20 artists who inspire me
I always get a rush whenever I stumble upon a new artist. Social media has plenty of downsides, but part of its magic is being able to easily discover and connect with other artists I admire. I can follow along with their journey, learn from them, and fill my apartment with their beautiful art! I would love to introduce you to some of the artists who inspire me! This is by no means an exhaustive list and it’s always growing, but maybe you’ll find someone whose work sparks your imagination or the perfect art print to hang up in your home!
1. Minnie Small
Minnie makes the most beautiful sketchbook spreads, and she actually just released her first book called The 30-Day Sketchbook Project! The best way to follow along with her is via her YouTube channel where she shares soothing art videos and lessons learned from her journey to becoming a full-time artist. I could seriously watch her paint all day. Since we are inching near October, I’ll share one of my favorites of her videos where she flips through one of her Inktober sketchbooks.
Dylan is a graphic designer, illustrator, and crafts enthusiast. I was introduced to her through her Skillshare class on illustrated journaling, which got me into Tombow brush markers and helped me loosen up in my sketchbook. She’s a wonderful teacher, and I not only admire her art but also her entire philosophy around creative work and mental health.
3. Katie Moody
Katie is a relatively new discovery for me, but I have quickly fallen in love with her multimedia sketchbook pages. I love the texture and her use of color, especially in her landscapes. She recently completed a year-long daily art challenge, so she has lots of sketchbook spreads for you to explore on her Instagram.
Leigh’s YouTube videos always feel like a conversation with a friend. I love someone who doesn’t take themselves too seriously, and I admire the playfulness with which she approaches her art. She has such a distinct drawing style that feels lively and vibrant. I really enjoy seeing her sketchbook pages full of doodles and her whimsical paintings of flowers and animals.
The first original piece of art that I ever splurged on was made by Jimmy. I love everything he makes, whether it’s his black & white sketches scribbled on a restaurant napkin or one of his colorful travel drawings. The color palettes he uses are always gorgeous!
6. Dory
Dory is a painter and the creator of the Pantone Challenge on Instagram, where she would make paintings on color chips, inspired by that particular color. I thought it was such a fun idea and I even bought my own set of Pantone postcards, which have been patiently waiting to be painted on…
7. Mimi Chao
Mimi is an illustrator whose work blends mindfulness and creativity, and she is another artist I discovered through a Skillshare class. I love the peaceful color palettes she uses and the whimsical feeling of her work. I’m also inspired by her creative journey because, like mine, it was not a straightforward path. I really appreciate how generous she is with her knowledge, and she even runs an online creative community called Mimochai Studio where artists can connect with each other and grow together.
Morgan is a poet and an artist, whose posts offer much-needed reminders to be kind to yourself, be present, and slow down. Reading her words feels like a sigh of relief, and I love to see the way she experiments with different artistic styles.
If you could use a dose of Pride & Prejudice vibes, look no further. Beth’s Instagram page is full of dreamy photos of misty meadows at dawn and cozy cottages. As someone who loves all things cozy and has been craving a trip to the English countryside, I find all of her work so beautiful.
10. Violette
Violette is a makeup artist whose YouTube videos I often look to for inspiration. I love the looks she puts together, but what I really admire is her approach to her creative work. She sees beauty as a way of playing and expressing yourself rather than a way to cover up perceived “flaws.” She’s all about sensuality and how things make you feel, which I think can be applied to all artistic mediums. I always look forward to her weekly newsletters where she shares her thoughts on creativity, beauty, and life.
11. Kat Schneider
Kat was the artist that first got me interested in risograph printing, which is still something I’m dying to try. I really enjoy her drawing style and the way she weaves in an element of storytelling into all of her illustrations. She also has a collection of helpful YouTube videos that dive into her creative process.
12. Rajiv Surendra
Yes, this is Kevin from “Mean Girls,” who has grown up to be quite the Renaissance man. It seems like he makes everything by hand and he’s really good at it. I love following along with him because he truly embodies a spirit of curiosity and craftsmanship. Whether he’s making his own pottery, hand-dipping candles, or crafting a stunning flower arrangement, it’s always fun to see what he’s doing.
13. Annika Layne
Annika is a painter based in Santa Cruz, and a lot of her paintings depict some of my favorite places on the West Coast. I’m honestly obsessed with all of her work, and I can’t seem to stop buying prints from her. I love the way she paints details and how she almost always includes a tiny person in her landscapes, which somehow adds so much to the overall compositions.
14. Seula Yi
Another artist who loves to include tiny people in their paintings! I discovered Seula’s work in an art print shop in Paris and I ended up coming home with three of her prints, including the one I shared above! Yes, I bought New York art prints while I was in Paris. I know it’s silly, but I could not resist. She makes such beautiful paintings of cityscapes from all over the world. I love the way she plays with scale and uses vibrant colors in her work.
15. Jade Mei
I first fell in love with Jade’s dreamy landscape paintings and hand-embroidered sketchbooks, but she’s recently been experimenting with abstracts, and I’m loving that, too! Everything she makes has a soft, ethereal quality to it, and it gives me such a sense of peace.
16. Magali Franov
Magali’s perfectly cluttered sketchbook spreads are so satisfying to look at. She shares a lot of the sketches she makes while traveling, people-watching at cafes, and working on class assignments. It’s interesting to follow along with someone in illustration school and learn about some of the projects she works on.
17. Nikita Busyak
Nikita is the artist who came up with this stunning Glowing Archisketch technique that makes his drawings feel so warm and inviting. Even without the special effects, he is crazy talented when it comes to ink drawings. I admire the insane amount of patience he must have to do all of the intricate detail work.
Christoph is an incredibly talented illustrator and he was even featured in the Netflix series Abstract: The Art of Design (here’s his episode!). He dabbles in a lot of different projects, but I was first drawn to the simplicity of his ink drawings. Many of them are monochrome or use a very limited color palette, which is something I’d like to try more of in my own practice. I admire his ability to translate complicated scenes, including cityscapes, into simple, balanced compositions.
19. Lina Gordievsky
In case you haven’t noticed, soft, dreamy landscapes are my jam, and Lina does them so well. I would love to just take a walk in any of her paintings. She also photographs her work so beautifully and finds the most perfect frames to go with her pieces.
20. Frances Ives
Frances’ sketchbook spreads are stunning and so full of texture and life. They often have a moody vibe that I really enjoy, especially in the fall and winter. She’s another artist who inspires me to want to try playing more with multimedia sketchbook pages.
I hope you enjoyed this introduction to some of the artists who inspire me, both through their amazing work and their creative approaches. Being able be a part of the creative community, even just on social media, has been such a huge encouragement to me as I take baby steps on my own creative path. Has it also fueled an art print addiction? Absolutely, but I’m not mad about it. Now I would love to hear about the artists that inspire you!
Posted August 18, 2022
