As a young girl, I spent countless hours with paper and pencils, sketching everything under the sun – from intricate designs to whimsical paper dolls for both myself and my sister. When asked about my aspirations for the future, my answer was always the same: I wanted to be an artist. Other career paths never even crossed my mind back then.
During my elementary school years, I eagerly attended art classes at the local community college. Throughout high school, I also honed my skills at the Halikko School of Arts and Crafts, where the idea of pursuing a career as an illustrator was first introduced to me. Despite this encouragement, I never pursued formal art education after high school, as there was little support at home for such a career path. However, my passion for art never waned, and as an adult, I enrolled in watercolor courses at the community college.
In 2014, I had my first experience with a Wacom drawing pad, generously loaned to me by a friend. Over the course of six months, I immersed myself in learning Photoshop, and in the spring of 2015, I stumbled upon Jazza’s videos and monthly competitions. Determined to participate, I spent months perfecting my craft, and in August, I proudly submitted my first digital creation to the COTM competition, themed around “Fear.” To my surprise and delight, my work emerged victorious, earning me my very own Wacom pad. Despite it being a hobby, I continued to dedicate myself to drawing and improving my skills in the years that followed.
In 2018, I discovered the Inktober drawing challenge, which inspired me to create an Instagram account dedicated to showcasing my artwork. Since then, I’ve eagerly participated in the challenge every year.
https://www.instagram.com/anu.kinnari/
In 2019, I achieved a significant milestone with my first exhibition at the Salo library, showcasing a diverse range of works, including watercolors, Inktober drawings, and prints of my digital creations.
The year 2020 marked a new chapter as I embarked on university studies, while also exploring my interests in game programming, animation, and 3D modeling in my spare time. These endeavors were fueled by the boundless creativity of my niece, who served as my muse.
In 2023, I embraced digital art even further with the purchase of an iPad mini, allowing me to delve into the world of Procreate. It was also the year I digitally participated in Inktober for the first time. Eager to continue refining my skills, I began creating coloring pages for my artistic niece, deepening our bond through shared creativity.
Now, I’m immersed in my most ambitious project yet – my debut coloring book. With hopes of completing it by May and releasing it to the market in the summer, I eagerly anticipate sharing this labor of love with the world and, of course, testing it out with my beloved niece.