A Thought to Ring In 2014

Cheers to you, friends! 

May the New Year bring you contentment and may you reap great knowledge from all your mistakes!

Awkward

I figured an illustrator should have an illustrated profile picture. I think I will keep my "actual" face on some of my online identities - perhaps to separate my professional and more personal sites?

this just in

i put some new stuff in the society6 shop today.

incidentally there is also free shipping on all orders over $50. if you're in the market for some tote bags, phone cases, laptop skins, tee-shirts or other assorted consumer merch you can head on over to check it out.

sketchbook page.

chugging along.

this is officially the end of my first session of lilla rogers make art that sells class. this course has taken over my life for the last five weeks. i had originally committed to give about 10 hours weekly to my studies and artworks but i could literally laugh out loud at that now. i have definitely doubled that commitment and i could have benefited from tripling it.

week five was directed at the gift market which is gigantic and varied. just imagine all of the things you see when you go into a boutique - think blue q or land of nod. we were specifically given the assignment to create a "super lush zipper pouch design" based on things we collect and/or really like. here is my final submission:

now i am moving on to the next project...lilla rogers global talent search! the first assignment was given on july 1st and needs to be submitted by july 22nd. this amount of time seems like a luxury compared to the four days given during the MATS class. of the hundreds of folks submitting in the first round only 50 will be moved onto the second round. the winner will be signed by lilla rogers herself to a TWO year, INTERNATIONAL contract! i won't reveal too much about my ideas because they will likely change a few million times prior to the submission date but here is a quick preview!

week three - children's books.

finally, a better marriage between my traditional watercolor & line work and photoshop.
i have added a new member to my adobe family - illustrator. can anyone say 'vector'?

my brain hurts - or 'week two'.

after falling short of my own expectations last week, i pushed myself hard to begin taking full advantage of the opportunity to really absorb what is being offered in lilla roger's class.
i suppose that part of my difficulty was in accepting that just creating excellent artwork on paper is not enough. in order for work to be prepared for print or textile or any other market, some digital manipulation is necessary. what i hadn't really allowed myself to realize is that this use of photoshop doesn't in any way diminish the authenticity or value of the original paintings and drawings. it actually allows me more freedom to use my own traditionally made marks in a greater variety of ways.
i still am climbing this steep learning curve but i believe i have had my first break-through.

pictured above is my final design created to be shown within home decor markets. the brief specifically had us creating dinnerware.

going back to school.

well...sort of. 

i am very excited (and a wee bit nervous) about starting lilla rogers online course, make art that sells, on june 3rd. i will be freshly rested having returned from vacation only a few days prior. i have a good feeling that this will open some new doors for me!
wish me luck!

pencil to paper.

sometimes it's just about putting pencil to paper, not about the end result.