💖 Updates From My Studio 💖

what's in progress this month!

This week I want to give you a peek inside my studio! So here’s what I’ve been up to creatively and what I’ve been busy developing.

PROJECT #1: TENTACLE ROSE ILLUSTRATION

You might have seen this in my instagram stories recently. I’m about 90% done making a thorny, tentacled rose illustration.

This piece is about the fear of deviating from the familiar. I’ve always had this internal war over “beauty.” Often manifesting in the types of imagery I choose to create with (perhaps why I looove flowers). But there’s a part of me that questions what would happen if I show the bits that hide just below the surface. You know, things that aren’t immediately recognized as “aesthetically beautiful.” This illustration is a way of seeing those two parts exist simultaneously.

I initially wanted to submit this illustration for an online art contest but… I only gave myself like a day to create it before the deadline and… well… you know. That never quite works the way my brain likes to say it might. 😂 But I got a lot of it done super quick! Now I’m in the finishing touches stage and imagining what it might look like on a journal or notebook cover… Something to think about.

PROJECT #2: SPOONFLOWER PATTERN CHALLENGE

In March, I entered a Spoonflower challenge with a carrot pattern I had made. I got somewhere around the top 13% but not the top 10% which is where I would have gotten the perks. So close. But it was an interesting, low stakes experience that taught me 1. How fast I can make a pattern (especially since I was using a cute little sketch from my archives to my advantage) 2. How informative it is to see what resonates with the market. 3. How fun it can be to participate in rolling, thematic contests. Especially free ones.

Yay, Experience points.

Original mini painted carrots | Digitally illustrated repeat pattern

The pattern is still up on my spoonflower account and you can buy products or fabric with my design!

PROJECT #3: ENCHANTED GARDEN COLLECTION

I’m also illustrating a ‘lil collection of art and patterns that have been conceptually sparked by one of my recent art pieces. “Nobody’s In Charge Of Me.”

Illustrating on the theme of forging your own path—especially one out of challenge, obstacles or downright hindrances. I’ve been taking so much aesthetic inspiration from fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty and those beautiful retro Disney scenes.

How stunning is this inspo?!

So far I’ve developed what’s called a “Hero Illustration” (the dominant, most complex illustration inside a collection) I shared the progress sketch of it a few weeks back and it’s now in a more roughly rendered color phase.

The initial sketch had a bigger gate but it was taking up too much space. I think the shorter gate is the better move in this iteration.

But… since I’m not hustled along from paint drying and I can come back to it at any point, I seem to lack a sense of urgency with digital media. 😂 Didn’t realize that about myself before now, so I’m trying to figure out whether I want to fully complete this collection in digital format, or if I want to come back to my roots and paint it all. I have to say, I’m really considering that because—real talk—there’s much more to show in the progress of traditional media than something that lives in a screen.

There’s more fun stuff to video or snap photos of when it’s real paint!

But on the other hand, working in Procreate on the iPad is fast and compact. What are your thoughts? Do you like seeing digital work or have you seen anyone who works digitally that manages to share the progress in interesting ways? Do tell.

The imagery and symbolism for this collection includes: Gardens, briars, thorns, ominous forests, wrought iron gates, keys, paths, flowers (obviously) Maybe some birds. I seem to be doing a lot with birds.

Speaking of birds and thorns…

PROJECT #4: BIRDS AND THORNS ART PIECE

I sculpted this bird a few months ago and have been meaning to get back into the progress of that piece since I was waiting for it to dry. Well, it’s definitely dry by now. So I need to move along with the background I’m creating for it which is on a big canvas. There are more briar-like, thorny vines encircling the bird that is pinned down to the canvas like a specimen. I may share more on that concept at a later time.

PROJECT #5: ART LICENSING PORTFOLIO TO PITCH TO COMPANIES

Aside from all those projects, I’m in the middle of curating a portfolio that I can send out and pitch to companies for art licensing deals and collaborations. To do so, I’m compiling some of my previous illustration and lettering work and organizing it into an “easy to see if we’re a good fit” few pages. I’ll be including things like: repeat patterns in multiple colorways, a moodboard showcasing how I identify trends within the market, a sketch-to-final type of transparent process to show how I work, and some mockups of products I’m interested in creating for.

BTW: If you happen to know of anyone who is looking for an illustrator/designer, LMK. I’m open and looking for a good way to support myself as I take on all these projects and move on my goals.

A few weeks back I shared how art-for-product was something I’ve been interested in for YEARS. And while it has taken me a bit of time to juggle all these projects (because this is just how I live 💁🏻‍♀️), I’m still making progress. These things didn’t even exist a few months ago. And if you think about it that way, that’s pretty cool.

So tell me, do you have creative things in development? Are you bouncing between a few projects here and there? Well, let me high-five you, and remind you to think back on when those projects didn’t even exist. And now you’re making it happen!
How cool is that.

Until next time, my friend. Create bravely and keep betting on yourself.

P.S. if my writing resonates with you, consider a paid subscription or collecting a piece of art. Together, let’s shape the world we want to be a part of by supporting as much beauty as we can find!

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P.S.S. If you’d like to see more of my art making, come follow me on Instagram. 🌹 (Stories is where I share all the goodies from the studio)