Inspiration Archives - Peony and Parakeet

What Tsubaki Stationery Store Taught Me About Making Art

Päivi — Thu, 28 May 2026 16:48:01 +0000

I listened to a wonderful book. It was like a refreshing rain pouring straight into my heart. The book is new and by the Japanese author Ito Ogawa. Its Finnish title is Paperikauppa Tsubaki, and it is also being released in English as Tsubaki Stationery Store (Amazon – affiliate link, Goodreads) Tsubaki Stationery Store The […]

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Artistic Line Drawing – What Do You Think About This Course Idea?

Päivi — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:47:13 +0000

To me, all visual art begins with drawing. When you want to get to know yourself, draw! When you want to develop as an artist—say, as a painter—draw! To draw is to think. Make your lines come alive, and gradually, a whole new world will emerge, even on a small piece of paper. That’s what […]

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Three Brave Questions to Ask Yourself about Your Art

Päivi — Thu, 14 May 2026 10:36:25 +0000

This week, I have questions about your art, and I will also share my answers as an example. As an artist, you’re always asked: 1) where do you get your inspiration, 2) how is your art made, and 3) what does it represent or mean? But when you want to go deeper and find answers […]

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You Can Draw Patterned Papers!

Päivi — Thu, 07 May 2026 12:52:35 +0000

This week, I answer the question: “I want to draw, but don’t know how or what! How to start?” My suggestion is to start with patterns. So, draw repeated shapes and make a collection of patterned papers that you can use for collage art, for example. The No-Pencil Approach I usually start my line drawings […]

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Modernistic Style – Create Abstract Art Step by Step!

Päivi — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 20:52:07 +0000

This week, we take a practical dive into modernistic style. My favorite modernist painters are Birger Carlstedt (1907-1975) and Sam Vanni (1908-1992) from Finland. The most famous modernist was, of course, Pablo Picasso, who was Spanish. My piece has some figurative elements. Although it’s abstract, you can also see plants and light. With this technique, […]

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Can Playful Art Be Serious?

Päivi — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:20:12 +0000

This week, I want to talk about my newly finished painting titled Fauna. This is one of my most peculiar pieces, filled with strange ideas. With this, I want to challenge us to ponder the question: Can playful art be serious? Ideas Have a Mental Age This painting combines many ideas. I tend to come […]

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Exploring Light and Mass When Creating Semi-Abstract Art

Päivi — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:16:43 +0000

This week, I show my latest painting and talk about creating semi-abstract art where some details are quite realistic, and others are more abstract. I also give five concrete ideas for creating semi-abstract drawings or paintings. For the past couple of months, I’ve been working on four “sisters.” They are all the same size, yet […]

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Circulism – Freely with Colored Pencils by Using Circular Motions

Päivi — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:20:01 +0000

This week, I want to bring up a technique called circulism. It’s great for colored pencils when you want to achieve a soft and somewhat vintage look. It’s also a useful technique if you find shading with colored pencils difficult or are hesitant about mixing colors. In this blog post, I show you how to […]

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Easter Chick Art – Draw Step by Step!

Päivi — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:44:41 +0000

Let’s draw more than just a little chick—let’s create Easter chick art! By adding details bit by bit, you can turn even a small drawing into a picture full of atmosphere. You only need colored pencils and paper. My drawing is about 10 x 14 cm (4 x 5,5 inches). Step 1 – The Shape […]

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I Did the Same Drawing Twice!

Päivi — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:26:49 +0000

I rarely sketch my drawings beforehand, but this time I wanted to try something different: creating the same piece twice and recording the process. The first version was done freely with watercolor pencils. The second was a study of the first, but created using traditional colored pencils. These drawings have many kinds of flowers, including […]

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Colored Pencil Tutorial “Limitless World”

Päivi — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:41:41 +0000

This week, I have a step-by-step colored pencil tutorial for you. It’s called Limitless World. We color without outlines and end up with something that is partly realistic and yet more creative and limitless than any traditional drawing. Supplies This tutorial uses regular colored pencils, but feel free to try it with watercolor pencils, watercolors, […]

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Semi-Abstract Floral Still Life: A Painting Inspired by Dutch Masters

Päivi — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:54:42 +0000

This week, I want to show you a piece called Damask. It is a dark, semi-abstract floral painting. I often try to create lighter works because they sell faster, but if it were up to me, I would paint almost only dark pieces. There is something valuable and very private about dark tones. The painting […]

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