Learn Create Grow

New website

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Sat, 07 Mar 2015 12:51:00 +0000

Hello everyone!
I guess probably many of you have noticed that I haven't posted anything for a while. The thing is, I made a new website for myself and I would like to invite you to visit my new website. It took me about 2 weeks to make it. From now on I will post only on my new website

www.artliis.com

Painting #25

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 17:31:00 +0000

Sunset beach
Oil on canvas paper
50x65cm

I can't believe its already 25th painting of my "50 paintings in 1 year" challenge. So far it has been such a fun and exciting experience for me.

This time I wanted to paint something with warmer colors. That's why I decided to paint sunset beach. I haven't painted clouds very often so I had to look different pictures so that I could paint them.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed painting the waves. It was exciting and risky at the same time. Why risky? Because I was afraid that waves might not look so realistic as I want them to look. But I'm quite satisfied with the way the painting turned out.

I'm planning to make more beach/sea paintings as I want to learn some new things. What kind of paintings would you like to see? Sunset beaches, stormy sea, tropical beach with some palm trees? I would love to know your opinion.

I will post some work in progress shots so you could see how this painting came together. You can also see the work in progress shots on my Twitter, Facebook and Instagram page.

You can also follow my blog on Bloglovin:

https://www.bloglovin.com/people/liisi6-11139073

Painting #24

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 18:11:00 +0000

The beach
Oil on canvas

50x100cm

Inspiration is something that keeps me going. As I I'm planning new paintings, I'm constantly searching for new ideas to paint.

The story behind this painting is.. I came across a website called stumbleupon.com. Maybe some of you don't know what this stumbleupon is all about. Basically its a discovery engine that finds and recommends web content to its users. It didn't take me long time to get addicted to it. I chose all the things that I was interested in and photography and art were some of those things that I wanted to find. I saw so many beautiful pictures of beaches and seascapes. I was so excited. And it all got me thinking.

I have been painting dolphins and I thought to myself " "Why not paint a beautiful tropical beach" You know these kind of beaches you see in the movies or the places where you have dreamed to go. The places which are on your "To do" list. And the water is beautiful light blue.

I have to admit I haven't visited places like this. At least not so tropical places. Right now I have 3 places where I want to travel.

Zansibar
Bora Bora
Thailand- Koh Phi Phi

Sometimes I just like to look the pictures of these places. And this time I also got some inspiration and ideas for my painting. I also watched some Youtube videos to learn how to paint the clouds and the waves.

Finally I got into the action. I started to paint the sky and when it had dried, then I painted the clouds. And after that I painted the sand and the water with some waves. I'm quite happy with the way this painting turned out.

I will post some work in progress shots so you could see how this painting came together. You can also see the work in progress shots on my Twitter, Facebook and Instagram page.

I think there is nothing as relaxing as the sound of the waves. I could listen it for hours.

"It's hard for me to put into words why I like beach so much. Everything about it is renewing for me, almost like therapy, beach therapy"- Amy Dykens

I would like to know what you think about my painting.

You can also follow my blog on Bloglovin:

https://www.bloglovin.com/people/liisi6-11139073

Painting #23

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 18:13:00 +0000

Bliss
Oil on canvas paper
50x65cm

Today I finished this painting. It's a third dolphin painting that I've done so far. I guess right now I won't do more dolphin paintings, although I would like to. I feel like its time to start painting something new.

I also started a new painting. This will be an ocean painting. I realized like its something that I'm not good enough and its time to improve my skills. Recently I have been watching many artist's videos on Youtube where they paint ocean and waves. And now I feel like I'm ready for it. So stay tuned.

Painting the background

Painting the shadows so that it would look more realistic

Painting the underwater plants.

Painting fish.

You can also follow me on Bloglovin:

http://www.bloglovin.com/people/liisi6-11139073

Art groups

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 18:28:00 +0000

As an artist I have learned in time the importance of being a member of art groups. As though most of the artists tend to like more solitude, they still need the community. A feeling that you are a part of something bigger in this world. A place where you can meet people who have same interests and share the same passions as you.

