6 Instagram Artists You Should Follow

I’ve become quite the Instagram addict, but not for the reasons you may think. There are so many talented artists sharing their works-in-progress and sketches and paintings, it’s a cornucopia of inspiration. Here are a few artists I’ve discovered via Instagram and why I love what their sharing. 

(I’ve provided links to view their streams via your browser, so you can check out their work even if you don’t use Instagram.)

 

 


Toolkit04

Dita Toolkit is an amazing portrait artist that can work magic with graphite pencils. Not only does he upload artwork nearly daily, he’s gone out of his way to post tutorial photos and share the work followers have created via his teaching. 

 

Aaronkraten

Aaron has a very distinctive drawing and illustration style that I just adore, and he posts everything from post-it doodles to finished paintings. I love his sketchbook shots and minimalist facial details paired with huge, complicated guns, awesome fashion, and spiky hair. 

 

Khuon

Khuon Nguyen is another genius with a pencil. His art ranges from detailed portraits to superhero doodles (which makes the comic book lover in me squeee), cute animals, and nerd girls in glasses. He also posts little tutorials to help you along, and posts colored work (I suspect he uses a tablet to paint on the computer, but can’t be sure). 

 

Anabagayan

Ana Bagayan makes me want to draw girls with big eyes. She’s currently on a UFO and alien kick, and has even been known to doodle an alien girl while stuck in traffic. Her large oil paintings of girls in fantasy landscapes are awe-inspiring with her command of technique and color. You can also find girls with wings, baby animals, and thought-provoking scenes. 

 

Stellaimhultberg

If I could paint hair half as good as Stella Im Hultberg, I’d be a happy, happy girl. While she seems to paint women’s faces, there’s such depth of emotion and mastery in execution that you can’t help but be captivated by her work. She posts paintings in-progress, giving you a peek into her studio and work, which can be great fun to watch progress. 

 

Sienna9

Sienna’s works are quirky, odd, and beautiful. Her step-by-step photos really show you how each layer and bit is added, going from drawing to finished piece. I love seeing the inner workings of her mind via her art and day-to-day photos. 

 

So those are my favorite new discovered artists so far. Have you stumbled on some great artists? Share in the comments; I’d love to find some new inspiration, and hope I’ve helped you find some new people to follow as they share their art via this new network. 

Mixed-Media Paper Match-Up: Strathmore vs. Canson

In this video, I tell you a little bit more about paper, and talk about the new mixed-media papers out there by Canson and Strathmore and gush about my new favorite. I also share some new journal pages in-progress and let the Mad Scientist Kira out of the studio for a few moments. 

Want to win a 6"x9" pad of the Strathmore mixed media series 400 paper? Leave a comment here or on the blog to be entered! 

The Liberating Joy of Paint Play

I filmed a video today, but had such fun creating these pages last night, I just had to post. 

 

While I’ve sat down to create backgrounds and paintings, I’ve never simply sat down to play with paint. Instead of being bright and blending things together, I decided to draw shapes, lines, swirls, scallops, and add a little collage. 

 

It was so liberating! 

I used to mix all my colors with titan buff or beige paint, muting them to vintage-like shades. I was the queen of pale pink and blue and green, of harmonious tones that looked like they’d been filtered by Earlybird on Instagram (a vintage, gold-layer filter). I slowly grew out of this, my colors brightening as my style morphed and changed. 

 

But for some reason, I was suddenly inspired last night to lay down several colors on one page, then another, then another, allowing myself to express thoughts and ideas in a new way. At least one new to me. 

 

I knew I was channeling a few artists as I worked, and maybe that’s where the initial spark came from; I’ve been ruminating on Austin Kleon’s new book, How to Steal Like an Artist. He recently posted a collection of twenty quotes that didn’t make it into the book, and one stuck out to me as something many of us practice but no one admits to. So I will. 

“If you think a man draws the type of hands you want to draw, steal them. Take those hands.” - Jack Kirby

Just visit a journaling group on Flickr or Pinterest or browse blogs, and you’ll see this. And this is how we learn. After three pages and a few hours of play, I realized that’s exactly what I was doing — picking and choosing the bits I liked created by other artists in the interest of Paint Play — so I moved on an flinched a few bits from one of my favorite artists, Carissa Paige (I even tagged her on Instagram to let her know that’s exactly what I was doing!). 

 

Do I care that I wasn’t being 100% original? Not really. I had such a great time. I love the pages I’ve started, the new things I’ve learned about myself, new ways I’ve figured to move my brush. I’ve re-kindled my love of muted colors, and hope to integrate them with my bright, lovely colors. I don’t know if they can peacefully co-exist on the same journal page, but I’m ready to try. 

 

Journaling is allowing yourself the freedom to take a chance and possibly fail. 

But you just might succeed. 

So your task this week is to say, screw it, open your journal, and do something you’ve always wanted to try but never thought would work. Or you would be looked down on for attempting. Or feel bad for copying. I give you permission. Good artists imitate. Great artists steal and make it their own. 

 

I’m sure these pages, while using a different color palette — one I haven’t used for awhile — will look entirely my own when I finish with layers of collage, drawing, and writing, and I can’t wait to see how they turn out. 

Excitement and discovery like this is exactly why I love keeping an art journal. 

 

A Saturday in the Life...

Yesterday, I thought it would be fun to snap pictures throughout the day as one of those cool "A Day in the Life..." things. I don't usually share this many pictures a day on Instagram, but it was an interesting experiement! 

So here was my day yesterday! 

 

This was the temperature at 11am, when I went outside to sand & prep some wood I picked up on Friday. Sadly, this thermometer is in the shade. 

