Katie Vernon's Adjunct Website

Chimpunk Cheeks Newbies!

2012-01-21T13:30:00.000-05:00

So lots of new things over at the 'ol Etsy shop...
- 5 new florally faunas...here's two of them:

- BABIES! These are personalized sweet little baby prints...there's a pink one too!

- An option of CUSTOMIZE any 8x10 print! (these are two other newbies!)

- LOWER PRICES! Most 8x10 prints are now only $20 and 5x7s are $12!!

- I have plans for about 10 more prints to become part of the Chipmunk Cheeks family by March...so stay tuned!

20 steps to the studio

2012-01-08T10:06:00.000-05:00

sometimes getting into my studio feel like the hardest thing ever- it's approximately 20ft from my couch, but it can feel like an epic journey to get my butt in there. This always happens when I haven't painted in a while- i get ultra intimidated and find reasons to avoid it...
- i just need to draw more (a good thing to do, but eventually painting needs to happen)
- i need to get out and be inspired (another good thing, but this usually just ends up as a trip to goodwill)
- dishes, laundry, alphabetizing tupperware (especially since i'm being hit with waves of 'nesting, ' these can be my biggest distractors)
- no good reason, just would rather watch project runway all stars (we don't even have a tv, but hulu and the interwebs can be evil)

thankfully yesterday my excuses ran out and i was feeling bold, so into the studio i went- i tried to make it as un-intimidating as possible, going in just to experiment and try out some techniques for some new pieces. Not going in to make finished art that will make me rich and famous. I was pleasantly surprised with the results, I worked for a few hours and even went back in after a lunch break, and my soul felt quite renewed by working with paint again. here's what i was playing with:

so dear studio- i'll be seeing a lot more of you in 2012.

inspiration

2011-12-22T10:58:00.000-05:00

getting the old juices flowing- that's been the goal of the last few weeks. I've tackled it with a 4-prong approach:

1. draw every day (well...5 days a week)
-I've taken the pressure off of drawing every day- I don't stress about what I draw as long as i put a pen to the paper (new fave is the sharpie retractable fine point pen- it doesn't bleed, and I like drawing in my sketchbooks with a permanent pen so i'm not second guessing myself).

2. look at lots of work (my old sketchbooks, lots of blogs, pinterest, etc.)
-Main inspirations have been The Jealous Curator (love the tagline "A collection of artwork that inspires and depresses me. I know it's good when I'm left thinking DAMN I WISH I THOUGHT OF THAT." I can easily get depressed when I see so many amazing illustrators and feel like there's not room for me. But then I head over to Pinterest, and there's typically enough stuff that leaves me saying "yeah- the world needs me too." Don't get me wrong- i love pinterest, but you really have to search and sift to find the gems.

3. make lists
-Who doesn't love making lists?! I have a "Things that would be cool to do" list, and a "Things I like: 2012 edition" list. The things I like list that I make probably every year without really meaning to do so, inspires my work- it's about things i like enough to want to paint and draw them over and over. This year's list is smaller than years past, but I think that's good- a few things on the list: tiny houses, wreaths, wool, and (of course) bronte and bigfoot. I also felt the need to make a "Stay away" list. These are things that are too overdone right now- triangles, feathers, and mustaches are just a few.

4. make a plan
-Perhaps the hardest, but most important to do. I start with big picture goals for 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year. It's really the 1-year I focus on. One major goal of this year? get illustration rep. To do this i really need to re-build my portfolio, so I made a plan of attack for that. It involves drawing people again (which i haven't done in years). So This week I have been focused on drawing people, re-finding my style, being inspired by others' work (see steps 1 and 2).

Thankfully I feel like it's paying off, and i feel ready to dive into 2012!

Transition

2011-12-15T17:00:00.000-05:00

So for the last few weeks I've only been working at Peppertree one or two days a week and have been trying to gracefully make my transition into 'doing art' as my full time job. I've given myself these two weeks to be inspired, be a bit lazy, create some goals, and remember what it's like to make art (that's not in flower form) everyday. Finally I feel my creative energy returning- it was really difficult when I was putting all of that energy into flowers and then trying to work on commissioned projects (which can be quite draining at times too) and then fulfilling etsy orders. Don't get me wrong- i LOVE commissions and etsy orders! But I had zero time and energy for really exploring new ideas, creating art that i just wanted to make, or even just drawing a bit everyday....i forgot that YOU NEED TO DRAW EVERYDAY!

