Andree's Illustration

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T07:40:00.001-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Did you know that almost every country celebrates a version of this holiday in their own fashion, sometimes on another date? For instance, in Japan, the tradition is very ritualized and is all about the giving of chocolates, so much so that on this date chocolate companies make half their annual income. The Western customs of giving of candy, flowers and cards and are uncommon. But here's the part I find most interesting - only the women give chocolate to the men, and it's all about giving just the right amount of chocolate. There is good chocolate, and the not-so-good, and in offices, every man is presented with his appropriate type of chocolate. What a great way to tell that guy what you really think of him! Then the men are expected to return the favor in March, on White Day, the color of the reciprocal chocolate. They must return a gift two or three times as valuable as the one they received. (excellent idea) To ignore this custom is viewed as an act of superiority, and a gift of equal value indicates he is cutting the relationship. I must confess, I gathered this information from the Internet, and we all know how reliable THAT source is, so if this is outdated or incorrect, please let me know!

These illustrations were preliminary sketches for an assignment I received several years ago.

I hope you find time to do an act of kindness today, we all need a little love in our lives.

Saturday morn

2012-02-11T12:08:00.000-06:00

What's so special about this photo, you may be asking. BLUE SKY, that's what! It's been so gray here in the Midwest, it really gets to me. I was standing in the grocery store parking lot when I looked up and saw this sight. Even though it was 17 degrees below zero (counting the wind chill factor), seeing this sunny blue sky warmed me right up!

Illustration Friday - Suspense

2012-02-10T07:04:00.000-06:00

Nothing says suspense like a volcano on the horizon!

A very odd story accompanies this painting: I painted this several years ago after seeing this lovely location (minus the volcano) in a travel magazine. I made up the rest of the composition, the image came into my head without any other source of inspiration.Six months later I hung it in my studio for an Open Studio event, and a woman came up to me and said, "In my country (she was Japanese) we have a children's fairy tale in which two rabbits get in a boat and row out to a volcano. Have you read it?" I had not - and I was amazed that somehow I must have channeled into that ancient fable!

I have a "thing" for bunnies.....have you noticed?

Reminder

2012-02-09T07:51:00.000-06:00

Guess what holiday is coming up next week? You may forward this to someone who might need a little reminder heh heh

Eva Zeisel 1906-2011

2012-02-04T22:34:00.000-06:00

Here it is February, and for the last month I've been meaning to write about my new-found heroine in the arts, Eva Striker Zeisel, who sad to say, departed from this world on December 30, 2011. Eva Zeisel was a master of modern design, yet I must confess I had never heard about her until I read her obituary. Ms. Zeisel, trained initially in the industrial arts, created every day objects that fundamentally changed the look of American kitchens and dining rooms. Her work was often described as "human, sensual, voluptuous", words not usually associated with tableware. She was quoted as saying "I search for beauty. I never wanted to do something grotesque. I never wanted to shock. I wanted my audience to be happy, to be kind." And that is the feeling I get from viewing her creations - they make me happy, they make me smile!

Born in Budapest in 1906, Ms. Zeisel led a long and colorful life, worthy of a screenplay. She began as a (first ever female) journeyman in the ceramics industry. After a series of increasingly evolved and respected positions in the design world, Ms. Zeisel eventually was hired as the artistic director of the Russian republic’s china and glass industry in Moscow in 1936. It was during this period that she was falsely accused of planning to assassinate Stalin. She was imprisoned for sixteen months, twelve of those months spent in solitary confinement where she feared for her life. She endured torture and brainwashing, and at one point attempted suicide. She was unexpectedly released in 1937, and by 1938 had made her way to Britain where she married Hans Zeisel. Late that same year they emigrated to New York (with a total of $64 between them) where Ms. Zeisel's extraordinary talents would soon be recognized. She was the first female designer to have work honored in an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, and many commissions and design opportunities soon followed. In spite of her "dark years" and stressful life challenges, Ms. Zeisel's work remained playful and sunny, eccentric and biomorphic. After the birth of her children John and Jean, her creations became imbued with a feeling of nurturing and togetherness, a tribute to the family. Very appropriate for tableware, I must say! She once stated, "All of my work is mother-and-child”. She remained productive right up to her death at age 105, acquiring honors for outstanding achievements in design. For more information and links, you can read her obituary here.

Photo credits: (1) The Washington Post, (2) The British Museum, (3) The Museum of Modern Art,
(4) Berkshirefinearts.com, (5) designlinesltd.com, (6) design2share.com

Girl with a Goldfish Bowl

2012-01-30T10:11:00.001-06:00

Those big puffy sleeves were quite the rage in the "olden days"! As I mentioned before, I was inspired by Utamaro's woodblock print with the geisha holding a gold fish bowl. Once I composed this portrait, I thought what better background than an ancient sea map. I may have to pursue this further, since another one of my collections, in addition to cabinet cards, is vintage maritime maps and charts.

Illustration Friday - "Forward"

2012-01-28T06:30:00.000-06:00

Me thinks this young lady and her butcher friend are not going to go "forward" on any level here.

This was a preliminary thumbnail sketch for a book cover. The book is an amusing and informative true tale of the author's travails in attempting to adopt a new diet that included meat (upon the advice of her doctor). This sketch did not go FORWARD and another illustrator was chosen for the project. This was the decision of the publisher - yet another reason why authors should refrain from choosing their own illustrators, since the publisher usually likes to make that call.

I'm glad that I kept the sketch - now I can use it for Illustration Friday!

