My Client's Sports Themed Nursery

I was very excited to see these photos in my inbox today.  An expecting couple asked me to do a set of 4 paintings to span the wall behind their crib.  I completed the paintings and gave them some suggestions for additional items to buy for the room.  The finished product looks great!

You can see the paintings on the left, above the crib.  The red, metal stars add to the vintage vibe.

You can see that the paintings match the client's baby blanket.

I also suggested that they get a framed chalk board to go with the sports theme.  

New Dessert Paintings

A Sports Themed Nursery

I am almost done with a set of 4 paintings for a sports themed nursery.  Here are some cute items that would also look great in the baby's room:

Where to Buy:

1.  Red Antique Stars:  Pottery Barn Kids

2.  Red Number Hooks:  Pottery Barn Kids

3.  Wire Laundry Basket:  Restoration Hardware Baby & Child

4.  Hand Sewn Football Pillow:  Etsy Store:  OscarANDTheodore

5.  Vintage Sports Penants:  Land Of Nod  

6.  Industrial Numbered Baskets:  Restoration Hardware Baby & Child

7.  Wicker Baskets with Chalkboard Label:  Pottery Barn Kids 

Illustrator/Artist I Love - Curly Girl Designs

I recently saw one of this artist's collages on a friend's blog and thought, I LOVE that quote.  I love when are makes you smile with words as well as color & fun.

Print by Curly Girl Design

Food Artists - Bompas & Parr

Check out this cool molded Jello (or Jelly in England) by British food artists, Bompas & Parr.  

Motivate Me!

Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything: I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that. 
Sometimes when I'm stuck in the middle of a challenging art job, or trying to get motivated to start a new job I can come up with a dozen reasons why I SHOULDN'T take some kind of action and I feel stuck in the "I just don't want to do that" zone.  I can become annoyed with work and careers in general, wonder why I am doing what I'm doing, if it will lead to anything, and on and on.      


When I am stuck in one of those negative mindsets here are some things I do to get back to work:
1.  Make A List of small, easy steps to take and cross them off when done, ie:
- Get out supplies and set up table
- Do rough sketches for 1 hour (sometimes I even set a timer, which helps mentally)
- Scrub in basic colors on canvas
- Take a 20 minute break
2.  Listen To Music or TV while working - this tricks me into thinking that I'm not really doing "work"
3.  Step Away: take a 30 minute walk or nap - sometimes changing it up physically with rest or exercise can change your mindset.
4.  Go To The Art Store:  Buying new supplies, even if it's just a couple new brushes can inspire.
5.  Go To The Bookstore or Library - Viewing other people's art in books and magazines helps motivate me.


What do you do to get motivated?

Fashion for the Work At Home Artist

Even though we work at home, we still have to make daily fashion decisions!

1.  Gap T-Shirts - $19.50 each (sometimes $9.99 when on sale) - super comfy and cute enough to leave the house in.  Cheap enough that if you get paint on them it's ok.
2.  Sanuk Vagabonds - the most comfortable shoes ever.  They feel like a slipper but you can where them to the store.  $48.00
3.  Fab Basic Cardigan at Forever 21 - Cheap, colorful coverups only $11.50.
4.  Old Jeans - The best way to re-use  old jeans - paint in them.  Added bonus - when you wear them out with paint on them, people think they are fashion statements!  Ha!
5.  Ring Holder - Don't forget to take off your rings and jewelry before painting.  This Elephant Ring Holder from Urban Outfitters is cute and only $12.00!

Best Bite Bought: Cocoa Powder

This is a new weekly blog feature that I'll be writing to point out some of the most delicious and unique foods, snacks, candies and ingredients that are available to buy in almost any city or online.  All of these entries will be based on my humble opinion so don't freak out if you buy something and don't like it.  If you have some kind of food fave that you'd like me to include, just email me or comment me with ideas.

