Adventurous digital illustrations - CreativeMindClass Blog

My background

My name is Ekaterina Boguslavskaya. I was born in Russia.

I went to school in Moscow however, I also spent my summers out in the country.

There was no hot water The house was heated with a furnace, and the neighbors raised cows and goats. Wonderful times! In addition to nature and bikes, I was obsessed with cartoons. All my peers were grown up and no longer enjoyed cartoons. I was contrary! It was then that I realized that it would become my preferred thing to do. This is how I ended up in film school located in Moscow, Russia.

My style

My drawings should always evoke some very soulful sensations. It's like sitting in front of the fire after an afternoon of ski through the forest.

My procedure

I enjoy drawing. It has something in common with meditation. While I'm at work I can see it getting dark outside, I'll get hungry, but nothing really is important while engaged in my work.

Today, I am employed in the industry of animation and illustration... and I even design board games. I truly love what I do.

I've always drawn lots. It started looking better when I graduated. Because I began to decide the way and what I would draw.

My advice to doubtful visual artists

Consider what you enjoy and you will surely enjoy your time with it. Try to listen less to the opinions of others who you don't like what they do. It will all work out! You will meet people who appreciate what you've done.

My technique

I draw almost everything on my iPad in Procreate. Sometimes , I complete some thing with Photoshop.

The iPad has transformed my life. Now I work in bed, in cafes, libraries. It is my choice of where for work and move around, I am not confined to sitting in front of my computer. The iPad is an amazing tool which combines traditional drawing with computer-generated drawing.

The iPad is loaded with great brushes. For example, I got watercolor brushes in "The Watercolor MaxPack - Brushes for Procreate". I get excited every time I try them. They are very close to the real thing as is possible.

A few words about how I do my work

I try to make an approximate outline of objects. Because I find hard outlines brutal and cold.

Sometimes I turn my shadows cold bluish with the multiply setting. Sometimes, I apply overlay. But I don't understand that very much.

Procreate has some good blur settings. Try these out! There are several types of them and they're excellent. But mostly I draw as I draw using traditional tools on paper or canvas.

I'm always looking for more, researching my subject matter while trying to move closer to my image that I like by making my own projects.

About the Teriberka series

I did after traveling there (to Teriberka). Russian North, the Arctic. It was a town that built ships to take a great deal of fish. It's now a bit of a ghost town.

It is a beautiful image. Please google it! It's stunning.

I always like the North.

I like the people, the animals, the millions of shades of moss. Small berries are packed with vitamins, more than any tropical fruit. This is quite impressive.

Northern Cliffs appear to be the skin of giant elephants! This is the feeling which I have tried to portray in the pictures.

The Tiny Things series

The idea for this project came to my thoughts after I had become exhausted of my job, the flu as well as the urban environment.

I bought an macro lens, and then went into the forest. It was amazing how beautiful lay beneath my feet! Everything was stunning. It gave me lots of energy to create. It was how this project was born.

Whatever happens, there is a miracle just beneath your feet!

How I organize my time for work?

The hardest thing is to keep your time and sleep in check, to say no to offers that are not particularly appropriate. Also, to commit to lots of tasks, in order to stay afloat and not get tired of doing what you love. This is all I'm still learning.

Concerning the blocks to creativity

The most difficult element is the actual process - sometimes it doesn't come out as expected. It's not what I like about the outcome. So you can suffer for 8 hours and then get annoyed. After that, just a few days afterwards, you can redo the task in just an hour, and the result looks perfect. What's that? Magic.

My little advice for how to conquer creative blocks

When there is some kind of job to be completed, don't sit down immediately to draw (if you can). Your brain should be able to process the task as you go along working on other tasks. It's the way I see you can find the best solution.

What do I think of my work

If I was to evaluate my own work , I'd never rate myself an "excellent". It's extremely exhausting and makes me am a slave to myself. However, on the other side I am pushed ahead.

Drawing can be like an adventure!

You have tickets for a destination, and you already know something about it on Google, something will surprise you on the spot. At first, it looks as if it would be a great adventure for me.

There are other works by Ekaterina on, and keep an eye out for an expansion of this series on Instagram , Artstation or Behance.