What’s a Pumpkin Fairy?

Over at Etsy.com there’s a constant stream of people posting ads for artists to help them with some art project (Alchemy section).  Already I’ve spotted lots of posts for custom invitations.  I bid on this one: “I am looking for a unique pumpkin fairy invitation for my daughter’s 4th birthday party. Something shimmery with orange and brown.” I came up with this in about 2 hours:

invite-fairy_pumpkin

Think she’ll hire me?  [UPDATE: Wellll she didn't.  Siiiiiigh.]  Hahaha it looks so corny.  I mean… I’ll be the first to say that I’m terrible at drawing people.  And fairies.  This is the best you’ll get out of me.  She looks a lot like the little girls I drew for the children’s book:

tlctgirls

My cousin, Leslie, helped me with these two and the “pumpkin fairy.”  She’s the best.

P.S. What is a pumpkin fairy anyway?

Don’t Pay for Organization

If you’re like me, you go nuts about superbly organized studios/home offices/workplaces.  You never get tired of looking through Ikea, Pottery Barn and similar catalogs.  You constantly look around your workspace and wonder how you could rearrange it.  Your favorite isle at Target is the Tubberware bin and Sterilite drawers isle.  Yeah, you know what I’m talking about.

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Souce: home-designing.com

Alright, so some of my old standbys for inspiration are Pottery Barn, Ikea, The Container Store and Crate & Barrel.  But the thing with those places is that you need money… which I don’t have.  So I’m trying to think of ways to make an organized home office using materials I already have.  At school I made a desk out of an old flat panel door with file cabinets as legs (no tools required!).  I stored anything I could in cardboard boxes (i.e. shoe boxes, tissue boxes, cereal boxes, etc.  I mean, I’m already paying for the box, why not put it to work once the product is gone?)  I just found this on HGTV.com — using vegetable cans as containers.  I used one of those hanging shoe organizers for things like gloves, scarves, and hats when the weather was warm.  It just takes a little bit of thought, and it’s beats spending more money.  The only down side really is that it doesn’t look all that glamorous.  For example, you won’t feel too professional when you have a Cheerios box on your desk.  So I started covering that kind of thing with one of the following: old craft paint I wasn’t planning on using ever again; I keep my old jeans and use the fabric to give something else a face lift; newspaper for a vintage look (usually the free campus paper); and if I had time, I might cut images out of some old magazines and pasted them over the boxes for a more custom/personalized look.

So I guess what my point is, you don’t need a pretty box with Martha Stewart’s name on it to store all your art supplies.  You already have everything you need to organize yourself if you take the time.  Plus, it’s free!

Fountain of Inspiration

I can hardly keep up with myself today!  Somehow I came upon an enormous wealth of graphic design websites today.  It was a bit overwhelming as I did not have enough eyes to look at all hundred sites at once.  Here are just a few that I found particularly interesting.  Now, since I’m generally behind on what’s hot, I may start talking about something that’s been around for while like it’s brand new.  I apologize in advance.  Have a look for yourself!

Inspired Magazine – “daily graphic design inspiration”

Fudge Graphics – “freebies, tutorials & inspiration for design lovers”

Smashing Magazine – “we smash you with the information that will make your life easier, really”

Dead Wings Design – “visit the dark side of design”

Function – “designing a website that works”

Those are the major sites I consider most informative.  From there I found countless articles, tutorials, showcases, free downloads, and so much more.  A few articles captured my special attention that I wanted to share.  The first is Web Design Trend Hunting over at Inspired Mag who spotted the “circle trend.”  From there I found two new artists’ work I really like, Zara Picken (illustrator) and Richard Perez (graphic designer and illustrator).  Fudge Graphics has a cool article on artists’ favorite colors.  Turns out I have the same favorite color as Vitaly Friedman at Smashing Magazine, which leads me to my next article of interest – 50 New Beautiful Blog Designs.  And if you love Top ## lists, I have one more for you.  Spoonfed Design compiled their 40 Highly Creative Headers list.  This, obviously, is not everything out there, but it’s a start.  Quite honestly it’s enough to keep you occupied all day if you’re not careful, haha.  Hope you find lots of inspiration from this!

Now that’s advertizing!

Stumble Upon brought me to a website just now called “Found Shit.”  Pretty classy title, eh?  That’s okay.  They provide lots of interesting, funny and bizarre things to entertain you with that you get over the name quickly.  I made my way over to the Ads section and was pleased to find a lot of new adverts I’d never seen that were both sassy and ingenious.  My hands down favorite is the Frontline ad.  I actually gasped when I realized what I was looking at exactly.  My only complaint is that the dog is upside down in relation to the text.

flea-spray-billboard

Sources: foundshit.com -> blameitonthevoices.com -> comunicadores.com

I’m so impressed that I’m almost speechless.  Like… seriously… how do you even come up with an idea like that!?  They were definitely thinking outside the box.

