Links of the Week - Illustrators

photo credit { miss van }

"Art is not about thinking something up. Its about the opposite - getting something down."

I believe that creativity is a form of energy that passes thru each individual differently. It goes thru one end the same but comes out the other end transformed. Transformed into inspiration. Transformed by the artists' perspective of the world, life experience, their passions, hopes, fears... Its one of the most interesting things in life. No matter what kind of art you create whether it be in music, design, painting, drawing, cooking, it is most important to be in tune with urself and the creative energy around you. This is when art happens. The kind of art that speaks to others and touches their spirit.

Here are a few of my favorite artists. After visiting a few of the links I think you'll catch on to a reoccurring theme. Most of these artists i love because they have a mix of 2 contrasting elements which are combined very well. Innocent yet erotic, whimsical yet twisted, mysterious yet playful. It reminds me of the contrasting characteristics I possess within myself. Ive always had inner conflict bcos of my clashing traits but its artists like the ones below that inspire me to believe that 2 can exist simultaneously. You just have to find the creativity to mix them well together to create an unusual and unique character.

❥ Im going to start off my list of links with none other than Audrey Kawasaki. I know she's not new with some of you bcos her artwork is quite popular. I would love to own one of her pieces. In 3 words I would describe her work as: Innocent, seductive and sorrowful

❥ Curiouser and curiouser...KuKula's childhood imagination was nourished by a mix of fairy tale fantasies and World War II horror stories which was a result of being neighbors to Holocaust survivors. Her work is full of symbolism and is sweetly disturbing. It's kind of like having your heart ripped out and then placing a cherry on top. What are your interpretations of her pieces? It would be interesting to hear her own. But then it would lose it's magic. It is not the job of an artist to explain their work - it's the viewers' own perspective & interpretation of what is being expressed that makes a piece more interesting & makes it art

❥ Peter Winnett is a fashion illustrator

❥ Danny Roberts is another illustrator but he's also a photographer & a graphic designer. He does a lot of celebrity portraits and I love his style of art

❥ Ray Caesar. Very dark creations. His subjects look very ghostly and vampire-like. Have you ever found yourself in someplace old, dark....dusty...empty and you cant shake off the feeling that you're not alone? Like someone unseen is watching you and you cant help but feel a chill run down your spine? Well that's how I feel when I view his art. It is truly genius when the artist can conjure up feelings inside you. Another important component of art

❥ Very chic fashion illustrations created by Cassandra Rhodin. You might have seen some of her pieces floating around over the net

❥ Aya Takano is a Japanese pop artist. Her characters are usually nude...girlie figures with raw knees. lol* I get a sense of naivete and precocious sexuality in her work as she has a very vivid imagination, painting futuristic and lively worlds