 The first thing I have to post about is the most amazing Cocoa Powder I have ever tried.  First let me tell you that I am a Cocoa Powder fiend.  I put it in yogurt, cottage cheese, coffee as well as sprinkling it on special desserts. I even add it to Nestle Hot Cocoa packets to make them more potent.  My favorite cocoa powder concoction involves 1 container of Fage Greek Yogurt, 1 or 2 tbsp of cocoa powder & 1 tbsp of agave syrup.  This treat is so thick, sweet and it's also low in calories!

So the BEST Cocoa Powder that I bought recently is E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge Cocoa Powder.  I was very pleasantly surprised that this brand doesn't have the typical bitter cocoa powder taste - it almost tastes like regular chocolate.  It's ultra fine, almost airy and it has a deep, red color that looks so pretty on desserts.

It is a little bit more expensive than regular cocoa powder but it's so worth it!  I got mine at Sur La Table, which has a location near my home as well as an online store.  If you are a cocoa powder lover like me, please try this brand of cocoa powder - you'll be a convert, I promise!   

 

My First Crack At A Professional Illustration Job

These last few weeks were exhilarating, challenging and exhausting.  I completed my first major commercial illustration job and boy did I learn a lot!  I anticipate my next jobs to be a lot easier because I learned so much from the process and through working with an amazingly patient client.   I'm not sure if I can post the final paintings yet but I can highlight the most important things I learned from doing this project.

6 Takeaway Tips From My First Illustration Job:

1. Take Time To Evaluate Your Artistic Process:  When evaluating the job at hand try to plan out exactly HOW you are going to complete the job and what tools you'll need to do your best work.  Then discuss your process with the client and ask for any tools or extra time you'll need.  Don't let your process be a surprise to the client.  For example:  Will you need detailed reference photos? Will you need real life references?  Will you have to do a lot of extra leg work to research or prep for the project?  How long will each painting really take?  How long will each revision take?  All of these questions are important to think through because if you get to the middle of the project and realize you don't have all the tools you need or the time you need, you'll feel stuck.

2.  Consult with a Pro Prior To Signing Contract:  Talk to another commercial Illustrator before taking the job to learn about what the process is like and what to include in a contract.

3.  Consult with A Pro To Keep Your Head on Straight:  During the job you might feel isolated and frustrated and have no one to consult with when you question or doubt yourself.  Don't bother your husband or your mom - they won't get it.  Try to contact other illustrators throughout the process so you can vent to someone who really understands what you are going through.  I received some great tips from illustrator, Karyn Servin, while I was working on my project.  She also helped relieve some of the stress I was feeling.

4.  Take Time Off:  Give yourself time to step away from the project and force yourself to think about things other than the job.  While it is necessary to give 110% to the job, it's important to remember that you'll do better work when you are healthy, happy and enjoying life.  At first I was trying to work every day, all day, and I thought about the project around the clock.  Finally when I started taking appropriate breaks and gave myself time to breathe, I ended up producing better work and enjoying the process more.

5.  Don't Be A Mind Reader:  This is sooo important.  I don't know how many times I jumped into a new leg of the project without being 100% clear on what the client was looking for.  I THOUGHT I knew what they were looking for but it wasn't until I asked very specific questions and got very specific feedback, did I realize what to do.

6.  Don't be stubborn:  At the end of the day, even if you don't think a painting needs a brushstroke here or extra color there, listen to what the client wants and just do it to the best of your ability.  This isn't about what you like, it's about what THEY like.

This list could go on and on because I did learn a lot.  But all this learning is making me itch to get started on another project.  So I'll leave you with these 6 tips - I hope they help!

Food Photo Shoot: European Desserts

Hope you are having a great weekend!  I have been baking and taking pictures of desserts to help me illustrate Tiramisu, Caramel Panna Cotta and Profiteroles.  Here are some shots from my work today:

Tiramisu with whipped peaks lightly dusted with cocoa powder

 Caramel Panna Cotta or Creme Caramel

A cool shot of the Caramel Panna Cotta on my porch

Oreo Tiramisu!

This last shot is Tiramisu for two - made especially for my husband and I to enjoy tomorrow on our 1 year wedding anniversary!!

