Journal Fresh: Art Journals by Aleš Motýl

An Art Journal Q&A by Dawn DeVries Sokol

Dawn is back, and this month she brings us the art journal work of Aleš Motýl, an artist from Prague, Czech Republic!

I’m always on the lookout for fresh perspectives on art journaling. (That’s why we call this Q&A “Journal Fresh.”) So when I stumbled upon Aleš Motýl’s sketchbook pages, I knew I had to ask him some questions about his work. His pages feature great line, detail, and color and are incredibly inspiring. —Dawn

Why do you journal and sketch?

It is pretty simple: I have found delight in it and it is great amusement for me. Notes without any additional sketches, drawings and paintings are just uninteresting.

What inspired you to start art journaling and recording in a sketchbook?

I was inspired by travel diaries made by Czech artist Michal Cihlar and I also started to pay attention to different figures and diagrams composed by mixtures of letters and signs within my notes. I began to highlight some of these structures, sometimes adding a few sketches or filling these hidden pictures with some color.

What art journalers are your faves? What other artists do you look to for inspiration?

I enjoy Hanna Andersson, Nancy Baumiller and Danny Gregory.

Pictures made by Jean-Michel Folon and Raoul Dufy also inspire me a lot.

What important bit of advice can you give to those wanting to start art journals or a sketchbook?

Just try it. Start to follow your imagination and try to catch all the things from your everyday life in your own style.

Tell us a little about your process. What mediums do you like to use?

I draw with ink or liner pens (Pigma Micron). I like to use also Aquarelle pencils and watercolor. And sometimes when I am in the mood, I also collage or add some interesting stickers.