Maria Leskinen
Hi, I am Maria Leskinen, an Art and Psychology teacher and Master of Fine Arts. Nowadays I work as a full time illustrator and artist. I get inspired by nature, psychology and various cultures. My style is colorful, precise and I want to create good and stylish works. I am interested in many kind of commissions, such as magazine, book and package illustrations. I live most of the year in Brazil where I study scientific illustration. I speak Finnish, English, Portuguese and Spanish.
I am specialized in scientific illustration, which I studied in the University of Brasília. I also organize the Illustrators Abroad club remotely for the members of the Finnish Illustration Association. I am great with watercolors, pastels and pencils which I combine with digital techniques. One of my scientific illustrations was selected for the collection of the University of Brasília.
Selected clients: Apu Luonto magazine, Taito magazine, Nuorten luonto magazine, Municipality of Pirkkala, Lapin Kansa magazine, LKV Asuntoekonomitoimisto Oy (Finnish Real Estate company), Studio Kundalini Yoga (Madrid), Art and illustrations for private clients in Europe and South and North America.
Scientific illustrations of papaver and plectranthus barbatus andrews / Personal project
The scientific illustrations have been made by layering watercolors. The pictures have been added digitally.
Scientific illustrations of papaver and plectranthus barbatus andrews / Personal project
Click to see more about the project.
Editorial illustration / Apu Nature magazine
This illustration was made for Apu Nature magazine’s column. It is about a very endangered bird species that disappeared from Finland altogether. Illustration was made with aquarelles.
You can read the column here: https://www.apu.fi/artikkelit/suomen-viimeinen-kultasirkku-jai-nakematta
Editorial illustration / Apu Nature magazine
Click to see more about the project.
Editorial illustration / Apu Nature magazine
This illustration was made for Apu Nature magazine’s column. It is about a very endangered bird species that disappeared from Finland altogether. Illustration was made with aquarelles.
You can read the column here: https://www.apu.fi/artikkelit/suomen-viimeinen-kultasirkku-jai-nakematta
Editorial illustration / Apu Nature magazine
This illustration was made for Apu Nature magazine’s column. It is about a very endangered bird species that disappeared from Finland altogether. Illustration was made with aquarelles.
You can read the column here: https://www.apu.fi/artikkelit/suomen-viimeinen-kultasirkku-jai-nakematta
Editorial illustration / Nuorten Luonto Magazine
This illustration is made with pencils and painted digitally for the Nuorten Luonto (Nature for Youth) magazine 1/2021.
You can read the magazine here: https://issuu.com/nuortenluonto/docs/nuorten_luonto_1_2021_web
Editorial illustration / Nuorten Luonto Magazine
Click to see more about the project.
Waterfall poster / Prints for sale
Posters are on sale in Kehystämö Liljala in Seinäjoki and in Taidegalleria Lakeus in Kauhava. The illustration was made with pencils in 2022.
Waterfall poster / Prints for sale
Click to see more about the project.
Power of imagination
Pencil work, A2, 2021.
Power of imagination
Click to see more about the project.
Illustration for Illustrators Abroad club
Illustration is made with inks, markers and watercolors in 2022. It has been published in the members’ Facebook group Kuvittajat ulkomailla and in The Finnish Illustration Association’s newsletters. The club presents international illustrators and brings together the members who are living abroad.
Illustration for Illustrators Abroad club
Click to see more about the project.
Cat Art Cards / Prints for sale
Illustration is made with inks and finalized digitally. You can buy the Art Cards directly from me and from the following places:
Kaamos vintage, Tampere
Nono, Tallipiha, Tampere
Laitapuoti, Galleria Rajatila, Tampere
Turun kirjakahvila, Turku
Kehystämö Liljala, Seinäjoki
Taidegalleria Lakeus, Kauhava (July–August 2023)
Cat Art Cards / Prints for sale
Click to see more about the project.
Ice skater Art Cards / Prints for sale
Illustration is made with inks and finished digitally.
You can buy art cards directly from me and from these shops:
Kaamos vintage, Tampere
Nono, Tallipiha, Tampere
Laitapuoti, Galleria Rajatila, Tampere
Turun kirjakahvila, Turku
Kehystämö Liljala, Seinäjoki
Taidegalleria Lakeus, Kauhava (July-August 2023)
Ice skater Art Cards / Prints for sale
Click to see more about the project.
Ice skater Art Cards / Prints for sale
Illustration is made with inks and finished digitally.
You can buy art cards directly from me and from these shops:
Kaamos vintage, Tampere
Nono, Tallipiha, Tampere
Laitapuoti, Galleria Rajatila, Tampere
Turun kirjakahvila, Turku
Kehystämö Liljala, Seinäjoki
Taidegalleria Lakeus, Kauhava (July-August 2023)
Editorial illustration / Nuorten Luonto magazine
Illustration made for an article in Nuorten Luonto magazine 4/2022. The writer is Anni Kanniainen and the topic is about carbon offset.
I made the illustration with pencils and inks.
You can read the magazine from this site: https://issuu.com/nuortenluonto/docs/nuorten_luonto_4_2022_web
Editorial illustration / Nuorten Luonto magazine
Click to see more about the project.
Scientific illustration of coati (Nasua nasua) / University of Brasília
Scientific illustration about coati, which is a small mammal living in Brazil and other countries in South America.
The illustration is made with watercolor in 2023. The size is A3. The work is going to be a part of the group exhibition of scientific illustration courses in the University of Brasília in Summer 2023.
Scientific illustration of coati (Nasua nasua) / University of Brasília
Click to see more about the project.
Scientific illustration and infographic
This work is a final work about the rufous-browed Peppershrike (Cyclarhis gujanensis) bird for scientific illustration course in the University of Brasília. This bird lives in many countries in Central and South America.
Scientific illustration and infographic
Click to see more about the project.
Indecisive / Personal project
This illustration is about the difficulty of decision making. The birds in the illustration are Western Yellow Wagtails (Motacilla flava).
I used aquarelles and digital tools to make this illustration in 2023.
Indecisive / Personal project
Click to see more about the project.