WorkIllustration

How to Live Like a Creative: Illustrations that reveal the daily habits of a modern creative

Have you ever wondered how other creative people live? And whether you share things in common with them? Well, Format – a pretty nifty online portfolio platform – has teamed up with witty Toronto-based illustrator Sam Island to create How to Live Like a Creative, an interactive infographic that gets to the bottom of how creative types live, work and play.

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Illustration split into two scenes: on the left, a bearded musician with glasses plays drums while holding a taco, surrounded by musical instruments and food; on the right, a person cooking at a stove holds a mug whilst juggling food items including an ap

The playful artwork is based on a survey of 2,000+ photographers, designers, illustrators, visual artists and filmmakers, quizzing them on their daily habits. Everything from when they wake up to how often they order takeout — and yes, their most used emoji.

The results shatter the all-too-familiar disorganised, 'starving artist' stereotype, depicting instead a group of confident, business-minded, active individuals that are passionate about their crafts. Some key findings reveal that the majority of creatives enjoy their work, only a tiny minority are digital nomads but most love to travel, and that nearly half work from home.

As you scroll through the fun step-by-step guide, Sam Island – who has worked for the New York Times and Monocle – manages to take these interesting survey results and capture the quirks and perks of a creative lifestyle. Check out the full infographic at format.com/creative-people.

Bearded musician playing purple drum kit whilst holding drumstick and cymbal, with red electric guitar leaning against the bass drum on a pale purple background
Illustration by Sam Island of a woman in red workout clothes jogging while juggling multiple faces, with a small dog running alongside her against a pink background
Illustrator at desk holding up a smiling yellow emoji, representing the most used emoji among creatives surveyed
Illustration of a bearded man wearing sunglasses and a black leather jacket, gripping a steering wheel with a red car symbol beside him
Person in red shirt standing on a banana chair, bending forward with hands outstretched towards a table with food and drink
Person lying in bed daydreaming about pizza, with a thought bubble showing a slice and stars, illustrating creative inspiration during downtime
Illustrator in red jacket juggling papers and tools while sitting amid scattered papers, depicting creative multitasking and workplace chaos
Bearded man in glasses holding a coffee cup while juggling eggs above a kitchen counter, illustrated by Sam Island
Person at desk surrounded by creative tools, documents, plants and coffee cup, silhouetted against a light turquoise background
Person lying in bed daydreaming about a man's face while a silhouetted figure stands in a city window in the background
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