So yay for time, new goals, new energy, and a studio that i spent two days cleaning/organizing and approximately 1hr messing up again! The beginning of 2012 is going to be WORK-WORK-WORK (another post to come soon on some of the exciting projects already lined up) since approximately 141 days into 2012, my life will forever change* and I want to have a great base of new work lined up.

*yeah, i hear babies do that.

oh the styles i've tried

2011-11-16T23:24:00.000-05:00

So i've always been a schizophrenic artist...or maybe just one with a really short attention span. I'm always wanting to hone in on a style and the minute i feel like i do- i get another idea. thankfully for the past few years i've had a consistent feel (simple line work, florals, white space). Currently I'm moving more in the direction of my 2012 calendar. I think there is a lot there stylistically to keep me engaged for a while...and to move me beyond flowers. But i thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory super highway and look back on some of the past style-phases i've gone through....

2001: this is how i illustrated in early undergrad- because it's how my teacher illustrated and i was a good student.

2003: a short-lived, "trying to loosen up" phase.

2005: oh assfish! you were the first piece where i embraced my random humor.

2006: i thought this would be the style that stuck. i actually still love this piece...and some recent sketches i've done remind me of this dude...maybe this is a boomerang style for me.

2006: at least the thin black line has now been in the picture for a few years.

2006: tried to bring back some of the gouache technique i learned in undergrad

2006: i had to put this one in- one of my all time faves- "nootka the sniffer." it's currently inspiring a potential children's book...and i dont think i will alter too much how i draw the nootka.

2006: man, i really thought the scribble style on wood was going to stick too. actually, i think that stork one had mega potential if it weren't for her stretch-armstrong-arms and stupid face.

2007: who even knows.

2007: whale face! this was one of those rare pieces that i fell in love with, and the style stuck for quite a while, but they were all on boards and those things are heavy!

2008: one of my "tweets illustrated" dudes...i liked them because i didn't have to draw hands.

2008: i made these tiny pieces of art one year for xmas gifts for friends...notice the walrus on the bottom? that was where the flower/animal thing began.

2008: still like this painting.

2009: whoa, i've been doing animal/florals for 3 years? no wonder i'm ready for something new!

2009-2011: wait! don't forget the hearts in sweaters, sexy sasquatches, and other random stuff...ok, i feel better.

2011: really enjoying combing the simple line drawings with fun, doodly goodness! you'll be seen more of this in 2012!

Ork holiday shop!

2011-11-14T09:35:00.000-05:00

Hey all you chicago people!! A few of my prints and calendars are going to be sold at the Holiday Pop Up Shop put on by Ork Posters. read their little blurb below and then go!

Ork Posters announces the opening of it's 2011 Holiday Pop Up Shop on Chicago's north side, including over 30 artist's and crafter's goods alongside the full collection of Ork merchandise. The carefully curated selection of printed items includes affordable wall art, screen prints, tshirts, cards, notepads, calendars and baby items. Many are city-themed and/or handmade by midwest-based artists.

Come support local, small business this holiday season! As a thank you, we're donating $5 to a Chicago charity for every Ork poster or print sold in the shop. And you can pick up Ork's handy shopping guide to help you find other great shops in the area.

Open Nov. 19th thru Dec. 23rd at 2003 W Montrose Ave, Chicago

Tu-Th: 12-7pm, Fr-Sa: 12-5pm & in December, Su: 12-5pm

Kicks off on Saturday Nov. 19th @ 12pm with an Opening Party 4-7pm

Closed Nov. 23rd and 24th

Artist list:

Alternate Histories

Laura George

Starshaped Press

Ground Up

The Bird Machine

Kill Hatsumomo

Kevin Lucius

1canoe2

a. favorite design

Studio kmo

Andy Pratt

Megan Lee Designs

Little Friends of Printmaking

Delicious Design League

RAYGUN

Allison Rae

Heads of State

Studio Chris

Screwball Press

Ryan Kapp

Nourishing Notes

Sonnenzimmer

Judge

GIG ART

Neche Collection

Amy Ruppel

Ana Apple

Hammerpress

Katie Vernon Illustration

Crosshair

Jolyn Hecht Photography

Field Notes

Fidoodle

Print Calendar!!!

