Het Rotterdam Collectief

Freelance designer and visual artist based out of the beautiful RoCo community in the heart of the city.

Freelance

Monkomon

I am a passionate and optimistic multi-hyphenate designer specialised in UX/UI, visual design, print, marketing and branding.

Authentic, no-nonsense, empathetic, positive.

Trust in the process and trust in the brand.

No BS. Ever.

Freelance Designer

Kraft Heinz

Improving and identifying growth opportunities in E2E pack design.
Collaborating with internal agencies (the Kitchen) and external partners, with artwork and with omnichannel teams internationally. 
Storytelling with data. 
Owner of Marketing Services technology.

Design Project Manager 

BIGPOT 🥙

BIG POT was a social enterprise driving food mindfulness through a delicious plant-based proposition.

I crafted stories, created social media and print visuals, and planned communications. I also regularly served the food and interacted with our customers. 
It was a lovely project I helped to build almost from scratch.

Marketing Specialist | Designer

Unilever

Led the range refresh for Comfort fabric conditioners in the UK and Ireland.

Product design and strategy.
Creative briefing. 
Managing communication and project scope for the UK&IE market.

Global Assistant Brand Manager - Comfort/Snuggle

Part of Global Marketing Services. Fabric Enhancers category. Ownership of projects from start to finish. 

Initiating and leading artwork projects from strategic design to market.
Providing technical expertise. 
Working with internal teams (Marketing, R&D, Supply Chain) and external stakeholders (print management and design agencies, printers). 
Supervising creation of digital e-commerce assets.
Advocating for process compliance and driving efficiency (category- and team-wide KPIs).

Other things I managed: 
creating a design-focused newsletter with cross-category reach; 
monthly team knowledge sharing sessions;
content creation for employer branding.

Artwork Production Specialist - Home Care Europe

Part of Global Marketing Services. Ice Cream category. Ownership of projects from start to finish. 

Initiating and leading artwork projects from strategic design to market.
Providing technical expertise. 
Working with internal teams (Marketing, R&D, Supply Chain) and external stakeholders (print management and design agencies, printers). 
Supervising creation of digital e-commerce assets, ensuring consistency and legibility of Mobile Ready Hero Images. 
Advocating for process compliance and driving efficiency (category- and team-wide KPIs).

And while I had some extra time, I also provided value by: 
editing, typesetting and designing an annual report for the works council;
doing UX research for an internal learning platform;
taking over a part of the Laundry platform to cover a maternity leave.

Artwork Production Specialist - Refreshment Europe

Managed creation and approval of packaging artwork from design to market. 
Initiated and led artwork projects. 
Provided technical expertise to ensure brand quality and consistency throughout the entire process. Created promotional material for the European Artwork Excellence team.

Artwork Production

Marketing Association EUR

Designed banners, icons and the 2016-2017 yearbook, whilst preserving the association's uniformity in corporate identity.

Visual Designer

Graphic design, DTP, translation and content assignments.

Freelance Designer/Editor/Translator

Costa Coffee

I know my flat white from my cortado, trust me.

Barista

Khan Academy

Translated PL-EN/EN-PL segments for Khan Academy's courses in mathematics, specifically for elementary school. I collaborated with other translators, and made sure the text strings were functioning properly in the digital environment.

Translation intern

Szpital Św. Wincentego a Paulo

Worked as a translator/interpreter at the hospital's emergency department during the 2012 UEFA European Championship hosted in Poland. I supported the paramedics and nurses in understanding patients' problems.

Translator

A few years ago I learned that "being born talented" is a fake narrative. 

Exactly when my mom, in all her brutal honesty, told me that my childhood drawings were kinda ass, but she encouraged me to keep drawing because she saw the spark in my eyes.

Aside from acknowledging that sincerity runs in my family (thank you mother), I also understood that we're not born with one randomly-generated gift. You keep practising, you fail, you try again, you improve.

I am in my freeform era. Never too old to discover new things. 

Graduated from art school, moved countries for love (just once), wore many hats in a start-up that didn't take off, learned the intricacies of industrial printing, even worked in the ER. I'm a girl of patchwork experiences, and a bunch of interests. That IS my strength. When inert, I wilt.

here's some reflections from the last 3 weeks - I gave offline flock & doodle workshops at 4 different locations!!!

