2025 art diary #1 ★ Meet The Artist

today’s mixtape:

today’s prompt: Meet the Artist <3

sketches & scrapbook vibes?

Just like last year, I wanted the first prompt to be about me, but this time I felt like making it even more detailed and personal. The idea was to celebrate both sides of who I am: things about me as an artist, things that represent me as a person & of course, to reflect my style: that dreamy, slightly whimsical mood I keep coming back to.

So here are the first sketches, from the initial concept all the way to the final lineart:

Initially, I imagined this piece as more of a collage: adding text elements that define me and my art, maybe even some newspaper cutout letters to give it a scrapbook feel. But as I kept working I realized I didn’t really have enough space for everything, so I decided to turn it into a full illustration rather than a simple collage. I think this choice came with both good and bad parts. On one hand, the initial idea might have been more playful and eye-candy. On the other, the final illustration allowed me to go into way more detail & I honestly couldn’t let that go. I had to include the record player, the plants & the big cozy lamp sooo no regrets, haha.

In terms of composition, the first sketch leaned more toward a flat illustration, but if you remember my 2025 highlights post (you probably dont, it’s fine) I promised myself that this year I’d try to explore more dynamic vibes while still keeping that flat-illo atmosphere I love. I think I really nailed that balance here, the final piece just feels more alive !!

color palette code name: whimsy candy

Now, about the colors, here are the palette sketches I had in mind for this composition, the last one being the final version.

I didn’t experiment too much this time, except for the hair. At first, I thought about keeping it a reddish brown (which would have been closer to my real hair color) but eventually I went for a bright copper because it fit the whimsical, vibrant mood sooo much better <3

The background was probably where I struggled the most. I didn’t want it to be fully black, but I also didn’t want something too bright that would steal all the attention. So in the end I settled on a brownish purple which felt like the perfect in-between.

I decided to go with the last palette, as I feel like it represents my aesthetic the best. It has this mix of red - orangey - girlhood pink tones paired with touches of dreamy blue, purple & twilight green. I also slightly toned down and desaturated the blacks and darker shades, which I think gives the whole piece a more magical feel.

adding every detail in the world part x

Now my fav part: adding all the elements, details, lights & shadows!!

I wanted this illustration to capture everything that surrounds me in my workspace: my record player, plants, colorful candles and lego flowers, those random accessories I leave on my couch for days, my guitars, a big window I can literally see the moon through, some CDs with my favorite games aaand of course… my cat !!

I really wanted to bring together all these personal elements and reinterpret them in the colorful tones that define my visual style, even though in reality my house isn’t this colorful (but I really wish it was, haha).

final piece(s?)

Because this is the first prompt of the series, I wanted it to be extra special, so I made a second slide to go with it. This one includes all the elements I yapped about before, things that not only exist in my real life, but have also become signature elements in my art: a mix of retro-pop, cozy details full of patterns, sprinkled with little magical charms here and there like a vampire amulet, a sword necklace or enchanted flowers <3

This second illustration is meant to work like a visual description map for the main illo, inspired by that classic ‘Meet the Artist’ format I’ve been seeing everywhere since I was 14 and always wanted to make my own. So honestly… this felt like the perf moment to finally do it !!

I can safely say I’m really proud of this illustration, it feels soooo me x