Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Winnie's winnings

Winnie raided the ice cream truck with her allowance.
Been working from home this week on a project that is taking a lot of focus. My deadline was extended so I am will working through next week on it....goodbye weekend.
This is the first illustration I have done for myself in the past couple of days.
I wish I could run around spending my allowance on ice cream.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

the cat sat on a light

that's right....I warped the theme of Illustration Friday....it was satellite....so now its "sat a light." I thought the last two themes were dumb (sorry if you suggested it). I just like verbs and adjectives better. There is so much more to work with and you do not get 12000 illustrations of the same things. I'm just sayin sometimes people cannot think outside the box. But what do I know...I draw squirrels and cats when I do not like the themes.

anyway

IF: satellite

Friday, June 25, 2010

Winnie found the Halloween stash

More sweet tooth illustration.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Nuts

IF: Paisley

I could not get creative with names, but here it is.

Vote the Tote

Another option for a tote.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Vote a Tote

I was going to post a bunch and do a whole vote thing, but I have decided to just really wanted to use this design. Color was a different issue. I had a lot of thoughts on this, but its really important that everything be bold enough to show up on a nature tote. I can post other options if folks are not sold on the color, but I like that they are different and somewhat odd colors.

Now, I am still open to other images on the next tote; however, it has to be something that can become flat color and no more than 4 colors this includes black outlines. Its tough. If I could do smooth color (aka watercolor) the world would be my oyster. I can, but its through a process that is not screen printing and I love the way screen printing looks and feels on bags.

I have a few adjustments such as hand type "bouquet of cats," signature, and website. All done in hand type, scanned, and live traced tomorrow.

For now, have a nice bouquet of cats.

Mine Gazpacho


Sent this illustration here.
I did this over the weekend when we were in VA/DC/MD for Father's Day.
This is the only thing I have drawn for myself recently. I have been knee deep in a freelance project, which is my first corporate job. It is really an excellent experience, but for a little bit I doubted my abilities. I felt exactly like I was back in school trying to figure out what my teachers wanted from me and very preoccupied with failure. I did two illustrations for this project that missed the mark, but on the third attempt I accomplished what the client wanted. It was like doing a belly flop off the high dive. It was not pretty, but I did it.
So now I am working on the other two illustrations for this project and I hope its a bit more graceful. Luckily I have the unjudging eye of Buffy view it now on Netflix to keep me company.

I will try to post a little work if I can keep my head above water. I am so stressed about the deadline (next Thursday) that I am not working at all next week at Joe...that's stress. I might attempt Illustration Friday, but the theme is paisley....its a little more literal than I like.
Also, on the 5th (or a bit after) the new art goes up in Joe. I am going to hang new work and maybe focus on having a real opening with some press or something.

I have enough time to dedicated to a little new tote design.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Going Nuts


Something for the Fathers Day. The top one is for my dad, the bow tie wearing machine and the bottom one is for JJ's dad the golfer....these are polar opposite squirrels. I hope they like each other alright. We are going to MD/DC/VA this weekend for father baseball game time...don't ask me about who is playing who I am just going for the snacks.
It should be fun, but as usual I have a lot on my mind. I am working away at this large contract project, but there are some bumps. I am not getting enough direction and what I perceive as freedom is, in fact, lack of communication. It is frustrating, but not foreign. Big projects, big money, and big bureaucracy. Its not me...but for some reason I still feel guilty.
See you on Monday.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Bee Season


We went to the bee party at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. It was really fun and the kids were really inspiring.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Ripple Dress

IF: Ripple

Friday, June 11, 2010

Ripple chocolate fudge

Wiley squirrel....
IF: ripple

Thursday, June 10, 2010

The Net


Do you feel this way?? I do. It is no surprise they call it the "net" in Europe, oy.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Happy Trail


Busy busy week, but at least Winnie is on vacation.

Illustration Friday: Trail (thought I would do another a bit more happy)

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Trail of Smear

I have the oil spill on the brain. In movies when people die I hardly ever get upset, but when an animal dies it is burned into my brain for weeks. I care about human life, but there is something that rips at my insides when I see an animal suffering.

IF: Trail

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Panic makes the heart grow manic

The beginning of this week was hard, made possible by me. I had a dream that my book was being picked up by McMillan, but it had a different name for some reason. I was overjoyed and then I woke up anxious and sad. I am working less at Joe because summer staff is cut by our business going down due to students being away. I do not mind working less to focus on freelance, but sadly I still need a paycheck from Joe. Also freelance comes and goes freely so I find that I am not sure if will fill in the gaps until someone asks me to do a job or to buy a painting. I know it is something that I will have to get used to being in business for myself, but I have a hard time not focusing on having enough work, constantly. I dwell and dwell and dwell...its compulsive and completely unproductive.

So, having spent most of the week worrying about money I felt really dumb when four jobs came up. I guess its the worlds way of making me feel dumb. I was stressed because I did not have enough work and now I am worried about getting it all done.
Now the goal is to keep things in perspective and if I do not have a freelance project lined up, but free time I should just make some work for myself. I also do have savings, but I am so used to pretending that they do not exist that I forget the rule of a freelancer; which is to prepare for the lean times by saving up for them constantly. Currently, the big corporate project I have going on, which we shall call Corp. is going slowly, but they have not run the other way (yay!). I have a freelance job coming in at some point of an animal portrait, I just finished the illustration above of Kenzo, Ming, and Mulan, another possible piece for a friend...which I hate doing because I feel guilty about charging for my time, and a project that is illustrations for a book project.

The book project is nonpaying currently, of course, but it has a fair amount of potential. It came up this week and the woman wants to submit samples and the manuscript to her agent this week. I really like that she wants to act fast, has an agent (who is kind of a big deal), she has three novels that all did well, and has a fourth that is coming out in September. In addition, this book has legs and is completely series material. All signs point to yes, but I have doubts in my own ability and of course doubts that a publisher will take me if the book gets picked up. Luckily, I am a doer and I am going to do the crap out of this project and I will channel my idol while doing it.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Save the Animals



I am donating 50% of etsy sales (12.50 on prints and 2.50 on cards) of these three prints and cards to The National Wildlife Federation.
I will be doing this for the foreseeable future. I know BP should be paying for everything, but its our consumption/dependence on oil that has made this disaster possible so I still feel responsible. I will be keeping a running tally of the money raised.

The cards will have a little blurb on the back so that the person you give it will see that a portion of the proceeds went to helping animals affected by the spill and all prints will come with information conveying the same message.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Baby baby



Project Maybe Baby is a go! I received my t-shirt and onesy prototype last night and I am very happy with the results. I will be carrying the onesy in 6 months-24 month sizes and the t-shirt in 6 months- 4T (28" chest, 16" waist).
The tees are 100 % cotton Hanes and the onesies is 100% cotton Rabbit Skins.

They will be going up on etsy as soon as the order comes in. If you are interested let me know.

tee shirts will be $20 +shipping and onesies will be $25 +shipping.

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Updates:
Met with a local store owner. He said onesies sell at 6 months max and tees sell at 12/18.
Brooklyn or NY centric stuff is big, gendered things are big (forget that), and novelty with words. I think I might see if I can adapt some of my work to have type and be funny but not too cute. It's hard. I know my aesthetic and what works for art, but clothing is different. I do not want to be closed minded, but I also have standards...will post ideas for feedback. I will not allow mediocre work into the world.
The other question: If it has not been done how do I know people wouldn't buy it? People fail all the time and we never hear about it so maybe I will do both and see what doesn't sink.
OY