Utamaro

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

Look at this - is this not the most beautiful wood block print that you have ever seen? (it's a detail, to be accurate, taken from a worn-out calendar).

The artist is Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806), and at the beginning of this month I saw his work in an exhibition here in Minneapolis. I was so enchanted by his work, I almost swooned a dozen times - I was sure security was going to have to carry me out.If only I could have married him, I would have been surrounded by his beautiful art for my entire life. I'm too late, he's been dead for 206 years.

The only thing left to do is to attempt to do beautiful art myself. I think I'll steal his idea of the gold fish bowl. Did I say that? Let me rephrase. I think I'll "reinvent" the idea of the gold fish bowl in my next drawing.

Poppy Tie Lady in Color

2012-01-26T07:46:00.000-06:00

Here she is in water color with her fashionable totally modern tie. Yesterday I wondered if photo retouching was done in the nineteenth century. (in other words, was there life before Photoshop?). And the answer is, yes indeed. Apparently it could be a hellish process!

Here's a quote from the British Journal of Photography dated November 9th, 1894, describing the working conditions of retouchers:

"Sir - ... I should like to inform you that there is a photographic establishment wherein the employés labour under difficulties quite as great as those described by the 'depressed and low-spirited assistant, who so frequently requires the stimulus of 'a cup of tea'.In a room measuring about 11 ft long by 6 ft wide, and varying from 8 to 10 ft in height, seven retouchers and spotters have to work. Three walls and the roof are of glass, rendering it necessary for the retouchers to keep their heads entirely covered with black cloth, besides making it very difficult to spot, as the light comes from so many different directions.In the winter, the room (which would otherwise be intensely cold) is heated by a gas stove, which renders the atmosphere unbearable.Another interesting fact from the employé's point of view is that the proprietor of the concern sits at a another desk in an adjoining room, having full view of the seven assistants, so that, though they may faint in the fumes of the gas or shiver in the cold, they have not a moment's respite from their arduous employment. ... [Signed: HYGIENE, Bristol]"

And to think I complain about sitting long hours at my keyboard!

Poppy Tie Lady sketch

2012-01-25T11:07:00.000-06:00

As you can see, I'm not really going after likenesses with these cabinet card ladies, although there is a hint of the original within the sketch. I'm more drawn to (did I say "drawn?) the clothes, the hair and the fact that these are real people before the days of Photoshop and retouching. Now that I think about it, I wonder if they did retouching in the 1800's? I'll have to look that one up!

Love the hair!

Now she needs a little color, so that will be for tomorrow's post.

Bershon

2012-01-24T07:12:00.000-06:00

In the previous post, I made mention of the young girl's strange expression, saying that I couldn't quite figure it out...was she bored? Annoyed? Impatient? A very kind reader named Heidi wrote in the comment section "I think it's called "bershon". At first I thought she was referring to the little white dog, and I was getting ready to comment back saying no, that's a Norwich Terrier... (haha) but thankfully before I took pen in hand, or hands to keyboard, I used my dictionary. I'm probably the only person in the universe who doesn't know what "bershon" means - but this word fits the young girl's expression just perfectly!

The best definition I found was in an article written by Michael Bierut, and I quote: "Bershon was first introduced to a wide audience by writer and blogger Sarah Brown, who remembered it as a word from her own teenage years. Her definition is still the best:The spirit of bershon is pretty much how you feel when you’re 13 and your parents make you wear a Christmas sweatshirt and then pose for a family picture, and you could not possibly summon one more ounce of disgust, but you’re also way too cool to really even DEAL with it, so you just make this face like you smelled something bad and sort of roll your eyes and seethe in a put-out manner."The article is very amusing, and if you'd like to read it and laugh before you start digging through your own family scrapbook for photographs displaying friends and relatives in various stages of bershon, you can check it out here.

Thanks for the tip, Heidi!

Girl with White Dog

2012-01-22T10:42:00.000-06:00

This cabinet card is dated "1927" on the back, in elegant but faded green fountain pen ink. I'm assuming it's a mom and daughter portrait - they even have similar style dresses with the pleated skirt and dropped waistline. The daughter has such an interesting expression on her face, which I can't quite interpret. Is she impatient and annoyed having to stand for her portrait? I think not, judging from the fact that she has taken the time to pose her leg in a fashionable way. Mom is actually smiling, which is very unusual to see in a portrait of that era.I took quite a few liberties with this illustration, didn't I! Artistic license, you know...

Heliopsis

2012-01-21T09:53:00.000-06:00

Another attempt at watercolor - I think I bit off more than I can chew at this point! Too many decisions here, not enough practice to make my hand do what my brain sees. But that's OK, it's all process and the faster I make my mistakes, the quicker I can get to where I want to be.

Vintage Sewing Pattern Girl

2012-01-19T10:53:00.001-06:00

I thought I would try something new - watercolors! I found my old tin of watercolor paint which must be at least twenty years old - I think I used it once or twice and abandoned it. I'm in the mood to try new things, so here goes. I find watercolors really hard to master, and posting them on my blog will provide me with a a visual diary and a means of discipline to prompt me to continue. It will be fun to see the evolution, don't you think? This is an interpretation of a Simplicity 50's sewing pattern cover. Love those retro kids!

Cabinet card lady

2012-01-17T11:01:00.000-06:00

I have a collection of cabinet cards that continue to fascinate me. They were very popular in the last part of the nineteenth century, until Kodak came out with their Box Brownie Camera in 1900. At that point, families began taking their own photos instead of relying on professional photography studios, and these intricate and carefully posed scenarios of people and props gradually ceased to exist. I thought it would be fun to translate them using Photoshop (first image) and watercolor (second image).

