the art of JOANNA
the contemporary ink artist
Bespoke commissions for private work
Joanna is a contemporary artist who lives
and works in Sheffield, England. She works
with various mediums and in various styles, the
most distinctive using pen and ink
Joanna’s work is inspired and influenced by the surrealistic approach of Salvador Dali and M.C. Escher. She is dedicated to working with abstract, fantasy pieces and aims to explore the beauty of the human spirit through her art. Most of Joanna’s work evolves purely from her imagination and the subject matter from whatever piques her interest at that moment in time, be it nature, music, objects or pure fantasy.
Colour is used but more often she leans towards monochromatic expression. Her work captures the eye drawing you in to explore further, captivating her audience with hidden detail, almost fractal in nature, the more you look the more you’ll see.
She sees music as a 3D form rather than a sound and this is illustrated in many of her works, giving the pieces their own personality and performance. She has always aspired to create complex pieces to draw people in to observe the world from her mind’s eye.
Joanna mainly works with black and white pen and ink drawings as well as acrylic painting, resulting in dramatic and surrealistic compositions that evoke an intricate, mysterious world.
As an artist she believes in using complex lines to create powerful concepts and she achieves this by using French curves, a gift from her father at the age of 11yrs.
Her work is driven by a passion to capture the underlying beauty and energy of things by honing into the fundamental line, exploring the limitless possibilities of the imagination.
They are an investigation into representations of situations as well as depictions and ideas that can only be realized in drawing, never showing the complete structure.
The results are deconstructed to the extent that meaning is shifted and possible interpretation becomes multifaceted and therefore manipulating the viewer to create confusion without being hindered by the historical reality.
Her works isolate the movements of humans and/or objects. By doing so, new sequences are created which reveal an inseparable relationship between motion and sound. Again and again, the artist leaves us orphaned with a mix of conflicting feelings and thoughts.
By applying abstraction, she often creates works, upon which thoughts that have apparently just been developed are manifested, bending the mind to believing that what you have just seen is pure illusion, drawing you back to view over and over.
French Curves
French curves are essential tools for designers, architects, and artists who require precise and fluid lines in their work.
Made from wood, metal, or clear plastic, a set of French curves is typically composed of various shapes and sizes, allowing users to find the perfect curve for any situation. The clear plastic versions are especially popular, as they allow the artist to see the drawing beneath the curve, aiding in better alignment and accuracy.
When using a French curve, it’s important to align it carefully on the drawing to match the desired contour. One can then trace along the curve’s edge with a pencil or pen, creating a smooth, organic line that would be difficult to achieve freehand.
Mastery of French curves can lead to effortlessly executing complex designs that are both aesthetically pleasing and precise, which is of utmost importance in professional design.
Black & White Pen & Ink Illustrations (samples)
