Hi there! It’s the 10th again, so that means I have a new Inspired by to share with you!

Inspired by is a monthly challenge that my friend Riikka and I started almost 3 years ago. We decide on a theme (and that theme can be anything from a film, a book, a painting, to an item, colour scheme or material) and then we create something with that theme or thing in mind.

We keep what we’re making a secret until reveal day on the 10th, when we show you and each other our creations.

I came up with the idea for this month’s theme… It was one of those themes that I didn’t think through before I suggested it. But I did… And it was the Czech Jugendstil artist Alphonse Mucha.

I have always loved anything Art Nouveau and I’ve had the pleasure to see some of Mucha’s work displayed in a museum not that long ago. It was mesmerizing! No image on the internet or even in a book will ever come near the real thing…

If I had thought it through, I would have chosen one of his works instead of just saying Inspired by: Mucha. But I hadn’t and in the end that’s OK. Riikka started working on a special Pinterest board almost immediately and I went to the library and found me a book about Mucha with loads of images.

It was overwhelming, because there are so many elements in his work that I love. One thing that stood tall for me, was that it had to involve a woman figure and gold details were a must.

So I grabbed a random magazine and I sketched a face after a photo in that magazine. And then… I just let go…

This is what I ended up with:

I can keep tinkering with this page, but I decided to stop here. You know me: I’m always critical of my work and I see all the faults when I look at it.

But I can also look at it and be proud. Because I’m not a (face) drawer… I hardly ever draw people… So this is not half bad! And I love, love, love the frame idea. I can see myself trying more of this!

Now I’m really curious about what Riikka has come up with. Knowing her, it will be completely gorgeous… Please visit her at Paperiliitin!

Have a great day!