Night of the Arts sketching...in the shop window!

Yesterday was once again the Night of the Arts in Helsinki. Last year I organised a watercolour painting session at Gudrun Sjödén store. I thought that this year I could do something similar, but still different. So I did some sketches in "Gudrun-style" in the shop window and I was accompanied with my very pregnant, beautiful friend Suveka. It's a strange kind of funny feeling to have people outside looking at you through a window...Well, strange is good.
We also had live music played by Kaneli ("cinnamon"), a band of three sisters playing some very good songs.
That was fun, as always!

Going swimming!

My son loves to go the indoor swimming pool and play in the warm water for hours. The temperature in a lake or the sea is never quite enough for him. I'm not a big fan of swimming pools, but I still managed to finish a picture book about this little girl Elsa and her brother going swimming. Possibly more illustrations from the book later. It will be out in September, but my work is done!

Summertime soon!

Here is one pretty much finished spread from a picture book I illustrated earlier this year. The children are going ice-skating and it feels like winter was such a long time ago! Now they're all marching towards summer and I have almost finished the other book with the same main character. After that, I can go back to the ideas I have for characters and stories of my own. And I just might paint a few more birds again, I miss them!

Trying to keep up...

...with the tight schedule of the second picture book this spring. Life seems to throw all sorts of inconvenient events every week to shorten or miss my studio days. Panic grows, no doubt about that!

Luckily I enjoy painting, regardless the messy studio around me. I just close my eyes from the environment and try to keep focused on the work. Spring, you sure don't make it easy for me.

Today, Tove and new paints!

Here's a sneak peek of the main character on a children's book I've been working on. I just got more gouache paints on Monday, just in time! I was seriously running out of my favourite paints. I found a good store in Germany that I order them from now on. I got special service, not to mention how much cheaper they were than buying from an art store in Helsinki...
Tonight, Tove Jansson exhibition opening at Ateneum Art Museum. What a treat!

Colours, light, paint!

Just  a quick Hello! from my studio. As you can see, I've been keeping very busy with new artwork for a children's book. The studio is a mess, but I just focus on the paper and paints while listening the radio, music and audiobooks. It's fantastic to get more natural light every day, that's for sure!

Friends!

Combining handwritten text and image

Suomenlinna sea fortress is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Finland. The Ehrensvärd Society (http://www.suomenlinnatours.com/lastenkierros) organizes every summer a children adventure tour around the island. I designed the poster for this year's adventure.

The interactive play takes children to see exciting places with characters that are based on the history of the sea fortress. This year's adventure will be set in late 18th century. What a fiddly business I had with the historical costumes to get them look almost authentic with all the tiny, important details.

By the way, the picture makes me realize that summer is closer every day!

Snow and sunshine

This weekend Helsinki got the first snow (well, 1-2 cm, but still white and gorgeous) and the sun came out after weeks of rain and darkness. The world looks very different now! It's also nice to get some natural light to the studio. Temperature dropped to -15 C, which means I'm' wearing multiple layers of clothing again, both indoors and outdoors. Spring is on its way, I can feel it!

Happy New Year!

Today is the first day back at the studio this year. I'm looking forward to working on two children's picture books this spring. It means hundreds of hours of painting, and working with some really nice people. And luckily the graphic designer is just next door, in case I panic (which I most certainly will do!).
The next book coming out soon is the Nordic Children's Bible (Pohjolan lasten Raamattu in Finnish) with 15 illustrators and 15 writers from Scandinavian countries. Here is my interpretation of the Parable of the Prodigal Son.