Sublime Stitching

2012-01-15T10:32:00.000-06:00

My pencil sketch above

I was asked by Jenny Hart if I would be interested in creating a pattern of belly dancers for her fabulous company Sublime Stitching. I said YES YES YES - I was thrilled! Jenny has pioneered to transform the traditional craft of embroidery into a contemporary art form - "This ain't your gramma's embroidery!" is her motto. It certainly isn't! One look on her website and you will see what I mean. Her efforts to revolutionize needleworking has earned her media fame and a loyal following of fans from all walks of life. Her website features over 50 (often edgy) patterns, textiles, tools, all-in-one embroidery starter kits and entertaining, now-I-understand-it instructions to bring embroidery back to life for a new generation of needleworkers.Be sure to check out her shop. After you order your supplies and settle in to embroidery these belly dancers, you can listen to thisbelly dancing music and really get in the mood!

Illustration Friday - Prepare

2012-01-13T09:18:00.000-06:00

If ever there was to be a time to prepare, this is it!

If you know someone who is busy preparing, she might appreciate a note from you to remind her to slow down and enjoy a lollipop now and then. This mom-to-be can be purchased as a set of hand-glittered note cards at Darcy's Pretty Girl shop.

Dooley

2012-01-09T22:16:00.001-06:00

When I was a kid we had this wonderful terrier named Dooley. He loved nothing more than to entertain us with his tricks of sitting up, rolling over, jumping through a hoop, and escaping out the back gate when we weren't looking.

Character studies

2012-01-04T19:58:00.002-06:00

I thought I'd share a couple of sketches that I created while thinking about a future illustration project. I was hoping she looked a little bit French and a little bit American, since that is how she is described in the story I will be illustrating.

Stare into my eyes

2011-12-22T17:01:00.004-06:00

I just love the way dogs will study their owner's face to pick up clues as to what their big buddy is thinking. Like, is she going to give me a hug? A treat? Like, what's up? Is it dinnertime yet?

ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY - Sink

2011-12-18T07:41:00.002-06:00

There is nothing like sinking into a reverie to refresh your day!

Holiday rush

2011-12-12T14:24:00.002-06:00

Can someone please tell me how it got to be December 12th? Where oh where is the time going? Apparently I'm not going along with it, I got left behind at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Well, I'll just get in my car and get shopping and decorating and soirée planning. First I'm going to get my dictionary and find out what a soirée is so I can have one.

Sweater Girl

2011-12-01T07:22:00.003-06:00

It's definitely sweater weather around here. In fact, it's becoming heavy coat weather - snow is falling this morning, but not in earnest. Just enough to coat the freeways and make the commute miserable for folks with jobs outside the home. On days like this, I count my blessings for my in-home office/studio! Now I'm going to commute to the kitchen and make a cup of coffee.

The Quick Brown Fox

2011-11-28T11:17:00.002-06:00

I was sorting through sketchbooks and came across this page. I was beginning to work on a painting of a fox in a surreal landscape and I wasn't sure how I wanted to proceed. These sketches provided a starting point and a way to loosen up. Sometimes I just need to get my hand moving, and then my brain says,"Hey, wait for me!" and kicks into action.

ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY - Vanity

2011-11-18T07:21:00.005-06:00

This week's Illustration Friday's theme of "Vanity" brought to mind an illustration I did a while ago - a perfect match for the subject!

Blazing Trees

2011-11-03T08:15:00.004-05:00

Oh awesome Autumn! From the top of the world to the bottom, it is a captivating sight! The tree in front of my house is illuminating the gray skies, and in the backyard, Suzi-Q blends in with the leaves. It's the "Where's Waldo" effect! Hope you are enjoying the fall wherever you are.

2011-10-30T12:40:00.000-05:00

Halloween is tomorrow - still can't decide what to wear!

Art Attack 2011

2011-10-28T21:30:00.004-05:00

It's time to open the doors and share the art! If you are in Minneapolis next weekend, come to the Northrup King Building for an afternoon, and an overload, of art! There are over 200 artists working in a wide variety of media, from fine arts and crafts to furniture, fabrics and more. I'm in studio 350 - stop in!

Here's more information about the event, directions, and the artists.

Cup 'O Tea Sketch

2011-10-24T16:50:00.003-05:00

There's a bit of a chill in the air these last few days, time to throw some wood into the pot bellied stove and have a cup of tea!

Happy Birthday Mary Blair

2011-10-21T09:10:00.011-05:00

Today would have been illustrator Mary Blair's 100th birthday. What a prolific and dynamic artist! She began as a water colorist with a naturalistic bent, but her style soon evolved into the more abstract and colorful forms she is known for today. She worked as a color stylist and concept artist for the Disney Studio in the 40's, a time when there were few women animators, and almost none in managerial positions. Her influence can be seen in such well-loved animated films as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan.

Disney's animated films were enhanced by her bold ideas about composition

and mood

and color.

She was so versatile. After resigning from Disney, she worked as a freelance graphic designer, and her vibrant colors and stylized designs could be found in TV commercials, murals and children's books.

I loved how she was not afraid to use black to enhance her colors, but I think what I love the most about her style is it's utter simplicity, and how she streamlined all her line work into such harmonious proportions. A great example is this illustration for a product called Choco Milk. I mean, how sweet is this!

