Floral Exploration by Jill DeHaan. Click the image for her portfolio
Folk Art is characterized by a naive style, in which traditional rules of proportion and perspective are not employed – Wikipedia
Writing is the only subject I continually got good grades in from grade school through College, and it has always felt natural to me. My dad says its because he made us write sentences as punishment when we were little, and that’s probably true. Let’s just say I had a lot of practice writing sentences.
It’s sort of ironic that the better I got at writing, the less I adhered to the rules that were laid before me in my Catholic school days. The saying “once you’ve mastered the rules, you can break them” applies here, and in most art forms, I think. However, that does not apply to parenting
As someone who thrives on bending the rules a little a lot, I have always had a fondness for folk art. And while many people think that folk artists have not had any formal training, that’s not always true. Again, once you learn the rules, you can break them.
As I have gotten more involved in graphic design, I have struggled with finding a style that feels like me. Until I started to see more and more folk design, and that’s when I knew what my style was. It feels hand-crafted, welcoming and from the heart.
Harriet Taylor Seed. Click the image for her website
Flora Waycott. Click the image for her website
Julia Child, by Jessie Hartland
This and several other illustrations of Julia Child are included in Jessie Hartland‘s book, Bon Appetit! The Delicious Life of Julia Child which you can learn more about on Brain Pickings.
And of course, one of my biggest design inspirations: Lisa Congdon
Foodie Pattern Collection. Click the image to see more.
San Francisco Favorites. Click the image for her more.
So, while it might take me a while until I can start breaking all of the design rules I’m learning right now, this style will always continue to inspire me. I applaud you, fellow rule-breakers and benders.
What design style is inspiring you right now? Who are some of favorite designers? Share in the comments and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!
