How Japan Inspired Me To Create My Own Pastel Wonderland

I’m Denise (surudenise) and I am an Artist/Illustrator based in Germany and Japan. I spent most of my youth drawing, crafting and watching all kinds of different movies which eventually led me to go to art school and pursue a creative career professionally, focusing on traditional art and art history. However, after graduating, I’ve found myself stuck in an art block and didn’t really create anything for two years, finding it hard to feel inspired to create something I was happy with.

It wasn’t until my first trip to Japan that I discovered my love for architectural designs, pastel colors and nature. I was fascinated by the beauty of Japan’s big cities as well as the countryside and I knew I had to do something with it.

I decided to give digital art a try which really got me out of my comfort zone and it eventually led me to find a way to translate my travel experiences into my now signature style of art. I like to challenge myself and find ways to play with colors to create a sense of warmth, nostalgia, and familiarity with the places I depict. I create most of my pieces on my iPad, mainly because I can take it with me on my travels and it lets me create artworks on the spot, no matter where I am.

I decided to share some of my artworks online and was amazed by the responses I got, steadily gaining a larger following on my social media throughout the year. I can’t say that there is a guaranteed cure for feeling uninspired or unmotivated, but going to new places and trying out things I’m unfamiliar with has definitely helped me significantly and I can recommend it to anyone, whether you are an artist or not.

More info: surudenise.com