Making the ordinary extraordinary

One of the things I love about this time of year, is that you can make anything special just because. The mantel is decorated with ornaments and garland, the roof is adorned with lights... there is almost nothing in the house left untouched by the magical holiday wand – which is why I like to add a holiday flare to ordinary things.
Take hot chocolate for example. Why not dress it up a little for the holidays? This evening I was helping my sister wrap gifts while watching a Christmas movie, and it seemed like the perfect occasion for one of these drinks. I think stemmed glass mugs give the drink that extra step up (makes them look classy), but any mug will do. We started off with some rich hot chocolate mix, added in a teaspoon of skim milk powder. Then we poured in the hot water, stirred, and added in a little Baileys liquor. Topped it off with some whipped cream and a candy cane, and ta-dah! The perfect beverage for an evening of gift wrapping.

What is your holiday tradition?

I was recently at a Christmas party over the weekend and the discussion came up about holiday traditions... and it got me thinking – I'd love to know your favorite holiday traditions! Is there something special you do on Christmas day? What does your family bake/cook?
I thought it would be fun to spotlight some of your traditions this year and spread some holiday cheer! If you have a photo that you’d like to share with all of us, attach a link in your comment below and I will feature a few in an upcoming blog post!
In my family, it's become a tradition that my siblings and I take turns every year requesting a special holiday treat that my mom will make from scratch. Nothing like home-made baking at this time of year! My favorite holiday cookie is Gevulde Koek, a Dutch recipe that has been passed down through the generations. Try making your own batch this year! I always like to top off the cookies with half of a candied cherry — which adds a bit of festive colour.



Gevulde koek
(Recipe adopted from mydutchbakingblog.blogspot.com)


For the dough:
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of cold water
1 3/4 stick of butter

For the filling:
1 cup of almond paste*
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 egg white
2 tablespoons of water
1 teaspoon of almond essence

For brushing:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon of milk
8 sliced or whole almonds/ candied cherries

Mix the dry ingredients and cut the butter into the dough, until it has the consistency of wet sand. Add a tablespoon of icecold water and knead the dough into a cohesive whole, making sure all the butter is well mixed in. Pat into an oval, cover with plastic film and refrigerate while you make the paste.

Now crumble up the almond paste and beat it with the rest of the ingredients foamy and thick. *If you don't have access to canned almond paste, you can easily make your own by processing two cups of slivered raw almonds, adding 1/4 cup of sugar and three tablespoons of water to make it into a thick paste. If you think it's too runny, add a tablespoon of flour, but not more.

Set your oven to 350F and turn it on. Take the dough out of the fridge, cut it in half and roll one half out, to about 1/8 of an inch and cut out eight rounds. I use the canning ring for a wide mouth jar, it's approximately eight inches across. Roll the other half out and cut another eight rounds (or more of course!). Place one huge heaping teaspoon of almond paste mix in the middle of one cookie, place a second round on top and carefully seal the edges. You can do this with a fork or gently tapping it with your finger.

When all are done, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet or on a silicone mat. Beat the egg yolk with the milk and brush the top of the cookies, then place an almond or cherry on top. Bake for about thirty minutes or until golden.

Let them cool a little bit and enjoy this typical Dutch treat!

Distilling down an Idea

Whatever your creative process might be, it often involves honing in on key concepts. I usually start off with an old fashioned paper and pen. For some reason this method always works out better for me than going straight to the computer (if it's a digital project). There is something freeing about simply sketching and brainstorming. Mind mapping may seem like the opposite of what you want to accomplish: now you have exponentially even more ideas than you started off with! But don't despair. Now your job is to narrow your ideas down to the key concepts.


I recently worked on a design proposal for the City of Surrey. I started out with a large concept: "Sustainable Energy for All." Now as far as large concepts go, this one was huge! So how do I even start to tackle the job of conveying this idea in a single banner set? Well... first I started out with the task of with breaking down sustainability into manageable key ideas. Thankfully the creative brief did a lot of the work for me. I broke it down into 4 main renewable natural resources: the sun, wind, water and geothermal heat/biomass. Then I started sketching out how I would represent each of elements.

My main intention was to make the concept of sustainability accessible to the masses. The result is an illustration that relies on the cyclical movement of a colourful wind- spinner/fan. Many of us have grown up with something similar and the image is easy recognizable. Each blade of the fan represents interdependent components of sustainability (including, but not limited to): solar power, geothermal heat, wind turbines, as well as our part in the cycle (represented by the human hand). The overall design remains sleek and void of unneeded clutter, while still communicating a strong visual message. The colours are bright and vivid and will catch the attention of people viewing from a distance.

Owning Artwork doesn't have to break the bank

At this time of year, money can be tight! But buying artwork that you love doesn't have to break the bank.

Instead of selling purely original artwork for a steep amount, many artists are also taking into consideration the other 99%. Websites such as Society6 offer you artwork at a fraction of the price of the original. So if you're not concerned with an investment piece, and would gladly settle for a print—this is the direction for you! And just because it's a print doesn't mean it needs to look like it. A lot of fine art publishers are now offering art printed on canvas. So what is the incentive for an artist to sell prints? Although 100% of the proceeds don't go directly to the artist, it is a way to make art accessible to the masses... and I think worth the pay cut.

