Illustrations to help you find your peace again
An interview with artist Yani Hamdy
The creation of the yoga calendar
What's behind a finished illustration? Yani Hamdy created our yoga calendar and gives an insight into the process of creating the 12 calendar pages. In the interview, she reveals why music plays such an important role and what deep desire the artist has for her illustrations.
Yani is originally from Indonesia, but grew up in Hamburg. Since completing her studies in communication design, Yani has been passionate about working full-time as an illustrator. She launched her own online store two years ago.
We held this interview back in September 2022, as Yani designed our yoga calendars for 2023 and 2024.
Dear Yani, we love your illustrations. Can you give us a little insight into the process of creating your creative work?
Yani: There are several aspects that go into my creative process. Before I create an illustration, I look for inspiration quite often. I write down notes from time to time or try some colors. For me, colors have an important role in the creation process. I always need the right colors that harmonize well with each other and to find them, I experiment a lot. For the yoga calendar, I also experimented with colors to first find a harmony for the individual pages of the calendar. Whether the colors are ultimately right, I usually find out during the process, because it can also happen at times that more colors are added or others are omitted. I also make a mood board for larger projects. This helps me to orientate myself for the respective project. So I always have an overview of the topic. The mood board then includes all the things that fit the project, such as colors, objects and materials. Once I've collected all my inspirations and then start drawing, the right music is part of the process. I always have my specific playlist for drawing. I feel that the music gives me a certain flow and inner peace while I'm creating an illustration. So the ideas flow better for me during the process. In the process of creating the yoga calendar, I listened to very calm music, which also relaxed me during the process. With each illustration I put myself in it and imagined the beautiful calm atmosphere.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Yani: For inspiration I like to look in creative books, social media, Pinterest and magazines. But I also find new inspiration on the street or in the city from time to time. So a poster at the train station can inspire me or when I see a striking jacket or tote bag worn by someone. But most of all I love inspirations from books or magazines. I spend hours in the library and just browse around. I often have a stack of books and sit down comfortably and flip through all the pages.
KALENDER 2024 | YOGA EDITION
19,95 €
The yoga wall calendar 2024 accompanies you through the year with inspiring motifs by illustrator Yani Hamdy and mindful impulses. The calendar is printed and bound in Germany on recycled paper.
Your illustrations mostly feature feminine, playful or even dreamy motifs. Is there a particular message that is close to your heart and that you would like to convey in this way?
Yani: I think all women are unique in their own way. In everyday life, we often forget ourselves because of stress and all our obligations. We forget many important things, like me-time, just time for ourselves. I try through my drawings, always to convey a reminder or a little story. Thus, I also love to remind women to love themselves as they are. That they are beautiful in their own way. I think that a garment looks different on every woman, no matter if they both have the same figure or the same hair color. Because each person has his own character and thus he always presents the garment in his own way. I also often play on the theme of self-confidence. I think many people have no or little self-confidence, because they are usually afraid of not being beautiful enough or because they have had bad experiences in the past. So my motifs are often to remind you not to forget how beautiful your own body actually is and not to forget the appreciation - to love your own body.
For our yoga calendar you have designed beautiful motifs with yoginis. Do you practice yoga yourself?
Yani: Let's start with the fact that in 2020, when Corona time started and we were all at home, I started doing yoga step by step. So I did a session every night and at the end I tried to do a little mediation to get rid of the stress of everyday life. I also started drawing my first yoga illustration during that time. I still remember that quite well. I illustrated a yoga pose and an environment that was supposed to represent a calm atmosphere with lots of greenery. The illustration served to find inner peace again and maybe also for one or the other to start with yoga, if they didn't do it already or maybe wanted to start anew. I then tried to go through with it, but unfortunately it does not work from time to time. Then I like to look into the yoga illustrations and it always serves as a little reminder for me to relax and meditate, to find inner peace again and just be there for myself for a few hours.
Thank you very much for your time and the nice interview.