It was 2013 December. I remember it very clearly,I was drawing and painting. I was happy. Yet I felt like there was something missing. By that time I had found some art groups on Facebook where people could share their artwork and give feedback about other artist's artwork but mostly people just posted their artwork and that was about it. They didn't much care about giving feedback about other artist's artwork or just a simple "Like" which sometimes could brighten up somebody's day. There was something missing in those groups.

That was the time when I was browsing artwork on one of these art groups. There was a lot of nudity in this group and I was doing my best to still see the good sides of the group which were beautiful artworks of artists. And then it happened. I came across a post by Inaa Häggström Foose who invited all the girls to join her new art group Women's International Creative Group.

Women's International Group was created for girls and women only which means that nobody else can post to this group. It's a group where people can post all kinds of creative work and share it with other artists. Which include photography, craftings, artworks, music, writing and share tips and ideas.

In the beginning I decided to keep a low profile and observe to see what this group is all about and to understand the spirit of the group. It didn't took me a lot of time to realize that this group is full of beautiful, talented and friendly people. They appreciate each and every single member of the group. I felt the joy of recognition. Why? Because I felt like I had found a right group. A group that I had always wanted to be a part of.

And what I also love about this group. People actually give feedback about each other's artwork and they encourage and support each other on hard times. For sometimes some artists might get artist blocks or they might have some problems in life and feel like they want to give up. To quit art, for ever. But in this group everybody are always so positive and they encourage each other to not give up and try harder.

I'm so happy that I found this group. Thanks to this group I have been able to meet so many beautiful and talented people.

Here is a picture where you can see the admins of this group.

Another group that I recently found on Facebook is Lachri - Youtube art group. I found it because I had been following Lachri fine art page on Facebook for a while and then Lisa ( an artist behind Lahcri fine art) decided to make a group for artists. And of course I wanted to be a part of this group because I love Lisa's artwork and her Youtube videos.

This group was created so that people from Lisa's Youtube channel could have a place to share their artwork and ask advice from other artists. I can always learn something new by reading all these posts that discuss about a technique, medium and social media . People are really friendly and nice. There are also challenges for group members in every month.

Plus every week Lisa posts new videos on her Youtube channel and also shares them in the group with members. Those videos include painting critiques, speed paintings, speed drawings, tutorials, artist vlogs, tips, tricks and art advice.

I'm so happy that I found that artist and that group. I have learned so many new things and I have seen so many beautiful artwork.

You can see Lisa's Youtube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/user/Lachri

So these are my favorite art groups on Facebook. What do you think about art groups? Do you follow any?

You can also follow me on Bloglovin:

http://www.bloglovin.com/people/liisi6-11139073

How Linky parties can help you grow your blog

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Sun, 01 Feb 2015 17:43:00 +0000

Maybe there are many people who haven't heard anything about the Linky Parties. So in this article I will tell you what it is and what its used for.

What are Linky parties?

Link parties are the opportunity for you to grow your blog and get some new followers. Basically what it does for you, it allows you to share your content on other websites. When you visit a site on the day of their weekly link party then there is a link to " link up" and you can share the URL of your blog/site and write a title and crop a photo from the post. It will create a hyperlink thumbnail that other bloggers can see and visit.

It is recommended to read the rules before you put your own link. Because every day there is a different theme and some Link Parties don't allow to post selling stuff and giveaways. So its better to read before you act.

How can I host my own link party?

Before you start there are few things you should keep in mind.

First of all. Like always with parties, you should think about the reason why you are hosting a link party. Are you celebrating the birth of your first baby? Are you looking for a new recipes to try? Or you want to find some new DIY ideas to try out?

Choose a date and time. Link parties are held weekly, monthly, seasonal.
Plan your budget. Unfortunately Link Parties like any other parties require some cash. In order to host a party you can use a service like Inlinkz or LinkyTools. They both have a subscription fee.
Invite quests. Market it on your social platforms.
Design a button for your Link Party, There are many tutorials about it on internet.
Be a good host. Try to comment on every linked post. Make your guests feel special!
Keep an eye on posts. If somebody posts anything inappropriate, then you have to make sure that it will be deleted.
Make a new connections. Just like you would on a real life party. You can also introduce some of your friends to some new guests.
And at last, don't forget to send out Thank you's.

