iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Johis @johannatarkela.com · 30/09/2026

Ohh I've been wondering why some chats do this and some don't, investigated and it seems that "Media visibility" in the chat's settings/info tab works?? OR if it doesn't, the "Advanced privacy" setting that the admin of the chat can set should sort it. DL'd photos in that chat don't autosave

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 24/08/2026

Been stocking up on some nice watercolours lately and also grabbed a calligraphy brush today and I'm so obsessed with it, such lovely soft brush strokes and textures

A watercolour portrait of a maned wolf, and half of an inked maned wolf's butt

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 28/07/2026

Having a lot of fun lately filling a physical sketchbook again! I'm trying to figure out which tools I enjoy the most and gouache is definitely on top of the list at the moment. Also inks! Did an assortment of bird drawings after visiting a bird park last weekend 🪶

A collection of brightly coloured tropical birds on a sketchbook page

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 06/07/2026

Just noticed a project I worked on last year is out! I got to make the box illustration for a new Celestial Seasonings tea! :D made both the front art of the otter, and ingredient spot art for the back. Packaging art has always been one of my favourite types of jobs, loved making this too.

A tea box with an illustration of an otter, floating around with mint leaves and ginger

The back of the box, with an illustration of a ginger root and mint twig

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 18/05/2026

Stay tuned for a lot of cat art! :D this has been such a dream project already, I've had so much fun illustrating so many of these iconic characters and with many I even got to design aspects of their looks. And the team has been so wonderful and passionate to work with. Can't wait to share more!

Screenshots of the Warrior Cats Hub IG account

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 18/05/2026

Big reveal time!! Something I've been working on since last year.... I am an official artist for Warrior Cats! ✨️ Here's the first one that's been shared today, Firestar! There will be a new illustration shared every day for about a week now on the Warrior Cats social media accounts 👀

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 10/05/2026

WIP stages! Been a while since I finished something with watercolours, and while I really like them I think I need to experiment with gouache again as well, since I quite like being able to paint dark to light too. Enjoyed painting this anyway for variety and fun!

tiger painting with a light initial watercolour layer

tiger painting with some more details but no stripe

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 10/05/2026

Been getting back into traditional art lately on my free time, painted a tiger yesterday! Painted on approx A3 size Arches hot press 300gsm paper with watercolour, the whiskers and eye highlight are gouache though.

a tiger portrait painted in watercolour, with a purple background. yellow light hitting the side of the tiger's face.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 18/02/2026

O hey, I realised I have a fire horse painting too! Done as a cover commission for a book series, but this particular painting didn't end up getting used as the direction changed a bit and I made an alternative cover in the end. I still like it though!

A shiny black horse with a fire mane on a red background

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 11/02/2026

I have two ink originals left for sale! They're drawn on a 300gsm watercolour card, A5 size (5.8 x 8.3"). 70 GBP each, will post anywhere, tracked shipping included. Email me at johiscomms@gmail.com if you'd like to grab any :)

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 03/02/2026

Been working on some A5 originals again, they will be available at Scotiacon this weekend! Here's a selection of some I've made.

An ink drawing of a spinosaurus. A cat looming in the background

An ink drawing of a lynx looking up at snow falling

An ink drawing if a fox resembling Japanese fox Inari shrine statues

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 24/01/2026

Book cover reveal! I worked on the cover wrap, a lot of interior illustrations and a map for this book. One of my favourite projects recently, I really liked portraying all the characters and locations, can't wait to share more art later on :D Published by Macmillan us.macmillan.com/books/978125...

A green foresty book cover with a red squirrel on the front, and a black squirrel in the back. Title reads Sentinels - Keepers of the Forest, by Kate O'Hearn

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 06/12/2025

Time for another seasonal fox painting! Started this in September on the iPad (Artstudio Pro), finished when we got the first snow of this winter a few weeks ago.

A fox painted in a bit stylized style standing in snow and light blue background. Snowflakes falling around the fox.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 10/11/2025

A painting commission I recently finished for @tiv.bsky.social ! What'd be better than a sunset scene with some pretty backlight *u*

A cheetah with a blonde mane standing on a hill, with the sun in the curl of his tail. Orange and yellow background

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 09/10/2025

One of the most extensive paintings I've ever done, two covers in one even! A lot of hours, planning and detail went into this. So much greeeen! This is for Treecer's newest board games, already fully funded on the first day, if you want a copy have a look :D www.kickstarter.com/projects/mar...

A lush green fantasy forest setting with a pond in the middle and a lot of magical creatures scattered around it.

