kindle reading novels like The Plum Tree by Ellen Marie Wiseman, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters, but somehow absorbing even the best of historical fiction wasn’t enough for me. So, I went back to the drawing board (literally) and bought myself some watercolor paper, ink, and a brush.
As a child, I loved drawing imaginary princesses and designing elaborate dresses for them. Growing up, I would often enter drawing contests, some of which I even won significant prizes for. By the time I was in college, I’d already sold my first piece to a former art teacher for $60 (Runners, 2008) and had decided to study fashion illustration as my minor at Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I’ve always been fascinated with the way popular illustrators could really make a garment come to life. Having studied mostly classical pencil drawing before, I was intrigued by the many forms of media introduced by the course at AAU. Even after I’d dropped out of university, I’d always kept a sketchbook for drawing people at tram stops or parks. These days I find pleasure in drawing portraits and outfit photos of bloggers I admire on Instagram. There’s just an endless amount of inspiration as well as an amazing variety of styles to try, which I love.
Ana- Hi Marina and welcome to FadedSpring! 2015 has seen the emergence of prominent ‘fashion illustrators’ such as Meagan Morrison draw the likes of Chiara Ferragni.Why is illustrating fashion designs and bloggers such a lucrative opportunity for an illustrator?
Marina-Drawing for fashion is so easy these days, because like I said before, there’s just so much media available to practice with. As a fashion illustrator, the real dream is to one day cover runway shows then maybe sell some of those drawings to magazines or catalogues like Gladys Perint Palmer did back in the day. Another benefit of drawing bloggers and their respective outfits of the day is their eagerness to share this “fan art,” as well as the excitement of their respective fans. It’s a great way to put your work out there for others to see.
A-Becoming an artist takes skill and time and it can take many years before you cement your status as an ‘illustrative’ icon. What are your tips for becoming a fashion illustrator?
M- I’m not a working fashion illustrator, but I’d like to be! In art, it’s all about networking and pushing yourself to do more and more, all the time. That’s what I hope to continue doing as I expand my “doodles” portfolio. I may not yet have the official title, but I now that if I continue on this path, being an aspiring fashion writer, being able to illustrate my designs and thoughts can be of great benefit.
A- In any new role our journey is defined by trial and error. What errors did you make when you first started out and how did you learn from your mistakes to become the successful fashion illustrator that you are today?
M-My biggest mistake has definitely been having stopped drawing for a long period of time. I simply had too many excuses not to pull out the damn sketchbook and draw something, someone, anyone! Every art needs constant upkeep, especially when it relies on trends. Even in music, I’m always listening to new styles and lyrics, so that when I do come up with something of my own, it fits with the current styles.
A- All artists are defined or inspired by their surroundings whether that be natural, urban or human. What inspires your illustrations and how do they become an extension of your surroundings
M-I’m inspired heavily by movement. I love how photography can capture a specific moment in time… but photography is too new for me (not to mention, I think of myself as pretty unskilled behind the lens!). I prefer an art form that’s lasted the ages, that takes a certain vision, a hand, a feeling. I love the way different fabrics move and drape down or the way people choose to pose. It’s simply fascinating!
A-Throughout the course of our lives we forge our own career paths. Why did you choose to become a blogger and fashion illustrator and how has it been influenced by life events?
M-As a teenager I would wake up at 5:30 every morning to sew myself a new dress. Imagine Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus mashed up into a daily costume party and that’s basically what I looked like from 2006-2010. Although I got bullied a lot for the way I chose to dress and do my makeup, I also recognized that my passion for personal style and the artistic vision it takes to put together an ensemble. This realization, along with my lifelong romance with pen and paper, brought me on a natural path toward blogging.
A-As we grow older our destinies change. Tell me how you first encountered illustrators and whether you see it as a hobby or a long time life plan?
M-At the moment my drawings are closer to a hobby than a life plan, although I do believe it can be beneficial to some of my future goals. I’d love to see something as silly as my “doodles” become a selling point for a future fashion journalism job.
A-Alongside your role as blogger and illustrator it is reputed that you are a singer/songwriter too. As a jack of all trades how does singing co-incide with your love of drawing and fashion?
M-Yeah, I guess I really do do everything! I’ve always been an artsy person, but I don’t have a very long attention span. So, I like to juggle many talents at the same time to keep myself sharp for any given opportunity. In a sense, all my arts (drawing, writing, music) collide into each other and I believe this can all be perceived within just a few seconds of meeting me. I’ve often been told that I come off as “mysterious.”
A- As digital media influencers we understand that the trends that define our social media today will be gone tomorrow. How do you use illustrations to capture the present but also be relevant in the future?
M-Fashion illustration, as well as art in general has trends that come and go. But unlike the fashion itself, the art created around those trends is a kind of stamp on time. It’s a kind of thing you can always come back to look at as a reference point because unlike a photograph, a drawing or illustration or painting of any look requires the artist to perceive it in some way. Sort of like when I choose to work with one medium over another… every stroke, color, texture is inspired by some feeling given off by the photo it was inspired by.
