A little look into the back end of the illustration process
Category: Uncategorized
Back to the Mitten
I spent the last few days in Michigan doing a bit of work and exploring the Ann Arbor arts festival. I was blown away with all the great finds and amazing artists that turned out. I was also blown away that none of us melted, it was 105 degrees!! I spent the first nine years of my life there and have always felt a kinship with mitten state. Who knew Ann Arbor was such a hot spot for great food {hellooooo zingermans!}, amazing shopping and interesting artists? I think I have a crush…
Currently obsessed with…
Edge painting! I can not get enough of it. I am sort of pushing this on all my new letterpress jobs because it’s just so very cool and unique. It really adds a finish that you can’t get with anything else.
Prizes!
When I was a little kid I used to dream about winning a shopping spree at CVS. The thought of being able to have access to all those school supplies made me downright giddy. I remember one year in particular I made my Mom take me back to school shopping for supplies in July, {when school didn’t start until September-who does this?} when I got to the register I spent $67.00 on pens, notebooks, loose leaf paper, 5 star binders- the works. Back then {not to sound like an old fogey} it was pretty hard to spend that much on notebooks but I certainly managed. Today, my passion for beautiful office supplies still holds true. Here are some new prizes that I found for my office. I know I’ll never be able to fill all the notebooks I buy but I’m not sure I really care, they just make me happy.
Words to live by
Process
I realized the other day that no matter how hard I try to style a photograph, nothing looks as good as the tiny moments that happen in real life. Heavy, I know. Here are a few snaps from a day of watercolor painting for a new project I am working on.
Cape Cod Prepster
Growing up in Massachusetts, I am no stranger to the preppy world. Boat shoes, monogrammed bags, non-ironic madras, it can be intense! For this job, I channeled that secret prep inside and came up with some cute nautical bits for this rehearsal dinner invite. Using a mini folder, we mounted the invite on the inside letting the little pouch on the side hold the RSVP post card. The anchor and rope are hand drawn, letting the set feel a little more quirky. The concept for the RD {lingo- rehearsal dinner} is “Tying the Knot” playing off the nautical venue. We created small hang tags to tie the entire set together. A vintage map of Cape Cod lines the envelopes. I don’t do preppy often but I have to say- I love the vibe of this set! Makes me want to dig out an old Oxford from high school and pretend I like lobster.
Happy 4th!
To me, summer begins with the 4th of July! Warm weather, outdoor movies in the parks, eating al fresco all the time. It’s the best. I am back home in Massachusetts for my best gal’s wedding. I am excited to take a few days off to relax and enjoy the sun. I hope you all have a fantastic 4th of July!
Cute Packaging
On my recent trip to Europe, my friend Jenna recommended we pop into Demel Chocolate while in Vienna. Thankfully we took her advice and we were not disappointed. It was full of gorgeous candies, chocolates and odd & ends that made you feel, quite literally, like a kid in a candy store. I found this adorable chocolate bar packaging while I was there and have been super inspired by it ever since. I’m a sucker for all things illustrated but there is something special and whimsical about this. It is on my inspiration board waiting for the right project. We shall see…
HELP! I need somebody
Wow! Two Beatles references in one blog post- a red letter day if you ask me. {my screen name in college was “courtbeatles” I have a thing for those 4 gents} I wanted to call out my special “interns” from last week who helped me out when I needed a little nudge. It can be tough juggling all the balls we have up in the air but having some good pals to turn to makes everything a little more manageable. Have a great week!
