Venturing out on a journey to define her own version of success, Graphic Designer and Illustrator Joline Lim found a wealth of opportunities on the less traveled road of freelancing. Despite skepticism from her peers, Joline would reach new career heights that she might have otherwise missed had she stayed within the narrow confines of corporate roles.
From zero freelancing experience to multi-hyphenate creative
When Joline graduated from LASELLE with a Diploma in Fashion in 2012, the world of freelancing was just as foreign to her as anyone else. Taking on fashion-related corporate roles seemed like a natural next step, which was what Joline did for three years before getting to know Chief Businesswoman of CreativesAtWork (CAW), Jayce Tham.
By that point, Joline knew that she wanted more control over her professional growth. More importantly, she wanted to make a greater impact while she was still hungry for success and free from financial commitments. Taking a leap of faith, Joline began designing flyers and social media banners for CAW clients as a junior designer.
Positive client feedback led to larger scale projects, which in turn gave her more space to experiment with new techniques. Combined with networking expansion opportunities from CAW events, Joline built up the confidence to dive into freelancing full-time in 2018.
“I wanted to see for myself if freelancing could be a viable way of working. This path has given me many opportunities to learn from my mistakes while exploring new industries without the burden of committing fully, and has definitely contributed to my career development.”
Bringing Singapore illustrations to the global stage
To date, Joline has accumulated an impressive portfolio of both corporate and government clients, including the likes of NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), Netflix, and Grab. More recently, a collaboration with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) through CreativesAtWork saw her work featured all the way in Berlin.
Titled ‘Futuristic City’, the artwork reimagined an alternate Singapore where culture and technology melds harmoniously with a vibrant and progressive population. The artwork was featured at tech professional community Tech Open Air in celebration of 200 years of friendship between Singapore and Germany, serving as the backdrop for discussions on how AI and the green economy could be harnessed for sustainable, low-carbon growth between the two nations.
Establishing an industry niche amidst future challenges from AI
Today, Joline continues to exercise her creative muscles with freelance projects while dedicating herself as a full-time Senior Creative Designer. Having greater financial commitments means less time at her disposal, but she still manages to turn these limitations into an advantage with her resourceful spirit.
“In the beginning, I took on whatever job that came by. Now that I’ve matured a bit, I’m more selective with the types of projects that I do. My goal for now is to really establish my own footing in illustration.”
Armed with years of experience in Graphic Design, Joline taps into her creative eye to push creative boundaries via illustration — an artform she describes as a free-form medium for storytelling. Through meticulously illustrated scenes, Joline hopes to deliver her intended message from the moment viewers lay eyes upon her work.
Even the threat of AI does not faze this seasoned veteran, who maintains that algorithms still rely on the work of humans to push the boundaries of what's possible. As far as she's concerned, the sky’s the limit when it comes to how much more she can grow.
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