Sketchbooks Full of Colorful Landscapes Inspired by Studio Ghibli Films

Artist Tara Jane Crandon fills her sketchbooks with portals to fantastical natural settings. On each page, she paints a new bucolic scene fit for a fairy tale. From lavish botanical gardens canopied by overhanging trees to rainy sidewalk streets to a castle nestled in the mountains, Crandon’s sketchbooks are a feast for the eyes and imagination.

The artist finds inspiration for her colorful artwork from the iconic backgrounds of Studio Ghibli films as well as from her natural surroundings in Brisbane, Australia. Like the famous Japanese animation studio, Crandon combines her love of the environment with romantic dreams of castles, bountiful flowers, and winding trails. Oftentimes, the artist envelops her painting in a border of abundant green foliage, which endows it with an intimate, narrative quality.

To create such rich artwork, Crandon layers the more translucent watercolor on top of an opaque gouache background. In doing so, she is able to portray a better sense of depth in her paintings. Additionally, Crandon shares time-lapse videos of her creative process on her YouTube channel so that fans and aspiring artists can learn her technique and follow along.

Scroll down to see more of Crandon’s luscious paintings; and to keep up to date with the artist’s latest creations, you can follow her on Instagram.

Artist Tara Jane Crandon shares her sketchbook paintings of luscious landscapes.

Each illustration is made using a combination of watercolor and gouache paint.

She is inspired by Studio Ghibli films and her natural surroundings in Brisbane, Australia.

Tara Jane Crandon: Store | Instagram | Youtube

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Tara Jane Crandon.

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