Illustration Basics
When looking at skillfull illustrations, I often remind myself:
It is all about the …
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Just basic shapes and some doodling makes it all look much more complicated and creative than it really is.
Art Journaling about Imagination
Here’s a page from my Smash book that I use as an art journal. I have picked a phrase from a Finnish reggae artist, Jukka Poika. He has a song called Potentiaalii (“Potential”). This is the best part of the song: “There’s a garden somewhere in the desert of your mind, where everything is possible and nothing is certain.”
I think that’s exactly what creativity can offer us. The only limit is our imagination. When art journaling I sometimes document, but I also dream. I am in the garden of my desert and I always feel happy and content there.
Using Hand Decorated Papers in Scrapbook Pages
“The golden door is open” says this page. I feel like I have entered the new level of scrapbooking when I have increased the amount of handmade elements, especially hand decorated papers.
I wonder why store-bought papers are so popular. Using my own papers is so inspiring. Here’s “Empty Scenes”.
In this page I have used odd leftover letter stickers to create patterned background area in the bottom of the page. Did not cost anything but with some gesso and acrylics they got a new look.
With hand decorated papers I have begun to pick themes that I never did before. Like this one about Sibelius’s Finlandia hymn, my aunt and being a Finn.
Inspired by Mark Rothko
I have some close friends and relatives who have their birthday in May. I came with this idea of Mark Rothko inspired greeting cards when I thought: What would I give them if I had all the money in the world. And I immediately knew the answer: Mark Rothko paintings! Not as genious as the originals of course but still I think this is a fun idea.
Make your own Mark Rothko inspired card!
1) Paint the borders of the cardstock with acrylic paint.
2) Fill the center with watercolors. Paint rectangular areas using multiple shades.
3) Strengthen the watercolors and create layers with color pencils.
4) Attach your artwork to the card base. If you like you can sew zigzag around the edges to add detailing.
You can also use acrylic paints only. In the first row you can see my all-acrylic creations and in the second row are the cards that combine acrylics, watercolors and color pencils.
Mark Rothko & abstracts with colored pencils: Buy the e-book Coloring Freely!