All prepped! I sanded the edges were the saw left things jagged and painted on a coat of clear gesso. 

There was a package in the mail for me -- Carin sent me "Life Disrupted" (which is my next read!). On Thursday, Teresa sent me "And the Story is Happening." Check out Kelly's blog for a review I think you all should read. I am so blessed by thoughtful and amazing readers!

I spent a few hours sketching a concept drawing for a painting, then transfered it to one of the wood boards I prepped. I don't want to reveal the entire thing right now, but after nearly two hours of work, I needed a break, and snapped this detail shot!

As the sun set, I took a break and headed down to my apartment complex's pool. It was a balmy 100F (it feels like 94, said the Weather Channel!) and a birthday party had taken over. We "borrowed" some noodles and floated in the deep end, letting the water relax us. My forward-fronting camera won't work with Instagram, so here's a blind cropped shot. I was told my hair made me looked like an alien. 

I've been feeling fantastic and blessed ever since the Ning opened, with new members of Journaling Deep and a couple ambitious souls ready to work with me one-on-one, so I texted with Becca to meet up for dinner. I felt I deserved a big drink after all the work I did last week!

Becca and I are nerds, so we each took a shot of each other and posted them on Instagram. Here's mine of her...

...and here's hers of me, from her stream.

After a bit of an emergency (I didn't want to be snapping pics during it, but everyone's fine!), we returned to her place to do some painting and journaling until I headed home around 12:30am.

So there's a Saturday in my life! What did you do this weekend? Feel free to share shots over on the Ning community!

Climbing out of the background rut & weekend plans...

I meant to get this up yesterday and post an art & pictures post today, but the video didn't work when I went to edit, so BAM! Video today. 

The Whispers (or the Divine, or Flow, or Possibility) had me at the hardware store today getting wood panels, the craft store to grab clear gesso, and put turpentine in my basket. This weekend will be spent prepping and painting on oak. 

What will be I be painting? 

I don't know. 

But I know something it trying to come through.

And I've gotta listen. 

(I'm also brainstorming a piece for a show called The Unsettled Body and think I have a unique perspective on it. It's currated by my teacher, Edna Dapo -- check out her work; she's amazing!)

On Bravery

Sometimes, you’ve just gotta go for it.

Sometimes, you need to believe in yourself before anyone else does.

Sometimes, in order to make it big, you have to believe it first, and go for it. 

Sometimes, being brave scares you the most. 

Sometimes, you just have to close your eyes, hit publish, and hope for the best. 

 

Big things coming Monday...

Finding Magic, New Supply Love, & More!

I have so much magic I want to write about, but it shall have to wait. 

As many of you know, I suffered a concussion early Friday morning when the light fixture in the ceiling of my Closet Studio decided to attack my head. I’m fine; I went to the ER on Monday, finally (as having no insurance + CT scan = scary!), and was told I’m suffering a post-concussion syndrome, which mimics the symptoms of the original injury, except for a longer, undetermined period of time. So posts are going to be a little far apart, as being on the computer or sitting in the studio is a bit difficult at the moment. 

(I am still launching the Ning on Monday, though!)

 

A mosaic of my students, their work, and my samples...

Class on Saturday was amazing. In every way. My students were magnificent and so patient with me as I was a bit scattered! We had a great, fun time, and they kept saying they were having a wonderful time! Oh, it warmed my heart. Being able to go around and see the magic they were creating and help them fix those bits they didn’t like while pointing out the amazing things they’d created on their own? 

I found my magic. 

I know what I’m supposed to do. I have the confidence to go for it. There are plans in the works, but for now, I shall bask in the glow of Saturday’s class. 

And as I was browsing the shop after class, I spied the Prismacolor colored pencils and was thinking, “So many people like them; I should give them a try, hmmm?” So I walked up to the woman plucking pencils from the shelves and asked, “Do you like these?” 

She turned and said, “Oh, I know you, I read your blog!” 

It turns out, Kim had emailed me before my newfound better reply practices and we got to chatting. Then, another woman came down the aisle, Lynn, who I’d met at my first demo and had traveled far to come see me. Add an amazing class plus two wonderfully creative ladies who recognized me from my writings and videos here and reached out and bam! 

I really found my magic.

That, and I’m in love with my Prismacolor colored pencils! And! A month ago, a friend of mine found a set of Art Stix at a garage sale for $3 and asked me if I’d use them. Not knowing what they were but not being one to turn down a lucky find, I said I would, and she sent ‘em to me. Little did I know, the Art Stix are the same thing as the pretty colored pencils, except without the wood! 

Talk about a lucky find! It’s a 48 color set! 

Add to all of that Jane Davenport’s posts for Life Book this week about some fun techniques with these beauties and I am one happy, happy girl! 

I am so excited for all the amazing things I have in mind for the launch of the Ning, and for the future of the blog, and for my art and journaling. I wish you could all come hang out with me, because I’d be talking a mile a minute about everything I’m discovering!

By the way, I started using a pad of Strathmore Mixed-Media 300 series paper for my journal, and I love it! I already was in love with the 400 series — I have a pad in every size, even the 18”x24” pad, and use it in all my demos — and was hoping the 300 series would make a good journal. It does! I’ll be doing a video review of this paper versus Canson’s Mixed-Media paper very soon! 

Also, tomorrow is the last day you can sign up for Journaling Deep in its current incarnation. It’ll be changing as soon as the Ning launches, as I’m upping my game!

If you have a few minutes, why don't you fill out my questionnaire so I can get to know you better?