Detail of one of the creatures, what looks like a combination of a deer and an owl with leaves growing on it's budy and mushroom antlers.

Another creature, an ent looking creature with a leafy body and branch antlers. Small glowing blue birds flying around it.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 03/09/2025

Got to do another Polish Warrior Cats cover recently, this time a novella, 'Mothwing's Secret'. Here's the final cover and the full spread! AD by @missdako.bsky.social , published by Nowa Baśń ✨

Two cats sitting by the river, the colour scheme is sepia/brown. There are a lot of fireflies flying around them.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 02/08/2025

Ohh lots of new followers this week. Hello! Here's some new art I haven't posted yet but which got revealed recently on their new website, I did a full page/wallpaper illustration for the Finnish Kids' Forest Trip Day by University of Helsinki last year.

A Finnish forest scenery featuring a woman walking a dog, and two kids playing in the forest. There are other animals hiding in the forest full of pine trees, old spruces and other foliage.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 22/07/2025

He's fine in a way, but definitely on borrowed time now. But I'll keep cuddling and taking silly photos of him for as long as I can. Why aren't pets immortal >:''C

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 23/04/2025

I recently worked on another upcoming board game by Treecer, here's some art from it! Concepts and the animals are by me, gorgeous backgrounds by Joey Pool and Keen Art. What a fun project to work on, we aimed to imitate Ghibli style with the style and I think it came out great! :D

Ghibli style animal card game illustration of a common marmoset

Ghibli style animal card game illustration of a golden lion tamarin

Ghibli style animal card game illustration of a caatinga puffbird

Ghibli style animal card game illustration of a paca

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 16/02/2025

We've come to the conclusion that my motherboard has just fried up overnight. No idea why?? Anyway I had A Big Panic but remembered I pay for a cloud back up service, and managed to pull out the files I need. I'll just need to finish them on my laptop which is not ideal but PHEW.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 08/02/2025

Clovers! Very proud of finishing this one. Based on some super cute photos of a friend's cat that just fit this painting idea I had perfectly. Can you find any four-leaf ones? 🍀 #art

A happy little white and grey cat in a field of clovers, pictured from above.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 08/02/2025

Got some shiny new merch in the mail today!

Wooden keyrings featuring animals with plants: a fox with ferns, a bear with pine tree branch, a tiger with a monstera plant and a spotted hyena with acacia tree branch

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 06/02/2025

Throwback thursday, a painting I did in 2017 inspired by the song Dust Clears by Clean Bandit! One of my favourite songs back then, and probably one of the only coyotes I've painted.

A coyote looking up, in a purple, blue and pink/orange space background

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 02/02/2025

Making some A6 size originals for NFC, here's a couple I've finished so far!

Ink drawings on white paper, of a bunny, a maned wolf and a fox snoot close up

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 15/01/2025

Made it to my destination, jet lag hit hard but the scenery and food is amazing as usual 😍 good to be back in Japan

A japanese temple in dusk, lanterns and one bright star in the sky

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 07/01/2025

Gonna be doing a looong flight this weekend, would love to have some fun stuff to draw during it! Anyone interested in a portrait like the fox below? For £70, DM if you'd like one of your character/pet etc! Or I could also try rendering it more painterly, similar to the dog one for £80

A portrait drawing of a white and brown fox character on a brown backgroung

A more toony portrait of a white and brown dog

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 06/01/2025

Another interesting and relevant part re: prints etc! I hope there will even more clear and easy to find guidance for small businesses soon.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 06/01/2025

Oh I actually contacted UK Office for product and safety standards for more information and clarification re: GPSR/digital art and they replied with this regarding NI(/EU)

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 29/12/2024

I've been rewatching some Disney movies lately such as Tarzan, and I've been seeing a ton of pretty and inspiring Lorcana art around too - noticed there isn't any art of Sabor yet so wanted to give it a go for fun! Brought me back to when I used to mainly do art with linework. #art

A cartoon style leopard snarling and standing on a rock, surrounded by a blue and green jungle themed background.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 28/12/2024

Also a life sketch of my dog who luckily only moved right after I was done haha #art

A sketch of a dog sleeping in a donut position

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 28/12/2024

Been doodling and drawing on the ipad all day and a toony dog happened #art

A portrait of a white and brown dog with half floppy ears, slightly tilted head. Stylised anatomy such as extra big nose

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 08/12/2024

Can anyone help me find the artist of this piece? I commissioned it as an icon yeaars ago, I still love it but for some reason I can't find the high res file in my computer folders but I also can't find the email/DM it was sent in because I didn't save the name of the artist :c