I wonder if employees in that building like it or not.  It’s impressive, but I imagine it being slightly… unprofessional?  I can see it working if that’s in a vet office (but that is one huge vet office) or in a mall, sure.  But I really wouldn’t want to see that when I meet with my lawyer or something like that.  However, I think it’s a shopping center in Indonesia… not entirely positive because the website featuring the most information about the ad is in fact written in Portugese.  (Tangent: I’m intrigued by foreign languages.  I know spanish and french, but I could barely pick out words in portugese.  Why is that?  I was surprised.)  However, I was able to figure out that it’s essentially a giant sticker made by Saatchi & Saatchi.  Hats off to them!

Invitation Design and Paper Vendor Research

Went out to Borders last night to check out all the latest wedding magazines.  Found some websites for different wedding invitation designers that caught my eye.  Should anyone be interested, I have them listed below.

1hammerpress2envelopments3gatsby4dauphine5griffin6ML

Hammerpress – old school letterpress printers in Kansas.  Along with invitations they print stationery, posters, aparrel, and art prints.  Great for anyone looking for very unique invitations  with a handmade feel and lots of texture and color.  (What of their’s caught my eye.)

Envelopments – Talk about customization!!  This place is for those who love infinite choices of shape, size, and color of paper and envelope options imaginable for the mix and match combo that works best for you.  (What of their’s caught my eye.) Side note for those want to work there: just look at the book they give you — it’s enough to make you think you died and went to heaven.  Another side note for those who can’t get enough of customizing their products, you’ll love this purse website.

My Gatsby – A more youthful look with fun, bright colors, but with still lots of hints of simple, classic elegance.  They also do other events – baby, birthday, anniversary, etc.  (What of theirs caught my eye: the blue/green set on the homepage.  Essentially this + this.)

Dauphine Press – To me it looks as if this collection we inspired by Princess Diana.  The designs are very simple, the color palatte is light and friendly, but there’s just something there that says “royalty.”  (What of theirs caught my eye.) I really like their products, but their website makes it hard for me to keep interest.

Anna Griffin – If the bride thinks of herself princess and her wedding should follow suit, this is where she should be ordering her invitations.  Not to mention matching frames, photo albums, keepsakes and scrapbook supplies.  (What of theirs caught my eye.)

Monique Lhuillier – Whoa, nelly.  If you have expensive taste, be sure to check out this designer.  And I mean going-to-Paris-for-fashion-week expensive taste.  ML not only offers fine paper invitation collection but also her own line of tableware, bridal gowns and women’s fashion.  (What of theirs caught my eye.)

7landh8kenziekate9bte10elum11julie12elum

Linda & Harriet – Looking for something less traditional?  Something that shows personality and some splash of vintage and mod?  Then you’ve gotta check this site out.  (What about theirs caught my eye.) If you like this site, you might also like this clothing site and this purse site.

KenzieKate – You know how some of these sites sorta make your eyes glaze over after a while because the patterns all sorta start to look the same?  You know – seen one, seen ‘em all?  Well, this is the first one I’ve found to break that trend.  I mean, it’s nothing groundbreaking, but each design has something unique to offer.  (What of theirs caught my eye.)

Greenbean Designs – For the delicate, quiet type who probably likes gardening and landscaping.  (What of theirs caught my eye.)

B. T. Elements – Contemporty, tasteful and eye-catching.  My personal favorite.  (What of theirs caught my eye.)

Elüm – Modern.  There’s no other word for it.  Except maybe crisp.  I’m a huge fan.  (What of theirs caught my eye.)

Sweet Pea Designs – pretty standard stuff.  Can’t go wrong with any of it.

Julie Holcomb Printers – Simple, elegant letterpress.  But!  They throw in some extras that no one else has.  1. Mettallic edges and 2. these cool seasonal box invitations.  Bravo, Julie.  Plus!  They are environmentalists.

And that’s about all I could stand for one night.  Hopefully I haven’t shown you too much of the same styles… I started to notice a definite pattern of similar looks I picked after I started writing about these haha.

The Ugly Truth

As a graphic designer, this graph makes me happy… but as an American, it makes me panic haha.

american-dreams-to-debt-solutions

Think Before You Critique

I stumbled upon this just a few minutes ago — sculptures made of colored pencil stubs.  Interesting concept, but I’m not overly intrigued by it.  However, I did end up writing a very long comment on the blog.