What do you think? Will you give it any try? Are you willing to take the time and money to make a Link Party and make some new connections?

Happy linking!

Painting #22

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 18:07:00 +0000

Ocean of love
Oil on canvas paper
50x65cm

As you can see here is the next dolphin painting. Last time when I had painted the dolphins, I asked some critique and feedback about my painting. With this painting, I was trying to do everything right.

First of all, I tried to add some shadows in the background so that it would look more realistic. And this time I was trying to make fish look a little bit more realistic. In my opinion they look better than on the first painting.

It was my first time to paint turtles. Aren't they lovely? I made many layers before I finished them. I'm thinking about doing some more dolphin underwater paintings. I really enjoy painting them! Maybe I will paint some whales next, who knows.

What do you think? Should I do more dolphin paintings? Or should I paint whales?

If you are curious to see what I will create next, then follow me. You can also follow me on Bloglovin:
http://www.bloglovin.com/people/liisi6-11139073

Workspace

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 17:38:00 +0000

The other day when I was on Facebook, I got a really good idea that I should make a post about my workspace. I have seen so many beautiful and inspiring pictures of other artist's workspaces and that kind of inspired me to write that post.

I had a pretty good light in my room, so I decided to pick up my camera and make some photos to share with you.

You might think that most of the time artists have this huge art studio but its not always true. Leonardo da Vinci once said: "An artist's studio should be a small space because small rooms discipline the mind and the large one distracts it".

I totally agree. I personally work in my room. And so far I'm totally satisfied with the room that I have. Yes, sometimes I feel like I don't have enough room for all of my art supplies but it just requires organizing the things, you know? I'm sure that most of the artists are facing the same problem.

Most of the time I draw at the table. Well, when I feel really comfortable then on my couch. I also have a molbert but I don't use it very often. Why? I have learned that when I paint about 3-4 hours in a day, then my lower back starts hurting me. And believe me, that's not a good feeling! So I prefer to sit and paint on the table.

Right now most of my art supplies don't have a really good place so I'm planning to buy some rolling shelves so that I would have more storage space for my supplies. I guess I should think what are those things in my room that are working and what are not working. Maybe I can even throw something out. I have learned that I tend to be more inspired when I can see all my art supplies.

So this is my workspace. Where do you work? Do you have your own studio?

7 reason why you should use Bloglovin to promote your blog

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 15:29:00 +0000

If you are a blog owner and you are looking for a new ways to promote your blog and get some extra traffic to your blog then Bloglovin is a good place to do that. Maybe you haven't heard about it before, believe me few months ago I also didn't know anything about it but I'm glad that I found it. In this article I will tell you all the benefits of Bloglovin.

It's one of the newest social platforms which was created for bloggers and also readers. It allows readers to read, organize and discover their favorite blogs. It's really easy and comfortable to use. I personally haven't used it very long time but I have realized some of the benefits that it offers.

First of all, it allows you to link your blog to Bloglovin. This way your followers will easily see your new posts on their feed. I personally like to follow people more on Bloglovin than on blogger. It's more organised.
It has some really attractive " Follow this blog on bloglovin" buttons that you can use to post on your blog and this way your readers will see that you are using Bloglovin and can follow you there.
And of course you can build connections in the blog world. Commenting and following other blogs can have some really good impact to your blog. It will get you more traffic and you will even find some new friends.
Bloglovin has different blog categories. This way you can follow the similar blogs to your own or you can just search for the topic that interests you the most.
You can link not only your blogs, but your social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and it will help you to get more traffic from their users.
It's easy to use with your blog. You just have to "claim" your blog.
Bloglovin is free, It also has a mobile app which is available for Iphone, Android and Ipad.

So these are the benefits that Bloglovin offers. I hope that this article was useful for you and that you can go and claim your blog and rock the traffic world with Bloglovin!

