Nora Toth

Q&A

• When did you first feel like, “This is it. This is the work I want to be known for”?

  Back in 2019, I joined 36 Days of Type as a fun creative challenge and as a way to teach myself Affinity. I started the project purely for myself, but seeing people from all over the world connect with the illustrations was incredibly rewarding. The positive feedback, along with a few client enquiries that followed, made me realize this was the kind of work I wanted to keep creating.

• What’s been quietly (or loudly) fueling your creative spark lately?

  I’ve been experimenting with textures and brushstrokes to bring more of a hand-drawn feel into my work. I still love working with vectors, but I don’t want them to feel too rigid. I’m always looking for ways to introduce more energy, movement, and spontaneity into my illustrations.

• Which part of the process is your favorite, and why?

  It’s hard to choose just one. I love filling pages of my sketchbook with ideas before moving into the final artwork, but I also enjoy experimenting with color combinations and adding those final details that bring everything together.

• Name the unsung hero in your Affinity workflow.

  The interface. Everything is exactly where I’d expect it to be, and the tools behave in a really intuitive way. Even after years of using other creative software, Affinity felt incredibly easy to learn and fit naturally into the way I like to work.

• Is there an Affinity trick you always end up sharing?

  Yes, I always end up recommending textured vector brushes⁠(opens in a new tab or window), building shadows with masked vector shapes, and especially Global Colors⁠(opens in a new tab or window). They're a complete game changer because they let me change an entire palette instantly, including all the tiny details and textured strokes. It keeps my workflow flexible and saves an enormous amount of time when I'm experimenting with color.