2011-10-14T09:50:00.001-04:00

2012 calendar that you can slice up after each month and have a fancy print to frame, mail, or use as bookmarks. $20 right here. I may not have many left after a craft show on November 12th, so order soon!

sketchy sketchy

2011-08-18T20:19:00.001-04:00

hopefully a glimpse of some new things to come....now i just need to invent an eight day of the week. I'll call it Museday.

Productive day!

2011-08-14T17:14:00.002-04:00

well folks, i finally managed to finish all the animals that i intended to get done this summer; and re-work the ship print! i probably wont be doing any more flower/animal prints for a while, so i hope you enjoy these new additions!

Purdy elephant

2011-08-13T16:43:00.000-04:00

This one might be a new fave of mine. it started out as a full body shot of the elephanty, but this had much better balance to it. Dino...you are next.

3 new animals!

2011-08-10T21:09:00.000-04:00

Finally, three new animals are up in my esty shop! May i present to you... the beetle, lamby, and mooooose! I've got an elephant and dino in the wings, but after that i don't think you'll be seeing many new animals for a while. Now onto my classy dinner of pork rinds, guacamole, and wine.

New app test drive

2011-07-24T22:43:00.001-04:00

Taking out new tilt-shift generator app on the ol' iPhone for a test drive round the living room.

In the studio today

2011-07-11T12:51:00.001-04:00

Little sneak peak to a new painting... Neon pink and gold leaf? Surely! Inspired by a new (ad)venture with friend Kate.

why yes, i would like a free trip to paris

2011-06-20T13:19:00.000-04:00

how did you know?!

mocs in the park

2011-05-25T08:15:00.000-04:00

not really an art post...but i had such a great time with my fam in NYC, my awesome sis graduated, and i like this pic of my new mocs in central park.

Today's office

2011-05-16T11:54:00.001-04:00

Today I'm setting up office in a nook of one of our rooms. I felt like standing and this random ledge just so happens to be the perfect height! A new inspiration book, an iris from the garden, and a can of la crack makes it feel like some productivity might occur.

woven flower

2011-04-16T07:58:00.000-04:00

image for Paper Crane's "Grow" show poster.

Be there or be smothered by a sewing octopus!

2011-03-25T08:41:00.001-04:00

look for me and my mom at booth #4...and TONS of other amazing artists...also it's free!

Pinky Hedgehog's 5 minutes!

2011-03-23T09:14:00.001-04:00

If you didn't already know...my pink hedgehog print is now officially more famous than me! He was on HGTV's Secrets from a Stylist this past weekend and got some good airtime. I was on a local cable show when i was 10 or so talking about karate... my tv fame peaked at a young age. anyhoo, here is Joy's post about the before/during/after of the show...in it are links to Emily's blog and more before/after pics! I feel completely honored to be up on that wall among so many kick ass artists (list and links are in Joy's post as well!).

heartwarming!

2011-01-17T13:48:00.002-05:00

is there a special someone who warms your heart? Do you need some warm fuzzy action? check out three new "Heartwarming" prints of mine now available for sale on my etsy site. just in time for Valentine's day!

and don't forget...sexy bigfoot greeting cards are great for V-day...or any day!

what's going on over at botaniche?

2011-01-12T21:53:00.000-05:00

well, let me tell you! This week and next there is some multitasking going on. I am making some floral patterns for an upcoming project...here are the ones i've made so far. Go on over to my Botaniche blog to be in the know!

Paper Crane Show Friday 1/7/11

2011-01-06T17:14:00.000-05:00

hey all you bloomington folk! come on out to Paper Crane Gallery on Friday! They are having a show entitled "Bestiary: A compendium of animals, beasts, and creatures." I have a few pieces in the show... due to the holidays and timing, i couldn't whip up anything 100% new, but i added some original doodles to a few prints...

mmmmMMMmmm Tbone.

hedgehog greeting cards!