Have you ever read the comments that people leave on photos, images of artwork, or articles/blogs?  For the most part those who comment have something nice and encouraging to say.  But then those who dislike it have to make some pointless remark about how the artist is a “moron” or “one dumb mutherf*****r”.  Real classy, huh?

This article is no exception.  There are at least two comments exclaiming that these sculptures are a “waste of natural resources” and rallying to “SAVE THE TREES!”  Now, while I am all for saving the trees as well, I found their argument to be rather weak.  All those pencils had already been mass produced.  It’s not like the artist went out himself and cut down a whole forest just for an art project.  He chose a material that was readily available, so I can’t really see how that’s wasteful.  Secondly, out of all the materials to sculpt with, the artist chose something biodegradable.  (Does any know how long it would take for a colored pencil to biodegrade?)  Sure, you could argue that he could have used a metal that could be melted down and used again.  That wouldn’t be too terrible, I guess.  But still… If, for whatever reason, these pieces were to be abandoned in a land fill, colored pencil (not metal or plastic) sculptures would be less harmful to the planet.  If he had made pencil stubs out of steel and then made the same scuptures, then THAT, in my opinion, would have been a waste.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are worse things and you should choose your battles wisely.  Or maybe I’m just sticking up for a fellow artist who was just trying to make something original and got shot down for it.  I am no stranger to critiques myself, so it just really irritates me when people make immature comments.

Wedding Stuff

My brother and his [now] wife asked me to do all the graphic design stuff for their wedding and reception, which was last weekend.  I made the programs for the ceremony and then the escort (name/seat) cards, table numbers, table menus, quiz cards, and other description cards for all the tables at the reception.  Here are some pictures of the process and final products.  Unfortunately, I was unable to take photos of my work in place at the wedding (I was too busy catching up with family and being a dancing fool)  But! the event coordinator, Louise, was absolutely in love with everything I made and said she would take pictures of it all to put on the website.  Crossing my fingers, hoping that she actually does.  I’d love to see my work on their site.  After all, I’d like to get some kind of reward out of it since I didn’t get paid for it (I couldn’t charge, it’s family!)

Finished program

Finished program

Inside programs

Inside programs

Programs in progress

Programs in progress (20 of 80)

Programs in progress

Programs in progress (20 of 80)

Each program was made up of 3 pieces of paper – two of which were front and back.  Essentially, it was a grand total of 400 printed pages.  But in reality, it was only 240.  And that’s just the programs.   Good news is: I only ruined 3 pieces of paper trying to print them.

M&M favors and finished programs

M&M favors (30) and finished programs (80)

Quiz cards (80)

Quiz cards (82)

These were printed out two to a page = 41 pieces of paper.  Ruined 2 pieces of paper.

Menu, Guestbook, and Favor table cards

Menu, Guestbook, and Favor table cards

I redid the Donation (last on right) card about 4 times.  The paper was thick enough that I got away with reprinting on the back, so I only wasted 1 piece of paper.

Escort Cards in progress (80)

Escort Cards in progress (80)

12 per page; 7 pages total; no reprints.

Finished Escort Cards held by wine bottle corks

Finished Escort Cards held by wine bottle corks

Not shown: table numbers (1 piece of paper) and small table menus (2/page = 5 pieces of paper.)  Total pieces of paper used: 240 + 41 + 6 + 7 + 1 + 5 = 300 + 6 ruined pieces of paper = 306.  Accuracy: 98% yeeeaaaahhhh!!  (Sorry.  I’m completely obsessed with stats — I went to Virginia Tech afterall.)

Basically, I’m showcasing all my work because I had so much fun making this stuff and want to keep doing it.  So, if you or someone you know needs this kinda stuff for their wedding, you should point them in my direction!

Wedding Program

Program1

8 pages

Size: 4″ x 4″

Art: original, but based off a similar design

Software: Illustrator & InDesign CS3

Date: Jun 2009

Table Top Items

graphic-corks

Escort Cards with Wine Bottle Cork Holders

Size: ~ 3.5″ x 2″

Art: Original

Software: Adobe Illustrator CS3

Date: June 2009

graphic-menu

Small Menu

Size: ~ 3″W x 4″L x 1″H

Software: Illustrator CS3

Date: June 2008

graphic-quiz

Trivia Quiz Cards About the Couple

Size: 4.75″ x 4.75″

Art: Original

Software: Illustrator CS3

Date: June 2009