My name is Irina Blok, and I am a designer based in San Francisco. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, we've had to adjust to living in the new normal. Everything has changed dramatically, from working to socializing and doing daily tasks. I myself have been working remotely for almost a year now, and all my travel plans and vacations got canceled. As a silver lining, I've had a lot more time for creative hobbies, such as cooking and drawing. One day, I started drawing cartoons to help blow off stress, naming the series Covid Life. One of my first cartoons was about highlighting the absurdity of doing multiple tasks, like going to a doctor, socializing, working, etc.—all from the couch. 

Because the pandemic has touched the whole world, Covid Life cartoons have become very relatable to the global audience. After I posted cartoons on Bored Panda (I, II, III), they became viral, reaching millions of people worldwide, and have been translated to more than 30 different languages, including Japanese, Mongolian, Russian, Spanish, and Greek!

The pandemic is not a laughing matter, but sometimes laughter is the best medicine. I hope you enjoy these and hope the pandemic will be over soon.

Viral update: I am grateful to Bored Panda for helping to spread the word, and providing a platform for emerging, unknown creators. As someone who only started drawing cartoons a few months ago, it was amazing to see my artwork reaching such a wide audience and even translated to more than 30 languages. This inspired me to keep on drawing and producing more art. I think one day, this could also become a book!

More info: Instagram | irinablok.com