CUTE AND SIMPLE

Lately I've had weddings on the brain.

My little sister is getting married this May, and a few other friends are getting married this year, too.

I know a lot of girls really stress out about planning their weddings, but I told Jake, I think I missed my calling, because I loved it.

Anyway, a friend of ours recently started a videography company - er, event filmmaking, or whatever it's called. The point is, he's really good at it.

And he's also an awesome person in general.

You can check out some of his work here.

And Jake just designed their new logo, which I think is super cute and feminine and it has birds, which, puh-lease. Had me at hello. 

 (Haha, and we all know it's smart to design these things with the girl in mind, 'cause she's the one whose gonna be making the wedding decisions, right?!)

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THANKFUL

Earlier today, I found my heart so full there was an ache in it that surrendered into a kind of delicate crescendo. And I was singing out loud at the top of my lungs, and in my heart I declared that deeply, deeply I wish to leave loving pieces of myself everywhere I go... in Charlotte, in my art, in my words, in meals that I cook, in conversations with my boss and laughter with her son, in a merry glass of wine shared with friends, and in blood and sweat and tears poured out together with those same friends, in every touch exchanged with my dear husband.

I could go on and on. I am so thankful for everything. EVERYthing. 

And all the everyones in my life.

I spent a lot of today looking back, 

which has left me hungry with anticipation for what may be around the bend...

Who knows?

But I know it's gonna be good. 

ONLINE DOODLES

Been having fun today with this really neat online sketch tool, which I learned about through Geninne's Art Blog. 

It makes even my simple doodles look artistic!

Check it out! 

It's very silly and fun.

And I'd love for you to send me copies of what you create!

ON NOTICING

So where have I been this week?

No, I'm not still sick.

I've been holed up reading my latest Amazon.com purchase - Anne Lamott's book, bird by bird, which I started Monday and finished today. It's basically a funny collection of her thoughts about writing and life. (and I highly recommend it!)

The book was full of very inspirational stuff to me, but one thing she said made me realize a connection between what I do 

(writing) 

and what Jake does 

(illustrating). 

Let me explain.

In bird by bird, Lamott mentions that being a writer makes you a better reader. 

In her words:

"Becoming a writer can also profoundly change your life as a reader. One reads with a deeper appreciation and concentration, knowing how hard writing is, especially how hard it is to make it look effortless. You begin to read with a writer's eyes. You focus in a new way. You study how someone portrays his or her version of things in a way that is new and bold and original. You notice how a writer paints in a mesmerizing character or era for you, without you having the sense of being given a whole lot of information, and when you realize how artfully this has happened, you may actually put the book down for a moment and savor it, just taste it."

I read this and I thought, that is so true. The more I write, the more I'm able to notice great writing. I might read something and think, wow, that was amazing how they did that. And I can look at the words and decipher the specific choices the author made to create such a wonderful, seemingly effortless effect. And it's awesome, because it makes me feel that much more connected to the writer and the work.

But now, when I'm looking at illustrations - say, when I'm flipping through a children's book, I can't do that. I'm not an illustrator, so I don't know what to look for. I can't pick up on the specific choices that the artist made to better visually tell the story. 

Jake can, though. 

And we had an interesting conversation yesterday.

One thing he mentioned, which he has only recently discovered, actually, is that illustrators have to be very deliberate with the shapes they choose. A character's body shape can subconsciously communicate so much about who that character inherently is and how he or she is feeling.

Healthy, happy characters tend to be more rounded in shape, and this makes the drawing more accessible to children. Angry or sickly characters have a lot more angles; they're more triangulated.  

Interesting stuff!

And then Jake sent me to this website, and it all became clear. 

It's the website of this guy named Will Terry, who also illustrates children's books, and he does this online tutorial about character design, and it was fascinating to learn how much psychology actually goes into the simple drawings for kid's books!

Seriously, check this link out:

Will Terry: Video on Character Design

And then, next time you're flipping through a children's book, you can feel a little bit smarter.

Like an insider into the process.

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HAPPY CHICKEN

Chicken.

This was the Illustration Friday topic last week, which I didn't post about because I was feeling under the weather then, but I thought Jake did a nice job on this happy little chicken. 

