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Hamburg-based illustrator and tattoo artist Ines Hassler, better known as Frau Ines, thrives with her creativity, her courage, and her local artists community.

"Creative exchange, connections as well as the social aspect of the scene are extremely significant to me and have had an impact on my career," says Ines. The scene in Hamburg includes creative projects managed by Ines as well as her own local artist's association: Hey Du Hey Du, which is their gallery and tattoo studio. They also have Live Art Club and Live Art Club, which offer "cheerful fresh, cheerful" drawing lessons. "I would not be in the position today if had not been open enough to everything the city as well as the community has to give me in the past few decades," Ines says.

Active artist from a young age, Ines was a student of a range of different creative fields during her school years before landing at what she felt was the best to her: designing. "But after just a couple of years working for agencies," she says, "I realized that my heart was much more devoted to the work I did outside of my work for hours than working with big brands and clients. So at some point I just had the courage to establish my own company and become a full-time an artist."

Learn more about the way Ines manages her many projects, how customer feedback influences her design decisions, and what she uses to communicate her brand.

Using creative variety as motivational tool

"The diversity in my daily routine is what keeps me energized and creative," she says. "The most difficult thing for me is doing nothing different every single day. I love shifting between different tasks, working with various individuals, and working towards similar targets. So, my job always feels like a hobby."

"But of course it is frequently challenging," she acknowledges, "especially during times of epidemics or when multiple deadlines from different parties come together. This can be really stress-inducing and often excessive. Here it is up to myself to find a balance."

"In the end, the feeling of self-realization never fails to prevail," Ines adds. "Sometimes it's still crazy that I'm able to call what I do as a job. For me, it's more than an occupation, but a way of life."