I've been writing thank you notes lately and just came across this blog over on A Cup of Jo. "Leah Dieterich's mother always told her to write thank you notes. So she does. To everything."
This was one of my favorites:
I've been writing thank you notes lately and just came across this blog over on A Cup of Jo. "Leah Dieterich's mother always told her to write thank you notes. So she does. To everything."
This was one of my favorites:
Oh dear, where did April go? It seems I was busy with other things, as usually I'm better at crossing items off my list... However, one big thing checked off was getting a first draft of my book dummy done. I got some feedback from my crit group, so that was really great!
Unfortunately, (well for this list,) May is going to be crazy. Birthdays, traveling, house hunting... So I don't think I'm going to add anything to the list. Just keep working on the above, and polishing up my dummy. I do have ideas for targeting new illustration clients, as well as some site changes, but I think between my current work and all the above, I'll be busy enough.
How is everyone else doing?
We're a bit behind on working on our garden. I feel like this happens every year-- I'm dying to get started in February, but reluctant to start seedlings inside. ('Seedlings', aka 'cat treats'/ 'dirt playground'.) But then I blink and somehow its the end of April. Anyhow, I found this beautiful book at the library recently.
The illustrations by Sharon Beeden are just so perfect and lovely.
Honestly, the book itself didn't strike me as the most helpful-- though I'm definitely a beginner and need everything laid out just so.
But the wonderful illustrations are so inspiring.
This weekend we're buying seeds!
Did you guys hear about this? A couple weeks ago, "shoppers at Whole Foods Market in Harbor East Baltimore received an unusual surprise.” [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-STnVJlWf_o]
I spotted it on fellow illustrator, Peggy Fussell's blog.
I love stuff like this! I reminds me of the New York subway serenades, and dance performances that would pop up and make you smile. Its fun to see strangers surprised and then really happy. I told Peggy that video reminds me of this one:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM]
If you want more, search for Flash Mobs (which implies waaay more exciting performances,) or check out Improv Everywhere --of the "No Pants Subway Rides" and "Guerrilla Handbell Strikeforce". I especially like this one:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggm_j_6jgTc]
I have soft spot for synchronized swimming.
Did everyone have a good weekend? I went for the first row of the season on Saturday morning. Something about being on the water that early, its so still, and the colors keep changing...so, so good.
And then I could barely walk the next morning. But somehow I managed to drag myself out to get coffee and hang out in the park with G and my brother. And then we were off to Easter dinner at my parents. Dogs, family, friends, yummy food: very fun.
March was an exciting month for me, but April, you already seem to be working super hard to top it.
Goal-wise I feel like I need to up my promotions/marketing game. I read a really inspiring article by Holli Conger when she was just starting out, and it seems to be just the push I need to keep moving forward.
Can't wait to see how everyone else is doing!
Here's how I did on my March goals for The Meetup.
How did everyone else do?
In other exciting news, the rain has stopped!! and the sun is peeking out! Hooray! Unfortunately, most of RI is underwater. But hopefully this means things will start to dry out.
PS. I think I'm going to use those drawings as part of a promotional piece to send out...
Remember all my talk about "sunny afternoons" and how warm weather was "right around the corner"? Ugh. We are on our 2nd, (3rd?) very grey, very very rainy, day. And its making me bonkers. Thankfully, we are a part of the apparently, lucky few who aren't worrying about flooding. Just bad moods. ( I guess I should have spent Saturday outside, enjoying the sun, instead of cleaning my desk. Grr.) Anyways, if you're in the same boat (ha ha) as me, perhaps some virtual window shopping will cheer you up. Or torment you. Whatever.
If it were sunny, you could be wearing sandals!
or, at least, lovely flats,
and this pretty blouse,
with some leggings, and this in your hair,
and this hanging from your neck,
and these dangling from your ears,
with this coloring book under your arm...
Sigh.
I guess I'll just hunker down, embrace the grey, and finish my taxes. Here's hoping Thursday, with its promises of sun, comes fast.