And speaking of happy chickens, while I was sick last week, I watched a documentary on Netflix entitled Food, Inc., by Robert Kenner. I have to tell you, I think I'd subconsciously been avoiding watching that documentary for quite a while because I had a feeling it was going to force me to make some inconvenient changes in the way I grocery shop. And sure enough, it did. 

It horrified me, actually. 

It made me cry (which, okay, is no big feat, I admit, considering I've been known to cry when people win The Price is Right, but still. I couldn't stand the way those animals are being treated.)

Turns out, though, there's something called a veggie libel law, and since I don't know the ins and outs of what's permissible to say (whatever happened to freedom of speech?), I probably shouldn't elaborate on this subject.

I'll just suggest you go find yourself a copy of Food, Inc. and watch it. 

'Nough said.   

---------- * UPDATE * ----------

After reading this post, Jake informed me that his chicken was not intended to look happy. 

I suppose after seeing the documentary, it seemed happy to me by comparison!

This is a piece of art that my friend Nicki created recently. 

I really enjoy her work.

Hope you're enjoying a lazy Sunday!

The world is ours to play in, we'll take a walk or stay in
Long and lazy hours to have and hide away in for one day
Thank goodness, it's Sunday

SNOW CREATURES

Sorry I haven't been posting as regularly this week. I've been sick. Actually, I still am. 

(You can't see me, but I'm looking pretty haggardly right now.)

But I promised you all over a week ago - wow, more like two, actually - anyway, I said I'd show you guys the product of  Jake's time spent sketching in the snow, so, before any more time passes, I'm staying true to my word!

Apparently, during Jake's romp through the snowy woods around our house, he came to a place where the land bogged into a little marshy area, and there were birds skittering all around, over rocks and whatnot, and being an illustrator of children's stories, this was what his creative mind took from that - although he swears the little birds really did have earmuffs. 

And this beaver was another character Jake claims to have run into during his recent walk through the snow. Bit of a cheeky fellow. 

(There's a cute little woman at my church, a few years older than me, who's originally from Scotland and she uses phrases like "wee ones" and "bless ye" and "spot a coffee" and, I don't know, just very typical, colloquial Scottish type things, and I wish I could get away with a vocabulary like that, so every once in a while on the blog, I throw in a fun word that I have no true ancestral claim to, like "cheeky".) 

He looks cheeky, right?

:)

Friday's coming soon, y'all!

(Now there's a regionalism I can claim!)

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THE LAUNCH

Happy Monday, everyone! Hope you all enjoyed your weekends!
I have a little treat for you today.

Remember way back, over three months ago, when I mentioned the Communication Arts Illustration Competition? 

(If you don't, or you hadn't started reading my blog back then, just click on the link above for the skinny on what it's all about.)

Well... anyway, the deadline for the competition arrived last Friday.

I was posting about Illustration Friday that day, so I forgot to mention Jake's entry, but it is, in my opinion, very well done, and I knew all of you would love to see it, so... I've decided to share with you not only Jake's finished submission, but also some of the various developmental stages that the illustration went through, along with commentary about Jake's process.

Sound good?

Here we go! 

Okay, first, the very beginning - simple pencil and pen work, which Jake then scanned into photoshop:

He then began laying down some flat colors - nothing too extensive, just a foundation of colors to work on top of.  

Next, Jake began bringing deeper colors in, as well as some texture. 

(One of his favorite ways to sketch is to use black and white colored pencils or charcoal on toned paper. You've already got the middle ground tones set, so all you have to do is lay down black and white sketchwork, working up your highlights and shadows. It's a bit of the same idea here, with those earlier flat colors serving as the toned paper.)

Jake continued to work up the highlights:

And finally, it's subtle but definitely noticeable, he continued to tweak things here and there - textures, color saturation, etc. - until he arrived at the final piece:

(Click on the illustration to see larger version.)

Really great, right?

When I look at the image above, I start to wonder who this man is - what's his story? What's he thinking as he watches that spaceship launch? Why the flag?

And then I start to imagine. I imagine a history for him, a reason for him being there at the launch, and before I know it, I've projected all kinds of emotion into this illustration.  

And that, I think, is what makes it such an excellent piece of work.

It makes me wonder.

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IF: RESOLUTIONS

Happy Friday, everyone!

It was a short work week for me, thanks to the snow, so it's difficult to believe the weekend is already upon us once again. Not complaining, though!

