Stop to See Your Inner World!
If you watched my recent video interview, you know that I love technology and innovations. People often say that technology is a tool. I do understand that phrase and agree with that to a certain point. But if I had to define technology, I would say that like art, it’s an experience. Whether I read about innovation in technology, or see an interesting artwork, I like to stop and think how I feel about it.
Now you might ask: “Why would I take any abstract concept or inanimate object and add emotion to it?”
My answer is: “Because that’s how you boost your imagination!”
When we see technology as a crowd in a concert or a tea cup as a gentle old lady, we will open the door to our inner world.
Often it requires that we stop. Stop taking in universal generalizations, and start adding our associations. It does not mean that you should do it all the time, but in small moments, every day. Because like Terry Pratchett has said: “Humans need fantasy to be human.”
By drawing, we can work our fantasies so that they become insights. Instead of continuously searching inspiration from outside world, we can take time for processing information inside. When we integrate our past experiences with new ones, we can have an improved view of our life as a whole. As visual people, we can produce images that have that unified vision. These kind of holistic visions are almost impossible to express with words, that’s why they are called “the big picture.”
Sign up for Inspirational Drawing 2.0!
You will learn not only practical ways for processing inspirational material
but also how to let your subconscious take control.
Produce “the big pictures” of your experiences!
>> Sign up now!
Are You an Inspiration Seeker, Imitator, Mess Maker or Minimalist?
During the past years I have had the priviledge to get to know many beginning and more seasoned artists. Every person is unique, but there are also common nominators. Based on my experience of teaching art and being artist myself, I created this presentation about four common problems and four common profiles.
When watching the presentation, you might have noticed that I let my minimalist part create it!
>> Inspirational Drawing – Reserve your spot!
My Journey as an Artist
This week I also have a longer video for you. Connie Solera from Dirty Footprints Studio interviewed me on live video! You will get to know few life changing events that gave direction to my art and hear a great discussion between Connie and me about the process of creating art. Watch the interview!
>> 21 Secrets Spring 2015 online workshop, my class included – Buy now!
Intuitive Start for Art Journaling
My latest art journal page is about one of my favorite places: art museums. On the page, I have used both organic and graphic shapes to express the interaction between art and architecture. That interaction is something I enjoy examining when handling art museum inspiration.
Inspiration
Last week I went to Kunsthalle Helsinki to see an exhibition of Erling Neby Collection. Erling Neby is a Norwegian businessman who collects concrete and geometric art.
This kind of art makes me remember the time when I was in my 20s and very certain of what kind of art I like and what I don’t like. Simple-shaped abstract paintings were in my comfort zone back then – it was “good art” that I was excited to see and experience although I have never been able to stretch my personal style to that.
At the exhibition, the reflection of the yellow painting was especially inspiring. It made me think how art is never disconnected from its surroundings, whether physical or mental. Thus, an illustration about art museum would not need to separate artworks from the architecture but express the holistic feeling of the experience.
Techniques
I used a couple of black pens and colored pencils for creating the page.
1) Free doodling and coloring.
2) Drawing sharp graphic shapes with the help of a ruler and a round object. 
Emotional Connection
When I draw, I always want to get an emotional connection with the subject. Without that, I start to worry about the result before the first stroke! When making this page, I did not think about art museums in general. Instead, I thought about tiny details that I saw and tiny moments that I remembered from my last visit in Kunsthalle Helsinki. I focused on the feeling and let my imagination work with that.
Inspirational Drawing
Working from tiny details towards the big picture is something that is not easy to explain in a single blog post. To explain it shortly, it is starting with an intuition and then slowly bringing the page towards the intention. This way of working is in the main role in Inspirational Drawing.
Inspirational Drawing is built so that you can enjoy developing the three dimensions of drawing:
1) increasing your imagination
2) improving your technical skills
3) using inspirational source material.
You will learn a creative process in detail through art journaling exercises. Course videos will not only show you how to do, but I also talk about the emotions and the inspiration behind them. I will answer your questions and help you adjust the process so that it will work for you. You can start enjoying free drawing without questioning what to draw or how the process itself will take care of that!
Overcoming Predujices: Small Change, Big Results
Sometimes it seems that big life-changing thoughts do not happen. But when looking back, there can be little things that we have almost forgotten. That moment, when you did something differently, opened the door that you normally would not open – that can be the trigger for new kind of inspiration. Here’s my story about a small unselfish act that has given me a lot of artistic inspiration, and made me overcome some prejudices.
You can also read this story in a written form at Medium.com!
Subscribe to my weekly emails – Get a free mini-course!