It all starts with one line, one brushstroke, one idea. Meticulous shading and vibrant colors connect thoughts to pictures and convey ideas to emotions.
Mindless doodles turn into art, and hobbies become passions. Creativity flows from inspiration to fuel new passions, such as junior Olivia Pattitucci’s passion for art.
Patitucci has drawn for as long as she could hold a pencil. Inspired by her grandpa Anthony Patitucci, she saw his paintings and was inspired to start her first sketchbook in the third grade.
“I’ve gone through so many sketchbooks I can’t count them,” said Patitucci. “But I would guess maybe 35. I go through about two to three a year.”
Patitucci’s sketches and paintings have inspired others to draw or pursue art. Although, her indirect inspiration is not why she paints.
“I’d like my art to be enjoyed, and that’s basically it,” said Patitucci. “I don’t feel the need to create any certain emotion or inspire anyone to take any certain action. In that way, it’s less stressful, because I can paint what I want and what makes me happy.”
It only takes one glance at her sketchbook to realize the raw talent she possess.
“I’m always blown away when I look over and see her drawing in class. She is super talented,” said junior Jemma Prichard.
Patitucci shares her art @opidoodle on Instagram, where her pictures have been praised; even by the influencers she has drawn.
Her account has received lots of attention, and even opportunities to commission or sell her art. Since she started her account in November of 2016, she has been commissioned four times.
Her first commission was her freshman year to do a painting of a girl and her friends as a present.
“They all found out about me through my art Instagram I have (@opiodoodle) and so they usually saw a style I painted or drew in and were like: ‘Hey could you do this for a friend of mine for her birthday, or could you do this drawing of me?’”
Patitucci makes her artwork integrative with her followers, showing videos of her process in her Instagram story with fun poll questions to accompany it.
She has an extraordinary way of reaching out to people through her art and being transparent with how she makes it. She hopes to be able to eventually integrate her work into a career, but not pursue it.
“It’s purely just a hobby and I don’t want to turn it into a career, although I hope in some aspects of my career I’ll be able to be creative in a sense that is either drawing or painting, or something entirely different.”