And here is a link to my Bloglovin profile:

http://www.bloglovin.com/people/liisi6-11139073

What I like to listen while drawing/ painting

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 17:07:00 +0000

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Just like art is a huge part of my life, the same way is music. Certain type of music inspired me a lot. It's a really huge part of my painting process. Music is the light that switches me on in my work. I will share some most common songs that I love to listen when I work on my art:

I also love to listen:

'

If you are working or you are doing something that you love, do you like to listen to the music? If yes, then what kind of songs do you listen to?

Painting #21

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 17:46:00 +0000

We belong to the sea
Oil on canvas paper
50x65cm

I have always wanted to paint the most intelligent animals and besides that I felt like I needed a little change from painting tigers and leopards. So here it is! My first dolphins painting

In the past I have seen many articles and videos about dolphins. There was one video where one dolphin was holding a brush with his mouth, He made different lines and curves and created his own painting. I think its awesome, isn't it? I am so impressed.

Sadly I haven't swum with them yet. Actually I can't swim. So I guess now I have something which motivates me to learn.

Painting the underwater turned out to be quite complicated. I wanted it to look like the light is shining down on the dolphins. At first I thought that I would paint only dolphins but then I thought that they would get bored and decided to paint some little fish to give them some company.

First of all I painted the water. It took me a while because I had to use darker blues and lighter blues to get the wanted effect.When that was done, I started painting the dolphins and after that I started to paint all the underwater plants and fish. I never would have guessed that painting the plants and fish could take so long time.

This is also probably because I paint in oils and this requires a lot of drying time.

The most rewarding part of the painting process was painting the dolphins. While I was painting the dolphins I decided to get myself in the right mood and listened to some songs which are about the sea and I even listened Dolphins relaxation music. It was really relaxing!

And here is a link to this relaxation music:

And some work in progress shots:

Linking up to: Serenity now

How I manage my time and structure my day

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 17:07:00 +0000

These days, time management seems to be very important part in people's lives and also it seems to be a problem for many of us. So today I tell you how I do it.

First of all, every night/evening I make a list for my next day. Why? Because this way its easier for me. Every morning when I wake up and I already have a list of all the things that needs to be done during the day. And I can start doing them.
Another things that I like very much is Editorial calender. I found it recently on Pinterest when I was going through many time management pins. So since I have my blog, then its a really good way to keep my blog organized.
I also love to make a schedule and plan for my Social Network sites because they are a huge part of my life. I promote my artwork there. So I better do it the right way, you know? Every night I think about next day posting- what and when. For there are certain period of times when it's most effective.
I focus on the most productive time of the day. Because when it comes to painting then I'm best at it in the morning. There are things that I'm good at doing in the evenings and some of the things I'm best at doing in the mornings. This way I can be sure that I'm using my abilities in a maximum way.
I keep track of my progress. This will help me see what is still needed to be done and it will motivate me as well.

So these are some of the ways I use to manage my time. How do you manage your time and structure your day?

This is the book that changed my life

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 15:55:00 +0000

I believe many of us have read a book that have changed the way we see things. Well, I have read too.

I think it was on 2009 when one of my friend visited me and told me about " The secret". At first I was thinking that this is some kind of boring book but many months later, when I was in the library, I saw this book. I instantly remembered that my friend had recommended it and I decided to read it eventually. I thought to myself: "I won't lose anything, so I might as well read it".

The book was written by Rhonda Byrne. She did a huge research and that's how this book was born.

According to this book you can have, be or do whatever you want. You just have to think the right way. You have to choose your thoughts carefully.

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought"- Buddha

There are many people who have decided to concentrate on the problems and negative things and they get everything according to the frequency that they offer. So instead of focusing to the bad things, people should start focusing on things that they want to achieve. I remember when on 2010 I got my anxiety and depression. Most of the time I was focusing on the bad things. And the fact that I couldn't even go to school, made me even more depressed. Back then I didn't concentrate on good things. Actually there were many good things in my life, but I just couldn't see them. So eventually I started reading a lot of books and I watched many movies and I started seeing things differently.