Just f.y.i., I won't be blogging the next few days because Jake and I are headed to the Charleston area for the weekend to visit family. Yay for road trips!

But before I leave you, of course I have to tell you about this week's Illustration Friday.

The theme was "resolutions", which to me, doesn't make for very straightforward, cut and dry type subject matter, so it was interesting to see the approaches people took.

The winner was Jacob Haynes, who illustrated this:

Sort of a "lion laying down with the lamb" thing. He says the drawing depicts his personal resolution to work for peace in his part of the world. 

Sounds good to me! 

My own "Jacob" also submitted a piece for the "resolutions" theme. I think it's pretty much incredible, although, I'll let you in on a little secret - shh! He didn't originally create it for Illustration Friday. This is actually a design he did for a t-shirt company that some of our friends have started. He re-did the coloring of it a bit for Illustration Friday, though.

Interesting resolution, right? Haha! Maybe it's a resolution not to be destructive?

Anyway, if you'd like to see the image on a t-shirt, click here.

The company is called Ignisis clothing, and Jake has done a few designs for them. If you visit their page, check out some of his other stuff, too - he did "needy birds" and "liberty", among others.

("Needy birds" is my favorite - shocker, I know.) 

Alrighty, I guess that's all for now.

Enjoy your weekend!

I'll see ya Monday!

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WINTER SUNRISE

Hi, friends!

The snow is finally melting here in Charlotte and, begrudgingly, I must return to the swing of things.

Jake is working extra hard today, too, making up for lost time spent playing in the snow, so...I don't think he'll have time to get me copies of any of his snow-inspired sketchwork today. I'll try to get that up soon, though.

Meanwhile, I thought I'd share this watercolor with you, which I discovered over on Julie's Journal. She submitted it for Illustration Friday, and I just fell in love with it.

It reminds me of poetry. 

Maybe that's strange, but I look at the beauty and the slightly strange colors of this painting and words immediately start floating through my mind...

The soft, yellow-gray light of morning breathes into the shadows. A chill hangs in the air, over the naked-limbed trees, as smoke rises into the sky from a nearby factory, smudging the awakening clouds with blue. All is still hushed except for the biting whistle of the wind and an occasional train...

I don't know. That's just what comes to me.

Any artwork inspire something in you lately?

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THE SKY IS FALLING! THE SKY IS FALLING!

This is the view from my front porch today:

For those of you who live in northern U.S states, or Canada, (or Russia!), this is probably nothing exciting to see, but here in good ol' North Carolina, things shut down when we get more than a few inches. (Hence, why I'm off work today, yippee!)

So this is pretty spectacular stuff.

And what makes it even more fantastic is that some of mine and Jake's best friends live in our same apartment community - so we get to enjoy the snow day with them! Ah, it's gonna be just like college again. 

Our friends Courtney and Rachel live a few apartments over, and we'll all be going to their place in a little while for a big pancake feast.

(I collected some fresh snow earlier to make snow cream, too! Yumm!)

And then our friends John and Jay live directly across from us:

Good times!

(Didn't have a hat for my little snow guy, so photoshop helped!)

And of course, my kitty has already ventured out into the wintry curiosities a bit today, too:

Isn't he adorable with his (actually, my) little scarf?

Anyway, you may not care too much about any of this, but I'm having so much fun with it all, I just had to post about it!

Jake is outside now as we speak, sketching some images of the still-falling snow and the hooligan children running amuck in it, so I'll be sure to post those illustrations once he's finished.

Have a beautiful day, everyone!

Stay warm!

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COWBOY SAM

This latest illustration of Jake's was inspired by Sam Elliott.

I don't have a lot to say about it. I think it kinda speaks for itself.

There's a hundred years of history and a hundred before that

All gathered in the thinkin' goin' on beneath his hat.

And back behind his eyeballs and pumpin' through his veins

Is the ghost of every cowboy that ever held the reins.

- Baxter Black

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IF: WINTER

Illustration Friday has come once again! 

And what a fitting theme for the week - "winter".

It's been freezing where I live.

Well, not literally. But freezing by my standards as a beach-raised kid. Freezing for the Carolinas.

But I am learning to appreciate winter, despite its cold. This may sound a little dubious, but I find that, in winter, I tend to be more inclined to simply sit and enjoy the company of other people. Winter's icy fingers have a way of corralling me inward, making me reflective, making me want to draw near the people that I love.