For more information on Mary, you can visit the website created by her nieces: here.

Fashionista and her Hoover

2011-10-20T22:13:00.005-05:00

If you believe the ads in the magazines published in the fifties, housekeeping was a stylish affair! Swirly dresses and high heels were the standard outfits for cleaning the house, or so it would seem.

I am paying homage to West Elm's gorgeous rugs with this print. I would love to purchase this rug but since I can't afford it at the moment, at least I can look at it in my print!

This print is available in my online shop Graphitegirl.

Sketch

2011-10-14T10:51:00.004-05:00

I'm vacuuming in my high heels today, tralalala lah! This happy homemaker is probably wondering what to do with that floating lamp.

Seriously, I have a Hoover vacuum cleaner that is older than the hills, but I will never trade it in because according to the repair shop, "they don't make 'em as good as this old model anymore!"

Walking the dog

2011-10-10T10:56:00.002-05:00

Today, while walking my dog, I lost my house keys. I got home and discovered this fact, and fortunately I was able to get into my house because I had forgotten to lock the back door. It didn't seem to be a good beginning for my day! I wondered if the key had fallen out of my pocket while I was pulling the plastic doggie "pick-up" bag out of my pocket. Every morning before our walk, I say to myself, "Don't put the key in the same pocket as the doggie bag, because your gonna lose it some day when you pull the bag out." I never listen to myself! For some perverse reason, I always stuff the bag and the key in the same pocket.

So I went back to the big open field, covered in fall leaves, and walked around. Within five minutes a sparkle caught my eye, and there lay my key! Amazing!

Just so you know, I was not wearing high heels and Suzi is not a Poodle, but it makes for a good beginning to this story!

Happy Birthday Laundress

2011-10-08T16:01:00.004-05:00

All you birthday fashionistas, take a LOAD off your feet and celebrate! This cheerful lass is now a birthday card in my Etsy shop here.

Laundress sketch

2011-10-05T07:13:00.006-05:00

Here's a smudgy beginning of a birthday card I'm working on for the fans of the fashionistas. She going to wish you LOADS of fun on your birthday, get it? get it?
I thought about reversing her position to face the washing machine, but it didn't work as well as I thought it would. Here, take a look:

In this version, the washing machine becomes more prominent in your sight - since she is facing it, our eyes tend to take it in at the same time we view our lovely subject. But that is just the point, I don't want that washing machine to share the limelight, I want her to be the star. So for me, the first version works better, where she turns her back to the machine and it becomes less important. It's just one of those things where you ignore the rules and do what you wanna do - it's called "artistic license"!

Green grape catastrophe

2011-10-03T10:38:00.004-05:00

Yesterday my dog Suzi-Q gave me such a scare! I came home to find her eager to see me, but she had vomited greenish puke all over the floor - and a single green grape lay underneath the coffee table. Yikes! Grapes are toxic, lethal, to dogs. On my way out the door previously, I had been carrying a bunch of grapes in my hand, and one (or more?) must have fallen to the floor where she found it and ate it in my absence.

She is fine today, but I think I may give up grapes (and chocolate) so I won't have any more accidents like this!

ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY - Hybernate

2011-10-01T13:59:00.001-05:00

What a perfect theme for this time of year!

Fall grasses

2011-09-26T18:33:00.003-05:00

Every year I wait for the tassels to sprout on top of the prairie grass in my garden. From my window I can see them swaying in the autumn breeze, highlighted by a sun that is slowly backing away from us Northern climate folks, soon to abandon us to winter's austere presence. I love fall....winter, not so much!

Another sketch, another cover

2011-09-24T11:13:00.004-05:00

Here's another peek into the advertising world, this time the front cover of that 2004 Target electronic catalog which was the subject of the previous post. It's always helpful for an advertising designer/art director to have an illustrator sketch out what the art director is envisioning for the layout. But sometimes, when they arrive at the photographer's studio to do the final photography, it just doesn't look right! Maybe there have been last minute alterations. Maybe new props are added, or the product is substituted, or the pose needs to change. So right there on the spot, the sketch becomes a starting point rather than the final say.

Aren't these models the cutest? (I am never given photos of the models when I am sketching, I just invent them, so it's always a fun surprise to see the final version). And I love the color combinations!

From sketch to cover

2011-09-21T10:41:00.005-05:00

Pardon my lapse in posting, but I've been working working working, for Target on upcoming printed materials, so now that I'm in a lull, waiting for revisions to hit the fan, I thought it might be fun to show how a finished cover evolves from a sketch. This is the back cover of Target's 2004 electronic catalog. You can see how the position of the boy and his dad remained the same (although flopped), but changes were made in the product - from two to only one. It always amazes me to see my drawing become a photograph, no matter how it transitions. I also liked the Mid-century feel of the type/script, since I'm partial to retro!

Catalog work

2011-09-08T08:14:00.004-05:00

I often do sketching for retail companies, such as Target or Kohl's, and my friends ask, "Yes, but what do you DO???"

Well, I sketch! Those circulars, or mini-catalogs that fall out of the back of the Sunday paper, the ones that have all the photos of goodies that you need to buy, SOMEBODY has to do the preliminary sketches of all the products. Otherwise, how would the photographer know what to do or how to photograph all the merchandise that is brought to the photo studio?

Here are some sketches from the kid's toy circulars from previous years. I just love drawing kids and toys, it makes me feel like I am seven years old again!

Birthday Fashionista

2011-08-22T13:27:00.007-05:00

Do you know someone who is going to be celebrating a birthday? Here's the illustration that I began a while ago, available as a card from my Etsy online shop here.