If something you want is slow to come to you, it can be for only one reason. You are spending more time focused upon its absence than you are about its presence"- Esther Hicks

You can get to where you want to be from wherever you are- but you must stop spending so much time noticing and talking about what you do not like about where you are"- Esther Hicks

I learned that the key is to feel good. So every day I have to make sure that I'm in a good mood. This way good things can come to me.

Also I learned that when it comes to the dreams, then its important to do a little bit every day so that you will achieve your dreams. So every day when I wake up, I have a list of things that I need to do during the day. Sometimes there are just tiny things but eventually big things grow from little things.

You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step"- Martin Luther King

So now, on 2015, I can honestly tell you that I won't be in the place I am today if I hadn't read that book. Yes, there are days when its hard but most of the time I am in a good mood and I'm focused on good things and on my goals.

Is there a book that changed your life somehow? What is the name of the book? I would love to add some new books to my read list.

I got my idea for this blog topic from:

www.marketyourcreativity.com

Check out this amazing page!

Painting #20

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 14:10:00 +0000

Lion cubs
Oil on canvas paper
Reference photo: kridah-stock on deviantart.com
50x65cm

Maybe you've noticed that I haven't posted anything new for a while. The truth is, my laptop stopped working so I had to buy a new laptop,

Since I haven't drawn lion cubs before, I decided to give it a try. They look so lovely so I just had to paint them.
I started the painting with the background. First of all I painted the sky and then I painted the stone. After that I started painting the fur. I painted many layers so that it would look as realistic as possible. In the end I painted the trees.

I'm not very happy with the proportions so I'm planning on painting some more lions.

Many thanks to Krida-stock for reference photo.

And here are some work in progress shots:

My birthday

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 13:57:00 +0000

Yesterday was my birthday. I'm sure that everybody loves their birthdays because its so amazing day in person's life.

When I woke up then I got a big surprise. My mom had made me a cake and there were even candles. I felt like a little girl again.

Later we cooked together. I have always wanted to cook a Jollof Rice. It's an African food and it tastes so good. I think it might be my new favorite.

I'm so grateful for all those lovely birthday wishes that I got. It was amazing day.

So this is how I celebrated my birthday. How do you celebrate your birthday?

Why I decided to become an artist

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 18:25:00 +0000

Since my birthday is not so far away, I decided to reflect on this question. Obviously I have been loving drawing since I was a little girl. Sometimes I was drawing even for hours. Oh yes, in drawing I feel like I'm in my own element.

My grandmother was usually drawing and painting with me. I can still remember clearly how we used to sit in the kitchen and paint with watercolors. That was so much fun!

Later on when I was about 8 years old and went to school, I also took some art classes. I was always very excited to go there. I think I was attended at these classes for few years. After that I had to concentrate more on my studies because it turned out that I wasn't good at math. Sometimes I felt quite sad because I missed those art classes.

When I was a teenager I went to a model school. At first it seemed so interesting and perfect but as the time passed, I realised that it wasn't for me. That because I got an opportunity to represent one brand's clothes and that required me to stand on the stage and walk on the podium. But I was and still am a really shy person and I knew that I can't do anything like that. So I decided to quit the model school.

During the high school I didn't draw very much. We had an art history class and sometimes teacher gave us some homework to do which included drawing. Everytime when I drew something, I felt like my soul was singing because of the happiness. And sometimes when I was at home and doing my other homework, I used to take some breaks from studying and during those breaks I used to sketch something. I think it was my way to relax because I was having a lot of tension because of the school. Many times I was having troubles with mathematics, physic and chemistry. I even had private teachers who helped me to stay on track. Looking back, this was my body's way to tell me : " Liisi, mathematics, physic and chemistry is not for you.You are meant to draw, you are meant to be creative"

After high school when most of my classmates went to study something in the university, I had no idea what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be. Sometimes its just hard to figure out so important things in life, you know?

