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Jasper's art and small business journey ✨
Hi, I am Jasper Bos, a figurative abstract artist from the Netherlands.
When did you first start to learn abstract art?
I have always played off and on with abstract art mixed with figurative elements as far as I can remember.
However, I first started to delve deeper into abstract art around early 2000.
This was when I began following art courses at a local cultural centre.
Things which you love apart from abstract art?
Outside of art, I have always been interested in science, history, health and nutrition. In fact, my primary degree is in the
biomedical field. I also love fantasy and science fiction stories in various media like books, manga, movies etc.
Besides these, I like going for walks in nature and helping in the family vegetable garden.
What did you use first to learn abstract art? (Like the basic materials) How long did it take?
When I first started to delve deeper into studying art at the local cultural centre,
I played around with ways to add backgrounds to my intuitive doodle style figures.
I also worked on using these abstract backgrounds to find my figures. I
t's a bit like watching clouds and discovering whole sets of creatures in their shape.
While I love experimenting with a wide array of techniques,
I always come back to my initial discovery of using sponges with acrylic paint.
Using sponges is a great way to get a lot of dynamic shapes that trigger my imagination to see many creatures.
In principle, the basic technique is not that hard and can be learned in a few attempts.
However, to get a good painting out of it, you still need to develop most of the fundamental skills required for most art
types, like composition and colour theory.
In my experience, this is true for most abstract techniques.
You often can learn the basics in a few weeks.
But depending on how strong you are in the art fundamentals, it can take several years to get to a
professional level and a lifetime to master.
Any tips for the people who would like to start abstract art?
First of abstract art is an umbrella term that covers many types of techniques and styles.
If you are new, it's good to investigate what's out there and experiment to see what you like.
My next tip is to not neglect the fundamental skills of art.
Of course, you might not need to master every single fundamental.
For example, if you are never interested in geometric styles, you might skip learning most of the rules of perspective.
However, every type of art uses some form of composition, shape languages, light and dark to create areas of interest.
It is important to remember that no rule is set in stone, and all can be broken.
Still, learning the fundamentals is a huge help when you get stuck in a painting trying to figure out why something is not working.
It can also lead to more creative freedom if you can see them as tools in a toolbox rather than strict rules to always follow.
When did you start your channel? What type of content do you post in your channel?
Officially I made my channel in 2016, but I did not do much with it until early 2020.
Primarily shorts and longer format videos showing time-lapses of how
I create my paintings with the occasional explanation video of art techniques.
What's your motivation to draw or illustrate?
Honestly, I am not sure myself. I just get into a certain creative vibe, and then I need to make something.
Now, if we talk about improving my fundamental art skills, it's a different story.
There are plenty of exercises that are kind of boring.
For me, the trick to break through this sort of art block is to have a clear road map of what exercises to do and keep them simple.
For example, today I am going to fill three sheet of freehand boxes.
This has helped prevent the artist trap of procrastinating for hours deciding what to draw.
It can be challenging to set up a clear road map as a beginner.
One day, you might see artist A on YouTube say perspective is the most important, only for artist B to say
something completely different.
For me, the answer was discovering Mike Mattesi and his Force Drawing method.
Besides providing a clear road map joining his site offered a great feedback system and a good
art community, which helped keep motivation up.
Force drawing is not the only method that offers this Proko and Pencil kings are two others that come to mind.
The important thing is that whatever system you pick provides a clear path to follow and has an excellent feedback system.
Any tips for the people who want to start their own channel?
It is a bit cliché, but the best tip is to just start.
There are so many things that you will only really learn by doing.
About your small business
I started my art business in 2017 when I exhibited my art at a local art festival.
I sell mostly offline during exhibitions and markets and on appointment in my atelier.
The main selling platform I use online is Saatchi art, one of the leading online art galleries.
I mostly have medium and large-sized art pieces on this platform, and my smaller artworks can be found in my Etsy shop.
I have also a selection of paintings for sale as art prints and merchandise like mugs, tote bags, and
clothes on Redbubble and Society6.
Over the years, I have changed where I sell my art from time to time. Therefore the best way to
check where I currently sell my art is on my website,
https://www.jaboscreations.com/
Are there any tips for the people who want to start their own small business?
Do your research to find what options you have to start, make sure you can cover your base
cost and look into what basic laws apply in your country.
However, don't hesitate to begin.
Like social media, there are so many things you can only learn by experience,
so waiting for the best moment to start is pointless.
What's your opinion on small businesses?
Small businesses are a vital part of the local and online communities.
I love seeing others showcase
what they make and chase their dreams, and I wish everyone the best who starts.
You're 5 favourite small businesses
You're 5 favourite artists
I have Instagram , Facebook , YouTube as my primary social media channels.
Here I post about new artworks, work in progress, and experimental art pieces.
Some of my art practice sessions, mostly in stories.
The occasional bit of personal life updates.
Updates on upcoming projects and exhibitions.
Want to be featured in the blog post???
Contact me on Instagram @yash_creations_art_shop or
Gmail for more information :)
If you like my work you can Buy Me A Coffee