Peony and Parakeet

Fly to Your Inner World and Color the Emotion

Art Journaling

Inspirational Drawing Changed My Life

This week, I share a story about how drawing changed my life – how art can start from discovering your living line and then drawing it over and over again.

Drawing from inner inspiration. See how drawing can change your art and your life.

Now is also the last chance to buy my course Inspirational Drawing!
The course will go away on April 21st at midnight PDT. >> Buy Now!

Are You Waiting for Your Moment in Art?

10 years ago, I definitely was waiting for my moment. I had dreamed about art all my life. I wanted to find what kind of artist I am and wanted to do it in practice, by creating. So, not be the one who only dreams about art or who only buys art supplies and says: “one day”.

I didn’t want to be remembered as a creative stamper or any other kind of crafter. I wanted to find my way in art-making and art world – not by questioning if I could do it, but simply by drawing and painting so much that I would get my moment.

Art journaling as a hobby and a form of reflection.

And I did find my way, and many moments have come. But when things happen for the first time, you don’t quite know it right away. You will recognize the moment that changed your life later. For me, it was when I got the idea of the course Inspirational Drawing.

Over time, the course has had three versions:

Inspirational Drawing has been my most popular course when counting all the versions together. You could say that my story as an artist started with this course. Now when it’s time to expire the last version, I want to celebrate it by telling its story, which also is a big part of how I found my artistic style and became a professional visual artist.

From Art Journaling To Drawing Freely

Before the deep dive into drawing, art journaling had been my hobby for many years. Here’s a spread from 2013 where I reflect on who I am. The title says: “Kehitä ja sä saat sen” – “Develop and you will get it!

Art journal spread.

Since my background was in design and IT, I didn’t think I would ever be accepted into art circles. But because I had previous experience in teaching adults, I knew that there are always people who are on your path, but little further behind. And I had many who read my blog. So I started creating online courses in 2014.

I had left my day job, and practiced drawing full-time. The more I drew, the more I noticed how I mostly created circles only.

Hand-drawn art journal pages with circles. Mixed media art.

After making a couple of short courses, I knew I wanted to teach myself to draw and others too. But how to break that habit of drawing closed lines?

I got the idea of long lines that wandered freely on the paper. Some call this method contour drawing, I learned later. But I don’t think contour drawing is quite the same thing, because my method breaks many of its principles. And most importantly, in my method you explore the inner world instead of the outer.

Drawing freely from the inner world. In this post an artist shares how drawing changed her life.

Glimpse into the Past – Watch the 2-minute Video!

In 2015, I held a pilot course on drawing for Finns. It was called “Inspiroidu piirtämisestä” – get inspired of drawing. Here’s some samples from that course in a 2-minute video. This was me 10 years ago – A glimpse into the past!

The Finnish pilot went well and there were also enthusiasm on my blog, so it was clear that I should make the next course in English and make available for art journalers around the world.

Develop and You Will Get It!

I started calling my method “inspirational drawing” because once you get started the drawing itself offers inspiration to draw more.

Drawing freely on art journal pages.

Even before the first English course was born, an American publishing company offered me a deal to write a book about my method with the title “Drawing Freely.” I declined. I don’t know if it was a wise decision, but I was extremely excited to teach courses and see how the method worked with the course participants.

The first Inspirational Drawing course was published at the end of 2015. Many people got excited about drawing – especially those who wanted to draw freely without models.

>> See this blog post of student work from 2015!

In the first version, I included decorative drawing, but in the second version, I wanted to go even more in an expressive direction. So, in 2017 the first version was archived and the second version, Inspirational Drawing 2.0, was introduced. The core idea of the free-flowing line remains the same, but all the projects were new.

The method of Inspirational Drawing also includes how to collect inspiration from pictures. Choosing images and being inspired by them is part of loving art, and I wanted to build a connection from drawing to it. In Inspirational Drawing, photos and other images are not used as direct references, but as a source of individual ideas such as colors, details, and concepts.

