Heartwarming comics show how one dad feels about raising his little girl.
This artwork shows how beautiful fatherhood truly is.
Ever since Yannick Vicente was a kid, he enjoyed doodling and creating art. But where he started is much different from where he is now.
Vicente lives in France and works as an artist, and he's a pretty good one. "I love art and have drawn for as long as I can remember," Vicente told Upworthy. "I basically taught myself."
A lot of what he learned ended up on the walls of buildings as graffiti. He probably would've continued down that path until one moment changed his life in 2011: He became a father to a beautiful little girl.
Vicente enjoying some love from his young daughter. Photo from Thomas O'Brien Photography, used with permission.
"I wanted to create art that my daughter would be proud of," Vicente said. "And that's why I changed my focus."
As a single dad, Vicente became passionate about fathers raising their kids, so he used his skills as an illustrator to show the dad-child bond.
And he's come a long way in five years.
First, he illustrated a children's book.
When Vicente got an opportunity to showcase his work on a larger scale — an offer to illustrate a book for kids — he jumped all over it.
"It was such an honor to work with an established author like Fabienne Blanchut," Vicente said. "I knew it was the start of something special."
Illustration by Yannick Vicente in "Mon Papa à Moi," used with permission.
Illustration by Yannick Vicente in "Mon Papa à Moi," used with permission.
As he got more comfortable with his new style, he created more great father-child illustrations for people to enjoy.
Vicente created this particular piece for a dad who happens to be a big fan of his art.
"It means so much to me when people ask me to illustrate something for them," he said. "It shows that they value my work."
To their kids, dads have amazing superpowers. All illustrations are originals from Yannick Vicente and used with permission.
Finally, he took his skills to another level by illustrating the relationship that means the most to him: the one he has with his 4-year-old daughter.
"My daughter means the world to me and I put my whole heart into any illustration that she happens to be in," Vicente said. "I had to evolve my work to match my passion."
Just by looking at some of his work, you know he's telling the truth.
Sometimes it's the all-too-familiar struggle with styling his daughter's hair.
Other times, it's getting blindsided by the tough questions.
More often than not, it's recognizing the immense power his daughter has over him, even if she doesn't know it yet.
But it's always about letting his daughter know that she is his whole world.
Although Vicente just recently started creating illustrations of him with his daughter, many people love his work.
"I've received some wonderful messages from dads who are in a difficult situation after a divorce or separation, and they tell me how much I inspire them," he said. "But it's really wonderful that moms find my pictures inspiring as well. I want to touch as many lives as possible."
And what does his daughter think of her daddy's artwork?
"She's young, but she likes the work I do," he said. "For her birthday, I offered drawings to the invited children, and that made her so proud."
I think a lot of people are proud of your work, my man. Thank you for using your art to show how beautiful fatherhood really is.
12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.