Creative Freedom and Colored Pencils
This week, I want to celebrate creative freedom with colored pencils. There’s also a short video for you!
Enjoying a Concert
Last Friday, my husband and I went to a Baroque music concert. We went to hear the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra for the first time, but what made the biggest impact was the French countertenor vocalist Theo Imart. I think that the fall splendor we now have in Finland and his miraculous high notes found their way into this drawing, even if I just drew freely without any references.
The orchestra played Vivaldi – not The Four Seasons, but other pieces. I find his music super-inspiring! In 2021, I blogged about creating while listening to music, and there’s also a Vivaldi-inspired painting. See the blog post: “Painting with Music and About Music”
Creative Freedom and Colored Pencils – Watch the Video!
In this 1-minute video, you can see how I started the drawing with simple strokes and then moved on to adding more layers and details. I also talk about my mentorship group at Mastrius and how it’s not only for painters, but also for everyone who loves colored pencils.
Get Creative at My Mastrius Mentorship Group!
Starting in November 2026, I’m mentoring a small group of artists at Mastrius! Mastrius is an online community dedicated to fostering community and mentorship amongst artists of all skill levels.
In my new mentorship group, we’ll be focusing on:
▪️Abstraction without references: Connecting lines, shapes, and color
▪️Expressing your own nature: Light, spirit, and mood
▪️Making your art more captivating
▪️Supportive group critiques
▪️Inspiration and motivation
If you’re new to Mastrius Mentorship, enjoy 50% off your first two months. Use coupon code 2for50 at checkout. >> Join here!
Colored Pencils – More Pictures about My Process
Because the video is very short, here are a couple of in-progress snapshots I took for you. I picked a limited selection of pencils out of their boxes and gradually added more layers.
There are not many pencils anymore. I now only have three boxes and could soon fit them all into two! I only buy single pencils occasionally since mixing colors expands my palette.
There was a long straight line under the big white flower, but then I remembered how Baroque music should be played: not sharply, but softly and fluently, so I changed that.
The long vertical line no longer dominates the image. Compare with the finished picture below!
Join My Mentorship Group at Mastrius!
My mentorship group is for aspiring artists who want to create freely without references and find their style.
Together, we will step away from the traditional route and enter the jungle where anything is possible. That jungle is the place where loosening up happens.
Mentorship Group in a Nutshell
- Zoom meetings in a small group.
- Personal guidance and feedback.
- Ongoing monthly membership. Join and cancel anytime.
If you’re new to Mastrius Mentorship, enjoy 50% off your first two months, plenty of time to meet your mentor (me!), settle into your group, and start feeling real momentum. Use coupon code 2for50 at checkout. >> Join here!