IGer of the day: @arlenesy aka Arlene Sy-Salva

Be it a cup of coffee, a park, a restaurant, or even just a tree, illustrator Arelene Sy-Salva manages to make things she photographs look like a watercolor illustration. You also get a glimpse of some of her works, before they hit stands, which is often a delight.

What does it say in your About Me?
Artist, illustrator, renaissance-girl

Where are you based?
Born, raised, and based in Manila

What can people expect from your gallery?
My IG gallery is a mix of snippets from my daily life that inspire me, and an ongoing visual portfolio of my work and overall progress as an artist. I should really post more often, I’m not as active as I’d like! Oh, and nope, I don’t post selfies!

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What do you like seeing on your feed?
Other artists’/illustrators’ works in progress, finished work, and snaps from their day-to-day lives, which encourage me to keep doing what I do. I also love seeing beautiful places, spaces, and events from people I follow. They satisfy my wanderlust, especially since I work mostly from home.

Do you have a favorite IG user?
I don’t really have just one, since I follow a lot of people (friends and complete strangers) who have such beautiful visual style (in other design-related fields, like fashion, interiors, and photography). I enjoy following people whose galleries look so well put-together on a grid.

What earns your likes and comments?

Beautiful art and design in general, especially by artists whose habits and techniques I learn so much from. I tend to also like or comment on photos that are so nicely composed or tell a story.

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Favorite filter?
To be honest, I tweak and pre-filter my pictures using other photo apps first, then post them on IG. Hehe! I rarely apply native IG filters these days, but my favorites will have to be Valencia, Sierra, and Willow.

Tip for IG users?
Try to use and play around with natural light whenever possible. I love sun-lit vignettes because they’re so airy and refreshing. I also try not to overthink a picture or overburden it with too many filters.




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