Pretty Package Designs

Currently I have package design & illustration on the brain since I was recently hired to paint some desserts for the New Zealand food brand, Pams.  I am so thrilled to be working on this project and have become more interested in ogling food package designs on the web.  Here are some neat designs that caught my eye:

  Elizabeth Vereker's rebranding of a wine I tried in high-school (only once or twice!) - Boone's Farm.  I found this on a cool package design blog, TheDieLine.


Check out these Swedish gummi candy bags designed by Amore.  The expression on the mouse's face denotes either sweet or sour candy.  Those scrunched up eyes on the sour mouse are so cute!

Here's a pretty package for one of my favorite condiments: ketchup.  Ketchup gets a lot of action in my house and since it often sits on the table, I should probably upgrade to something more stylish, like this gourmet version I found on Lovely Package:

                                  

  

Gotta Get Back To Work

Why is it so hard to get back to work after a long weekend when you LOVE what you do?  I found help for this dilemma on one of my favorite art/illustration blogs: Escape From Illustration Island.  While I was procrastinating and blogging, I came across this post about getting back into the groove after vacation.  (Made me think I should be working instead of reading blogs).  Luckily I found these tips helpful and will be back to the grindstone tomorrow!  Escape From Illustration Island is a must follow if you are a commercial artist or illustrator.  Check it out, then get back to work!        

On My Way To The Great North West

Tomorrow my husband and I leave for his home town of Tacoma, Washington.  It's a cute town and on a clear day you can see Mt. Rainier in the distance.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to take some photos, like I did the very first time I went to Tacoma/Seattle with Brad, when we were newly dating...

Despite it being a tourist trap, I LOVE Pike's Place Market in Seattle!  

On Friday we're going to the Puyallup Fair.  And everyone tells me I gotta try the scones.   I hope it's sunny so I can take a picture that will look like this:

                             

Puyallup Fair - Puyallup, WA - 9-25-05 - jimvid's Photos

And maybe I'll even go on the Roller Coaster, (before eating the scones).  So pray for sun so I can snap lots of photos and return with beautiful pictures to post.  

Artist I'm Drawn To: Amy Casey

I decided to start a new blog series called "Artist I'm Drawn To."  The series will feature all different types of artists with the main criteria being that I saw and really dug their art.  Hopefully this will introduce you to some new art to bookmark, talk about and even purchase.

This past weekend I went to Art San Diego - Contemporary Art Fair.  This show featured galleries from around the world and in my opinion the art was 10 times better than what I've seen at local art walks.  One artist that caught my eye was Amy Casey, represented by the Rosenthal Gallery in San Francisco.    

Amy's 2010 paintings that were shown at the fair were a series of houses & buildings strung from twine and bound together in messy piles.  It reminded me of a mix between a Doctor Seuss illustration and a delicate drawing by Andrew Wyeth (like this one).  On Amy's website she said that this work was meant to "reflect the view of the nervous state of affairs the world seems to be in.  Inspired by natural and unnatural disasters, personal fiascos and the never ending stream of bad news coming from the media."  Hmmm.  Sounds like the book I am reading - Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America.  ANYHOO... Here are some of her paintings:

Interdependence - Acrylic on Panel

Anchored - Acrylic on Paper

Guarded Premises - Acrylic on Paper

So what do you think of this art?  Comments please!

A Surprise Painting For My Dad

This is a painting of my Dad rowing on the St. Lawrence river in northern New York.  While I can take credit for painting it, I can't take credit for the thoughtfulness of Tom Taylor, our family friend who commissioned me to paint it as a gift to my Dad.  Check out Tom's new photo blog.  Hopefully he'll send me more photos to paint - it looks like he has an eye for capturing beautiful scenery.  

Photographer Annie Liebovitz

This Saturday night my husband and I watched the documentary, Annie Leibovitz - Life Through A Lens. It was an enjoyable look at a famous magazine photographer who's had a lot of unique experiences.  I didn't know much about her until I saw this doc and I was amazed by where her work has taken her from traveling with The Rolling Stones to photographing John Lennon just hours before his death.  Definitely a great doc to watch - you won't be bored.