A stylised brown and white fox character smirking, teal background with orange sparkle shapes

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 03/12/2024

'Cold spell' relevant painting to the past week. #art

A mysterious looking reindeer like creature walking through a forest with dark pine trees on a blue background. The antlers glow white and light blue, leaving a trail of snowflakes. The reindeer's eyes are also slightly glowing and blue.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 02/12/2024

Working on some new merch, and editing older ones a bit too...! These will be wooden keyrings and possibly wooden pins. Anyone who remembers the left ones? :D

Four designs of animal portraits - fox with ferns around it's head, a tiger with monstera, a bear with pine tree branches, and an unfinished spotted hyena with some acacia tree branches

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 01/12/2024

Comfort zone fox I did two years ago, I seem to have a thing for painting autumn themed foxes over the years #art

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 25/11/2024

Some older art again to fill my art tag a bit! A small swim for a tiger #art

A tiger swimming in a bright blue and turquoise, shallow water. A little tabby cat is sitting on the tiger's head, looking down at the water that has multiple tropical yellow fish in it. Cloudy background with some islands visible in the horizon.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 21/11/2024

Felt inspired to finish another WIP from my files, so here's another Okami fanart already! I'd do many things a bit different with the composition and anatomy if I started this again now but just wanted to finish it and throw a bunch of effects on it. Who can recognise the scene it's based on?👀 #art

Oki, a blue wolf-like creature with a big red mane, red glowing eyes and a blue mask on his forehead snarling and looking at the viewer from a lower angle. Eyes are glowing red, and he is wearing a glowing yellow/green necklace in the shape of a tooth. Stone tile background with a snowstorm and dark colours.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 17/11/2024

If you see this, post something pink 🌸 #art

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 15/11/2024

OMG this one? 2010 eeee such a long time ago hahha awwww 😭

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 15/11/2024

Lately I've been wanting to replay Okami again, or maybe make some new fanart even. I used to make a lot of it, here's one of my older favourites from 2014! #art

Shiranui from the game Okami, a white wolf with red markings and a flaming shield on her back. Low angle perspective with stylised cloud patterns in the background. The wolf is drawn in a brushy looking lineart style.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 14/11/2024

Finished a personal painting that's been in progress for probably two years now! Wanted to paint a little dragon taking shelter from the rain, the story evolved a bit during the process. But I got to draw a cute dragon, that's the main thing. #art

A little blue dragon with orange wings, dark blue markings and big orange eyes, taking shelter from the rain. There are raindrops on the green leaves, one of them dripping off the tip of the leaf and the dragon is looking at it with its little forked tongue out.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 13/11/2024

WEEHHHH thank you for being there and so supportive for ALLL THIS TIME ;_; <3 it means sooooooo so much me right now:

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 13/11/2024

Quote repost your art that has stars ✨

Nanaki/Red XIII, a red lion-like character with a flame on his tail and a mohawk, standing on a rock in what looks like a canyon. Orange and purple sunset, with purple clouds and stars peeking through the clouds.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 11/11/2024

A cover I did this year for the Zoo Tycoon Board Game : New Shores expansion! Probably one of the largest paintings I've done, couldn't have dreamed of finishing something like this years ago with all the different species too, phew. Very happy with the effort and result! :D I do love making covers

A big painting of a zoo, featuring multiple species. A seal in the middle of the painting with a splash of water behind it, on the right a koala in a tree, on the left a manatee, polar bear, musk ox etc.

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 23/10/2024

Post your most popular #art from twitter This one definitely, no contest

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 22/10/2024

Actually here's more art of my fox character too that I've made for myself as icons, gotta make some new ones soon!

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 22/10/2024

How about some... previously unpublished art 👀 made this for NFC for their collectible cards when I was the Northern light guest in 2023 and I don't think I ever posted it anywhere before

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Johis @johannatarkela.com · 21/10/2024

Hey there! I'm Johanna/Johis, a full-time illustrator specializing in realism and nature themed subjects. 🌸🦊 johannatarkela.com inprnt.com/gallery/johis/ linktr.ee/johis

A bright red coloured scarlet ibis on a vibrant green jungle background

Two otters playing in bright blue water, perspective from above with orange leaves falling on them

A landscape with vibrant green and blue colours, with tall mountains in the background, llama with a handler in the front and more in the back. The outfits are traditional to the area the art is based on (Andes)

A cute stylized fox, with fairy lights in its mouth and dark out of focus background

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