On this sunny Saturday afternoon, I'm inside, trying to make myself clean off my desk. I thought listening to some music would help. But then I got distracted: [vimeo http://vimeo.com/9387462]
Lila did you know about this book??
Probably, being a librarian and all. I can't believe I JUST found out about it. I hope you had a wonderful birthday!
I got to do a bunch of illustrations for a Time Out New York Kids feature article on gardening. Back when I was drawing, these sunny days, and anything green, seemed so far away. But then we had an amazing weekend, and now it all seems right around the corner!
I also did some spot illustrations for the numbers, which they didn't end up using. I guess it was getting too crazy. But they're cute, right?
Yay, I'm a Featured Artist for the week over at Hire An Illustrator! Whoo hoo. You can check it out here.
I've never found the hairless variety of kitties to be particularly cute, but this little guy is making me rethink things. I think its the ears.
Do you see him?
Go meet Hiro over at Fine Little Day.
Happy un-Birthday Papa! 61 + 1 day old. I love you.
I'm working on sketches for a book dummy and last week headed to the library for some inspiration. The children's librarian was super nice and helpful-- insisting on finding me every book on my list. I ended up sitting at one of those tiny round tables for an hour paging through picture books piled around me.
One of the comments I received at the picture book workshop was that I should work on including more dynamic compositions. Specifically different points of view, or angles, of a scene. I definitely can get stuck in the medium-wide, straight-on shot and forget about playing with all the other perspectives.
Looking through picture books with a specific element in mind is a fun little exercise I find really helpful. The author and illustrator, Andrea U'Ren, is great at varying the composition on every page of her lovely book Mary Smith. So let's have a look, shall we?
From above, looking down over the shoulder:
(Note the detailed peas in her pocket!)
Looking back and down, with a large character in the foreground and a teeny, tiny Mary in the background:
(See her?)
Coming straight at us:
From below, looking up:
Bisecting this wide shot, with the side of the house, gives the reader the feeling of looking down an alley:
I also really like how she illustrates the stories her characters are telling each other with black and white drawings in speech bubbles:
It feels like a fun nod to comics and graphic novels.
And lastly, a wide shot, with Mary in the slight foreground looking back:
While this composition is almost straight on, pushing and pulling the point of view, even minimally, makes a wide shot a bit more interesting. I think its good to remember that the perspective doesn't have to be super dramatic to be more dynamic.
Anyhow, I've been a fan of U'Ren ever since Pugdog was published. I love her thick lines, planes of color, and how all her characters have this great, grounded weight to them. If you haven't already, definitely check her out.
I love Small Magazine, an online publication "focused on independent designers and artists for children." This month I'm particularly into the "Small Guest House" feature which uses two picture books as inspiration to pick out favorite products of the season.
I've seen similar articles/columns-- decorating a room as if in x movie, or picking an outfit inspired by x print, (also fun ideas!--) but having the picture books be the inspiration seems wonderful to me.
PS. Happy 4th Birthday, Small!
We have blue skies and sunny weather here! So, so nice. And I'm finally back on track (--Hi everybody!--) with March Goals for The Meetup:
How is everyone else doing?
Aeolidia, the talented web design company, has a gorgeous new site!
"We specialize in making standout shop websites for crafters and other small businesses, but we do about a billion other things, as well. Just ask us!"
Each month it will feature a different illustrator from their roster-- me included. (I'm working on mine!) Play with the theme switcher (on the upper left hand) to see other illustrator's designs. Above is the wonderful Aimee Ray's. Fun, fun!
Yep, it's that time of year again.
What better way to watch the Oscars than by nibbling on the heads of the Best Actor and Actresses? Delicious.
I think this is my seventh (eighth? I should probably know this...) year drawing these ladies and gents. Get them here, from Eleni's bakery. And if you're in NYC they do same day delivery!
Its been quite the year. Here's to eighty more.