Tarot by Lucy Doyle
Kärlek: Hi Lucy! What was the inspiration behind your art?
LD: The inspiration behind my work was the practice of Tarot reading and the deck I received from a friend as a gift. I chose the cards "Earth Princess," "Changing," "Tower" and "Hermit" for the backpack because I wanted to convey a sense of traveling in the natural world and observing the magnificent changes it goes through. I decorated the sides and margins with patterns of leafy vines, flowers, and pastel rainbow gradients to reference the beauty of nature and color.
Kärlek: We love all the different places people find inspiration and it's so fun to watch people's thoughts as they end up on such an everyday item like a backpack. Which mediums did you use and why?
LD: I used colored pencils, gouache paint, and marker for the artwork. I started with colored pencils because I enjoyed the clear lines and vibrant colors that I was able to get on the surface, and it was best for sketching. I used paint to add a bit more vibrancy but then realized that it would eventually flake off, and so I switched to markers to outline my areas of color instead. I think using more fabric medium or a less chalky paint would fix this problem.
Kärlek: That's a good point about the chalky paint! We're glad you found a medium that allowed you to complete your vision. What did you enjoy most about using the Kärlek backpack as your canvas for this project?
LD: I enjoyed the way the surface was receptive to color and extremely durable. It's possible to draw and erase on the backpack so that was very useful for sketching. I also loved the brown color, which gave the backpack a very rustic and boho feel.
Kärlek: Do you have any tips or thoughts to share about your experience?
LD: I would want to try using POSCA pens on this backpack in the future because while it is receptive to color, it is also possible for the color to rub off of the paper over time, in the case of the colored pencil pigment, although it mostly stays well. Paint markers/pens would be useful simply because you can impart a stronger color to the area with the same control as pencils, and the POSCA brand in particular has strong staying power and dries quickly.
Kärlek: That's great advice, thank you! Here's a video shot while working on her design: