#ToksForYou: 6 artists on TikTok to follow for creative inspo
May these artists inspire you to get your creativity going.
People’s creative inspiration comes in many shapes and forms—music, emotions, memories, nature, socio-political issues, and many more.
While there are some who proactively seek inspiration, there are others who stumble upon them with just one swipe—on TikTok.
Whether you’re a budding artist wanting to get fun tips or you just simply enjoy watching inexplicably satisfying step-by-step process of making art, allow these artists on TikTok to fuel your creativity.
David Garibaldi (@garibaldiarts)
World-renowned performance painter David Garibaldi transforms his canvas into a work of art in a flash.
Garibaldi’s art begins with an explosive performance onstage, where he hypes the crowd and dances to the rhythm of the song as he paints.
His subjects are mostly portraits of music and pop culture icons like Michael Jackson, Kurt Cobain, Ozzy Osbourne, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jordan, and more.
Garibaldi appeared in America’s Got Talent Season 7, where he finished fourth place. He goes on tour as a solo act and at present, as the front act for KISS’ “End of The Road World Tour.”
Dirty Water Pottery (@dirtywaterpottery)
The lockdowns in different parts of the world brought by the COVID-19 pandemic allowed people to explore the many hobbies that they didn’t know they would take up if not for the pandemic—from crocheting and knitting, to carpentry and pottery.
Dirty Water Pottery’s “Chief Mudslinger” Ben Allen takes his viewers in an oddly satisfying and hypnotizing ride with his pottery making.
Allen, who sells his items in local bazaars and farmer’s market in Sacramento, California, shows how he assembles his pieces with trimmings and gives his rustic designs a glossy finish.
Planters, tea sets, serving trays, plates, mugs, vases, ceramics, you name it, Allen does it.
Have extra space at home for some pottery action? Allen might just inspire you to make pots for your beloved plants or send out handmade personalized mugs for your friends and family this Christmas.
Black Light Visuals (@blvisuals)
Speaking of oddly satisfying, Black Light Visuals brings to TikTok the trippy Body Marbling technique, based on paper marbling process, that have become a music festival trend since 2013.
The term Body Marbling was coined by Black Light Visuals’ Brad Lawrence, an artist and entrepreneur, who started exploring new ways to create art after he was diagnosed with chronic tendonitis in his wrists when he was 23 years old that made him unable to draw or sculpt.
With the use of hydrodynamics, Black Light Visuals transforms skin and apparel into glowing works of art. Used on the skin are neon, water-based and non-toxic paint. The water tanks where the artists put the paint are works of art themselves.
Among the items that they apply the Body Marbling technique with are hats, lamps and shoes (their Chuck Taylors are trippy!).
Darcy (@Darcydsesp)
Watercolor is a magical medium and Darcy on TikTok gives it a new life with her dreamy abstract watercolor portraits.
A traditional artist, Darcy dabbles on portrait art—from fan arts to her original works.
Recently, she put out a monochromatic series, where some of its pieces she says made her “push the boundaries of water color, break the rules and have fun.” She also recently brought to life her artworks by animating them.
She also posts tutorials, art hacks and watercolor art tips for her over 160,000 followers.
Splo (@Splofigus)
Artist Splo treats her followers with digital art tutorials that many find helpful, not just for budding artists but also for those who are meaning to learn new techniques.
From how to draw the hair of a male anime protagonist to nine ways how to make your character look more feminine, there is so much to learn from this TikTok account that is slowly gaining a following.
A quick scroll on Splo’s TikTok account, you will see most of her art are influenced by East Asian pop culture. She experiments with color and atmosphere but gravitates more towards a dream-like feel.
Emma (@emma.wtj)
Emma is a self-taught mixed-media artist who mostly work with watercolor, acrylic and gouache.
For the past year, she has been painting on her sketchbook, which she posts on her TikTok account.
She brings her followers to a “Sketchbook tour” and her “100 days of painting,” among her most liked videos, to serve as an inspiration for those who are feeling unmotivated to paint, especially during this pandemic.
She also dabbles in glass paintings and crayon art. In her most recent posts, she starts to paint on canvas again.
Want to discover more TikTok stars that deserve a follow? For that and other l!fe advice, tune in to our #ToksForYou series and follow us on the app at @philstarlife.
Banner and thumbnail photos from @garibaldiarts, @Darcydsesp, @emma.wtj and @blvisuals on TikTok
