Image 22/Book Of Blessings

Mondays don't have to be so well..Monday-ish...If I'm up to it I try to look at it as a fresh start for the week. That makes me feel better about leaving the weekend behind because a new one will be there before I know it. Sometimes ;) 

Spring really is here

I hope it doesn't snow aneeeeeee more. But some folks don't plant things til Mother's Day. I guess that's the super safe zone. I don't know if I can wait that long. Representing spring in full force here's image 16/Book of Blessings by running Press, illustrated by yours truly-SW

Blooms of Nigeria

I listen to NPR in my kitchen while puttering, cooking or feeding my little one and I have truly lost count of how many times a lump grew in my throat as a sad story would unfurl on my radio.  I usually change the channel because I feel helpless so why torture myself. What can I do? The latest sad story involves 300 nigerian girls being kidnapped. For what?! My imagination betrays me.....As a mom, my heart breaks for the parents of these girls. IT's ever parents nightmare. What's up with men who do these horrific things in the world? How do they sleep at night? Or look in the mirror when they get ready for the day? Their evil, gross day....If they were American girls would they have already been found? I dunno....Many questions cross my mind. Here is an article about the latest findings. 

As I drowned in my sad feelings and overwhelming thoughts of anger, Artist Rebecca Bradley decided to do something about it and now she's gotten a bunch of other artists to do something too...It might not change the situation but it's putting something positive into the world. An energy...And sometimes that has to be enough. Just think if EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the world did that.

Anyway, Rebecca created a blog called Blooms of Nigeria where a flower for every missing girl resides so that we may bring awareness to this situation.

Here is my flower for sweet Laraba. 

2014 The year of the pattern

I love pattern. I'm a fabric hoarder, have way to many little spring dresses with floral prints and any little gift bag or tote with a fun pattern is hard not to buy. At the time, I feel like NEED it! I'm a junkie pretty much. Visual repetition is soothing to me...comforting yet exciting. There's a visual rhythm to it. Music for your eyes! That said, I'm REEEEEEALY excited to creatively participate in this addiction :) I've been wanting to sink my teeth into the surface design world for so long but never had time. I always lean toward characters, people and animals. And sometimes the occasional funky floral doodle. But this year that's it. Pattern? It's going to a focus of mine in 2014. I'm going to take the said things I love drawing and turn it into a surface design....play, mess around...see where it takes me. What's your creative focus for 2014?

Make Art That Sells-Assignment #3 Children's Picture Books

So this week was kiddo time. And I loved it. ONCE....I got over the moody snail. Lilla had us focus on the Hans Christian Andersen tale of "The Snail and the Rose". Maybe it's because I'm 6.5 months pregnant, maybe it's because the snail is a party pooper..but the story was a little depressing and I wasn't in the mood to draw a bratty snail. Maybe because I'm feeling bratty :) and don't want to admit it! Raging hormones and sugar cravings like you wouldn't believe! Anyway, Lilla said we could interpret the story anyway we liked and I was very thankful. Hopefully if we couldn't have changed it I would've gone into professional mode and done my best bratty snail ever. That said, down below is my take. And also some sketches and doodles that got me there. I liked the idea of the snail having a unique shell and a purpose. Han's snail is sad and has no purpose. He also tries to make the Rose tree feel bad about blooming gorgeous flowers year after year- jealous....:) So I thought, Why not have his purpose be to HELP the tree bloom to a lovely melody he wrote?! What I thought was extra cool about this assignment? Lilla chose a snail because it's a simple character that everyone can draw no matter what their skill level. Also, the story is laid out for us and ready to be told-with our help. Just like a real book assignment. She certainly knows what she's doing, that one. :)

Make Art that Sells-Assignment #2 Home Decor

This week it was Home Decor. The focus of the assignment zeroed in on dish ware. LOVE!!!

Lilla gave us a mini-assignmnet of doodling seed pods and unusual flowers. I had done some rough sketches of some groovy flowers awhile back and decided to revisit them. This gave me a chance to really expand on the little spark I thought might be there. I added to the array of shapes and sizes, texture....etc. I got into a zone and it was sooooo therapeutic. . It just goes to show that we should never throw ANYTHING we draw away. Well, maybe some things. I've been known to tear out a sheet of paper from my sketchbook if it brings me any sort of grief. That said, if you did something you like but don't have time to explore it at that moment, hold onto it...

We could only submit one plate but we had to do 4 designs. Lilla and her crew are so good at pushing you in the right direction. Now I have a complete collection for a future product line :) I also tried some different color combos and got lost in the color matrix for a bit and the folks on the MATS1 FB page  along with my keen eyed hubs, really helped push the color out to the level it should be. This process does not take place in a bubble and we need supportive talent around us sometimes!!!

I also included the color experiments. The one directly below is what I submitted to the class.

Sketchy lett-rin'

A sketch for a card I did for Treat and Hallmark's online card shop. I FREAKING LOVE to hand letter!

Here's the finished product on Hallmark.com

I like to make things!

Hello folks. Yes, it's monday.....BUT, there's some exciting stuff going on in the art world! And you can be a part of it. It's an online class that any artist, no matter what the level of experience, can sign up. It's called Make Art That Sells and it's taught by one of the most successful illustrators/art reps in the industry, Lilla Rogers. This woman knows her stuff. She also just came out with an awesome book called I Just Like To Make Things. If you shell out the dough and buy this little gem you won't be sorry. There is nothing else like this on the book market. After reading it, I imagine it's a preview into the class. Speaking of, back to the course...It's broken into two seconds, each one covering the different aspects of the illustration industry. Paper product, surface pattern bolt fabric, children's books, home decor....you name it. There's an assignment given each week and a critique as well to discuss strengths, what art does well in that particularly industry..and so much more. There are also major contributors from Land of Nod, Anthropologie and Chronicle to name a few. WHAT???!!!

The class is still taking on students so if this sounds great to you don't wait a minute more :) I signed up and I feel like it's an investment in my future. Another step in the right direction! If I'm coming off like a crazy info-mercial lady it's only because I'm genuinely excited about this. Sometimes the universe just puts things in front us at just the right time and we have to just..well....do it :)