1. Many nostalgic, sweet, pleasant things were made.
2. Many emotional pieces, too, and within all ranges of feelings.
3. Prompts and structure worked out organically, the flow was good, no pressure.
4. So many people stayed behind to help me and Ray clean up 😭🙏
5. High energy! Good vibes! Self-doubt and some anxiety in the beginning that always got channeled into lots and lots of creativity. Many of these notions and negative self-talk were challenged.
6. Painting experiments inspired participants 🎨
7. Invention! Colours! Variety! Different styles!
8. Participants lifting one another up, offering tips and insights, asking questions out of curiosity, compassion and admiration.
9. Real good chats 💬
10. We spent hours away from screens.
11. Relaxation. Tension gone. Good vibes taken home.

Gonna also drop this beautiful quote here:

"I've never had anything like this laid out in front of me, with so many materials, and guiding prompts, so now it feels really good. I'm glad I had this opportunity."

Monika Monko

guiding adults back to joy through creative exploration 💫 visual creative | merry maker | women in games advocate

the only way to stop dreading starting a new sketchbook is by "destroying" the first page with random scribbles. that was the message of the reel that sparked some controversy.

here I am, a recovering perfectionist, with my 2 fresh sketchbooks. I used to be that person that never touched the first page. it was sacred (and empty).

now it's either stickers or doodles. sometimes both. 

is that a recognisable struggle or is it just me?!

permanently stuck in work mode? 
give your mind a break and your creativity some space.

quick, 
beginner-friendly,
no skills or special materials needed,

all in the flock & doodle newsletter 📫 

🦜 🦜 🦜 

Hi! If you're seeing me on the feed for the first time, I'm Mon and I started Flock & Doodle: a space where adults can pause, recharge, and rediscover the joy of making art! Nice to (re)meet you!!!

Flock & Doodle workshops are now running in Rotterdam in small groups. Art supplies and refreshments included.

let's talk about why drawing and making art is awesome!!!

it's proven to 
📉 decrease stress levels, 
☺️ boost mood, 
🤸‍♀️ help process and release emotions. 

Studies demonstrate that as little as 45 minutes of creative activity can reduce stress, regardless of artistic experience or talent.

The next time you're itching to grab your phone when bored, try swapping that for a moment of drawing. You're guaranteed to feel a sense of accomplishment*.

Aaaand... one way to go about it, if you're still scared to start, is by joining a creative session with me 🥰 

Flock & Doodle workshops:
are held both offline and online,
help you get started on drawing thanks to creative prompts,
prioritise cosiness and psychological safety,
allow you to try everything at your own pace.

You get prompts for a short warm-up and then we move onto the main creative session: sometimes it's questions to ponder and answer about yourself, sometimes it's simple ideas for drawings and illustrations. 

The groups are small (6-8 participants), ensuring confidentiality and comfortable sharing conditions. And - you share only however much you want. Making art at your own pace and quietly is completely fine, too 💜✏️

Offline sessions are currently held in Rotterdam, and include materials and refreshments. 
Online sessions are hosted on Google Meet (in CET).

See you in the flock 🐦

*As seen with my workshop participants

coming Friday at 18:00 I will be in the Living Room at my alma mater Erasmus University Rotterdam giving a chill art workshop 🐦‍⬛ 

sign-ups are free provided there are still spots left!

EXCITEDDDD!

almost December but you're running on fumes? work leaves you tired and stressed out too often?

I still have spots available for these upcoming creative workshops ⬇️ no prior experience or skills required, just a willingness to embrace your innate creativity.

📌 creative evening sessions
📅 28 Nov 17:00-19:00
3 Dec 18:00-20:00
10 Dec 17:30-19:30
15 Dec 17:30-19:30
18 Dec 17:30-19:30
🥳 drawing with gentle guidance and art prompts, visual journaling, collage, bring-your-own-sketchbook
🖍️ I'm bringing: markers, crayons, oil pastels, coloured pencils, all sorts of paper
💶 pay-what-you-want. you can grab a ticket via Eventbrite (link below) or join and pay at the location, please just DM me in advance!
🗺️ Het Schieblock, 5 min walking from Rotterdam CS (parking available nearby)
🫖 coffee and tea available

📌 drawing for yourself
📅 2 Dec 15:30-17:00 
🥳 free drawing focused on letting go of perfectionism, with some guidance from me
🖍️ I'm bringing: markers, crayons, oil pastels, coloured pencils, all sorts of paper
💶 17 euro pp, grab your ticket via Eventbrite (link below)
🗺️ Huis van de wijk "Het Middelpunt", right outside metro station Slinge (parking available at the station)
🫖 refreshments can be purchased at the location

All tickets are available online. Feel free to DM in case of any questions or requests.