Millenium Park

2011-08-20T10:09:00.004-05:00

Nothing like getting spit on when it's a hot day in downtown Chicago! I visited my friend Marilyn over the weekend, and we toured Millenium Park, complete with this fun and popular wading pool. The rotating projected images are of the citizens of Chicago, and they are not static images..every so many minutes, they blink their eyes, or purse their lips and spit a fountain of cool water over the delighted kids.

Lorraine Fox

2011-08-10T22:03:00.005-05:00

I am fascinated with the mid-century fashion illustrators, and Lorraine Fox is one of my favorites. She was one of very few women in a male dominated field, and she was very bold and experimental in her approach to illustration. When I look at this illustration from a Women's Day magazine dated October 1956, her figures look as if they could have been illustrated today, especially the older couple standing at the top. You can click on the image to see a larger version.

Adoring cat

2011-08-06T20:28:00.004-05:00

Here's a little detail of an illustration I will soon post, an adoring cat. As a former cat owner, I can agree with that old saying, "Dogs have owners, cats have staff."

July Birthdays

2011-07-26T10:33:00.003-05:00

I have so many friends that have birthdays in July - including me! Here's a page from my sketchbook, a future Fashionista birthday girl. I'll post the finished version, when I finish it! Rembrandt and I were born on the same day in July, a trivial fact that I relish. Who do you share a birthday with?

ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY - Gesture

2011-07-15T13:17:00.004-05:00

Whatever happened to that nice gesture of tipping hats to the ladies? It probably went the way of the dinosaurs when the gents stopped wearing hats and the ladies stopped wearing white gloves.

This is from a pattern design I created for Sleepyheads.com.

ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY - Stay

2011-07-08T09:23:00.002-05:00

I'm just going to the store. I'll be right back. Really. STAY!!!!

Retro Summertime

2011-07-07T17:07:00.005-05:00

Summer is here and the living is....HOT! I thought I'd share some illustrations from a past fabric design in which the motif was fifties fashion. There is really nothing new under the sun..... these vintage style swim suits are popping up in current fashion catalogs, which just goes to show ya, what's old is new again!

2011-06-14T11:15:00.008-05:00

Oh my, it's been SO long since I've posted - I'm working on a project that I'll add to my blog in a bit. But for now, I thought I'd share some sketches for an upcoming children's book about a little Pomeranian who has a love of Opera. It's odd, but this is the second project in 4 months with the theme of the Opera. (here's a look at the other.) Maybe that's because my great-grandmother was a Parisian opera singer, and I'm carrying on the legacy. If I can't sing in the Opera, at least I can illustrate it!

New Cover Illustration

2011-04-28T09:15:00.009-05:00

I was fortunate to work again with Janna Netland-Lover of Local Design Group on the May cover of Minnesota Medicine Magazine. The theme for this issue's cover was the subject of organ transplants. Organ transplants are now able to be used on a much wider base of the population for a wider variety of situations than in the past. Janna envisioned an illustration of silhouettes and organs - so I got out my trusty Wacom pen tool and tablet, and away I went.

First I sent her the following three sketches, using the magazines template to position the elements to work with the type and label.

Version One: Patterned background, organs, which are illustrated in pen & ink style are highlighted in rectangular solid shapes.

Version Two: Plain painterly background, organs depicted in realistic medical illustration style, no backgrounds to highlight them.

Version Three: Another painterly background, but in warm colors, and organs are highlighted by rectangles.

Janna chose the patterned background, but preferred the organs without highlighting shapes behind them. So I went to work on tweaking the figures, completely changing a few, and here's how they came out:

I'll post the finished cover tomorrow.

Happy Earth Day, Happy Spring!

2011-04-22T22:33:00.002-05:00

First a howling blizzard woke us,
Then the rain came down to soak us,
And now before the eye can focus -
Crocus.
-Lilja Rogers

LET'S GIVE A BIG HAND FOR SPRING!

Illustration Friday - "Bottled"

2011-04-08T12:10:00.001-05:00

Nothing says "Happy Birthday" like a bottle rocket shooting out of the cake!

Monday Morning Men

2011-03-28T10:40:00.002-05:00

Now the question is, are they running to work, or away from work? This is a doodle from my sketchbook.

Workout Miss

2011-03-26T12:04:00.003-05:00

Every spring I make the same horrible discovery - I CAN'T FIT INTO MY CLOTHES! Every spring I say, "How did this happen?" I'm sure my clothes shrank from too many washings over the winter (roll the eyes), but I guess it wouldn't hurt to ramp up the exercise regime.

Paper Dolls

2011-03-22T15:26:00.008-05:00

I loved paper dolls as a kid, so it was really fun to do a grown up version while creating concepts in an ad agency. The art director needed different outfits to present to his client, and this was the barbecue outfit. The final version, which I don't have, was in full color.

Sketches for the Retro Fair

2011-03-21T21:22:00.006-05:00

Here's a sketchbook page for another fabric pattern. The theme was that of a country fair with the roller coaster, big slides, cotton candy, fortune teller and "Guess your Weight" scale. Sometimes the sketches have a loose lively look to them that compensates for the lack of color.

Farmer's Breakfast Print

2011-03-19T21:55:00.005-05:00

This was a fun novelty pattern to make for fabric, entitled "Farmer's Breakfast". I don't know what I like painting more, animals or food. Both are so comforting!