2010-12-13T20:49:00.000-05:00

sweet and flowery
who doesn't love a hedgehog?
no one, that is who!

hope my hedgey haiku got you in the mood! find them in packs of 3 and 6 at Chipmunk Cheeks!

(almost) originals up for sale!

2010-12-03T19:49:00.000-05:00

back by popular demand....

the (almost) original hedgehog and whale are back in my etsy shop. These are not limited edition prints...but that doesn't make them any less cute! in fact, their awesomeness is now UNlimited. go HERE to go getcha some. (and remember the coupon code FB2010 for 20% off until Jan. 1)

2 new prints!

2010-11-21T13:12:00.000-05:00

2 new limited edition prints are up on my etsy site! Also, if you are a facebook fan you can find a coupon code for 20% off on my page!

Treasure!

2010-11-13T09:39:00.002-05:00

in the past week or so i've had some of my work featured in a few different treasuries on etsy! it's so nice to be included in these, and i am uber flattered. check them out...they are all so different!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cd02d62866a8eef220b3575/saucy-things-for-saucy-people?ref=pr_treasury

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cd81e6f97f56d91f9f71f29/of-feather-and-bone?index=0

site redesign

2010-09-07T23:53:00.000-04:00

well, it was time to do an overhaul of my website...so here's the result:

www.katievernon.com

it actually only took me a few days (not bad considering making my old site took me at least a week), it has Botaniche stuff on in now, a simpler layout, new illustrations, and it's set-up for what i plan (and hope) to do in the future (more "personal work" aka paintings that will hang in galleries, more botaniche stuffs, and more commissioned illustrations. i am always looking for opinions...so i'd love to hear thoughts on the new layout/design (DISCLAIMER: my abilities as a web designer are fairly limited...my head just doesnt work in that way)

in-progress painting studies

2010-09-02T19:02:00.000-04:00

now that i have a whole room to myself once again i feel like i can actually do some painting. Here are some small studies that are in progress. I'll add one or two punchy colors to each of them... i like the feel of the monochromatic neutrals with a pinch of punch!

circus

2010-07-05T18:27:00.000-04:00

One of my illos for a circus-themed local show. more to come!

Chocolate Inspiration

2010-05-03T13:16:00.000-04:00

Three new prints for sale! just in time for Mother's Day.
These were illustrations from my work for Vosges Chocolate's Mother's Day catalog. enjoy!

Botaniche

2010-05-01T07:12:00.002-04:00

ok, so i've been working on two big projects for a while now. and they have the same name... Botaniche!

It's all about arts and flowers people!

First we have the botaniche blog (already has 2 weeks of posts for your reading pleasure)

Next is the botaniche etsy site (also accessible via the botaniche blog shop page)

Finally, to round it all out....become a fan of botaniche on facebook

I hope you enjoy!

Mews and news!

2010-04-19T11:44:00.000-04:00

New print for sale! find it at my etsy shop here! It was a custom order for Tanja from Australia. Her cat Willow was such a fun kitty to draw. Her print had much brighter colors, but for the one on etsy I decided to keep to a more subdue palate of purples/yellows/greys.

I hope to release a new fauna/flora print each month this summer. April is this sweet kitty...May will be a larger beast, but hopefully just as sweet...here's a hint: I would not want to get between a mom and its young!

Also, remember... I have big news coming May Day! Get excited!!!

doggies! Bloom! teaser!

2010-04-11T21:20:00.001-04:00

-here's a little portrait that I did of the owner of blu boy's chocolates' doggies. They were super sweet pups to draw.

-here's the article about the flower shop i work at (Peppertree). I have a little mention in the last paragraph! click image to read

-and here's my teaser....something new coming on May Day!

Thanks for the mention Becca!

2010-03-26T09:09:00.001-04:00

Bloomington blogger becca (say that 3xs fast!) did a little blog post on my work today...she said "her artwork is beautiful, sometime bizarre, and often hilarious. Her sense of color is definitely something to be envious of." warm fuzzies!

check out the post here

here's a little preview on some work i have been doing for Vosges chocolate's mother's day catalog...i don't want to give it all away, so here's just a sneak peak

Pinky Hedgehog!

2010-03-08T08:52:00.000-05:00

The latest in the hedgehog family is up on etsy! I had to post this little lady because yesterday i saw the first crocuses of spring! and this pinky hedgy is perfect for the impeding glory that is warmer weather! hope you enjoy!

