Meet Madison Cummins | Freelance Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Madison Cummins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Madison, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
When I first started designing, the hobby just sort of came to me. I started graphic design back in May 2020 just as a fan of the series trying to help promote the TV show ‘Destination Fear’ on the Travel Channel (and now Discovery Plus as well!). I have learned a ton over the last 2 years, but it wasn’t until January 2022 that I started taking commissions and became a freelance designer! I had no plans on turning this hobby into a business, but it all came together and has gone great so far! For me personally, it’s all about bringing other people’s ideas to life and helping others by providing them with visual content that will further help them with their passions/goals while also getting to do what I love in the process! There have been several occasions where I’ve almost given up from burnout and simply thought I wasn’t good enough and didn’t have enough education to make it as a freelancer/professional designer. Everyone at some point has a time in their life where they’ve almost given up on a goal/dream and it’s those of us that keep pushing past those insecurities and keep showing up and proving to ourselves that we can do it if we put in the work are the ones that reach their ultimate goals. If you are good at what you do and are willing to actively keep learning and building those skills even if it’s a slow start, that’s when you know to keep going. I believe that everyone was created with a gift and you just have to discover it. I’m incredibly grateful to have found what I’m good at and truly enjoy at such a young age, considering some people don’t find their passion until later in life. It was a learning curve starting but it was something I wanted to do. In the beginning, it would take me all day just to create one project because I was still getting used to all the different tools and settings that can be used. Nowadays, I can work on multiple projects a day now that I have a better understanding of how to use those tools. It was also a struggle to create unique and original work starting out. I have found you can use almost anything to grab inspiration from while still creating an original piece such as billboards, storefronts, posters, advertisements, and nature just to name a few. Coming up with my own style is something I’m still working on, as of the last couple of years, I’ve tried dozens of art styles while making promotional projects hoping that some of the techniques would form together into my own style. I’ve only been designing for about 2.5 years now, so I’m far from a professional, but my ultimate goal is to keep learning and building my skills with every project I take on. I didn’t start with the mindset of “this is the career path I want to take”, but the idea and passion quickly developed into ” this is what I want to do for the rest of my life”.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
So far, most of my work has been based on paranormal shows, but I would love to branch out and create promotional work for all kinds of TV channels/networks! My best ideas always hit me at the most random times and I’ll drop everything I’m doing and go create the vision I had! Most of my projects turn out the way I want them to, some are a lot more challenging than others, it just depends on how inspired I am at the time. one of them that I work for is on this new Netflix show and also has a show on the Travel Channel. He reached out to me saying he’d be available to offer a quote about working with me.

I’ve always been interested in marketing, advertising, product packaging, etc. growing up and I was always making art and coming up with fun DIY projects. So when the idea of digital art came along, I tried it out and ended up loving it and it came to me easier than I would have expected, so I stuck with it. There were and are a lot of challenges when it comes to the concept of creating art digitally. There are a lot of tools and settings to learn how to use, but with that being said, all of your materials are in the same place and you can create art anywhere! One of the struggles I’ve had so far is staying inspired. I occasionally face burnout and have a hard time coming up with ideas to even get started on a project, but I’ve always found ways around it and have tried to stay consistent as possible! I use the program ProCreate on my iPad Air with an Apple Pencil for my stylus. It’s a great app for beginner artists and I recommend it to anyone who wants to try creating art digitally but might be too intimidated by Adobe Photoshop and ‘Illustrator’. I’m completely self-taught with the help of some YouTube tutorials here and there! This chapter of my life all started when I heard that there was a new show ‘Destination Fear’ that was premiering soon and wanted to help get the word out, and I remember my first thought being “I bet more people will read this information (about the show) if I make something that is bold and will catch their eye”. That’s how it all started really… the work I had come up with in the beginning wasn’t great if I’m being honest, but as an artist, you have to start somewhere! I have been looking into college courses for design and will be taking some in the near future! It’s been a really rewarding journey so far and I’m grateful to have the time and resources to be able to do what I love.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would have to say the Waterfront in Seattle, Washington! Pike Place Market is a staple in Seattle and it’s an adventure in itself. You could spend the entire day there and never run out of things to do! There’s a Farris wheel, a fish market, a flower shop, the Seattle Aquarium, seafood restaurants, and more! There are also a ton of little shops underground and if you’re a paranormal fan, Pike Place Market is supposedly haunted. There are so many different restaurants like Ray’s Cafe, Elliott’s Oyster House, and so many more. I always love going on the Farris wheel and being able to see the Birdseye view of the Pier and the surrounding buildings, you can get the best photos from up there. It’s a fun place with countless things to do! Aside from Seattle, Bellevue Square is a beautiful shopping mall and one of my favorite places to shop! When I’m not designing, I spend a lot of time hiking. The sunrise trail up at Mount Rainier is stunning as well as a few different trails in Black Diamond! You would have a blast at any of these places, no doubt!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to start out by saying that I would be nowhere if it wasn’t for Destination Fear’s incredibly talented photographer, Alex Nelson. 95% of my projects have been created with his photos to make promotional content for their show! The Destination Fear crew- Chelsea Laden, Dakota Laden, Alex Schroeder, and Tanner Wiseman have been so kind and gracious when it comes to supporting my work, and I truly appreciate them sharing and reposting the projects I’ve come up with! I have recently started working with the cast of ’28 Days Haunted” on Netflix – Sean Austin, Ray Causey, Shane Pittman, Aaron Sagers, and Nick Simons! They have been so awesome to work with and have been supportive and encouraging while creating pieces for them! Last but not least, Joshua Purvis from ‘Searchers- The Paranormal Mind’ has not only given me some great business advice but has also given me a ton of amazing opportunities over the last year and has been so fun to work with! Aside from those mentioned, I also have a ton of support from the wonderful people/friends I’ve made via social media! My family has also cheered me on and encouraged me over the last couple of years! All of these people are a big piece of my creative journey and I could not be more grateful to have connected with them.     

Website: www.destinationcreation.page

Instagram: Main Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madisoncummins0/?hl=en Art Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madisoncumminsdesigns/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/madisoncummins0?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madison.cummins.10

Image Credits
Jami Erickson, and Alex Ray Nelson