Drawing Changed My Life

You could say that although my current style is best visible in my paintings, it’s largely based on what I have found in the Inspirational Drawing method: the ornamentation of lines, dynamic expression, the freedom to break reality and build a new one.

Painting in progress.

And today I have been accepted into art circles. I belong to professional artist organizations, collaborate with galleries, and make a part of my living by selling my paintings. I have received grants and don’t feel like an outsider anymore. Drawing truly changed my life.

Paivi Eerola and her paintings. See the post where she wrote how drawing changed her art and her life.

This change started with the urge to free my pen from drawing just closed circles. When my line opened up, so did my inner world, and finally, the outer world as well. The idea of Inspirational Drawing is summed up in the phrase “You can draw!” With this mindset and enthusiasm for drawing, you can break your mental boundaries. You can question the old answers about how and what to draw.

You Can Draw!

Inspirational Drawing, online course taught by Paivi Eerola, Finland.

Since 2017, technology has developed, and I have grown as a teacher and artist. Every now and then I remove old courses, and now it’s time to archive Inspirational Drawing.

Inspirational Drawing will go away on April 21st at midnight PDT, but before that, you can purchase it at a sale price. The original price was 109 EUR, but now you can buy the course for only 49 EUR! >> Buy Now!

Poetry Girl and Bosom Friends – Start Drawing Again!

Let’s get you out of the creative rut and have quality time with your inner child – the poetry girl in you! Join us for a course that will get you excited about making art again! >> Sign up here!

Runotyttö ja sydänystävät - Poetry Girl and Bosom Friends - a watercolor illustration by Paivi Eerola. Get out of your creative rut, and start drawing for your inner child!


Poetry Girl and Bosom Friends

In Finland we have two lovely words: “runotyttö” and “sydänystävä” – “poem girl” and “heart friend”. Runotyttö means a dreamy young person – poetry girl – and sydänystävä means a close friend – a bosom friend. I think the best courses are like the bosom friends that bring out the poetry girl in you.
They make you see new possibilities, but they do it in a gentle and fun way.

>> Sign up for Hearts and Stories!

Here’s how we get out of the creative rut in the course Hearts and Stories.

Out of the Creative Rut – Step 1

First, we will restore the joy of drawing simple shapes.

Hearts and Stories - Lesson 1. Online art journaling course taught by Paivi Eerola.

Out of the Creative Rut – Step 2

Second, we will go for an adventure that travels from one small picture to another.

Hearts and Stories - Lesson 2. Online art journaling course by Peony and Parakeet.

Out of the Creative Rut – Step 3

Third, we will find a connection to fantasy through characters.

Hearts and Stories - Lesson 3. Online art journaling course taught by Paivi Eerola. Bring out your inner poetry girl!

Out of the Creative Rut – Step 4

Finally, we put everything together so that we are excited to continue creating.

Hearts and Stories - Lesson 4. Online art journaling course by Peony and Parakeet.

Art is a mood and a direction. It shows where you are, and suggests where you want to go.

Join us for a course that will get you excited about making art again!
>> Sign up for Hearts and Stories!

Art Journal as a Storybook

This week, we are looking at an art journal as a storybook, full of fairy tales that are not borrowed but our own.

A storybook page in an art journal. Whimsical art journal pages that illustrate personal stories.

With this video, I want to inspire you to create whimsical art journal pages that illustrate personal stories. In these pages, mundane things become more fantastical, and there’s no pressure to draw realistic sceneries, real persons, and such.

I say in the video: “As a child, I drew lions without thinking if they were realistic enough. I loved lions, so I drew them, it was that simple. When I cherish the inner child, I don’t expect realistic perfection, neither do I try to control the story.”

Creating a page in your storybook journal can be a creative adventure that gets you hooked on creating.

Art Journal as a Storybook – Watch the video!