Bigfoot Greeting Cards! (for sale!!)

2010-01-26T19:13:00.007-05:00

Sexy and Sweet Sasquatch! Burlesque Bigfoot! Wanton Wood Ape!

Perfect greeting cards for Valentine's Day or any day!

Pack of three or six 4.25" x 5.5" cards
-includes 3 or 6 100% recycled envelopes
-cards fold at the top
-blank inside

Cards will be shipped in a bend-proof fiberboard mailer.

Direct from me Cost*:

Pack of 3: $10 (includes s/h anywhere in US, add $1 for canadian orders, $2 for everywhere else)

Pack of 6: $16 (includes s/h anywhere in US, add $1 for canadian orders, $2 for everywhere else)

-if you want to buy multiple packs email me (katie [at] katievernon [dot] com) for exact pricing

* you can purchase these off my etsy site (see side bar), but you will pay about a dollar more in order for me to account for etsy fees.

How to order from me:

just send the correct amount to my paypal account (katie [at] katievernon [dot] com), include in a note exactly what you want (ie. one three pack of bigfoot cards). i will ship them out asap!

yay! if you have any questions don't hesitate to email me!

Kitty Portraits!

2010-01-25T12:38:00.005-05:00

Did these little kitty portraits for a friend to give to friends. I like how they turned out...these cats have such personality it was fun to try to capture even a little bit of it!

----

also decided to do a little blog re-design. i'm disenchanted with blogspot, but alas, i will remain.

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** email me (katie @ katievernon.com ) if you are interested in commissioning a portrait!

Mercutlery!

2009-11-17T10:07:00.002-05:00

Arbor Snowboard Design Contest!

2009-11-09T11:04:00.003-05:00

these are the two designs i entered in the Arbor/REI snowboard design contest.

Help an outdoorsy illustrator out by voting...

http://findout.rei.com/photo-detail/?id=6269124557268489652

http://findout.rei.com/photo-detail/?id=6941074218085200949

Now with 90% more Autumnal flavor!!

2009-10-21T08:41:00.004-04:00

This second round of Hedgehogs is going to sell out fast! as they say in the biz...act now!

Furniture & Flower prints for sale!

2009-10-13T13:57:00.002-04:00

Prints are up on etsy!

Commissioned Art!!

2009-10-13T12:55:00.004-04:00

Here are the three pieces I did for Alexis. Graphite and gouache on paper...each is 17" x 24". I think they will look stunning all framed and together. I will be selling prints of just the inner images (sans lacy frames) on my etsy site asap!

Long-haired Daschund has been flower-ized!

2009-07-24T19:26:00.002-04:00

NEW PRINT FOR SALE!

PRINTs are up on Etsy!

2009-06-30T23:20:00.002-04:00

that's right folks! the "Flowers" series of prints are up on Etsy. They are each a limited edition of 20, so act fast!

Art Fair on Saturday!

2009-06-25T07:42:00.002-04:00

I am going to have a little booth at the McCormick's Creek Arts in the Park art fair this Saturday. If you are in the Bloomington area, come by and say hello! I'll have art starting at $1 (buttons!), prints from $15-$25, and originals starting at $40!

Click here for info on the fair!

Also, next week: FLOWER PRINTS COMING TO ETSY!

Buttons (2)!!

2009-06-18T10:28:00.002-04:00

Alright! these are all the buttons that i am going to make...some sayings, some artys, and one sad foot. Blow that up your mind people!

Buttons!

2009-06-16T23:52:00.003-04:00

hey there, i'm (hopefully) going to have a lot of new posts in the next week since I am in a little art fair on the 27th! A friend of mine has a lot of button parts sitting around, so I'm going to have some buttons to sell too! Just a few simple sayings. Right Arm!

Prints coming to Etsy soon!

2009-06-02T11:42:00.003-04:00

Well, now that I am feeling settled back in bloomington, IN, i will be getting these new flower prints up on Etsy after they are done being shown in "The Incredible Print Show" in NH (June 27th). There are still a few for sale from Artstream. They are each an edition of 20, so i will definitely still have some available at my etsy store (ChipmunkCheeks).

