For our September theme for the Rowan Berry Box we got in touch with long time friend of Under The Rowan Trees, Lavi, from My Inky Journal.
Lavi created a series of brilliant illustrations of stationery essentials for us to use in the magic surprises. We managed to catch up with Lavi and ask her a few questions about herself, her illustration work and a look at the theme... STATIONERY!
Hi Lavi! It's so wonderful to chat to you. We’d love to know a bit more about you. Tell us about yourself and your art.
Hi there! I am Lavi, a stationery lover, calligrapher and an every day sketcher. I am a big fan to notebooks and journals too. Fountain pen and paper is my something I will always carry in my bag.
You will find me, with my inky fingers, sketching in all sorts of places, restaurants, shopping malls, cafes, in the carpark and while waiting in the car on the school runs.
Art is a very personal thing and each one of us sees it differently. I am always disappointed when I hear people say “I can’t draw” because in reality, we can all draw, most of us started drawing and scribbling before we could even write.
Being an artist is very difficult and complicated, there are rules and a mindset that tells you that you need to be trained and talented to create exceptional art, however being an everyday sketcher is way easier and lots of fun. That’s what I am.
I sketch in my journals for me and not for social media. I sketch for the joy of putting pen to paper and capturing a moment of my life and my surroundings. Though sometimes a few of the pages end up on my instagram page, but that’s completely my decision to share it with the world and not out of pressure.
My sketches are quick and simple, sometimes even unfinished. The only rule I follow is, not to use a ruler. I love wonky lines!
What/who are you inspired by?
I am constantly looking for inspiration and I somehow always find them all around me , there are some artists that I absolutely adore and follow, they are listed below :
Sketchers and Illustrators
Mattias Adolfsson @mattiasink
George Philip Dean @shoreditchsketcher
France Belleville - Van Stone
Yahya Rushdan @yahyarushdan
Albert Kiefer @housesketcher
Calligraphy artists
Kirsten Burke @themoderncalligraphyco
Betty Soldi @bettysoldistudio
Molly Suber Thorpe @mollysuberthorpe
Chaitanya Ghokale @chaitanya.gokhale
What materials/art supplies do you love using the most from the Under The Rowan Trees online store?
Under the Rowan trees is a fantastic place to shop.
They stock a huge range of stationery supplies from Fountain pen, inks, school supplies, bullet journals, washi tapes, and a vast selection of brush pens. (Have you seen their Brush pen taster box ? It’s a must buy if you are just starting out with hand lettering and don’t know what pens to buy) I love the Rowan berry subscription box.
I have even had the pleasure of being a Rowan berry ambassador for years now and I love the range and the variety of supplies in each box always aiming towards learning an new skill and trying out different products and techniques.
When they approached me about designing the Stationery Rowan berry box, I was over the moon.
Can you tell us a bit more about the illustrations and theme you created for the Stationery Rowan Berry Box?
When you open a sketchbook and the the blank paper stares at you ,it can be very intimidating. The struggle to find inspiration or something to draw is very real. My teacher once told me some clever words and that has stayed with me since. She said, "draw what you see in front of you" it can be anything, a plant pot, your desk , food, or even the pencil you are drawing with.
I guess that’s where it all started and now it’s more of a tradition. In all my sketchbooks, the first page is dedicated to my art supplies.
I love drawing pens and pencils, sometimes from real objects and sometimes completely from imagination.
Do you have any tips on using the monochrome designs in the Rowan Berry Box?
The stationery illustrations in this Rowan berry box are all very simple, every day items in black and white. They are for you to bring them to life with the colours of your choice.
Stick them on journals and sketchbooks, paint them in your favourite colours and make them your own. Make bookmarks with them, appreciation cards for teacher, gift tags, I would also encourage you to take inspiration and sketch your own stationery. The possibilities are endless.
What do you love about Stationery?
My love for stationery and sketchbooks keeps growing each day, the more I draw the better feel.
I truly believe that the lines we draw are our character and signature, unique and as individual as we are.
Happy Sketching!
Lavi Himanshu
You can find more from Lavi over on Instagram at @myinkyjournal.
Order a Stationery Rowan Berry Box here!