Retro Gloves & Purse

2011-03-17T17:04:00.005-05:00

Why wait until you are crowned Queen of Everything to to put on your long white gloves? You will need them to carry around your cute little beaded purse when you go to pick up your dog from the groomers, etc.

Illustration Friday - "Stir"

2011-03-11T07:36:00.004-06:00

Oh, those 50's ladies, they could bake a cake in pearls and high heels!

50's Fashionista - Mop Girl

2011-03-09T11:46:00.011-06:00

Yes, home-owning is an endless round of chores, but nowadays it's a lot easier to mop a floor without wearing high heels! This illustration is available as a card - come visit my Etsy Shop!

50's Fashionista - Jello Girl

2011-03-08T20:24:00.010-06:00

There's always room for JELL-O. Some things never change...

This illustration is available as a card - come visit my Etsy Shop!

50's Fashionista - Dusting Girl

2011-03-07T21:27:00.007-06:00

Joan Rivers once said, "I hate housework. You make the beds, you do the dishes and six months later you have to start all over again." This Fashionista looks like she is thinking the same thing!

This illustration is available as a card - come visit my Etsy Shop!

50's Fashionista - Pie Girl

2011-03-06T20:14:00.012-06:00

I've been expanding my Fashionista line, thinking these retro ladies would look great on cards as well as prints. Here is Miss Pie Lover, the first of my new creations. I'll be listing them soon in my Etsy Shop.

TAKE ME HOME!

2011-03-02T11:07:00.005-06:00

Alfie

Sidney

I met an angel at a dinner party last week, and she was trying to pretend she was just a normal human being. But I could tell she was special, especially when she got to the part in her story about the seven dogs sleeping on her bed at home while we were having this lively dinner conversation. It turns out that St. Cheryl is a volunteer for Second Chance, an animal rescue organization here in Minneapolis. Second Chance was recognized by City Pages Magazine as the Best 2010 Charity (you can read the article here). Cheryl, like other foster moms, provides a home for dogs who have been abandoned or rescued until they find their "forever home" through the organization.

This is a special cause for me, since I am an animal lover, and now that the economy has forced so many people into tight situations, their pets are suffering, too, being abandoned or put up for adoption. The equally sad situation is that due to budget cuts, many shelters are closing their doors, and the need for private home foster care is so desperately needed.

Alfie and Sidney, above, need a home. You need a dog or cat. Who can't benefit from a little unconditional love and a nice warm hairy greeting committee when you walk in the door? So check out the list of adorable little creatures who need homes on SECOND CHANCE's website.

The next adoption date is March 12th - go for a visit and take your friends! - It will be the Petco in Roseville between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. For more information, see the website.

I adopted my Suzi years ago and you can see what a difference a little TLC can make with the following photos - her face went from worry lines to snotty confidence. Her TLC made a big difference in my face too, but that's another story:

DAY 1

Several months later

Ice Skater

2011-03-01T09:17:00.005-06:00

Ice skating always looks like so much fun, until I get on the ice and realize that my brain and my feet have lost communication! This is another illustration for Pretty Girl Designs.

Night Fall with Snow Fall

2011-02-22T07:29:00.005-06:00

This is my front porch at 10:00 o'clock last night. I had to push the door open against the snow piled in front of it to take this photo. (I forgot to adjust the camera, the night and the snow were not this yellow!) Somewhere there are steps winding down to the street. Maybe by spring I will find them. The snow is almost to the top of the porch railing!

I would complain, but aside from the hassle factor, it is a beautiful sight.

CULINARY CUTIE - Baker Babe

2011-02-16T07:35:00.006-06:00

50's Fashionista - Laundry

2011-02-08T07:43:00.004-06:00

Today is laundry day. But I am not going to do my laundry, I'm going to my studio to paint. Who needs clean clothes to paint?
P.S. This glamor girl, along with more just like her, is available as a print in my Etsy shop, so if you have a moment, check it out! www.graphitegirl.etsy.com

Illustration Friday - "Surrender"

2011-01-31T10:29:00.006-06:00

DETAIL

Sometimes it's best to just surrender to love. From my Modern Aphrodite series....

Back from Vacation

2011-01-14T08:39:00.002-06:00

It's a new year, and I'm running to catch up already! It's great to take a vacation as I just did, but coming back to reality is a challenge.

Happy Holidays

2010-12-22T21:08:00.004-06:00

Gift Wrap Angel

2010-12-13T07:48:00.002-06:00

Sometimes wrapping the present is more fun than purchasing it.

Here Come the Holidays

2010-12-07T13:49:00.002-06:00

Time to start baking shopping writing cards buying travel tickets cleaning - WHOAAAAAA! I'm exhausted just thinking about it. Let's just have a few homemade cookies first.

Bunny Skater

2010-12-02T08:27:00.003-06:00

This talented bunny was part of a fabric design I illustrated for cozy flannel pajamas.

Illustration Friday - "Savour"

2010-11-29T08:42:00.003-06:00

A moment to savour - the luxury of an outdoor lunch while reading a book and having the waiter bring me a piece of chocolate cake for dessert - YES!

Winter Arrives

2010-11-26T13:58:00.004-06:00

Our beautiful Indian Summer is SO OVER! These photos are from last weekend, when we had eleven inches of snow dumped on us. Yesterday was the coldest Thanksgiving Day in 25 years, with the day starting out at a nippy 2 degrees. Let me remind you, that is 30 degrees below the point of freezing. Time to dust off the skis and brew up some hot chocolate!

Art Attack!

