I am an Illustrator

I have been away for awhile. This was a combination of a trip to NY and not having the internet for most of the month. 

 

The most important thing for me to post is that I GOT A JOB. It is a temporary design position to feel a maternity leave with the potential of becoming a full time job. I begin in 2 weeks. I am really excited to be starting a creative job and feel great about the praise I was given at the job interview. Finally my talent is being noticed. 

Originally, I was told the job would start around Memorial Day. I thought that if I were to get the job, I would still have the whole month of May off. I am having to adjust that to just 2 weeks now, right when I have gotten used to being unemployed and back into a schedule after moving, NY and being sick. 

This means that I have to finish pulling dead twigs and clearing our little garden space so that I can plant my flower seeds. I picked up a pair of gardening gloves and started the project early last week. I need to pick up some sort of gardening tool to help finish the job and maybe some good new dirt as well.

 

In August, I will be having my first show and had planned on starting art for it this whole time I've been unemployed. It wasn't until this week (with the job offer) that I have finally sat down to do some work. I was so very proud of myself for finishing 3 pieces in 3 days. I had realized my problem in starting was that I have too many ideas. My head swims with them and I am unable to focus on just one idea and go with it. The ideas are always morphing into something else. 

Below are some terrible photos of the work I've completed. I have been working with wax and absolutely love it. For one, it is a great alternative to the gel medium I had been using to seal my artwork. And I love the milky, cloudy look (because I accidently bought white and not clear beeswax, which has worked out quite okay.) I have been pulling my black notebook doodles into my art and using my illustration. And that is a word I still am shocked to use. I have an easier time admitting to being an artist than an illustrator.

My new creative space, featuring my new-to-me desk (the wood one)

This was my first "big piece" an 11x14, which in my canvas collection is about a medium size. Next challenge is the 16x24's

This is pretty much the finished piece

This was a photo stetch for another piece, probably the 16x24 I will start next.

With the strawberries on sale and the desire to make a pie, I made strawberry pie last weekend. I spend my Saturday night in the kitchen with my rolling pin and oven. A taste before being baked left me a little worried. However, I was pleasely surprised with my delicious pie. It was not my baking skills that I doubted, I believe I am a great baker and after all, how many 25 year olds do you know that bake pies from scratch? But I am not a recipe follower, I am a recipe modifier. I reduced the sugar and substituted half wheat flour for the white flour. And the boyfriend still thought it was too sweet. 

Doodles In My Blackbook

After last week's entry about creating an art journal, here is the result. I picked out the School of Visual Arts catalog as my journal. The one I had kept for 2 years to specifically be an art journal. I love the binding on it: perfect binding with thick book board covers. 

Every Tuesday, Amanobooks blog, one of the many blogs I discovered last week, posts a journaling tip. After viewing Amanobooks blog, I took their advice about the first page and created an intention page. It worked as a good place to start. As I created the page I thought, "This is easy, I could do this everyday." Of course, I haven't created a page since this one last week. 

 

Since my last post, I had my second Temp job. I spent a Friday and a Monday answering phones for a wonderful company. I read 3/4 of my book and created several doodles in my blackbook. I also made my first Etsy purchase- all on the job. I had forgotten that even though I hadn't been creating art to sell or even an "art journal," I am often jotting down ideas and doodles in my blackbook. 

I had good news from the shop my art is at. My February sales doubled from January and a few more canvases sold this past weekend. This is further motivation that I need to be creating again. Also, I am on schedule for 3rd Thursday in August. After settling from the move and back from New York, I must make art my job. 

I have begun looking into online printers to print large quantities of my greeting cards. Some of the websites that have good deals:

uprinting.com- 250 cards for $90 or 500 for $93 with more size options

printplace.com 250 cards for $94 or 500 for $107

nextdayflyers.com- this site has smaller quantities available while most sites start at 250

I also have a friend doing some research at her shop for me.  There are great deals for 250 cards, but really do I want 250 cards at this point? With my budget that really means I can only get 2-3 designs.