Color the Emotion

Pick a few colors and create without stiffness.

Guiding Word – Choosing and Visualizing Your Word of the Year

"Play" by Paivi Eerola from Peony and Parakeet. See her video about choosing your word of the year and visualizing it.

The year 2018 was groundbreaking to me. I was able to include things that seemed separate from my art in my art and build a new foundation for it. It strengthened my visual voice and style, but also, it felt more holistic than just that. I would say that my artistic identity got updated.

As a former software engineer, I see it this way:

Peony and Parakeet 1.0 – intuitive circles and colorful patterns, 2012-2014
Peony and Parakeet 2.0 – from mixed media to fine art, 2015-2017
Peony and Parakeet 3.0 – fantasy illustrations, 2018 -?

Art by Paivi Eerola from Peony and Parakeet.

I am not quite sure how to label 3.0 yet, but it definitely started last year and went into bloom during the Inktober challenge in October.

What’s Your Word of the Year?

About a year ago, I developed a process for setting artistic goals. I introduced it to my art community Bloom and Fly back then. It’s called Guiding Word, and it’s about choosing your word and then processing it through art journaling – drawing, painting, and writing.

My word for 2018 was “Depth”, and now when I look back, it was related to my old desire to create fine art. But the process of exploring depth was like the symbol of yin and yan. It started a journey towards the opposite word “Play.”

The process of choosing a word and exploring it through art-making had a huge impact on me, so I decided to share it openly. Watch the video to define your word and to explore it more in depth!

Guiding Word – Watch the Video!

My word for 2019 is “Play”. I am looking forward to increase fantasy and drama in my art, and I hope you follow the journey with me.

P.S. As you probably noticed already, this website and my artist website has been updated! There are still things to adjust and add, but feel free to browse the new look!

P.P.S. I am running a free live webinar The Joy of Drawing on Jan 17, 7 PM GMT – 11 AM PST, reserve your spot here!

2 thoughts on “Guiding Word – Choosing and Visualizing Your Word of the Year

Comments are closed.

Scroll to top