Influence map

So what influences me? More than only this, that's a fact. But it was fun to do. Also it is very embarrassing because I'm so cliché.. and of course a lot of things are the same as other artists here :/ anyway, that doesn't change anything, so here I am showing what fills my head. I couldn't really choose what the most important things were, so it's a merely guess. After all, how would I know?

1. -Uplifting spirits, whether it is in december or any other holiday... I love it. It makes me squeeeeeee and VERY happy.
- thousands lights in the dark, especially in a city, is just amazing.

2. Music always makes me feel something inside. It's such a miracle how it can trigger emotions..also, making music is important for me too.

3. Stars / galaxy / space , They're mysterious, so far away yet look so small. They make the world look big, the earth so small and makes me wonder what else there is than we already know. Also, the repeating and compositions of the constellations are beautiful. I can and will never stop looking at them.

4. Art Nouveau/ Jugendstil. It's an old love that I met in middle school during art history lessons. I like the freedom and cheerfulness that it emits.

5. Cute creatures and animals. Animals are often used in children stories and give that cute vibe that makes me smile. Pingu is one of my favourite old series. The Moomins too.

6. Recognize this thing? It's from Digimon. This was actually the first anime series that I saw. (The German version is very faithful to the original Japanese one and much better than the English and Dutch one, so if anyone thinks that this might be stupid..). Anyway, I can't really put my finger on it why, but it has to do something with combining the real world with a fantasy (and digital) one. It wasn't really the monsters that attracted me, but the mystery of the story, the how and whys. It was different than other, western kid shows, more serious. Also, those kids reminded me of me. The fighting part too... I guess it's just normal to watch these things if you're young, but since I saw Digimon I began watching other anime and never stopped since.

7. Spirituality. Eh well, I guess since I was raised Christian (not any more though) it has always been a part of me to search for that what is beyond the eye that makes our world and we as a person such an interesting and complex place. Discovering and defining the strings between the inner you and the outer world has always been a fascination.

8. Fashion. Because.. it makes you show your personality even when you think you don't. And it's a form of art too..
(The skirt is from Etsy btw: [link])

9. Emotions. It's only natural that an artist would express him/herself through her art. Emotions are basically what I base my art on.
(This art was made by ~behindeverything here [link])

10. Beautiful nature and landscapes.
Never cease to amaze me. Also, especially want to mention wind and water in here.. since they play a big role too.

11. Old(er) children stories' illustrators. Illustration was much more pure those days..

12. Mythology... because those old stories are amazing and can you believe people really believed in them? I think that is a wonderful thing. It is also full of symbols and I love that.

13. Ghibli, manga and animation-series in general. Well-known already and proofed why...

14. Science Fiction movies and TV series (like The Matrix and Star Trek). I just realized that I'm actually more of a Sci-Fi than a fantasy person.. interesting. I guess I'm more interested in futuristic things than in historical things. (yeah yeah I know, fantasy doesn't have to look historical, but looking at stereotypes you know..)

15. Very normal/ordinary yet elegant and beautiful customs and traditions Yes, like drinking tea. Normal things can be special things if you don't look at them as you'd normally do.

16. HAHAHA Yes, that is Sinterklaas. And I guess this is related to #1 and #15, but since it is such a special thing in The Netherlands and always makes me happy too, I took this apart. Gives me a warm feeling inside.

Did you notice that I have two guys on a horse in this picture? that's so odd..
And the upper side is quite harmonious, yet the lower side is quite chaotic.

As I said, there is much more behind this. Like friends and family. Life and death. Texture. Human body. Curves and colors...

Original meme by `fox-orian : [link]