Carolien van Renssen grew up in Pretoria and now enjoys living in Mafikeng and Rustenburg (mostly because of its many art suppliers). Her favourite remains Archneer, which always feels like home.
How it all started
At first, Carolien didn’t consider art as a profession as she was afraid that she might grow tired of it, but the more she explored other avenues the more she wondered “why can’t I just draw and do art for the rest of my life?” So, after some pondering, she decided on graphic design. It complemented her love for creating things with her hands – drawing, sketching, and painting. Eventually, she started dabbling with digital art and today she combines it with traditional methods.
“It’s crazy how the simplest things can have the greatest impact in one’s life, and that is how it all started.”
Creating things that make people happy
“As a Graphic Designer and Illustrator, I’ve always loved creating things, but more than that – seeing my clients’ joyful reactions when they receive their orders. A simple exam project, something that I probably would never even have dreamt about, forced me to create something that I didn’t know I loved: sketches. Within the ladies’ residence where I lived, the news that I could create simple yet delicate sketches spread overnight. I received an overwhelmingly positive response! Many asked if I could sketch them and their loved ones and just like that my love for drawing ignited another joy inside me – the joy of watching my clients receive their sketches and their faces absolutely lighting up with that imperfectly, perfect glimmer of happiness and gratitude. And that in itself makes me utterly speechless.”
A mix of subjects and mediums
“All of my drawings are done by hand and with all the love and passion I have for art. I use many different mediums and techniques, but fineliners are what brought me this far in my journey; so I will always have a special place in my heart for this delicate medium and art form. The technique involves lots of focus on the details, yet remains modern and easygoing.”
She uses fineliners and pencils for her Fine Line Studio work but has also done some digital drawings for clients. They almost look the same but, with digital, you can always do more. And this is why every sketch differs: Dogs are some of her favourite subjects, but they take much longer as do buildings.
“I wouldn’t put a timeframe on my sketches, because it limits me and every order is its journey and has its uniqueness to capture.”
Carolien’s tips for aspiring artists
“Let your everyday job be your passion as well. You have to want to wake up every morning and want to go to work. Also, it is okay to brag about what you love. People who know you will support that. It’s what makes you happy and what makes you, you!”
For now, she would like to get married and enjoy the beautiful things that come with it. Her faith and soon-to-be husband are her main priorities and she would like to grow in terms of that. For the future, with regards to her small business, she would love to rebrand and eventually start it in the right way – when studying there was no time for building a brand, she just went with the flow. She is looking forward to growing and expanding her business, offering more of her work to the world, and creating with other art mediums as well.
To see more of Carolien’s work or to order your very own illustration, have a look at Fine Line Studio.
Get your artwork printed
Whether it’s a photograph, painting or illustration, get in touch with Art of Print for quality printing options.
Located in Pretoria, Art of Print specialises in quality fine art and photo printing, framing and mounting that will exceed your expectations from the very beginning. Our vision is to inspire your creative needs and provide new decor opportunities for your images to become showpieces at home, the office and event exhibitions.
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