I first tried to recreate my paper sketches directly in Illustrator, but realised I was more focused on copying the drawing than actually learning the software. I decided to follow sticker-design tutorials instead. At first, a 20–30 minute tutorial could take me over an hour, but I gradually became faster and more confident. I also learned that there are often different ways to achieve the same result in Illustrator.

After the fourth day, I stopped using tutorials and started choosing random shapes and designs I liked to recreate on my own. This made me realise I had been overthinking Illustrator and assuming it would take ages to learn. Most importantly, I learned to put perfectionism aside, focus on building my skills first, and trust myself more when learning new tools.