   When the warm weather comes, I want to be out (my first word as a child was "outside" - that tell ya anything?); I want to be moving, exploring, independent, soaking in the sun. 

But when winter comes, I inevitably become content to curl up in a cozy chair with a blanket and a mug of coffee and loaf away my free afternoons in the company of equally lackadaisical friends. 

And I think that's healthy. I think both are good.

For everything, there is a season.

But anyway, without further ado, this week's Illustration Friday winner, for the theme of "winter":

Created by Anna Measures from California. 

Jake also submitted a piece for this week's theme.

It makes me want to go skiing!

I love the spray of the snow as the snowboarder turns. 

I've never been snowboarding, but I had dinner last night with some friends who want to buy boards and learn.

Wonder if I'd be any good...

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SEW EXCITED (and so corny, I know)

While I'm sticking to my guns about only having one resolution for 2011, there are a few things that, though not necessities, would be really nice to accomplish this year.

One of those for me is learning to sew.

For too long now I have looked enviously on at people with mad skills like this and this and this. 

It's time I did something about this and actually learned to sew myself.

So... for Christmas, my sweet husband gave me a sewing machine!

(He also drew this picture.)

Apparently, some folks name their sewing machine. I haven't named mine yet, but I'd love suggestions! (Just leave comments at the end of this post.)

I'm still getting my sewing nook together, so once that space is set up, I'll begin on my first project. Not sure exactly what that'll be yet, but I know it'll be super simple! I'll keep ya posted. 

And speaking of sewing projects and people with mad skills, check out this apron that my cousin, Mackie, made me for Christmas!

(And, ahem, notice the owls.)

Precious, right?

Told ya you'd be jealous!

Hopefully soon I'll be making pretty things like this!

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A 2011 CALENDAR FOR YOU

I know I already posted once today, and I promise I really do have a life - I'm about to go have dinner with some friends, honest! But I found this cute, free calendar for 2011, and I figured that some of you may not have calendars for this year yet, so...

... here ya are!

Precious, right?

You're welcome.

I found it on blogguidebook, which by the way, if you have a blog of your own, is worth checking out. Lots of helpful stuff there.

Anyway, once again, Happy New Year!

It's that champagne and rose-colored time of year when we all throw sequins in the air and believe anything is possible. You know what I'm talking about - New Year's resolutions. 

"The diet starts January 1st!"

"Definitely joining a gym this year."

"Going to finally take that photography class!"

And don't get me wrong here - I'm a believer in dreams. In fact, I'd say I'm a bullish defender of having great expectations. But the problem is, I'm also a bit of a realist, and really, how often do we actually accomplish the things we so optimistically commit to our lists every New Year's? I suppose I can't speak for you, but I know I'm guilty of it. I always start out with the best of intentions, but by, say, March, well...a lot of the air has gone out of the proverbial enthusiasm balloon.

So what's a girl to do?

Well, this year I'm not making a list.

Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, by Bill Watterson

Sounds conceited, right? Or at least, like a cop-out.

"I quit! I'm throwing in the towel."

But no, hear me out. It's not that I don't want to become a better person or that I don't care about making the world a better place. It's just that I know myself well enough to know that if I try to do too much, I won't end up doing anything at all. If I don't focus my energies on something singular, I'll inevitably get pulled off track, diffused, spread too thin.
So this year, no list.
I'm selecting only one thing and focusing on it every day until it becomes second nature.
In 2011, I'm going to...
drum roll please...

I'm going to open my eyes.

Jake Page Illustration

No, I'm not physically blind. And yet, I feel like there's so much within my life I don't see. Haven't seen. Want to see. I'm too focused on myself. And, frankly, the world is too big for that.
I believe you can only give to the world from what you have inside. But it's a paradox, because I also believe that what you have inside is largely dependent upon how you choose to see your world. So this year, I'm choosing to open my eyes to what matters - seeing beyond my own revolving busy-ness, seeing the people around me - even the inconspicuous ones - in a deeper, truer way, opening my eyes to what's happening in other places on the planet, yet seeing the beauty in my own simple back yard, ultimately opening the eyes of my heart to the weighty Shekinah of God, cultivating a deeper awareness of divine breathings.

Yep, this year I'm going to open my eyes. Hold me to it, readers. With eyes wide open, I'm hoping my arms will be stretched further open too.


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