In my latest art journal spread, I stepped outside my comfort zone and worked on an abstract landscape. I began by sketching loose shapes—hills, a small house, and even a little pond tucked into the corner. To bring it all together, I cut shapes from my printed deli papers. I glued them down for texture and color.

To define the scene, I used Derwent Tinted Charcoals, which gave me soft but expressive shading.

For me, experimenting with themes that aren’t my “go-to” subjects is a way of learning. You never know what creative surprises are waiting when you push yourself in a different direction.

If you’d like to see the full process, you can watch the video here.