Artist Interview - Amy Louise
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Amy Louise and I’m an artist from the UK.
Why do you do what you do?
I've always loved making things and being creative. Seeing the improvement I’ve made keeps me going which has allowed me to draw things I thought I’d never be able to and the feeling of creating a piece that you’re really happy with feels so good!
You use so many vibrant colors, do you have any that you favor?
Blues are my favourite colours and my favourite colour combination to work with is blue, purple, and pink. But I always make time to use colours I wouldn’t normally use.
What inspires your art?
I think everything has the potential to inspire me in some way. From TV and movies to everyone day objects around the house. I spend a lot of time looking for royalty-free references online. Anything that sparks my interest in some way whether it be subject or colour pallet, I’ll save the reference and possibly use it in a piece later. I have hundreds of pictures saved I haven’t even had the chance to use yet!
How and when did you get into art?
I discovered I enjoyed drawing at a very young age when I was in primary school.
How has your practice changed over time?
I would say above everything else, I’ve learned to have more patience. Patience has made me achieve things I never thought I’d be able to do. That and the fact that I practice much more frequently than I used to.
What’s your favorite piece of art that you’ve created? Why?
That’s a tough one. I’ve improved so much in the past couple of years and there are lots of pieces that I really enjoyed creating, I think one of my more recent favourites and one that I’m really proud of is a Zodiac-themed watercolour portrait as part of a series of portraits I did. I was proud of the whole series because watercolour is still a medium that I find very difficult and this series really helped me grow in confidence with this medium. But my favourite one is “Leo” It came together exactly how I wanted it to and the joy I felt when I had finished it is something I hadn’t felt before with a watercolour painting.
What’s the best piece of art advice you’ve been given?
“Don’t compare your art to other artists.”
This is so important when you’re learning and trying to improve. You notice your improvement so much more when you compare your art to pieces you did before. And seeing that improvement in my own work helps push me to keep going.
What’s one art tip/technique you can share with us that you find really helpful?
If you’ve used masking tape on your work and are struggling to peel it off without ripping the paper, warm it up for a minute with a hairdryer. It’ll soften the glue from the tape and should peel off much more easily.
Do you have any secret tips or techniques you use to salvage a piece when you make a mistake?
I don’t make mistakes, just happy accidents!
I mostly leave “mistakes” in and learn from them. A lot of the time I don’t notice mistakes until I’ve finished the piece anyway!
What is your favorite Strathmore paper? Why?
The first Strathmore paper I ever used and absolutely fell in love with was the 400 series toned tan sketch paper. It’s great for coloured pencils and I love how the highlights really pop! I also love using the Bristol paper.
What art materials could you not live without?
All of them!!
However, I don’t think I could do what I do without good paper/surfaces to draw or paint on.
What types of colors are you drawn to for your art and why?
I like to mix things up to keep things interesting, so I wouldn’t say I’m drawn to particular types of colours more than others. Sometimes I prefer more muted or earthy coloured and sometimes I feel like using all the colours in the rainbow! My social media feed is a real mix of colours.
Who are your biggest influences (or who were when you started doing art)?
I would definitely say my Mum and two older sisters. I always wanted to be as good as them when I was younger. I think I was lucky to have talent in the family because I had that extra help and guidance. I don’t think I’d be where I am now without them.
What’s the most common art-related question you get from your followers?
I get quite a lot of “how did you do that?” Or “what colours did you use?” and they can be hard questions to answer sometimes because I’m still very much learning as I go and a lot of my process involves a lot of trial and error and trying lots of different techniques and colours until I get to a point where I can say I’m finished.
Website/social media links:
Instagram: @amy_louise.art
