So I know it's been a couple of weeks since I shared some art with you.. I PROMISE there is a good reason behind it. I was going to wait to tell you about it tomorrow, but might as well just put it all in one post right? lol
Well most of you don't know, but my dear friend Julie, is creative consultant (and trend forecaster and product developer).. who worked for many years for a company called Demdaco (a gift and home decor company who find artists and licence their designs on beautiful products! They have had names such as Willow Tree Angels, Donna Downey, Melody Ross and more!She was the art director who would find new talent and help them develop a line or products to put their art on! She left Demdaco about a year or so ago to pursue her life long dream of working for herself.. and is still doing just that! Now she does consulting for many gift companies as well as licensing agents.. and helps them trendforcast on popular gift products, color scheme and styles. She also helps designs products and works with artists of those companies to give them direction when creating new lines for products. Julie is a good friend.. and a few months ago, she texted me and said.. "would you ever consider signing with a liscening agent to represent your art in the liscening world?" I was like.. um.. WHY would an agent want to present me?? Lol
She then she texted me back and told me one of the companies she consulted for, Painted Planet, had been watching my work on my blog and would love to meet at CHA and talk about presenting me in the art licencing world. I was stoked! Of course I said yes.. and I met with Jan and her assistant in their booth at CHA. I was in love. Jan was such a sweet, kind.. quiet person.. but as an agent.. SHE KNOWS her stuff! Julie has worked for a lot of people and said that Jan is one of the best. So I was totally on board. SOOOO.. I have signed a contract with the Painted Planet to represent me in the art licencing world.. to take my designs and present them to companies (like Demdaco) and license my art onto products!
I am so excited! The first big show is Surtex! It's in May in New York and is one of the most well known licensing shows around the world! Because my portfolio has to be new and fresh and have designs that are "never before seen".. I have been working hard creating.. but not been able to share it with anyone! Well except for Julie! The best part of working with the Painted Planet, is that they hired Julie to be my art director.. and I was STOCKED! Julie is one of THE MOST TALENTED art directors I know! She has an eye for everything.. so I know that she would help me in the direction I needed to go. I will be debuting about 6-8 new lines.. 4 -6 designs in each line.. from everyday (like houses, and birds), to my she art girls.. to vintage baby.. and more. I am having so much fun creating.. but I am so sad because I can't share the process with any of you! I did post a minor sneak peek on my facebook last night (here is the peek)..
but that is about as much as I can show until the line is re-leased in May! (for copyright issues and such).
SO that is another one of my BIG announcements!! My first art deadline is April 15th.. where I will have to have half of my line done for magazine ads, banners, etc.. then my final deadline is May 2nd. BUT Considering I will be pretty much GONE from April 15th until May 2nd (more on why later but its super exciting and I can't wait!!!) .. I only have 2 weeks to get everything done! Holy smokes! So that is another reason for the lack of "art" posts and sharing on my blog.. just working my little butt off in my garage.. creating art.. that in May I can share with you! So excited!
I also had to create a logo for myself.. and I was like what? a logo that is ME??? lol.. what is that? So I called my dear friend Adam from Moselle. I had no where to start and literally no time.. and he created the base for me (the brown paper bag part, my name, the fun sticthing.. )and then sent me the PSD file, so I could play around with it and personalize it a bit more. I added the butterfly, and the doilies and the scalloped boarder, and a little more lace.. I came up with a FEW versions..
and this
and this
BUT after talking with Julie and my other good friends.. I decided on this
While it doesn't feature my artwork behind it.. it makes my name stand out and its TOTALLY my style. So this is my new logo! I will have to incorporate it on my blog header somehow :) but it will have to wait until after my deadlines are done! lol
So even though I can't share with you the art I have been creating for my Portfolio.. I DID make a canvas in the wee hours of the morning.. one night.. when I had finished an assignment and just wanted to play for fun! I based it off this week's Monday Moodboard...
Yellow Love Affair.. in honor of Allie. I made it for her room infact. It reads:
You are my sunshine
and then has the words
Sweet, kind, loving, & funny
on the stems kinda as "leaves"
I used an 8x8 canvas.. as my base. I kept the color scheme to allie's room, so yellow, grey and white.
I used THESE vintage plastic doilys that I bought a few weeks ago from Jenni Bowlin's Mercantile Store.. as stencils (I would give you the link but they are all sold out.. I know because I emailed and asked).. but you I DID find some fun Crafters Workshop Stencils that look very similar and should be here early next week in our Scarlet Lime Shop!)
and Liquitex Light Modeling Paste (from the Scarlet Lime Shop)
and I added a bit of white LIquitex Acrylic Ink (also from the shop) to make it even more vibrant white
and stippled the modeling paste THROUGH the plastic Doily (using it as a stencil) onto my canvas to get the raised decorative surface shown here.
I LOVE how it turned out! It dries pretty fast if you use a heat gun.. or let it dry overnight and works great!
Then I used rubons and stamps to add texture and dimension (I used KaiserCraft Black Flower Border Rubons and the KaiserCraft Floral black Rubons)
AND my favorite doodle pen to write the words (which by the way.. i know have been out of stock on the website.. but are now BACK in stock!)
I also used the KaiserCraft White Hideaway Rubons and my Black Liquitex Acrylic Ink and the bottom of a bottle cap, to add circles.
I think it turned out pretty fun!
I hope she loves it!
So that is my art for this week! Hope you don't mind the links to the products.. but in my classes everyone emails and asks me for the specific products I use on my art pieces.. so I thought it would be easier to list here!
I also used my Butterscotch Spray from Ranger Ink , my texture kit (which will be back in stock next week) , and my sunflower, Jet black and stone grey ink pads.
And sorry it's not a video! I didn't even think until it was all done, I could have done a "Behind the Art' video with it too! Next time for sure!
Well thanks for letting me share my big news! I have some MORE big news to share too!! But I will save that for next week.. its a long post already! lol
Happy Thursday!