Combining words with art was an attempt to capture the “beauty” of a thought, a quote from a book, an idea, a concept, an inspiration, a feeling.
Ultimately, now it feels like I’m curating and creating my own collection of diamonds.
In terms of style, I think of my work as “art” rather than visuals because to me it’s more about the soul of the artist than about the punchline. This is in large part why I hand-draw, and why every idea I draw is sort of personal to me. In that sense, the art is almost like a stewardship: from me to you.
“Art is what we call the thing an artist does.
It’s not the medium or the oil or the price or whether it hangs on a wall or you eat it. What matters, what makes it art, is that the person who made it overcame the resistance, ignored the voice of doubt and made something worth making. Something risky. Something human.
Art is not in the eye of the beholder. It’s in the soul of the artist.”
—Seth Godin
What tools do you like to use for creation and publishing?
iPad Pro and Apple Pencil 1, on the Procreate app. For colouring, I like playing with the opacity levels on the water-colour brushes in Procreate.
I often get inspired while out running, so I have to credit the Notes app on my iPhone for safeguarding some otherwise fleeting sketch ideas.
Are there any creators who work at the intersection of writing and art that inspire and motivate you?
I love the imaginatively simple style of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (author of Le Petit Prince). I find it both intentional and elegant. Behind his work there’s also an ethos that I deeply identify with. He wrote and drew all of Le Petit Prince. The idea that writers can draw their own stories, aka be their own visual interpreters regardless of skill level, is authentic and empowering.
In terms of modern day inspiration, probably Liz&Mollie. Janis Ozolins is also an awesome friend and great source of inspiration.
Finally, I also love Aaron Aalto’s zest for sketching and his audacious, experimental spirit. The world needs so much more of that.
What advice would you give anyone who wants to start (or continue) adding visual creativity to their work?
If you haven’t started yet, I think the most important step you can take is to start. If you’re continuing, the most sustainable attitude you can have is to keep experimenting shamelessly. I’m still in the latter boat too! And don’t be afraid to “steal” ideas to make them yours.
Being visually creative with your work does a number of helpful things: 1) It forces you to think about and see your work from different angles; 2) It’s an effective way of storytelling and communicating your ideas with impact; 3) It helps you to practice letting go of your ego; 4) It makes you relatable to others (if you’re into making friends, of course).
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