Playing Hookie

G and I are playing hookie for the day and are off to Brooklyn to see The National play in Prospect Park.  I like it when we remember that New York is not so far away.  Hopefully we'll squeeze in a trip to the Brooklyn museum as well. [vimeo 11653518]

At the very least yummy food and lovely music awaits us!  Happy Tuesday everyone...

Prints for Ripple

Here are my prints for the Ripple fundraiser:

Otter Print for Ripple

They're drawn in pencil and then digitally colored.  The prints are 4x6" and available after you donate $10 towards the clean up in the gulf.  Go to the Ripple blog for purchasing details and directions.  Remember, ALL the proceeds go to help the animal victims of the Deep Water Horizon Gulf Oil Spill.

Pelican Print for Ripple

Note:  These are digital prints, so I'm happy to sell as many as people want, especially as its all going to such good causes.  So even if they're listed as "SOLD" on the site, just contact me and I'll get you a print!

Edit: They've been sold-- Thanks guys!  But I'll be offering additional prints in my shop to continue to raise money!

Pattern Inspiration

I've been working on a couple of new pieces for Ripple and have been pawing through images for pattern inspiration.  I stumbled across these gorgeous Ojos de Dios by artist Jay Mohler on LAMA Blog.

Pretty amazing, right?  You can buy them online, in various sizes, here.

Fittingly, they look a bit like fireworks.  Hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend!

Spotted: Artisan Biscuits

Have you guys seen these?--Adorable butter cookies, ahem "biscuits", from the British Artisan Biscuits, designed by Irving & Co.

G picked up a box of the Tortoise & Hare at Whole Foods the other night, and I can't stop gushing over the packaging.  This line, called Two by Two, comes complete with a story or poem on the back of the box.

And the cookies match the illustrations.   Aagh!

Anyone know who did these darling illustrations?

Busy busy

Pika package project

Because I decided May wasn't busy enough, I just signed up for two exciting projects:  Pikaland's PikaPackage Project and the Flourish business e-course.  I'm really looking forward to working on both.

FlourishYou may have noticed my little etsy  shop languishing over the months.  I haven't figured out how to juggle pursuing illustration through more traditional means, while selling prints and other items directly to customers.   I'm an illustrator, not a shop owner.  But I'm hoping after Flourish I'll be both.

The PikaPackage will tie in nicely to that-- get the creative gears moving, as well as a promo for my work and shop.

And to help me juggle everything, I've signed up for the free trial of the task management program, Things.  Does anyone use it now?  I've only had it for a day, but I think its love.

Guerrilla Opera

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.

Hiro, the bat cat

I've never found the hairless variety of kitties to be particularly cute, but this little guy is making me rethink things. http://finelittleday.blogspot.com/I think its the ears.

http://finelittleday.blogspot.com/

Do you see him?

http://finelittleday.blogspot.com

Go meet Hiro over at Fine Little Day.

All images from Fine Little Day.

Thinking about Composition

andrea u'ren 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:

http://andreauren.com/

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.

Cuteness from Small Magazine

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.

Small Magazine

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.

Small Magazine

PS.  Happy 4th Birthday, Small!

Words of Wisdom

Here's a clip of Saul Bass, one of my (ok, everyone's,) all time favorite designers/image makers (hello amazing title sequences!) discussing making money vs. quality work.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfDCNpaPBiA&feature=player_embedded]

Being in the business of drawing things for money, I think about this a lot.  The push and pull between creating beautiful things, while actually making a living.  Depending on the project and client there can be a lot of give and take.  The  goal is to do my best to consistently marry the two.  Any thoughts?

Video found through the wonderful illustrator Tim Gough's site.

Breathing in the New Year

Winter Sketch

I've decided that 2010's theme is Discipline, with a capitol D.  My dad said, "With discipline follows wisdom."  So it appears I'm on track to have wisdom be the theme of 2011. Hah.

Apparently, my idea of discipline involves developing some routines and sticking to them.  I've been feeling a little... untethered (Is that a word?) lately.   So I've come up with a few plans to get various parts of my life back on track.  --Including a list of 6 month goals, which I'm happy with so far.

However, I've recently been harshly reminded that life is fleeting.

So routines aside, I'd like to marvel at the little things in 2010.  To honor life by being more aware of  all we've been given.  To pause and take the time to appreciate each day, each breath. To not take the small bumps in the road so seriously.  To read more books.  Go on more walks.  Listen to more music.  Learn some new-to-me cooking techniques.  Laugh, laugh, laugh.  To hold close the people (and animals) in my life, and enjoy the quiet times, while we have them.  To take care in the new year.