In the video, I use watercolors, colored pencils, and fel-tip pens and create a spread in my Dylusions Creative Journal. I start with creating the central heart on a separate paper ( Fabriano Accademia drawing paper, thickness 200 gsm/94 lbs), and then pick one of my boxes of joy to find more hand-drawn collage pieces.

I don’t start with the background, but glue the pieces first, and then combine them by coloring. This vice-versa collage process is fun because we can make odd images work together by drawing and also make them to tell a story.

I also like to start with a simple shape and work from a small detail to a bigger picture. I think this way of creating is exciting and adventurous, and it’s always a joy to see what comes up.

Hearts and Stories – Sign Up Now!

Let’s turn your art journal into a storybook and make the most out of simple shapes!

Hearts and Stories online art course

Hearts and Stories will begin on March 17, 2025. >> Sign Up Now!

Why Draw in the Ready-Made World?

Have you recently asked yourself: Why draw? Here’s why we need to keep drawing no matter what!

Abstract floral drawing by Paivi Eerola. Colored pencils and watercolors.

Writing This Blog Post Was Difficult

I enjoy writing about art, but this time the task seemed difficult. First, I thought I would write about how you get ideas for colored pencils when you paint a bottom layer with watercolors.

But it felt like something I’ve written about many times before. For example, see the posts Wild Botanical Art – Create with Colored Pencils and Watercolors and How to Combine Watercolors and Colored Pencils.

Starting an art journal page with watercolors.

Then I thought about writing about the quality of watercolors and colored pencils, but that didn’t seem like a very inspiring topic.

Coloring over watercolors. Drawing freely with colored pencils. Intuitive approach.

At last, I started writing about how to make a visual voice stronger, but the text became too theoretical. And I have nice posts about the topic already. See, for example: How Inktober Strengthened My Visual Voice and Enrich Your Art – Play with Shapes!

In the end, I decided to write what I have really been thinking about recently: “Why draw in the ready-made world?”

Feeling Blue

Why draw? Try drawing shapes and lines to create an abstract art journal page.

Lately, I’ve had the feeling that I’m in an ancient profession and that I am ancient in all other ways too. It’s odd for me because I love technology and I’m always learning new things. But I’ve seen too many images produced by artificial intelligence and depressingly enough hype about how you don’t have to create anything yourself anymore.

In addition, all kinds of insecurity have increased in the world, and that’s also toxic to creativity.

"Blue" - an illustration by Paivi Eerola, Finland.
“Blue” – A drawing from 2019.

Despite feeling blue, I don’t want to give in. I still want to believe in the basic human need to create something new. It has helped that the upcoming course that I have been finishing, feels like a safe and cozy place. I hope it will have the same comforting effect on you.

Why Draw and Believe in Visual Self-Expression

There has been a lot of talk about freedom of speech lately, but human expression is not just words. I deeply believe that drawing allows people to express themselves more directly than writing.

Why draw? Try coloring freely on a journal page.

And at its best, a drawing offers an imaginary view to which not only the creator but also viewers can attach their memories and meanings.

Drawing is good for mental health. Enjoying colored pencils.

If we don’t approach life with our imagination, we lose our inner harmony. When we put pen to paper, we open up a connection to our inner world.

Coloring freely - work in progress. Why draw? When we put pen to paper, we open up a connection to our inner world.

Not everything that comes out is necessarily masterful, but it is authentic to ourselves, and through that, there is an opportunity to also find a connection with others.

Using colored pencils in Dylusions Creative Journal.

That is why I have been making art almost every week for over 10 years. Even if art were to one day no longer be my profession, I would still maintain this connection in my life, which only requires pen and paper.

Abstract floral art in an at journal. By Paivi Eerola.

This is the reason why I want to be an advocate for drawing and imagination.

Inspiring artist and art journaler. Why draw in a ready-made world? See her answer!

Hearts and Stories – Sign Up Now!

Let’s turn your art journal into a storybook and make the most out of simple shapes!

Hearts and Stories online art course

Hearts and Stories will begin on March 17, 2025. >> Sign Up Now!

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