Marking Up PenTales

Last week I started designing a new logo for PenTales, a NYC based storytelling & writing group. It has been challenging but fun. While I did take a number of type classes in art school, I didn't have many opportunities to hand draw entire alphabets from scratch. Thus, my pen tool lines never looked as elegant as I imagined and even zooming in at 800%, my eyes started to blur and lose focus after staring at my screen for so long. But after awhile, I think I'm starting to get the hang of it...sort of.

While pouring hours of my life into Illustrator, I now have even more respect for designer/illustrator Jessica Hische, who hand draws beautiful, original type straight from the computer. I love checking for her new Daily Drop Caps! She must've practiced ALOT to achieve such perfectly shaped lines & curves! (At least I'd like to think so, being born with such a talent is just too much)

Enough said, take a look at the work in progress. I'd be happy to hear your thoughts and comment on which ones you like.

Painting On Walls

About 3 years ago, I had a dream about cranes. They were wading in a stream and in the moonlight I could see that all the birds had just their skeletal body. I was sitting in the grass leaning against a strong, sturdy willow tree. As I watched them drinking water, and catching fish, I noticed a couple of them start to take flight. In the distance the sun was coming up. As the flying crane came into contact with the sun's rays, its fleshly body and feathers began to appear. Just before I woke up, the bird completed its transformation fully submerged in the daylight.

I say all that because I'm attempting to paint a mural of this scene on my friend Jill's new apartment wall. Below are some preliminary sketches...enjoy.


Border with feathers & phases of the moon


Flying crane detail


Willow tree


Cranes in flight

Sketching Squirrely Squirrels

Back in late Summer of 2009, my friend Stephanie, a talented artist and writer, approached me about collaborating with her on a children's story she wrote. The simple message and heartwarming characters were so easy to fall in love with. After I read it, visions of Lily, the purple dragon and her squirrely friends danced in my head. For the next few weeks, I occupied my time experimenting with different mediums, drawing styles and techniques. Once I began sketching, I realized I had no idea how to draw squirrels! (They all looked like gray, pointy eared dogs with a racoon tail) While they were not the main characters of her story, they were so endearing that Stephanie and I wanted to amp up their role on each page. So I spent many hours watching, photographing, sketching and researching squirrels. Who knew squirrels were so much fun? I think their whole lives revolve around eating and playing!

I finally decided on oil pastels and linseed oil for my illustrations. Here are just a few fun excepts of my squirrels in Lily and Her Dragon Pie...and while I never witnessed any actual squirrels behaving in these manners, I'd like to think that they're certainly intelligent enough to pull it off.

My Favorite Picture Book Right Now...

This is my first official blog entry!

With my abundance of free time - since I'm only working 3 days a week in the office - I've started to pursue other interests I've long held off. Specifically, my love of children's books and mural art. I will be adding weekly updates about new findings on these two topics - as well as uploading my own works in progress. I hope that will keep me motivated!

So a few months back I came across a wonderfully updated version of 'There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly'by designer and illustrator Jeremy Holmes. The book is published by Chronicle Books and you can purchase a copy here. There are just so many things to love about this book. First off, this is a book that has it all! Pop up mechanics, custom die-cuts and a long custom shape with a gate fold opening...it's great to see when books are produced at such high quality. When you flip through, each page is beautifully illustrated with cut-out collages, vintage papers, and detailed line work. As you read each line, the reader is taken on a journey through the pages of her stomach, where you can see all the crazy things the old lady swallows. When you reach the end of the rhyme, the old lady's eyes close! I must also add that I liked the type choice for this book. Mrs. Eaves was one of my favorite fonts for awhile some years back, and it really fits with his vintage/folk style.

This is really a little piece of art to add to your book shelf.

If you're interested in learning more about the production & mechanics of the book, check it out here.