A- Your perception of interior and aesthetic design is masterful and thought-provoking. How does your passion as an illustrator transcend into your personal style and how do you combine the two together?
M-ell, thank you so much! I don’t think anyone’s ever put much thought to my taste in aesthetic design before. Like I mentioned before, I love the way certain fabrics move (or don’t move!). When I shop for anything from a pair of shorts to a bra, to a scarf, I’m looking for something that will both flatter my body shape and give me the look I’d want to be remembered by. If I wouldn’t draw it, I don’t buy it.
A-Describe your artistic style and how it reflects your identity?
M-My artistic style is best described as a calculated flow. I neither draw in precise lines, nor do I fling the ink onto the paper at high speed. I love to pay attention to details, fixating on a focus point that captures my attention. And my life is a lot like that. I’m a meticulous perfectionist in everything I’m passionate about. I won’t release a song unless I’m happy with the master, I don’t publish a blog until I like the way the photos look, and I do not submit work if I don’t think it reflects positively on my talent or image.
A- Moving onto your role as a blogger what are your top three favourite posts and why do they challenge the blogging norm?
M-I love to read. I love to write. I appreciate a blogger who actually goes out to say something meaningful, teach something useful, instead of just blabber on about not much of anything at all.
1. Ever since discovering cocochic I’ve been a frequent reader. It’s been amazing watching Stephanie find her voice, her niche, and now her purpose in this blog post about “how blogging changed [her] life.” . 2.LovefromBerlin is just such a beautiful compilation of stories, experiences, and visual harmony. What’s more, Rae actually tells people real, raw opinions about places she’s visiting. I particularly enjoyed her blog post about Bratislava, because honestly, having spent so much of my life there, I hate the misconceptions foreigners have about my city. Rae really captures it nicely here.
3. Like I said, I like to read. I can get lost on websites like Gawker for hours. There’s just something about the human experience… that’s why I like reading WonderForest. In this piece about anxiety and agoraphobia, Dana teaches us readers to see things in a new perspective.
A- The beauty of humanity is that we all have a unique sense of style and it is something that we should be proud to celebrate. Yet many young people feel the pressure to conform and reject their personal style because it dosen't fit the fashion norm. How do you challenge this ethos and what are your tips for someone who is struggling to find their personal style?
M- Ugh. I hate, hate, hate school dress codes. I believe they are the first step toward the murder of young women’s self expression. You already know that I was a weird kid in high school, but if it weren’t for the prude American school system getting me down for my “spaghetti straps,” the word weird wouldn’t even be relatable. Everybody goes through a phase when they want to be just like everybody else, to fit in. Unfortunately, peer pressure and restrictive cultures only extend that phase for less bold individuals who end up wearing basically the same clothes as all their friends until one day in their forties they have a mental breakdown and an identity crisis. In my opinion, schools and parents should teach children to be supportive of each other instead of harvesting bullying via programs like the period system in which students have different classmates every hour. My advice for anyone trying to find their personal style is to try everything and anything. Forget shows like “Fashion Police,” and think of what you like instead. Make yourself a list of things you like and go try them on! When you’ve found your top 3 items, then you can go google searching for ways to wear it for your body type, style inspirations, etc.
A- Describe your blog mission statement and how does it differ from a traditional fashion blog?
M-"Being beautiful is about more than just looks. It's about being happy and doing things you love. I'm a style and beautyblogger and a singer/songwriter just trying to make it in this big world.”The more I blog, the more I discover about myself as a character that people perceive. In my posts I try to talk about more than just what I’m wearing, but about feelings and life situations as well. I want to attract readers who care about more than what’s on the surface.
A- Finally, as bloggers and curators it is imperative that we enjoy some downtime. What do you do to relax?
M- I relax a lot! Because I’m such a multitasker I really have to make sure that I take the time to just stop and breathe for a while. On my down time I enjoy daily trips to the dog park with my baby Ruby , doing my nails once a week, reading historical fiction novels, baking with my boyfriend, and watching tv shows like Jane the Virgin, Empire, Sense 8, Narcos, Agents of Shield, Modern Family, and more.
My verdict: Talented, intelligent and self-aware Marina uses art as an exclusive extension of her identity that no other blogger can imitate. Although art is an imitation form Marina uses a distinctive style that correlates with her brand as an illustrator. More than just your typical ad-hoc illustrator Marina dabbles in other creative industries and uses it to inform her understanding of art. Marina transcends social boundaries to reject the social norm and put forward the ethos that being different is'good' and is heartbreakingly honest about her life experiences and how they have shaped her understanding of the world.
Marina's drawing of me in the outfit below
Marina combined the two photos to create a mirrored effect and the result is breathtaking.
Check out Marina's 'Doodle' page