Illustration updates

Just a little something something I'm working on. This new monitor the boy bought me for my birthday is so amazing. It's big and bright, and really makes working on artwork a million times better.


I'm also in the process of waiting PATIENTLY for the FedEx guy to arrive today with the art prints I ordered. My printer seems to have a problem printing 8x10's, so I ordered a few from an online printer in hopes that I'll just use those guys until I upgrade my printer. The only problem is, FedEx shows my order as delivered today at noon and it's SO not delivered. I went to the main office of my apartment complex to see if it maybe got dropped off there. Nope. So now I get to stew all day, and wonder if/when/who/why/how so/where my order is. I'll give it til 6 today, and then I'm going on a rampage of the emailing variety - subject line: Where the frak are my prints?!

I'm sorry

...for being such a random blog poster. My last post was over a month ago! Sometimes crazy happens and I run out of time to blog. Other times, video games call my name. Or naps. I like naps.

It's a new year, and I'd like to start posting more consistently. So we'll see how that goes. So much has happened since my last post...Christmas, New Years, crazy snowstorms. I've been busy making up 5x7 prints of my illustrations....



...along with lots of new figurines. You can find them all here


I just finished cutting the card backs for some of my earrings.



And I attempted to make some necklace backing cards. But my lazy self failed to measure the length, and instead just eyeballed it, so now the pendants dangle off of the card. It's a quick fix. (reserved for later though!)

productivity, packages, and pizza

I mailed off three of the commissioned pieces today. Kissed them on their foreheads and reminded them to look both ways before crossing.
Two of the smaller ones, I matted. I was going to mat all of them, but it wasn't until I was at the store picking out supplies that I realized an 8x10 illustration would need an 11x14 mat. der. I don't have that size mailing envelope at the moment. Ah well.



On a super dee duper note, I had off from my day job today due to lack of power throughout the building. It was like Christmas when I woke up this morning and found out the news! Of course...we were all "on call" for half of the day, as they thought the power would come back on soon. Anyways, I got so much accomplished! I love random days off! There's a lot of new things in the shop. And I'm adding more in the next few days. I have a bunch of "very teeny" plini's to finish up, as well as lots more Pocket Kitties.
I also have the coupon code MAGIC10 for 10% off your order going on from now until next Sunday. Every little bit helps right?




As for pizza....I'm trying to convince Lou that we need to order it in celebration of our random day off! The only problem...he's a pepperoni man, and I'm a super vegetable girl. I say we get it all, and he can pick off the veggies. Good compromise, yes?

Illustration overload!

Here's some commissioned pieces I just recently finished up. I've been working like a crazy person trying to finish them in time to get to the recipient for Christmas. I just have to print and mat them, and they're good to go!

Lia


Lillyanne


Junelouise


Joanne

Middles

If you'll recall "Beginnings"...I was working on some upcoming sketches. Here's how the first one is moving along. She's inspired by sailing/boating and drinking/partying.



In other news, we had a pumpkin carving get-together! I made a Hello Kitty carving. It was between that and Mufasa. I was feeling lazy, and Hello Kitty was a lot easier. Lou did attempted a storm trooper. Yesenia made us these interesting Halloweeny layered cocktails that had black food coloring in them. They were tasty, but they also made our tongues and mouths all black. Oh, and our hands, and the counter, and any surrounding towels. lil bit messy.

Framing

In college I was a bit obsessed with drawing super detailed frames around all of my illustrations. I veered away from it for a little while, but have recently been getting back into the framing groove.
I'm especially interested in those intricate vintage frames. You know...like those big gaudy ones that are gold-leafed and house renaissance-style paintings in em. Yeah...I like those.

Sketches for Wednesday - Paper Dolls....still!

Still working on paper dolls. I'll probably start coloring them soon. I'm thinking this braided girl will be my "cowgirl", but we'll see. I've yet to draw any cowgirl-esque attire, but I think her pigtail braids lend themselves well to the cowgirl theme.

Sketches for Wednesday - Paper Dolls

My most recent illustration project that's been swirling around in my head involves making some paper dolls! These aren't going to be functioning paper dolls where you actually cut them out. But more of a collage-style piece of art. I'm thinking I'll have girls with "themes", like the cowgirl and her riding gear, or the sailor girl and her sailor outfit and yadda yadda.
So I don't know...we'll see. Right now I'm just drawing whatever cute clothing I can think of, and then I'll go back and organize it all.
I'm a super fan of the little knit hat with the pom pom. Gets me all in the mood for winter!

my favorite blue chair.

Once upon a time, there was a super cool & funky vintage teal swivel chair. Then one day, my boyfriend's butt broke through the vinyl seat. ugh.



I don't really know anything about fixing ripped vinyl. Is it even possible with a tear the size of a MAC truck? I should probably just reupholster the whole chair seeing as the color is starting to fade anyways. It looks a lot dirtier in this photo than it actually is. Don't exactly know the first thing about reupholstering either. I DO remember when my mom got her vintage kitchen chairs reupholstered, and I DO remember her saying it cost a lot. If anything, I remember her reminding me of that in a threatening manner every time I accidentally dropped a Sharpie marker (or a fork or some other pointy object) on the yellow vinyl.

Speaking of mom...she got me the greatest Easter basket in the history of Easter baskets! It's chock full of spices! Now all I need next is a spice rack of some sort.



Here's a few sketches and illustrations I've been working on. I have about half a sketchbook's worth of drawings that I need to scan in, but my computer has been giving me the skull and crossbones lately, threatening hard drive failure. Scary! So I don't want to stress it out with too much digital illustrating and coloring. I have to start searching for a new computer! I was thinking of getting a Mac this time. But I'm flying blind. Don't know where to start or what to get. Budget is limited of course.

pushing myself

I went on a supplies shopping spree a few days ago. It had to be done. There was no more avoiding it. If I was ever going to get prints of my artwork finally made, step one would be deciding on a paper to use. Now I have no more excuses besides my own laziness or "lack of time", as I prefer to call it! I'm also making some greeting cards too, which I've already printed and packed in cute little clear sleeves. They look precious! Pictures to come of those soon.

This is an illustration that I've been working on that will be one of the first I turn into a print to sell. ...whenever I decide she's actually finished. That's my biggest problem..deciding something is done.



Tomorrow I have four wedding cake topper sets to list. Photos are all ready and waiting for me. So I should be able to get those in the shop tomorrow [evening].



I'll also be listing a pile of my "very teeny" Plini's and a handful of TEENY tiny Totoro figurines. Some have leaves on their heads too! Only an inch tall. I love them! So small!

dessert girl

Just a little something I'm in the middle of working on...my new Wacom tablet is making it a lot more fun than usual!

I'm starting to freak, a bit.

This upcoming week is my last week at the temp job I've been at for the last three months. I'm really sad to be leaving, but they don't really need me after the holidays. I'm really thankful for having experienced it though. I didn't even know what a typesetter was, or that it was even a job before this. But it's great to have that for my resume. It's very discouraging trying to find a job in my field when I have next to no experience aside from my Etsy shop and personal artwork and every job I see requires 3 to 5 years experience. Bite me.

So for that, I'm trying to push myself to build my portfolio.



Say hello to "Ice Cream Woes". The title is a work in progress. But I'm really happy with the way it came out...including the colors. Which is rare for me. Next in line is most likely my "Chocolate Love" piece. I think it might be perfect for Valentine's Day. We'll see....