On Inspiring Artists to Follow
I follow quite a few artists and illustrators on Instagram, YouTube or podcast.
Some are awe-inspiring, others are entertaining.
I make a note of some of them on my phone. I buy courses or take part in challenges from others. I have my favourites and I try to always think about what makes their art so special to me.
Art is such a subjective thing - what I like or find useful might mean nothing to you. But even so, other artists are such a great example and reminder that there is pure joy and beauty in this world and they bring it to us.
The list I have gathered below is for artists that I feel I can easily learn from. I am never visited by an impostor syndrome when enjoying their art or listening to their blogs or videos. They help me to believe in myself and continue with my dream of learning to draw and express my thoughts and ideas in an art form.
I’ve been following Mimi for a few years now. I watch her YouTube videos almost every evening before I go to bed. It serves as a daily reminder and an inspiration that everything is possible, that even I, if wanted to, could become an artist.
Mimi is very honest, yet down-to-earth, and she documents her journey as an illustrator while sharing valuable tips and tricks with her audience. She has a calm voice that draws you in, making you want to listen to her advice. You never feel like you’re missing out or that you’ll never be able to do what Mimi is doing. On the contrary, she makes you feel like it’s all possible, and that it’s all in your hands. If you need a gentle push to start your creative journey, I would recommend listening to Mimi’s YouTube channel.
I discovered Adolfo through a course on Domestika. His was the first drawing course I took and followed through from beginning to end. There’s something about him that makes you believe in yourself, that everything is possible.
He doesn’t pressure you into creating something amazing. Instead, he challenges you to be okay with something being less than perfect, or even nothing special. He teaches you to enjoy the journey of creating something that is truly yours. Whether you want to be an artist or just enjoy a creative hobby, you don’t need to produce the next Mona Lisa—you just need to enjoy yourself and trust the process. I would highly recommend his course Illustration Techniques to Unlock Your Creativity on Domestika to anyone starting their creative journey.
I’ve been listening to Andy J. Pizza’s podcast Creative Peptalk for four years now. I found it by pure chance through a recommendation, but I stuck with him, unlike the recommendation that led me to his channel. He’s very down-to-earth and talks about the struggles of being a creative. He also offers advice on how to overcome challenges on the path to becoming an illustrator or simply enjoying your art.
Andy is knowledgeable, likable, and entertaining. You always walk away with something valuable—whether it’s a piece of advice, a funny joke, or useful information. His approachable style makes you feel like he’s your friend. Just like Mimi’s YouTube videos, you never feel like you’re being talked down to by a superstar artist. Instead, you feel like he’s the “boy” next door, and if you met him on the street, he’d strike up a conversation with you. I listen to Andy when I’m feeling stuck or uninspired. I also press play when I’m after a random thought or advice that I didn’t know I needed :)
Genna is an illustrator and surface designer whose work always makes me smile. She is so down-to-earth and she never makes you feel like you won’t be able to follow in her footsteps. Her work is fun, bright, and colourful, making it easy and accessible for anyone to learn from her. That’s what I love about her Instagram page—it’s vibrant and full of life and even on a dark day, it reminds you that there’s sunshine behind every cloud.
Her style appears a little childish, whimsical, and simple, but that’s what makes it so endearing. It’s not trying to be anything other than what it is, and yet it still manages to stir emotions in my heart. I always leave her page feeling more inspired, determined to practice, and maybe one day, be as inspirational as Genna.
I’ve also taken part in her challenge #75artwithgenna where we were encouraged to draw something small everyday for 75 days. I found it useful to silence my inner critic and keep a consistent practice.
Katie is an illustrator and a “life scribbler.” What that means is that she scribes meeting notes. That’s what fascinates me about her - she turns something boring or mundane into fun and imaginative. She helps to bridge the gap and create something that everyone would get.
The first time I stumbled upon her Instagram account, I could not believe people did this for money. But I was eager to learn how to capture notes in a fun way that would convey meaning and intention, instead of being repetitive. And Katie inspired me to do just that.
Katie is very down-to-earth and friendly—one of those people you feel like you’ve known for years, even though you only follow her on Instagram. She’s such a n inspiration - she’s a mum, an artist and she’s founded a company with her friends where she runs online courses for budding and current artists. She makes you feel like anything is possible and proves time and time again that being an illustrator or an artist is something you do, not just a dream. It comes with its own challenges, and Katie talks about it in her videos, but it’s possible if that’s what you want and you put time and effort into it.
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