Drivers get roadblocks; authors get writer’s block; so it’s no surprise that artists get creator’s block as well. We for one face it all the time. But rather than fussing over our inability to constantly come up with new ideas, we seek inspiration from other creatives. Here are fifteen of our favourite Instagram sensations that we love to follow to rile up our creative juices:
One of the first artists we began to follow on Instagram because his art work of Toronto’s landmarks and neighbourhoods, not only struck a chord with us as local Torontonians, but also because it inspired us to start drawing Toronto in our own style. In fact our Blue Prints collection and our more recent My Hood My Home collection were inspired from David’s paintings of Toronto’s iconic buildings and unique neighbourhood streets. Though we could never emulate his unique style, we are proud to call him a fellow Torontonian and one we have met and loved chatting up with.
Another fellow Canadian, John Shea watercolour paints some of the most beautiful snowy Canadian landscapes sprinkled with cottage like homes on his canvas. His minimalist approach to art is soothing to the eye and calming to the mind. We’ve had the pleasure of meeting him and it’s not surprise that his calm demeanor is reflected in his artwork. You can catch him at various art events across Canada, and seeing his work in person adds a whole other layer of appreciation for his work.
Being a Japan based artist doesn’t stop Akihito from exploring the world through his watercolour art. He splashes beautiful and rich watercolours over boldly sketched architectural landmarks on his canvas and brings to life some very picturesque pieces. Check out his feed to be bewildered by his watercolour styled artwork. It amazes us to see both his and John’s work and the stark differences between them, despite them both using the same medium.
Amit is another watercolour based artist. I think our obsessions with this medium is due to the fact that we have not been able to master it and have never been able to fathom the amazing results you can get from it. Based in India, and the Director of the International Watercolor Society (IWS- Global), Amit Kapoor has fabulously captured urban and rural landscapes across India. His work is breathtakingly detailed and shows the capacity in which watercolours can be used, and you can see it all in his Instagram feed.
Ronald is an LA based artist and is a recent discovery we made on Cucu Covers, where we also collaborated as artists and where you can get our My Hood My Home collection as Credit and Debit Card covers. We saw Ronald’s work there and immediately followed him on Instagram (@seerlight). His digital doodles (which are more like digital masterpieces if you ask us) caught our attention; especially the ones that had an architectural element to them. We love the unique colour palette he experiments with and how it plays out in his entire feed.
Sasha is a Russia based artist and sketches some of the most gorgeous city skylines we have seen in a long time. On her Instagram feed (@sashapodosinovik) you will see her dabble with Copics in the most professional way possible. She jumps from drawing architectural elements like doors and windows, to city skylines; all breathtaking pieces of work. So for those of you who wondered how much you can really achieve with a set of markers, check out Sasha’s work.
Another Russia based artist makes his way into our list. Roman uses pen and ink to illustrate architecture. His art work is as complex as our sentence is simple. Check out his work on @roman.maklakov to be inspired by an Architect and his rendition of buildings.
Brian’s work is similar to Roman’s work in the fact that he uses pen and ink. But he explores fantasy based architecture and blurs the distinction between real and fantasy. His creations are something that seems plausible in today’s urban landscape, but with a twist. Check out his work on @brejanz.
Alex at @eimandesignco is another digital illustrator who focuses on another realm of architecture - the natural realm. He has illustrated numerous American national parks and has successfully sold them as calendars and stickers. His use of colours to create a unique minimalist style makes him stand out from the crowd, and definitely makes it worth checking out his work and giving him a follow for a daily dose of inspiration for all the aspiring digital artists out there. He also occasionally posts a time-lapse of his work in progress and we always mesmerized by it.
Jeesoo also explores another realm of architecture - interiors. She is most well known for her illustrations of cafes and the hustle and bustle that comes along with it. She captures the essence of the coffee shops she draws and you can see her work here at @pentraveller.
The formidable combo of Dan Kuhlken and Nathan Goldman are the studio heads at DKNG. Though their work is not restricted to the architecture theme, their work in that realm is both impressive and inspirational. As teachers on Skillshare, they are more than happy to share their design tips and tricks, and we for one are huge fans of their work. Check out their isometric illustration styles on their feed @dkngstudios.
If you are an illustrator enthusiast, it would be a crime to not follow the talented Maxwell on @maxwellillustration. This Sydney (and now London) based illustrator and travel sketcher is a force to be reckoned with in the world of art. His detailed hand drawn renderings of architecture he finds sprinkled across the city are a treat for any eyes. He is popularly known for creating small cutouts of his illustrations and then reassembling them to create a unique collage of buildings.
This Italy based artist is also known for his sketches and doodles of buildings around the world, but he is best known for how he doodles his work on to existing buildings. Check out @citylivesketch to see how his sketchbook makes a creative entry into his posts.
This illustrator and designer is busy drawing robots, spaceships, castles, landscapes, and imagined places. And without a doubt, he has a thing for orange. This feed is filled with imagined cityscapes and mechanical wonders.
We are going to end on this beautiful note. When we first started the studio, we were looking at what other artists were doing. David Crighton was a huge inspiration for us, not only because of his style and focus of work, but because he was in the same city as us. Similarly, Tubidu Graphics was also one of the first studios we stumbled across. Her journey from education and work experience in architecture and then finding solace in graphic design resonated with us tremendously. This France established and now Germany based studio focuses on creating remarkable architectural moments. You can see the world through her eyes as a colour and travel enthusiast. Her drawings take the viewer on a journey from the existing reality to her vibrant reality. How? By illustrating existing drab buildings in her own style. So whenever it gets too gloomy outside, make sure to check out her work @tubidugraphics.
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We hope you liked our list! Don't forget follow some of these amazing artists that inspire us, and stay tuned for most posts like this soon!