When illustrator Alona Haidash relocated to Canada to be with her husband, she was faced with the daunting challenge of finding a new career path in a new country. “This gave me a chance to think about what truly resonated with me and what brought me joy,” she recalls. “That turned out to be drawing.”

Having decided on a direction for her new career, Alona looked to Behance to help her showcase her art and find new work. “Behance gave me the opportunity to showcase my work from different angles and attract the right audience.” 

Tales of the meadow | pattern collection by Alona Haidash

Alona recalls a crafty and creative childhood. “My father played a huge role in my creative development,” she says. ”Together, we made holiday cards, sculpted from clay, and crafted from materials like coconut shells and chestnuts.” Alona’s family further nurtured her artistic inclinations by enrolling her in art school, where she returned to teach after completing her university degree.

While as a teacher, she used traditional materials to teach, as a freelancer, Alona began experimenting with digital illustration. “I still love “real” watercolor and often use it as a starting point, refining illustrations with digital brushes afterward,” she says. 

Cave paintings | pattern & poster collection by Alona Haidash

Alona’s detailed illustrations of plants and wildlife are inspired by the nature around her. “I love birdwatching — red cardinals often visit my yard, and I adore them, recognizing their chirps among dozens of other bird calls! I’ll rush to the balcony just to admire these bright red visitors.” Oftentimes, Alona photographs these encounters to use them as inspiration in her artwork. 

Melody of January | silk scarf design by Alona Haidash 

Alona began using Behance as her portfolio in the early days of her freelancing career. “Behance provides a fantastic opportunity to upload entire projects and tell their story,” she shares. “It was important for me to not only present an image in my portfolio but also to showcase the creation process, from concept to realization.”

In each of her projects, Alona includes eye-catching graphics accompanied by a written description of the work and shows the illustration process step by step. For her pattern designs, she creates mock ups to show real world applications of her illustrations. 

Lily of the valley | box packaging design by Alona Haidash

The time and care Alona spends crafting her Behance projects has paid off. After The Enchanted Forest | Autumn Silk Scarf was featured in the Textile Design gallery, Alona received several offers for collaboration. “Working on this project, I could combine everything I love: autumn nature and foxes. I enjoyed every step of the creation process immensely.” 

The project also had personal significance for Alona: “Since my youth, foxes have always been part of my art and everyday life; their images adorned my belongings, from phone cases to keychains and t-shirts. My friends have long associated me with this image.” 

The Enchanted Forest | Autumn Silk Scarf by Alona Haidash

Through Behance, Alona has connected and collaborated with clients from around the world who are seeking whimsical and vintage inclined illustrations. "Through the inquiry form, I connected with several wonderful clients, and the projects we completed together provided me with new growth opportunities," she shares. "The platform makes the process convenient for both parties, maintaining transparency and reliability at every step."

“I especially appreciate the ability to get feedback and interact with clients directly on Behance, where all questions can be quickly discussed, from concepts to final approval and payment,” she adds. “This creates a smooth and productive workflow, which is especially valuable for long-term or complex projects.”

Last year, Alona upgraded to Behance Pro to take advantage of premium features, including advanced analytics. “It helps me understand where my audience comes from and which platforms or search terms lead them to my projects. This insight allows me to optimize my social media presence effectively.”

“Another fantastic perk is the 0% platform fee for Pro subscribers! It enables me to conduct secure transactions through Behance while earning more,” Alona says. Advanced project features, like sharing projects with a link only and automatic publishing, have also come in handy. “I often stayed up late to publish projects at optimal times for European audiences. Now, I can schedule posts and rest easy, knowing they’ll go live at the perfect time automatically.” 

Hidden Harmony | Tea packaging design by Alona Haidash

This year, Alona plans to expand her career by developing her graphic design skills. “At the start of the year, I’ll take a graphic design course, and that will be the start of my new direction,” she shares. “Behance, of course, will be the main platform for showcasing these changes, and I’m excited for this community and the support I find here from both colleagues and clients!”

See more work by Alona and hire her for freelance work on Behance.