Incorporating your interests

 As an artist, it's hard to know what will sell. It's always a good idea to have one ear to the ground: listening to what your audience wants. Although I am a freelance illustrator and fine artist, I've always had an eye for interior design. So it's no surprise that I try to harmonize these interests sometimes. I want to create artwork that will suit your everyday life, and something I would hang on my own wall. Here are some examples of how you can incorporate artwork into your home.

Decorating for the Holidays

So if you're like me, decorating for the holidays is part of the holiday tradition... and as a creative soul, I can't help but love this time of year!  But decorating doesn't have to be traditional. Read on to see how you can create a contemporary look this season.

This year at my mom's house we decided to go with a an icy blue Christmas theme. One of the tricks I picked up this year was to bunch ornaments together with wire. This gives your tree/wreath/mantel a bold pop of colour amidst the evergreen and lights. Clustering your ornaments also helps to make your tree look fuller. This method doesn't have to be expensive. Go to your local dollar store and pick up a variety of different sizes in your colour scheme. I normally wire together 3 different ornaments (small, medium, and large). You also want to experiment with combining different "finishes" together: satin, frosted, sparkles etc. A little word of caution though, I managed to break a couple glass balls, so you may be better off with more inexpensive plastic ones. Just be careful, and have fun. Any colour scheme will work, and you'll probably find that a lot of your decorations in storage will compliment your theme. You can never go wrong with white, silver, or crystal pieces. As for your ribbon, we experimented with deco–mesh this year. You can purchase deco–mesh in a wide variety of colours at places such as Potters and Michaels.

Deadlines drive success

I'm a strong believer that some people work better under pressure. And as much as I'm an advocate for leisurely mornings, I'm beginning to recognize that due to the lack of pressure — I find myself floundering. Now, in case my current clients are reading this, you shouldn't be worried. I am in fact, on schedule. Perhaps even ahead of schedule. In the IDEA program (Illustration&Design: Elements and Applications) at Capilano University we were led to believe that such things were not possible... not even feasible. So what do I do now that the inconceivable is now reality? Well clearly I'm doing something wrong :) And the lack of money in the wallet proves it. Usually a good indicator.

The question is, should this worry me? Taking a poll of my graduating class (and by poll, I mean stalking them on facebook – obviously – that's how everything is conducted these days) there are a handful of us that are still in the struggling "starving artist" stage, others who have advanced to the "intern" stage, and yet others who have managed to become a "junior" something or another. So my question is, how to go from the bottom of the ladder to the top? Secrets? Tips?
I love it when I come across stories like this one: An Apps to Riches Story: How Lisa Bettany went from struggling photographer to app evangelist.

I can empathize with these sorts of stories when people share that they were relying on their parents to back their dream. Sometimes the paycheck comes a little later. So I press on. Maybe one day I'll look back on these posts and think "remember when?"

Recognizing the process...

After school you will likely come in contact with people that don't quite understand what it is we do as Graphic Designers/ Illustrators. So here are a few tips, and explanations to help de-mystify the process. For more information, be sure to check out Promote, Negotiate, and Make Money: Essential Business Practices for Today's Creative Professional from the Graphic Artists Guild.

First off, Graphic artists are like superheroes. We have a lot of powers at our disposal. We use our artistic skills to help our clients effectively communicate a message, enhance a product, or promote and sell a product or service (or fight crime). That's a whole lot more than simply drawing a pretty picture.

Our creative process always starts with negotiating the terms with the client. We decide how to price the work based on the parameters determined in the initial negotiation with the buyer. (Usually, there are additional discussions about the terms of the project, which might include such parameters as schedule, credits, and usage.) These terms are always determined prior to signing an agreement and beginning the work.

Superheroes: A big happy family.
No one in the graphic arts business works in total isolation. Most projects that we work on require collaboration with other professionals in addition to clients and their representatives. A book designer, for example, may need to communicate with any of these professionals—an illustrator, photographer, writer, copyeditor, proofreader, printer, and even other graphic designers. A Web designer who is hired to create the aesthetic look of a Web site needs to collaborate with a coder and programmer to make the design functional.  Even a self-employed artist who is hired to create the illustrations for a publication or an ad may need to work with an editor, art director, or marketing director.

Spreading knowledge about our profession...

I'm sitting here thinking if this post is actually worth my time – and yours too (yes I'm concerned with not wasting your time... what? You thought I was just trying to suck you into a time-wasting trap? Well... okay, maybe there's a little truth to that). Are blogs going out of style? As far as I know, I'm the only one that reads this one... which I suppose is therapeutic, and perhaps a way to track my rise to fame. Just wait and see, this will be published and sold as one of my memoirs. Yes, don't worry I can feel your eyes rolling in the back of your head... so I'll press on.