#rotterdam #randstad

I bet you could use a different kind of break in your busy workday.

Join me for 30 minutes of drawing, coffee sipping, chatting, and listening to some lo-fi tunes ☕

creative coffee break tomorrow at 11:30 CET 💜 online on Google Meet!

One of the reasons that inspired me to start Flock & Doodle was simple: missing play. 

I was missing making things for fun and for my own pleasure. I’ve always liked drawing, but as a kid I didn’t do it for clout. It was all about play and expressing myself. 

Many—if not most of us—do arts and crafts as children, only to completely forsake it when grown up. 

Occasionally we end up participating in work activities or social gatherings that involve painting and sipping wine, improv, dance, etc. Afterwards we think to ourselves “well, that was great! why don’t I do this more often?” and then we never make the time for it. 
Rinse and repeat. 

But it doesn't have to be that way.

don't miss the last free creative coffee break, today at 11:30 CET ☕ there will be laughs, cosy vibes, and a drawing prompt that's sure to make your day better!

6 weeks of creative coffee breaks have gone by ☕ such a lovely way to recharge, so many happy faces and great energy!

if you're curious about what we were up to, here's a small recap of prompts (+ sketches by yours truly):
✏ drawing from a picture that brings back good memories,
✏ illustrating something that starts with the first letter of your given name (🌕 for "Monika")
✏ drawing little circles representing moods of our weeks so far,
✏ illustrating our mornings,
✏ imagining a perfect day with no restrictions,
✏ filling a page with a spiral (like a 🐌 shell) and then filling in the spiral,
✏ setting intentions for the day,
✏ sketching an object by only drawing its surroundings.

the free coffee sessions concluded yesterday, but I am planning more slots and more times to accommodate everyone.

🕊 want to stay up-to-date on these online events? join the whatsapp flock community and/or the meetup group.

some of the things we drew in my coffee breaks

another Thursday, another creative coffee break!

Join me at 11:30 for a bit of drawing to set yourself up for a nice, creative afternoon.

link below 🙂‍↕️ see you soon!

if anyone has signed up and NOT received any email aside from the welcome one, please please let me know, I am trying to fix this 😭

just as I was about to post about Rising Together, The Bakeroom shares this beautiful reel - great minds think alike, am I right 🫡

thanks Joanna Latko and Marina den Hengst for teaching us about sourdough bread and business bread. it was such a cosy evening!

The longing for physical, offline, genuine connections is directly proportional to the tech-everything world that confuses, tires and leaves us wiped.

There is something undeniably human and simple about sharing bread with another person, around the table.

That’s why we created The Bakeroom - a space where people can slow down, show up as humans (not job titles), and have the kinds of conversations that don’t happen in boardrooms.

Last week's event was one for the books - the energy in the room is exactly the fuel we all needed.

More moments like this are rising. Stay tuned. 🥖✨

@Thank you Lendita Hoxha, Erik Hammer, Lex Molenaar, Chiara Magri, Michelle Bristol, Margarita Smirnova, Monika Monko, Hinkelien Schreuder, Paola Elena Brignoli, Matheus Mari, Trieu My Van, Kasia Pietrucka-van Rijnberk, Karen Huaracha Magaña for joining us!

need tips from the beautiful creative community here on LinkedIn. 

how do I make polymer clay into "usable" bobs like jewelry or charms?

today and very soon ✨ the last two free coffee break sessions, don't miss them!

want to enjoy a break without scrolling your phone? join me for a creative coffee break today at 11:30 (Amsterdam time) ☕

link below 👇

Making art without guilt. My promise to you.

🐦‍⬛ 🎨 

Perfectionism stays at home or goes to the bin, if you prefer.

There is no right or wrong, nor good or bad. Zero pressure to create masterpieces.

Being “talented” is no prerequisite. It’s BS.

We can unlearn doomscrolling!

I'll keep making flock & doodle a safe, confidential space. No judgment. We all have been through shit.

No competition here. We are all in this, and we are like-minded folks. We can be a source of support and strength for one another.

The workshops are about enjoying oneself through (and with the help of) art - and, if you want, getting all sorts of emotions out of your system.

You will feel peace of mind afterwards (and hopefully throughout the workshop too).

You’re showing up for yourself and I am here to support you!

taplio

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