Going to the university immediately after high school didn't seem right for me. Especially when I didn't know what I wanted to study. I took some time off. I went to work. I worked in the cafe and sport shop. It didn't take me long to realize that customer service isn't the thing that I want to do for the rest of my life. Because not all the customers were nice and I found it emotionally really exhausting taking other people's negative energy inside of me and in the end of the day when I finished work and went home, I felt so tired and sad.

I understood that most of the people are doing the 9 to 5 work just to survive and they were so sad and angry inside- they didn't like what they were doing.

Finally I got an idea. I wanted to study business and marketing. So I went to the university. Most of the time I was happy with my choice but then I started to get some doubts. I had to do some presentations and that meant public speaking. My legs were trembling and I was having real difficulties by remembering what to even say. And again there was a lot of tension in my life. I tell you a secret. There were days when I got my panic attacks and depression so I wasn't even able to go to school. I was so depressed and sad. I started to draw and paint again. Slowly I started to feel good again. My mood wasn't so bad anymore and life didn't seem to be so hursh. Eventually I quit university and started to concentrate on art again. I can't even tell you how happy I was making that decision. I just felt refreshed.

Looking back I now understand that all those things that I experienced were there for a reason. To show me what I should do and to learn some life lessons. Thanks to all this knowledge I can start my own art company.

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive"- Howard Thurman

Have you ever experienced something similar?

What are my goals for a new year

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 10:47:00 +0000

I hope that you all had an amazing year. At first I would like to tell you what were my goals for this year.

At the beginning of 2014 I made a list of all the things that I wanted to happen and what I would do to achieve those things. Looking back at those goals, I can say that I accomplished almost all of them.

One of the goals was to study how to paint fur. In the beginning of the year I was drawing wildlife animals with pencils to learn how to make the proportions and the second part of the year I spent on learning and trying to figure out the techniques.

I even purchased an e-book from Jason Morgan. So if any of you are facing the same problem: how to paint animal fur, then I highly recommend this book. I found this e-book very helpful. I can't tell you how happy I was that I found that e-book!

Another goal was to start my own art blog. Actually I already had a blog, since 2011 but back then I didn't know how to use blogger. But in autumn I found some really good courses on udemy.com how to make a blog. Such a great site! After a lot of research and watching videos on udemy, I got my blog going.

I also wanted to educate myself and learn everything about business because I want to make my own art company. So I spent a lot of time reading different business books and there were also some great blogs that taught me what I need to know to make my own company.

And of course practising. I also started to paint with watercolors because I hadn't done that since I was a little girl and I wanted to remind myself how to do that.

The hardest part of the work was theme setting for the year but I finally did that after realizing how much I'm in love with African music and culture. So this is where most of my inspiration came from. I started painting African animals. At first I painted many animals with African landscape but then I wanted to make something different and started to make another backgrounds too.

For 2015..

First of all I will focus more on business. I'm going to perform my own company. And I will start selling my artwork online.

I also want to make a website for my artwork because every artist needs a website to show her artwork and get more exposure.

I am going to focus on learning more painting and drawing techniques. Because I still have so much to learn and I want to get better and better every day. So growth is very important!

"Growth isn't something that happens to you, you produce it"- Rachel Wolchin

I will finish the challenge that I started. 50 paintings in 1 year.

That's all I've got so far ( I'm sure I will come up with some new goals on the way) And I still need to sit down and set out some specific action plans.
I'm really excited already how the next year will turn out.

What are your hopes, dreams and aspirations for the year of 2015?

Painting #19

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 16:28:00 +0000

Cheetahs
Oil on canvas paper
Reference: kridah-stock on deviantart.com
50x65cm

Maybe some of you have noticed that I haven't posted much on my blog lately. The thing is, last week I caught a cold and had a high fever. I felt really weak and couldn't paint anything.

So today I finally had a chance to finish my Cheetah painting. I found the reference photo from deviantart.com and decided to paint them. Aren't they lovely?

I really enjoyed painting cheetahs. I will paint more cheetahs in the future.

And here are some work in progress shots:

Painting the background

Painting the first layer of the fur

Painting the black fur

What I like about Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 11:01:00 +0000

I like to decorate the Christmas tree. This year the tree shines in shade of gold. I realised that we haven't had the Christmas tree for a long time. You can see that my cat also loves this Christmas tree.

