The next time you feel as though you’re stuck in a creative rut, try out this exercise artist Habbenink calls Shapes of Conscious. Taking his sketchbook, he challenges himself by first drawing a simple shape, without an end goal in mind. Once he nails that down, he fills it in with characters who become leads in their own stories. As the 32-year-old Salt Lake City-based artist states, “The idea here is to get out of my own way, to let the drawing develop itself without forcing it into a desired narrative or purpose.”
Of course, one can only wish to have such artistic talent! When pressed for more information about it, Habbenink told us this, “The Shapes series started as just an experiment. I had done a quick doodle in my sketchbook that ended up have a fairly simple silhouette and I though about reversing the process and starting with the outline. It’s something that parents do with their kids all the time, but I wanted to push it a bit and see what I could come up with. It was actually very educational. I began to see themes in my concepts and techniques that I hadn’t noticed before. It was also a chance to do a large series, which is not how I usually work.
“I’ve been absolutely blown away by the response online. Its been amazing to have such a positive reaction. My hope is that people see how a simple concept can go a long way and gain more confidence in creating their own work, big or small.”
Make sure to check out his website to see more of his intricate works. Though he’s equally skilled at traditional and digital art creations, it’s his in-progress pics in his traditional section, where he uses a combination of pen, colored pencils and watercolors, that will leave you inspired.
When asked why he uses so many different tools he states, “They each have their own look and feel and organizing their attributes in harmony is part of the joy in the process. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I think most artists feel that way about their mediums. You work with what brings you expression and emotion and hope for the best.”
Habbernink: Website