Here are some of Annie Liebovitz's famous photos:  

1.  John & Yoko, 2.  Whoopi Goldberg, 3.  Nicole Kidman

 

Color Palette: 50's Kitchen Wallpaper

The hunt for color palette ideas always leads me to great websites and images on the web.  Currently I am working on a collection of paintings with a vintage kitchen theme.  I am focusing on the 1950s because I love the appliances from that decade and I love the primary colors in a lot of the wallpaper.  

One site I found that sells over 1000 vintage wallpaper patterns is Second Hand Rose.  Here are some samples:

Wallpaper from the "Kitchen Wallpaper" series

Art Sales Success Story: Selling Art in a Cafe

One question I get a lot is:  "How have you sold most of your art so far?"  People want to know what sales avenue has worked best for me in this beginning phase of my art career.  While a lot of things have started to fall into place, one successful venue has been putting my artwork up in a cafe.  

When I started selling my art 7 months ago, one of my marketing/sales strategies was to get my work up in local cafes or shops to increase my visibility.  This last week I sold off all but 1 painting from a local cafe and I am pretty pleased.  I have been trying to analyze what went RIGHT to make this happen and I have a few ideas.  Here is what worked for me:

1.  I cold-called about 10-20 places that I thought would be a good fit for hanging my art.  I used a phone script and left a lot of voice messages.  Luckily I heard back from a bunch of shops.
2.  Of the people who got back to me, I made sure that the owners did not want to take any commission and I visited the cafes to see if there was a lot of traffic.  I also asked if prior artists had sold much artwork.
3.  Just Go For IT!  I was nervous for my first cafe set up being "perfect" but I knew I had to just get my stuff out there.  The first place I chose was a cute cafe with a lot of traffic but I didn't sell anything.  This was because of the cafe location - a student/younger adult neighborhood.  I don't think people at this particular cafe had money OR owned homes.  Definitely choose a place in a neighborhood filled with people who are 35 plus and own homes.
4.  Learning through trial and error:  I committed to staying at the first cafe for only 1 month.  This was a good decision since I didn't have any sales and was able to move on quickly.  I was able to learn a lot about how to display the art, the materials I would need and the time it takes.  (Email me if you want more info on the set up process.)
5.  Location is everything:  My second location was an Ice Cream Shop called The Daily Scoop.  Good things about this location:  in an artsy neighborhood, in a neighborhood with homes, (not apartments), shop has a retro/crafty vibe and is known for displaying local art.

Photo Credit: David Olender

6.  Self promotion on-site:  I bought a plastic business card/flyer display at Staples and used it to display cards and a personal flyer (with info on my blog, etsy site, website, and a photo). 

7.  Success!  Sure enough, at this new location, I have sold 7 out of 8 paintings that were displayed.  My prints did not sell but I am finding that people want original, affordable art for their homes.  

8.  Follow up - I have contacted all the people who purchased my art at The Daily Scoop and have received additional sales from these collectors!

All in all, finding a good location is KEY to sales success at a cafe.  The above steps worked for me and I'd love to hear what has worked for you!  If you have any questions about the steps, please email me for details!  Luckily I found a hot spot and I hope that it continues to be a profitable location.  If not, I'll be sure to chronicle what NOT to do in a future post.  :-)       

Bagel Paintings Completed...pretty much

Two bagel paintings are done!  I have to consult with the client to see if she wants a third painting and if she wants text on the bottom but so far these two are pretty much done...

Bagel Bird's Eye View, 8x8 on canvas

Bagel and Cream Cheese, 8x8 on canvas

Bagel Painting Part Deux

So on Friday I worked on the small bagel paintings based on my photos.  I worked at my kitchen table...

which is now my workspace of choice since I can listen to the TV and paint at the same time.  For me the TV thing works mainly because I use it as a motivational trick to get me to start painting.  If I didn't have the pull of Regis &Wendy Williams I might procrastinate my studio time.  It also provides me with needed breaks while I am painting.  I almost never get up to watch it unless something really juicy is going on.

For now, my kitchen is my primary studio space.  What does your studio space look like??