For those of you in Bloomington, you can see the prints at Peppertree Floral and Events (where I also work). And I am also going to be at the McCormick's Creek Arts in the Park show on Sat. June 27th from 10am to 5pm.

For those of you in Portland, ME...go pick up June's issue of The Bollard!

A special thanks to those who have mentioned my work on their blogs:

Irene at Bloesem

Sarah at Saipua

Susan at Art Esprit

!!!

Calendar spread for The Bollard!

2009-05-20T13:53:00.002-04:00

I kinda love this calendar spread for the June issue of The Bollard (an awesome newspaper in Portland, ME). The original idea kinda came from the "if april showers bring may flowers, what to may flowers bring?" saying....so here are may's flowers in june, bringing ships (though maybe not The Mayflower w/ pilgrims exactly).

Prints are DONE! (2!)

2009-03-15T17:46:00.001-04:00

See the previous post for all the informatic goodies!

Prints are DONE!

2009-03-15T17:38:00.002-04:00

Yay! It feels real good to be done with these bad boys. I had to fight tooth and nail with the printer, but I won (casualties: 2 sheets of paper)! I really had a good time with these, arranging all the different flowers. If you havent been keeping up, the flowers were based on Sarah's arrangements at Saipua. And the prints will be going up at Art Stream in Rochester, NH. The exhibit (The Incredible Print Show) will be opening May 1 and running through June 15th.

In other news, it might be a few weeks until i have another post since I am going to be moving back to Bloomington, IN...I'll be working at Oliver Winery as the assistant landscaper. I'm very excited to be back in btown (sad that frank will still be here in NH) and working with flowers. But, i'll be posting again soon! for now, enjoy the pics. I will be selling limited editions of each on Etsy after the show is done. But i'll keep you updated on that!

print show progress!

2009-03-11T17:24:00.003-04:00

So, last time i posted on these, i just had some pencil sketches, since then ive buckled down and created a plan! Instead of drawing all the flowers individually, i drew and painted a slew of flowers on two mdf boards, scanned them in, and now i am basically creating a digital collage for each print. It actually feels more like flower arranging doing it this way.

The first pic is of the two boards (which i think are really cool on their own), then we have the start of the dude with a floral beard. i will eventually re-draw the dude himself and insert that finished drawing with the flower-beard.

Beardy-works = done!

2009-03-11T17:23:00.002-04:00

so here are the little guys attached to the bag...i like shaking the bag just slightly, the beardies look like they are dancing!

Beardy-works almost done

2009-03-09T11:38:00.001-04:00

well, i just need to sew these suckers onto the bag...i really like how they turned out. and i'll post pics of the finished bag asap!

Now with 100% more beard!

2009-03-04T15:52:00.003-05:00

we lost some of them in the process...the beards just didnt take to all of the items. So i have 32, which will be perfect. now it's time to get crackin'!

beardy-works prep

2009-03-02T17:00:00.004-05:00

so i started priming/painting the chips that i'm using for the baileyworks bag. I really like the color palette that i have...greys-browns-yellows-peaches-whites...i almost don't want to draw things with beards on them...i would love to have a huge board with nails all over it, and then tons of these colored chips, and be able to rearrange/organize them. i would sit in front of that board for hours!

more flowery sketches!

2009-03-01T13:06:00.002-05:00

ok, so i think these will be the subjects of my 6 prints....now i just have to draw them bigger and more detailed and then paint and then print and then hooray!

stuff is up on etsy!

2009-02-27T14:24:00.002-05:00

lots of new original works up on etsy! prices range from $35-$100!

happy looking.

