Written by I’m Magny Tjelta from Stavanger, Norway. I studied at the National College of Art and Design in Oslo from 1997 to 2002. I started studying fashion and design but I was so inspired by the sketchbooks the Art students had. I had a friend that studied art and she must have seen that I was amazed by her sketchbooks.
She gave me one and that sketchbook became the magical trick to turn me into a professional artist. But it took a couple of years for me to realize that I should study art.
We draw everything around us, and my book is with me all the time. I love sitting in public and drawing. My favorite places are the cafés, I clear my head, and then test new techniques and motives. I mainly use ink, watercolors and pencil. I drew cups, cake and people and whatever was in front of me. Drawing people makes me a bit shy, but I do it anyway, I hid behind the book and the cake and it was as if the sketchbook made me do it.
I don’t intend to fill my sketchbooks with wonderful art or anything big but I like to use them as a mind dumping place. They are a great “idea repository” for me. It is the best place to sow the very first seeds for new projets. My preference for styles varies from time to time, I am not an artist that sticks to just one style. I tend to go from sloppy to stick figurative drawings. My obsessions with a new style can last for months to a couple of years.
In my final year in college, I was drawing a lot in my sketchbook, I didn’t intend these drawings to turn into anything big. I just wanted to have some fun; I drew a face in less then 5 minutes and try to see who it reminded me of. Under the drawing, I wrote some lines of what I remembered, and carrying on to the next page and did a new drawing.
Surprisingly, all of them brought back memories of someone I hardly knew or know a little. I didn’t censor anything, so it was purely the first thoughts that hit me. The fascinating thing for me was that it made me think the way that I thought as a teenager when I developed these memories. Just like when a hypnotist brings someone back in time. It turned out to be the project for my masters degree. I developed the project and used photos as my reference. I picked the photos from the past where I didn’t remember much of the situation and the people.
Just using my pencil I draw them in big scale as if they where in front of me. The technique allowed me to be just as spontaneous as in the sketchbook. The pencil made it look private, just like in the sketchbook and diary. Sketchbooks are still a passion for me. I always have 3 or 4 that I am working on.
My blogs are often about sketchbooks and how to use them for inspiration and creativity. I also use them in my classes, whether it is for young students or for pensioners. I am also developing an on-line course focusing on sketchbooks for inspiration and creativity.
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What a wonderful story about how curiosity turned Magny into an artist. Your work is beautiful.
So happy you liked Magny’s feature Sharon!! 😃
Amazing faces!
Aren’t they, Beverly? I agree!! Magny is incredible! 😃
Beautiful art Magny! Thank you for sharing this Charlie.
Thanks so much Susan! Glad you liked this! 😃
The palette Magny uses is wonderful! Plus, she obviously has a talent for portraits…love them! I can relate to the “not sticking to one style” thing. If I hope to be hired as an illustrator, I might have to, though. Thanks for sharing this gorgeous work!
Thanks so much Teresa! I’m so happy you liked Magny’s work! 😃
I surely do!
Beautiful Magny, I love your style! I already follow you. Thank you Charlie.
Yay! Glad you’re following! Thanks Sharon! 😃
Beautiful work! I enjoyed your story and how the portraits can transport you to past places. Thanks too for inspiring me to carry a sketchbook with me more often 😉
Love hearing that, Carol! So happy Magny’s post was inspiring! 😃
Hi Magny! I so enjoy seeing your art on your blog. 😄 I am also now following you on IG. Your face portraits are so amazing! I love looking at your sketchbooks too and hope that I can learn to keep a daily one. Thanks Charlie for sharing Magny with us! 💕🎨
Thanks so much Jill! Isn’t Magny’s work amazing? So thrilled you love it too! 😃
Ohhh Charlie I am so happy that you Featured Magny she is one of my dearest friends here we have many things in common! Her work is wonderful and very inspiring, we always love to comment and inspire each other! Congratulations Magny for this beautiful post! 🙂 <3
Awww… I love hearing that Carolina! That’s so great! I was thrilled and honored to feature, Magny! 😃
Thank you! And yes Magny is great and very inspiring! 😉 you always pick great artists for your Feature! <3
Wonderful!! 🙂
So glad you liked this feature! Thanks! 😃
love Magny’s approach! colors, style, design!! I’ve been watching her for a while… I do follow! and she come from Stavanger, Norway where my grandfather was from 🙂
So glad you follow her work! I think it’s so wonderful. Glad you do as well, Debi! 😃
Very nice work.
Thanks Damita! Glad you liked this feature! 😃
I love your sketchbooks Magny! And now more people can enjoy them! (K)
Thanks Kerfe! Glad you loved these too! 😃
HI Charlie!
It is such an honor to feature on your blog. Your blog is truly wonderful and inspiring.
All the wonderful compliments here make me blush, Thank you!!
Awww…all the compliments are very well deserved. Your work is fabulous, Magny!! 😍 Thank you for being part of Doodlewash! It was an honor to feature you!
Reblogged this on A JOURNEY INTO THE MAGIC OF CREATIVITY and commented:
We’re super proud to have been featured Doodlewas!
A big thanks to Charlie O’Shields for featuring Me. You can check it out here see link. There are also many other really great artist and lots of great stuff by Charlie O’Shields like tips and his amazing art!