2010-10-31T20:16:00.000-05:00

Yes, another year has passed, and once again it is Fall. This means that "Art Attack" is about to begin in the historic Northrup King Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, home of my studio, as well as the studios of nearly 175 other artists. Our doors are open, are creations are displayed, c'mon down!

The hours are:

Friday, November 5th - 5 pm to 10 pm
Saturday, November 6th - Noon to 8 pm
Sunday, November 7th - Noon to 5 pm

For more information about the event, check out the building's website.

Hope to see you!

Rompers for Cuties

2010-10-18T08:15:00.002-05:00

One of the fun projects I participated in years ago was illustrating rompers for little tykes. Cuuuuuute!

Skipping Stones

2010-10-12T08:21:00.005-05:00

This little vignette is from my designing-for-Sleepyheads days. This illustration was one of about ten retro scenes that made up an overall scatter design that was printed on fabric and then made into pajamas. There were a variety of themes - puppies, the fair, camping, and in this instance, vacation time. It was so much fun to wear my art! Although the company was sold and I am no longer designing for them (boohoo), you can still see lots of great pajamas and lounging accessories at Sleepyheads.com.

Illustration Friday - "Transportation"

2010-09-22T07:54:00.006-05:00

The nippy winds of fall are here, yet I can't face it. I'm in denial. Instead of looking for my sweaters and getting the furnace checked, I'd rather be wearing a sundress and biking to the flower market. We'll see how long I can keep this up.

Backyard Discoveries

2010-09-18T15:56:00.004-05:00

Look what I found in the shady part of my backyard. Huge mushrooms! No, the pear was not sprouting, too, I set it there for comparison purposes, so you could see how big those umbrellas are!

And the dahlias. What can I say. They are always the regal show-offs of the garden, lasting until the frost comes.

Stepping away from my drawing board and computer for a moment to see the little wonders of nature does wonders for my nature!

Peacock Trivia

2010-09-13T22:13:00.005-05:00

A male Peacock is known as a Peacock. A female Peacock is known as a Peahen. A baby Peacock is known as a Peachick. A group of Peacocks is known as a party. So I guess this means when you want to celebrate, don't throw a party, throw a Peacock.

Just thought you should know these facts.

Illustration Friday - "Proverb"

2010-09-10T08:36:00.006-05:00

Just yesterday I came across a Chinese proverb that I liked: "You often find your destiny on the path you take to avoid it". Sometimes I worry so much that my dinner party will be a disaster that it becomes one!

Labor Day, Almost

2010-08-29T15:40:00.011-05:00

The State Fair is the official reminder that summer is ending and we are headed into our long dark frigid winter BOO HOOOOOO. So the State Fair is our last chance to celebrate summer and enjoy our fellow Minnesotans and all the fun and food the Fair provides. This year I really had a hankering to undergo the rituals and trials of the Fair. It's always insanely hot and humid, in the 90's, with the paramedics routinely reviving people who have passed out from heat stroke. And it's always insanely crowded with merrymakers who don't give a second thought about heat stroke!

The first photo is our arrival view, and the last is the departure: a sea of people. There is an unspoken rivalry amongst the vendors as to who can produce the most unhealthy (but delicious) food, and kudos if it is on a stick or deep-fried or both.(alligator-on-a-stick, deep-fried bologna and corn dog pizzas for example)

This year the heat was so intense that we didn't even make it to the animal barns or the Midway. The Horticulture Building was fun (did you know that a stalk of corn only produces one ear? Think how much land is needed to produce corn!) Of course we went to the Dairy Building to watch the sweet State Fair Princess having her portrait sculpted out of butter in a refrigerated "studio". Her attendants also will have their likenesses carved. After the Fair ends, they can take their heads home. What a lovely addition to a future brunch, the hostess's head carved in butter next to the croissants and jelly!

Illustration Friday - "Atmosphere"

2010-08-21T19:24:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure exactly how this image fits into Illustration Friday theme of "Atmosphere", but somehow, I just know it does, and I get the giggles thinking about it!

(Originally, this vignette was one of 8 other little retro scenes I created for a fabric design, with "camping" being the concept)

Tresses

2010-08-18T10:50:00.006-05:00

I've been a non-blogger lately, mainly because I've had a steady stream of summer visitors. But now the house is sadly quiet, so I'm back! Here's a comp I did last year for CVS. The flowing hair was quick and easy to do. The man's hand, well, that's another story. I must have done 30 versions before this one finally met approval! Hands are really difficult for me to draw, especially from memory!

Hot Suburban Knight

2010-08-01T20:12:00.004-05:00

As long as we're talking barbecue, we need someone to MAN the grill!

Hibatchi story

2010-07-28T10:13:00.006-05:00

Summer = barbecues! I have a fear of lighting Webers. This is because of my first experience, when I doused the coals with too much lighter fluid. As I recall, it was a little portable hibatchi. When I lit the coals, a burst of flame shot so high up it almost touched the ceiling of my wooden balcony. Then, I looked down and saw that all the excess lighter fluid had trickled down the leg of the hibatchi and puddled onto the floor. The flame was traveling down the trail of lighter fluid to the wooden floor, just like in an old James Bond movie, where the end result is an explosion or a massive fire.

Having watched way too many Bond movies, I knew exactly what to do.

I picked up the flaming hibachi and threw it over the balcony! Like a shooting star, it lit up the night. It crashed onto the sidewalk and glowing coals bounced all over the yard like drunken fire flies. Was I an idiot or WHAT! I was so lucky that no one was walking below my balcony because it would have been the last walk they ever took!

