Guiding Word – Choosing and Visualizing Your Word of the Year
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 -?
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
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
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!
The event is gone but here’s the recording!
Keeping a Watercolor Diary
This week, I show you my Moleskine Watercolor Notebook and share a bunch of art journaling ideas for watercolors.
I call my sketchbook a watercolor diary because it has become more than just storage of watercolor sketches. I have recorded many everyday moments and memories into it, and it has become a companion that is always easy to pick up and spend time with.
Watercolor Diary – Watch the Video!
I have included a lot of sample pages in this blog post but watch this recording of a live broadcast to get more out of them!
About 17:30 I talk about daffodils, but I mean dandelions, sorry!
Watercolor Diary – Sample Pages
Here are the pages of my art journal showed in the video.
Familiar Place
Long Path
Everyday Observation
Story of a Flower
This should read “Dandelion”, not “Daffodil”!
This Place Looks Like That Place
Inner vs. Outer
Travel Memories
Inspiring Cultures
Souvenirs from the Land of Imagination
Trip to the Museum
Organizing the Order
Abstract Garden
Flowers in the Wind
Abstract Buildings
Kneeling Down, Looking Up
Image Collection
Focusing on the Air
Watercolor Collage
Making a Pair
Crazy Journaling
Watercolors and Colored Pencils
Rainy Day
Morning Dew
Take Yourself on a Picturesque Watercolor Journey
My class Watercolor Journey is especially for you who admires traditional watercolorists but who wants to be more loose and contemporary in your approach.
If you find sketching, perspective painting, careful shadowing and copying boring, but want to learn tips and tricks to let watercolors do half the work for you, you don’t want to miss this class!
Connect the dots between watercolor techniques and creative expression – Sign up for Watercolor Journey!
Moleskine Watercolor Notebook as a Watercolor Diary
In 2015, I recorded one of my most popular free videos called Farewell to Summer with Watercolors. At that time, I was practicing basic watercolor techniques and wanted to see how they would fit with the process of following a reference photo.
Now when I am preparing for the new class Watercolor Journey, I went to my archive and looked at that piece again. I was interested in the actual location more than the techniques – how our front garden had changed during the years and seasons, and also: how it’s going to change as we currently have big plans for the garden.
Moleskine Watercolor Notebook as an Art Journal
This spring, I have realized that there can be a straight-forward but hooking connection between watercolor painting and memory keeping. I picked up an old Moleskine Watercolor Notebook and started making little watercolor sketches that record either the outer or the inner world. This kind of creative play between the reality and the imagination make the most out of watercolors and their many techniques.
My watercolor diary – as I now call it – is not just a technique sketchbook. It’s a nonlinear expressive journal that is sometimes very grounded, other times more other-worldly. I have a couple of rules that I try to follow on every page:
1) Don’t pencil-sketch the page before painting.
2) Get creative and let loose in one way or another.
Live Broadcast – Keeping a Watercolor Diary
Next week, on June 13, I am showing this small art journal and sharing some ideas on what to put on the pages. Come and join this live broadcast, save your spot here!
Watercolor Journey – Early-Bird Sale Ends on June 10th!
Before we meet, do sign up for my new class Watercolor Journey before the early-bird sale ends on June 10th (midnight, PDT)! Watercolor Journey is especially for you who admires traditional watercolorists but who wants to be more loose and contemporary in your approach. If you find sketching, perspective painting, careful shadowing and copying boring, but want to learn tips and tricks to let watercolors do half the work for you, you don’t want to miss this class!
Connect the dots between watercolor techniques and creative expression – Sign up for Watercolor Journey!
Don’t Underestimate Your Scribbles! – Watch the Video!
This week, I have a video for you about the topic that I am really passionate. It’s about scribbles and how they are a part of an artist’s path. Believe me, ugly notebooks can be the best thing to boost up your creativity. Your scribbles matter!
Scribbles
In the video, I have divided my art into three categories: scribbles, sketches, and paintings. Here’s an example of a notebook page with scribbles:
Sketches
And here are some of the sketchbook pages that I show there (for you to pin if you like pinning!).
“Walking the Dog”
“Play”
“One Eye”
Paintings
Here’s a closeup of the painting that I am working on in the video:
And here’s a detail of another painting in progress, also shown in the video:
See my paintings in progress and buy my art: paivieerola.com
Don’t Underestimate Your Scribbles – Watch the Video!
Join Bloom and Fly – Move Forward with an Inspiring Community!
Bloom and Fly is a community for you who wants to explore visual and adventurous ideas, get feedback and suggestions for your art, and connect with like-minded art enthusiasts. We have a private Facebook group, monthly themes, live sessions, and weekly opportunities for practical help and feedback.
Bloom and Fly is geared for those who have been creating for some time. It doesn’t offer regular step-by-step walk-throughs where everyone creates the same project. You will get ideas, tips, and process photos around the monthly theme but if you are a beginner, buy one of my self-study classes (for example, Inspirational Drawing 2.0) to accompany your membership!
Registration is now open for Spring season (April – June 2018): Sign up here!