About

So, what's actually Amretasgraphics all about?

Ow, yes, of course, it's my webhome, studio, and shop. Welcome! I'm so happy you found your way here. My name is Amreta, the lucky owner of this whimsy place, and the creator of the graphics. Online since 1999, I would love to share with you through this site what I've learned and how you can too have a good time creating artwork with a happy heart, dare to wish, dream, do, and be your {awesome and sweet} self.

What happens everyday here, I can tell you, is constant trial-and-error-and-tweakings! :o) It's pretty much self-taught thing, but believe me my friends, it is exciting!

It has to be. You see, drawing graphics is first of all a hobby. I have an equally exciting fulltime job, and I can only focus on my graphics when I get home in the evening, on weekends, and on day-offs. I work on my graphics and website from a corner room in our family home in the city of Jakarta, armed with a laptop, an genius optical mouse, a play list of my favorite music (the list changes all the time), plus endless supply of hot coffee or tea or chocolate (and oh, I take a walk, go to bookstores or call my mom in between :o))

Creating what I call by 'happy little artwork' requires a huge dose of laughs, happy thoughts, and lots and lots of lovely inspiration, be it from illustrated books, magazines, scrapbooking stuff, vintage fabrics, those pretty blogs. Don't be afraid to be a child again. Sometimes funny imagination really helps: today play the role of that quirky wizard experimenting with colors to create the right potion, and tomorrow, what about that sweet lucky fairy coloring flowers in the garden with sparkling paints?

Wouldn't that be fun!

How did it start?

It all started in year 1999 when I got my second computer from my dad and I was tempted to create my own graphics. Pretty awkward in the beginning and my first graphics were quite 'weird', so to say. But over time after surviving all the trial and error and tweaking - I got this addiction and it's amazing how it's going, up and running, and I enjoy the 'adventure' very much. It makes me happy!

P.S. pssss....if you want to know how I created my graphics and get inspired to create you own, follow my 'Adventures in Drawing Graphics' series :o)


What about blogging?

First when I made this blog, I wanted to use this to post updates on Amretasgraphics. But then I use it to post just about anything that I had in mind. I'm a dreamer and love to get inspired by what I see, hear and meet in daily life and on travels (and often it means 'armchair travel' through books, magazines and the internet), which I think is necessary as I live in a hectic, crowded big city like Jakarta, with a schedule that goes from full time job to my other hobbies...so much to do, so little time! But I heard loving all that you're doing is a sign of an exciting life so I have no complain :o) And where else can you instant-publish your own thoughts and share your finds, artwork, experience and lesson-learned with friends and like minded audience, as well as practice writing, if not on the blog? I just LOVE blogging!

With Dad on a boat to Bali, 1982	At my host family's farm house in the Vosges, France, 2002

A walk in the Vosges with my host family in France	Carl Larsson's home in Sundborn, Sweden

My host family's cottage in Sweden	Running to the lake by my host family's home in Sweden

Have you ever got stuck or experienced a "bad graphic day"?

Sure sure sure! Million of times, I think :o) Just like in other artistic work or other kind of adventures, sometimes you may just get stuck, uninspired, having no clue, not knowing what to do. In my case, most often the challenge was finding a time - but I've learned that if you're determined enough, it's something you can actually control. The hardest thing that occured to me was somehow when I did have time but I just sat there, confused and uninspired, or, if I managed to draw something, the result dissapointed me. Then one day I came across Elizabeth Gilbert's (author of Eat, Pray, Love) website and read her 'thoughts on writing' - and I found the answer to my question. I'm glad I'm not alone. No one asked me to be a graphic artist at the very first place, and I never promised the world I would create super-duper-sophisticated graphics either. I have just always loved creating art. And if now I decided to draw graphics, I tell myself: life has been so good to me, I have plenty of things to be thankful of every moment every day, so now get back to work, and be happy :o)


Note: "Wish It, Dream It, Do It" you see on the graphic above is actually a title of a book by Leslie Levine. It's one of my favorite books :o)