I just couldn't get enough of Lilla Roger's Make Art That Sells e-course so I signed up for Part B and Bootcamp! There are so many crazy good artists taking the course, including a few that are well known. Working alongside these artists, is as much an education as the class itself! The first assignment from bootcamp was to create a phone case featuring a cuckoo clock. Lilla also challenged us to use new and trend forward colors, which I really struggled with. I've included three different versions of the phone below. Let me know which is your favorite! I ended up submitting the crazy bright one for the final. I also was inspired to make the design into a real clock, which is now available in my Society6 shop at www.society6.com/shop/annewashere. It is also available on other products, including the iphone case.
Molly & Rex Stationery
This was a fun project where I got to create some stationery items for Molly & Rex that included a lot of illustration. I can't wait to order some of the sticky notes!
Birthday Cards
These are a couple of birthday cards I designed for Molly & Rex. It's hard to tell in the photos, but they are embellished with gold foil. The banner card was done completely in photoshop. The balloons I hand painted with watercolors and scanned them into my computer where I added the gold foil strings. It's fun to be able to mix art done by hand with computer generated art.
Make Art That Sells: The Finale
This was my last week participating in the class, Make Art That Sells, taught by super star art agent, Lilla Rogers. Our last assignment was to design a zipper pouch using mirrored elements and imagery of items from our personal collections. A close up: "So Anne," you are thinking, "you collect Pegasus' (Pegasuses...Pegasi)?" No, you got me. But unfortunately for me, I don't collect anything. I let this freak me out for a few days and then I said to myself, "Screw it! I'm just going to do whatever I want." So I did. And you know what? I'm glad I did because instead of trying to force myself to be something I am not and being unhappy with the result, it turned out so ME and I freaking love it. Yay! So, the big lesson this week is to embrace what I love to do and what I am naturally good at (whimsical) and to stop trying to force designs that are sophisticated or mature. Children's market - here I come!
Art Show!!
Hi Friends! I am participating in my first ever art show this month! My amazingly talented friend and coworker, CJ Metzger and her sister, Miss Mindy, are headlining this show and have invited several artist friends to join them. You can check out CJ Metzger's enchanting work at www.cjmetzger.com.
I was invited to create an ornament for the show and here is a peek at what I am contributing. I had so much fun making these that, if I have time, I am going to try and make a few more.
Make Art That Sells Week 3: Storybook Cover
This week in the e-course I am taking, Make Art That Sells, we were tasked to design a book cover or two page spread for an old Russian folktale, The Language of the Birds. I had so much fun working on this, I wanted to share images of my entire process so you can see how it evolved. I think I'm going to work on a few pages of the interior so I can add it to my portfolio.
Spoonflower Fabrics
I placed top ten in the Pie inspired Spoonflower contest this week! I wanted to share some of the fabric images they posted with you. I included an image of the horoscope pattern from a few weeks ago as well.
Christmas Type
Working on some hand lettered Christmas type for Tiger Print!
A Lesson in Patience: MATS Week 1
I've never been very patient. I knew it was bad when one year my mom gave me, as a gift, a bracelet that had the word PATIENCE spelled out in beads. This Monday I started the first week of the e-course, Make Art That Sells, by Lilla Rogers and Beth Kempton. Just waiting for the class to start was an exercise in patience. It was the first time I looked forward to a Monday in a long time! This week we learned about the Bolt Fabric market. Before we were given our weekly assignment, we were asked to research, sketch and/or paint a subject. I tend to skip or skimp on this step when I am working on a project because I am so excited to jump right into the fun part of actually designing. Because I didn't even know what the assignment was yet, I was forced to spend some quality time focusing on exploring the subject. Because of this, once we were given the assignment, I had a full arsenal of creative weapons at my disposal! To my surprise, it also helped that I work a full time day job, because it forced me to take some time away from my design, reflecting on it and then coming back to it with a fresh pair of eyes. Only being able to work a few hours each day also helped me to be more deliberate and productive. I'm really happy with how my piece turned out and when I reflect on what made it successful, I realize that having patience was a huge part. And now I can apply this to the bigger picture. Lilla encouraged us to realize that our talents are not finite and that we are all continually and constantly improving - no matter where we are on our journey. As someone who had to wear a patience bracelet around for years of her life, this is important advice. I often find that if I can't achieve what I define as success immediately, I feel like a failure. But failure would be not trying at all, because then there would be no improvement. So here I am trying away and I've never felt so good about it!!
Bring Your Own Boos
New halloween pattern just for fun!
Lilla Rogers Studio School
If you don't hear from me for the next five weeks starting on Monday, do not be alarmed. I am taking Lilla Rogers online course, Make Art that Sells, and I am probably going to spend every waking minute that I am not at work, doing classwork. I am SO excited. I haven't even started the course yet and it has already inspired me to push myself to be better at what I love to do. I'll be posting some of the work I do for the class in the coming weeks so stay tuned!
AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!
I won first place in my first ever entry in a Spoonflower contest and I'm over the moon! My design is available for purchase on fabric, wallpaper, gift wrap & more! Thanks to everyone who voted for my design, your support and encouragement mean so much to me. XO
Pencil to Chalk
I figured out that if I do hand lettering using a dull pencil and then invert it to white in Photoshop over a chalkboard background, it looks like real chalk lettering. Here are a few comps I just finished for Michaels Arts & Crafts showing the before (pencil) and after (chalk).
Pupply Love Valentine's Day Bags
More finished products from the Puppy Love Valentine's Day collection.
Let's Make Apple Pie
Designing for Someone Else
I work for a stationery and paper goods company that has a very different design aesthetic than my own. Punch Studio is known for it's beautiful collage of vintage imagery, hand painting and ephemera. This is a laser cut card that I designed today in that style. It doesn't come naturally to me and it is always a challenge when I am assigned projects in this style. I have to let go of my own personal taste and design for someone else.
Iphone 5s
I ordered a new iphone today and I paid a million dollars for it. Just kidding. Not a million, but it felt like it. Like many of you I now primarily use my iphone as my camera, and so I am constantly running out of storage space. Oh you wanted to take a video of your adorable dog? Well you can't. Because you already took 100 videos of your adorable dog and there isn't any more room. So I ended up getting the new iphone 5s with 64gb so that I will have room for all of my shenanigans. And it was expensive. Ouch. So now on to more important things, like, what case am I going to get? Here is a new one I designed that is now up on Society6.
Floral Bouquet Laser Cut Card
Working on some laser cut cards today and this one was my favorite.
Chalkboard Christmas Words Wrapping Paper
I wrapped a box with my Chalkboard Christmas Words wrapping paper design today!
Horoscope Pattern
I entered a Spoonflower contest today! The theme is constellations, so I ended up making a horoscope pattern. If you vote for me once the contest is open, I will send you a brain hug. :)