So now I have my guests light the barbecue for me while I tell the story.

Madonna Doggy

2010-07-19T17:35:00.004-05:00

TIME FOR ANOTHER PET PORTRAIT!

This portrait of my darling Suzi-Q was taken by my out-of-town friend Marilyn while she was visiting me last week. On their journey here, she and her daughter Genna had to pull over and huddle in their car while a tornado passed overhead (seriously, I kid you not). Then, on the evening before they drove back to Chicago, we had to run to the basement for cover while sirens sounded for yet another tornado and stormy night! In between we had a fun week of shopping, eating, swimming, drinking and running amok.

Suzi Q is a cross between a Chihuahua and a Pug, which according to Marilyn, makes her a "Chuggle". We did not pose her, this is how she likes to sleep - under the covers in her doggie bed.

Health Care Reform Magazine Cover

2010-06-30T21:38:00.005-05:00

This was a big step for me. I've been wanted to incorporate textures and drawing into my illustration in a more prominent way, and this is the first time I've been able to mix them all together. It was challenging for me, but I loved the process and can't wait to continue along this road. All the elements are on separate layers in Photoshop, so Janna the super wonderful designer at Minnesota Medicine Magazine will be able to use them for spot illustrations throughout the publication. The arms of Uncle Sam and Minnesota make a respectable handshake when used without the rest of the illustration.

Dancing Doggies and Looming Deadlines

2010-06-28T20:29:00.004-05:00

This was not a good weekend! First of all, we had a huge storm and the power went out. Suzi (she looks just like this little dancing doggie) and I were in the dark from Friday at dinnertime until Sunday noon. This meant that I had no computer, and couldn't work on my illustration assignment, since much of it is computer-generated, and it was due on Monday.

When the electricity was restored on Sunday, I hopped to work, sketching and scanning away. Suzi came in to see me, and whenever she comes into my office and puts her paws on my lap, I know she has something on her mind. Food, a walk, Frisbee, etc. Well, this time she lead me to my bedroom to show me that she had rummaged through my purse and found 3 Dark Chocolate Hersheys tidbits. (doesn't everybody carry chocolate in their purse?) She had carefully peeled away the tin foil, and consumed the chocolate. I wasn't too concerned, but I decided to call the emergency vet anyway. Good thing I did, they told me that the little amount she had consumed was poisonous to a dog her size, and that I should bring her right in because they needed to induce vomiting. So off we went. I'm thinking, is there anything else that can go wrong this weekend? She was shaking like a leaf because she hates to ride in the car and I was shaking because I was afraid I was going to lose her!

She's fine now. Whew! And I finished my job that night. We are dancing in celebration!

Preliminary designs

2010-06-23T20:16:00.005-05:00

A new assignment for Minnesota Medicine Magazine, folks is in the works, yay! Only this time, it is a cover for a supplement that will go out next month with the magazine. The supplement's theme is health care reform, with the general focus on Minnesota leading the nation in working with the federal government to examine changes in the health care system.

I submitted these two sketches, one being a collage treatment, and the other a more painterly approach. The art director selected the magnifying glass sketch. Here's something I learned - I drew the wrong icon for the medical industry. Initially, I looked it up for reference in various websites, and most of the reference sites got it wrong! The two snakes entwined around the staff (which as you can see is what I drew) is called the "caduceus", whereas what I should have drawn is the "asclepius", the single snake entwined around a staff. Caduceus is the symbol of Hermes, the ancient Roman messenger of commerce, and Aclepius was a Greek god who whose specialty was his healing powers. So you can see how these descriptions can make quite a different impression in regard to the medical profession! The snake shedding its skin symbolizes renewal and vigor, the aim of medicine. Now aren't you glad you learned something new today?

50's Fashionista - Entertaining

2010-06-21T08:18:00.004-05:00

Illustration Friday - "Paisley"

2010-06-18T09:32:00.003-05:00

When I read the theme for this week's entry for Illustration Friday, this image that I created several years ago immediately came to mind!

Little Cowboy

2010-06-16T07:34:00.003-05:00

Today would have been my brother's 59th birthday. We spent so many years together, from the time this photo was taken, it's hard to believe that I can't call him up and wish him Happy Birthday. You're in our hearts and thoughts, Paulie, on this your special day and every other.

Bad Hair Day

2010-06-14T10:18:00.001-05:00

I just can't do a thing with it. It has rained every day for the last week, and my hair turns into a frizzy icky mop, no matter what I do. My hair stylist's solution to any problem is, "more product". MY solution is to move to a humid-free climate, wherever that may be.

Book logos

2010-06-01T16:53:00.004-05:00

I was putting away files and ran across a class assignment that was so much fun - a logo that had to be created for a fictitious book store, done in both a color version and black/white. This reminds me - summer is a great time to curl up with a good book!

Lolling Around

2010-05-24T13:12:00.004-05:00

I had the flu over the weekend. Although I hated being sick, I just loved staying in bed. I slept all day Sunday and I thought it was the height of luxury, to be lolling around in my bed in the middle of the day. Fortunately, or unfortunately, my lolling days are over, because it was only the 24 hour variety of flu.

Thanks!

2010-05-18T07:01:00.003-05:00

For all those who came to my studio this weekend, THANKS! And for all those who didn't even know I was participating in the annual open studios event, don't worry, I didn't advertise this year! I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to open my doors until the very last minute.

It was fun, it was fab, and it will happen again in November - and I'll let you know ahead of time!