And of course all kinds of candles shining in the dark. This really brings up some good memories from my childhood.

I really love family get-togethers. This is the time when all your loved ones come together and have a good family time. I think the best gifts in life will never be found under a Christmas tree, those gifts are friends, family, kids and the ones you love.

Fairy lights and pretty decorations. I love to decorate all the house. This gives the feeling that Christmas is near.

Another thing that I like, is Christmas landscape. Here you can see the view from my living room window.

Poinsettia is really beautiful Christmas flower. This year we got a really huge Poinsettia. I wasn't aware that there even exists so big Poinsettias.

What do you like about the Christmas?

Lessons I've learned as an artist

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 17:34:00 +0000

Today I thought that I will share some lessons that I've learned during the past 4 years.

If you get artist block, then don't get frustrated. Take some time off, do something else, go for a walk, meditate, listen to music or read a book. Anything which would take your thoughts off from the fact that you can't create at the moment.
Don't compare your artwork with other artist's artwork. I know that its so good to view artwork that other artists have created but sometimes we tend to forget ourselves and start seeing all these artists who are better than we are. The truth is, there will always be better artists. That doesn't mean that you aren't good enough. You are good in your own unique way. By constantly drawing and painting you will get better and better every day. You just have to be patient.
Don't be a copycat. Don't try to be somebody else. Don't try to copy some other artist's style. Be patient. In time you will develop your own style and this will be something how people will remember you, this will make you special.
Take some courses or buy some new e-books. Try to learn some new things and develop your art skills.
Try to be open minded to all the ideas that you get. It's good to try new things and step out of your comfort zone. This way you can grow as an artist.

5 ways how I cope with artist block

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 13:29:00 +0000

As many of you might know and maybe have experienced, artist block is a worst nightmare for an artist, isn't it?
It usually comes when its least expected. Feels like you have lost all your inspiration but there are some ways to overcome it. I'm sure you have thought to yourself "This is driving me crazy"
Over the time I have found some effective ways which have helped me to overcome it. And I would like to share them with you.

1.Often times I have started to listen to music and sing. Singing is something that I love and it really helps me to get the attention off the fact that I can't create anything at the moment. And it always makes me so so happy!
The other thing that I like to do is yoga. Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice or discipline that aims to transform body and mind. And after yoga I always feel less stressed and more relaxed.
Sometimes I have got some good ideas during the yoga and sometimes after I have finished doing the yoga.
Meditation is something that has helped me most of the time. Because during the meditation I quiet my mind, eventually reach a higher level of awareness and calm. And after that I might also get some new good ideas and inspiration.
Something that I have also found effective, is going for a walk or meeting a friend. Just to have a quality time with my friends. It makes me feel good and it might inspire me to create something.
Challenging myself. In the summer there was a period of time when I didn't have inspiration at all. I was struggling a lot. So I came up with an idea to make 50 paintings in 1 year. This challenge has hold my mind busy most of the time. And I have more ideas.

I hope that you found something which could help you. Or if you have some great tips how you overcame artist block, then I would like to hear about them. Let me know in the comments section.

Painting #18

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 16:05:00 +0000

Tigers
Oil on canvas paper
Reference photo: Chris Allsebrook
50x65cm

After I finished my last painting I was planning to start painting 2 cheetahs but then I came across 1 really lovely picture on Facebook group: Reference photos for artists 2. If you are an artist and are looking for reference photos for your artwork, then I recommend this group.
So I took my oil colors and started to paint. I was really excited because I hadn't painted 2 tigers before.
As always, I started from the background. I painted the first layer with aqrylic color. I used Burnt Sienna to do that.. Then I let the painting dry.
After that I started painting the tigers. Layers by layers I painted the tiger's fur. I started with the darkest colors and with each layer I added more white to the colors. I wanted the fur to look as realistic as possible.
I also spent a lot of time painting the tigers eyes. I had watched many tiger eye painting tutorials and now I was trying to apply all the knowledge.