Beardy sketches (without the beards)

2009-02-26T14:50:00.006-05:00

So, i picked up my baileyworks bag yesterday and figured that i can attach about 32 small (2x2.75in) boards to the front...so here's my first round of ideas of things to put facial hair on. I think the boy's underwear might be a little icky with a beard, so that one probably wont make it to round 2. i like the balloon-animal dog, the liberty bell, and the curling stone (go mom!), the best so far (i think). but i will like them all so much more when they get their beards and mustachios! click on the image to make it bigger! (if you want)

also, getting my work up on etsy this time is proving a bit longer of a process...so hopefully by next week that task will be done!

flower sketches 2

2009-02-23T16:06:00.002-05:00

then i had fun in photoshop

flower sketches

2009-02-23T16:03:00.002-05:00

i haven't done any real intricate/detailed sketching in a long time, it felt good to sit down and draw one thing for a few hours. these are just some flowers from different arrangements from saipua

10 x 10 SOLO pieces

2009-01-26T14:34:00.002-05:00

here are the three 10 x 10 pieces i did yesterday and today. I started out just wanting to do some "lonely" feeling pieces. and i like this idea of "solo" because one person could look at them and feel alone, but another person could feel a sense of adventure, and another person could just see solitude. the images aren't square because the whole pic didnt fit on my scanner and i didnt want to double-scan, plus i probably would have cropped them for my website anyway. enjoy!

Commissioned piece

2009-01-20T16:10:00.002-05:00

Here is a piece that a lady in Dover commissioned for her niece (i think), anyhoo, it was for a little girl's room and she wanted something with a frog. I actually had a hard time with the idea of a frog because they can get too cartoony-cutesy or too realistic-not as cute. So, i think this was a good not-too-cutesy compromise. she liked it, so that's all that mattered.

sad sad whale

2008-12-04T17:25:00.003-05:00

So i drew this today and it gave me an idea for a book...not 100% sure on the plot, but something along the lines of none of the whale's friends can tell he/she is crying. cause there might be a rain cloud, or waves splashing, or it might be night, anyhoo, i'll be chewing on this idea for a bit.

Turkey Brain

2008-11-24T14:37:00.003-05:00

Illustration Friday: Vacant

2008-11-03T16:13:00.004-05:00

I also decided to use this image for some marketing postcards.

nootka the sniffer

2008-10-24T20:57:00.002-04:00

more newness

2008-10-24T19:21:00.000-04:00

New paintings

2008-10-23T19:31:00.001-04:00

free business cards!

2008-10-08T18:17:00.002-04:00

So there was an offer for 100 free 1-sided business cards on overnightprints.com (wonderful printing!) all i had to do was pay S/H. So this is what i came up with. i think it's pretty fun.

The Common Sense of Grey

2008-10-07T15:22:00.003-04:00

These are frank's books, "The Common Sense of Grey: A Theory of Everything" (Vol. 1 and 2). It was pretty fun to think of what to draw for them, and i like the feel. Although, if i had more fonts to choose from, id probably switch up the fonts. ah well.

coffee shop sketches

2008-10-06T18:24:00.002-04:00

these are a few sketches i did in our favorite local coffee shop, adelle's. the chicken leg one came after my second cup. coffee does good things. the colors are from adjusting in photoshop.

Obama rama 2

2008-10-01T19:21:00.002-04:00

here's the card (front/back)

obama rama

2008-10-01T19:15:00.002-04:00

this is just kinda random, i was doing a voter card ID reminder for my friend Laura who is volunteering in Georgia for obama, and i just took the drawing i did, put it in illustrator and did a lot of copy-pasting. i think it would be a great wrapping paper!

Februhairy

2008-09-29T19:10:00.003-04:00

I think I'll turn these guys into little paintings for my portfolio.

redo of some older pieces

2008-09-24T16:16:00.002-04:00

So these are two pieces that i decided to "monochromaticize." I definitely like them more now. you can scroll down to see the older versions.

6" x 5" Mixed Media on Goodwill board

Eco-Psychology

2008-09-24T10:44:00.001-04:00

Mixed Media 8"x10" on board

Pass Down the Ketchup

2008-09-17T12:00:00.003-04:00

This is an illustration I did in response to an article about how ideas parents hold about food are passed down to their children. Not 100% on what I think about it yet, i have to let it sit for a few days.

Tree Caves

2008-09-16T14:25:00.003-04:00

These are two paintings that I started sometime last year and have been working on them the past week. They are approx. 11x13 and 13x11 acrylic/gouache/pen on MDF.

new studio, new work!

2008-09-15T13:44:00.003-04:00

well, i finally have my studio up and running for the most part, and have managed to do a few paintings, so hopefully i will have more posts (and my website) up in the coming weeks!

NEW illustrations!

