With only three months left until graduation, seniors have already started thinking about decorating their graduation caps. Although some designs seen on social media may seem impossible to recreate, Daniela Alcaraz has seniors covered.
Senior Daniela Alcaraz, or @thescrapepaint on Instagram, sells custom hand-painted graduation cap toppers starting at $40. For those looking for some glam, add-ons such as glitter, pearls, cutouts, and rhinestones are available. In addition to graduation caps, Daniela also sells custom keychains and canvas paintings in various sizes. Please keep in mind that orders must be made a few weeks in advance to ensure they are completed on time.
From the first message on Instagram, Daniela establishes a connection with the client to make sure they get exactly what they want. She suggests colors and sizing for the client’s specific wants and continues to communicate with them throughout the process.
“It’s almost like a group project, something that is made together with the artist and the client,” Daniela explained. “Within two weeks, I start the sketch, get approval from the client, and begin the painting itself.”
Besides being dedicated to communicating with the client, each art piece is created with great care and attention. As an artist, Daniela finds herself within each of her art pieces.
“I can’t really say I have a favorite [commission] because each one I’ve made all have a unique feature that makes it my favorite,” Daniela recalled. “It’s really hard to choose since I give my all to each one. It’s like a piece of me onto every painting.”
Her passion for art began very early in her life. As a child, she was inspired by watching her sister draw, so she began drawing for fun. Her dedication to drawing carried on throughout her teenage years, growing her skills to the point where they are now.
“[I would draw] one eye bigger than the other, hands behind their back so I wouldn’t have to draw them,” Daniela said, “but over time my skill improved and drawing became painting.”
Early in high school, Daniela would often paint and post her finished works on Instagram. Although she posted for fun, people quickly took note of her talented strokes on the canvas and requested to pay for custom paintings. However, as an active student and a small business owner, Daniela must find a balance between schoolwork and fulfilling orders.
“School makes it hard to work on commissions since I have a packed schedule, so it only leaves time for the weekends to dedicate my time to paint,” said Daniela.
Even so, painting purely for commissions has its setbacks. As an artist, Daniela wishes she had the time to paint for herself and show her emotions on the canvas. After graduation, she expects to have time to create and post personal pieces on her Instagram account.
“I hope I can find my time to paint canvases that are personal to me [and] not just commissions,” said Daniela. “I’m hoping I can start creating more expressive pieces and start straying a bit from the copying.”
Daniela Alcaraz’s passion for the canvas is clear through her diligence in each commission. She tells aspiring artists to do the same and pursue their ambitions.
“That’s what being an artist is for. Not being scared of any standards, opinions, etc,” Daniela encouraged. “You just have to take the leap and watch how your path manifests, slowly but surely.”