And here are some work in progress shots:

Painting the background

Painting the tigers fur with Burnt Sienna aqrylic color

Painting the first layer of the fur

Painting the second layer of the fur

Evolution of my art

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:13:00 +0000

Today doing a huge cleaning in my room I found some really old drawings and paintings that I made in my childhood. I really got in the nostalgic mood as I was watching every drawing and painting that I had done. Why does it still feel like it was all yesterday? Time does indeed fly.

I thought that it would be a great idea to share them with you. So I invite you to take a trip with me on a memory lane.

These are the oldest drawings that I have from my childhood. I was 6 years old when I made these drawings and paintings. As you can see I loved horses a lot, I still do. In fact, back then I was kind of obsessed. My biggest dream was to have my own horse. I didn't realise how much time and money they would require. I told my granny that we can keep my horse in the garage. She just looked at me and laughed.
And I also liked to paint flowers. Most of the times the flowers were from our own garden.

At the age of 7 I still drew horses but I also explored other things and I also started to draw more houses and there was one cartoon that I really liked called: Muumilaakson tarinoida. Please tell me that you enjoyed that cartoon as much as I did when I was kid. It was Japanese- Finland cartoon. So the red creature that I drew, he is from this cartoon.

At the age of 8 I drew all kinds of things but I found only one drawing from that time of period. I guess I was trying to draw some kind of village. Oh yes, I loved to draw dogs. When I was 8 years old then I had a dog called Bianca ( the name is from the Italian word bianco, which means white) and this dog on the picture is probably Bianca.

At the age of 9 you can see another drawing of the cartoon: Muumilaakson tarinoida. This time you can see more cast members. I guess I was kind of obsessed with this cartoon. And I drew a bear with an honey.

At the age of 10-13 I made all those drawings and paintings. Some of them I made in the art classes where I used to go. And after that there was a long period of time when I didn't draw at all because I had to concentrate on my school studies.

So these are some of the drawings that I made many years ago. Do you have some old drawings from your childhood? I would like to see them. Post them in the comments section.

Stay joyful and inspired!

How I get ideas for my artwork

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 14:01:00 +0000

As an artist I have heard many people asking that where do I get ideas for my artwork. So I will tell you some of the ways that I've discovered along the way.

Lot of my artwork comes from everything that I see around me.
Since I love music very much then music has a huge part in my creativity. Sometimes I can get ideas by playing the piano and the other times I can get ideas by singing or listening some songs. I have noticed that violin music does the miracles for me. Especially Lindsey Stirling's music. She has some really good songs. And of course Enigma. My favorite Enigma's song is Return to the innocence.
I get ideas when I'm in the bed and ready to fall asleep. There have been so many days when during the days I have thought long and hard about all the possible ways and techniques how to make my art better. And finally when I go to bed, then sometimes I might get about 15 ideas. So I keep my pen and notebook close.
Lately I started to do yoga. There have been moments when some ideas have popped in my mind.
And there have been times when I've seen the image in my mind and then I've started to put this image on the canvas.

So these are some ways how to get some ideas for my paintings. If you have some good ways, then I would like to hear about them. Post them in the comments selection.

Painting #17

noreply@blogger.com (ArtIsMyPassion) — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 12:49:00 +0000

Snow Leopard
Reference photo: Kaz Turner
Oil on canvas paper
50x65cm

Wow, I cant believe that its December already. Time is moving by so fast. I have been working on the Snow Leopard painting over the past week.
I have been wanting to painting a snow leopard for many months, since I started painting big cats. And I was so happy when I saw a great reference photo in the Artist Reference photos group.
Since the reference photo was made in the nature or probably in the zoo, I decided to make winter landscape background. I thought that it would be a great way to paint something new. At first I thought that this would be really difficult, but then I browsed some winter landscape photos on Google to see how to paint the trees.

For me, doing this painting was humbling, I love those beautiful animals.

And here are some work in progress shots:

Let me know in the comments what you think of this painting. This was the first time I painted the winter landscape. So let me know if I should do more winter landscape paintings in the future.