Tanya Batrak is from Kyiv, Ukraine, and she contributes so many cool, unique designs to the Silhouette Design Store. Her motto is “dreams don’t work unless you do.” She joined the Silhouette artist team in 2013 and has more than 1,200 designs in the Silhouette Design Store. Her most popular designs are her boxes and phrases.

How She Got Her Start

By profession, Tanya is a German and English teacher, but she taught herself how to design. “I’ve always liked arts and handmade things. I became interested in drawing in different programs while working in the office. When my income for designing exceeded my income from my office salary, I quit and became a freelance designer. My husband supported me in that decision, and I’m thankful to him for that.”

Paper Crafting

Tanya describes herself as a memory keeper and a graphic designer, but she also likes working with paper to make 3D designs and 12×12 scrapbook layouts.

She first got started with the Silhouette SD when she came across it in one of the blogs she reads. “It was amazing to realize that I could cut anything I wanted. There are so many possibilities.” After four years of using the Silhouette SD, she got her hands on the CAMEO, and she loves it; it’s her favorite machine. “It’s so easy to see my ideas come to life with it. I love paper engineering things like boxes, 3D objects, and pop-up cards.”

Inspiration

“This may sound like a cliché, but I get my inspiration from everywhere. I can come up with an idea while looking through my blog feed or Pinterest, reading a book or magazine, or walking around with my family.” But that’s not always the case according to Tanya. Sometimes to get inspiration, she just needs to brainstorm.

When she gets an idea, she goes to work. “I always start with making a raw sketch in my notebook of what I want to make. After that, I draw the parts it should be made of. Then I begin to draw these parts in the program and make test cuts.”

One of Tanya’s favorite things about being a designer is seeing other people use her designs in their projects. “That’s so inspiring to me!”

Advice to Others

Her advice to people just starting out is to “read the manual first—that’s what my father-in-law likes to say. It’s simple but effective.” She recommends that people watch some videos before using their machine and, perhaps most importantly, take notes on what they watch or read. “The details always elude us. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and don’t keep your Silhouette in a box—use it!”

To see what Tanya is up to now, go to her Instagram page and her website.