2008-01-23T21:39:00.001-05:00

bronte! (so sad)
signs of the beard

frank dreams of mountains
bearded acorns!

Basically I have been focusing on simple lines and loads of texture. My canvases have been mostly strange wood items that I find at Goodwill (cheap AND interesting). Most of these will probably make it onto my "real" website soon (cross your fingers).

mini-illos

2008-01-16T14:32:00.001-05:00

Here are some holiday gifts that I gave to a few friends...mini illustrations on kitchen counter samples. Love free canvases!

New things a-brewin'

2007-12-05T10:36:00.000-05:00

Since lately I have only had my part time job at the winery to keep me partly busy, I have had a lot of time to just create. I realized (it's about time too!) that it is better to do 20 illustrations and have 5-10 turn out great (or even less) than to wait till I have in my mind what will be a great image. So I have been working, trying new ideas, really any idea I have. From potato angels to bearded acorns, I have 10 works in progress (building them all up in stages) and at least 10 blank surfaces to work with. My goal is to have 20 finished illustrations by the end of the month so that I have plenty to choose from for actually making my website in Jan-Feb.

I am also excited about the surfaces I have been using. Basically they are all reused board from Goodwill or other thrift stores. You know those cheesy images on wood, or those wooden sconces? I've been painting/drawing on those. It's really fun since some of them are in neat shapes, and I love the kitschy aspect of the wood. They also look amazing all close together. If I were to have a show of the work, I would want lots of pieces really close together like a family's photographs on a den wall.

The images themselves are silly, simple, textured, some are just nonsense. But right now, those are the sort of ideas I have been having...nonsense. Anyhoo, sorry for the lack of work on this blog as of late, I've been busy working. Just hold out till February!

potato angel 1

2007-11-14T18:23:00.000-05:00

graphic-y things

2007-11-07T22:12:00.000-05:00

This is a tray that I made for my sister from an old baking sheet. It has a layer of resin on it. The red side is a fun surprise for the bottom. Also here are a few logo options that I developed for SolarPowerRocks.com. I might win an ipod nano for these babies!

Oliver Winery Cookbook almost done

2007-09-16T09:47:00.000-04:00

Now all that is needed is the title and recipes!

Winery Cookbook (start)

2007-09-12T20:27:00.000-04:00

now time for some color!

Wilderness Survival

2007-08-30T11:32:00.000-04:00

These are just some initial scans of a few illos I am doing for a chapter on wilderness survival in a camp handbook. Let's see we have (from top) a few spears, a debris shelter, seepage basin, solar still, transpiration bag, and tree pit. Perhaps I'll send them to Survivor-man for his approval.

Forgotten Antelope

2007-08-21T06:05:00.001-04:00

I forgot about this one! But here it is now.

HOW magazine!

2007-08-21T06:00:00.001-04:00

This issue of HOW just hit newsstands (go pick one up!), and I am very pleased with how the portraits turned out. They are gouache/colored pencil on board.

Thank yous

2007-07-30T09:52:00.001-04:00

This was a thank-you card that I made for some friends who got married in Chicago. They wanted something that had to do with the city. Since they are a younger couple I created a more whimsical, simple skyline for them.

More works on MDF

2007-07-30T09:45:00.001-04:00

These are all works that I did on MDF (micro density fiberboard) with a mix of acrylic, pencil, and gouache. I finished them by coating each piece with a layer of resin. These scans were done prior to the resin, but the finished product looks very glossy and it added a "finished" and "display-ready" look to each one.

Fly away

2007-07-30T09:42:00.000-04:00

I wanted to post this slightly older image because I think it fits in with some of the newer works I am composing.

Lobster boy

2007-07-25T18:33:00.001-04:00

I really like lobster boy and he really likes his onesies!

Whale Face

2007-07-25T18:22:00.000-04:00

acrylic/gouache/colored pencil on board

I really enjoy this piece. It is simple, has a lot of breathing room, but also has an almost disturbing feel to it.

WELCOME to my SKLOG!

2007-07-25T11:46:00.001-04:00

Thanks for checking out my SKLOG (sketch-blog)!

For now this will be a bit of a temporary portfolio site for me as well as a place to post sketches and random thoughts. I hope to be quite diligent in updating my SKLOG so be sure to check back frequently.