Saturday is illustration day. Each week, we put one of our favorite illustrators in the spotlight, and ask them to share a golden tip to help us get started with drawing. Today, it’s the turn of Yelena Bryksenkova from New England, US.
How would you describe your work?
“It’s very small and detailed. I do everything by hand and focus on how I can be as detailed as possible. My paintings usually feature people in cozy interiors.”
What kind of materials do you work with?
“A fine black Micron pen and acrylic gouache.”
Where do you find inspiration?
“Art, nature, books and music. I look for beauty in everyday things, and store it all in my head and heart. Everything I love is automatically reflected in my work.”
How’s life as an artist in your hometown?
“I love my city; it’s small and beautiful. I like strolling through it in the evenings, and find it very inspiring. It’s a very peaceful place. There isn’t much of an artist community here, but that’s okay because I like hanging out with people who do something completely different to me.”
Can you tell us a bit about the illustration below?
“This is exactly how I like to see parties. Creating it was a milestone of sorts, because it was the first time that I managed to successfully draw lots of people in a room and play with colored light. It is also pretty small; I had a lot of fun drawing the details.”
Got a golden drawing tip for us?
“Use a limited color palette in order to create sophisticated color combinations. You can do this, for example, by selecting an object with a color you like. Then, use only that color and similar hues in your drawing or painting.”
Want to see more of Yelena Bryksenkova’s work? Then take a look at our Flow Book for Paper Lovers, for which she made the foldable paper house.