So this past week I was very excited to meet with an author about a prospective illustration job. I was thinking YES! Finally a big break. Maybe I was going to meet with publishers who had an extraordinary amount to spend on their illustration budget and they wanted ME! Okay, so maybe I should have realized that big publishers don't post ads on the Capilano IDEA-Xchange forum... but I was hopeful. There I was, face to face with a young, optimistic, first time children's author. Of course there's nothing wrong with that at all. I sort of saw a little bit of myself in her. Optimism. It's a powerful thing.

Here's where these sort of meetings could go one of two ways. It's amazing how people like to avoid talking about money. So in cases where the client's optimism leads to a belief that illustrators don't need to be paid for their concept sketches... there's a bit of a problem. That's when I get that feeling of my stomach falling into a deep pit. You know that feeling of falling? Well, I have to admit, THAT can throw off a meeting. Just try and enjoy an authentic chai tea latte with that feeling – I dare you!

I'm not saying that this meeting went that way, I'm just noticing a bit of a trend. I'm beginning to understand why my past instructors said that we would become ambassadors of our profession; and that's because apparently we (artists, illustrators, fill in the blank) are very mysterious creatures. Not a lot is known about us. Sure... there are stories, myths, and the like. I'm thinking an awareness campaign needs to be launched. Put up signs. Why not? There's signs about how to interact with bears, why not illustrators? :P Good idea?

When it rains, it pours.... in a good way, like a summer storm :)

Some of the best (and scariest) advice I received in University was this: If possible, after graduating, move in with your parents (rent free) and pursue your dream. Don't get a back-up job because you'll come to rely on it. Become hungry for work.
At the time, I didn't want to believe that I would have to give up my perfect rental unit in North Vancouver. I didn't even want to think about getting work. So after a summer abroad (a well deserved break from the grueling 12 hour days spent in the studio), I tackled the classifieds, job listings, and worked on my promo mail outs... all with enough drive and thirst to dedicate two months to networking, making connections, contacting publishers etc. Now some people might say that all this time has been time wasted. But I disagree. Perhaps it's because I'm part of the generation that believes, period. I don't know exactly what it is that keeps us optimistic... even despite our debts (read- HUGE student loans), and the high cost of living, we're still out there following our dreams. So think of your "down time" as an investment, and then you might just get the phone call you're waiting for. Now it seems like every time my cell phone rings, it's about a prospective job!

Taking a step back... to smell the...err.... coffee!

To quote a country song "It gets hard out here, I know it don't look it. I used to have heart, but the highway took it. The game was right, but the deal was crooked. Lord, I'll make it perfectly clear, it gets hard out here..."

Such is the story for most of us artist types (ain't that the truth? – hey, did you notice that I've picked up a Southern drawl somewhere along the way? How'd that happen? lol!) So, to update you on what I've been up to the last few weeks... I've taken a moment to sit back and relax, and look at all that I've accomplished. I'm happy to announce that I now have close to 100 twitter followers, 185 facebook page followers, and I'm now selling my products on Society6. Not too shabby (if I don't say so myself). I've also had meetings with curators about potential art gallery opportunities, and I have a few illustration leads I'm following as well.

It's easy to get frustrated in the beginning when it seems like all you do all day is network, check emails, and mail out resumes.... not exactly my favorite pastime, but who knows, you might be different :)

Just a little tip I thought I'd pass on to you: Keep it simple. Look for opportunities to make your art (or music, or whatever) accessible to the public.
Good luck out there!

Adapting... shade by shade

Artists these days need to be chameleons! I swear I've been all shades of the rainbow this past week. Job hunting is frustrating enough to send any poor chameleon into a raging RED fit! Lol. I've been busy adapting my portfolio and resume depending on the job title: Illustrator, Graphic Designer, Art Director etc. And it's no wonder we are constantly changing our job pursuits. The world is constantly changing, and as a result so is the art it inspires. Despite the craziness of trying to expand my freelance client base, I've managed to put in some time in front of my easel. Now that's what I call therapy! but....now to look for art galleries....

Riding the Wave

Highs, and lows, and everything in between! Ever think that sometimes it feels as though you're lost out at sea in this quest to find consistent work? What I've learned so far is to ride the wave. Some days I'm surfing on top of the wave receiving great responses from potential employers, and other days I'm getting caught up in the swells and choking down rejection letters and returned mail. I figure after all this practice, I'm bound to go pro—right?

Settling back into the scheme of things

For any budding artist, or accomplished artist for that matter, I would recommend spending some time traveling the globe. Breaking out of the mold, and the repetitive routine can spark new–found inspiration and creativity. I've spent the last two and a half months sailing from port to port in the Mediterranean and what I've discovered, rather reaffirmed, is that I'm an artist inspired by the coast. To me there is nothing better than being near the water: beach combing for lost treasure, taking a morning swim in Mykonos Greece, or simply taking a boat ride on the open sea. Every artist is different, but I've found that I feel the most creative after inhaling that fresh ocean air. So here I am, back after a summer abroad, looking for an avenue to pour all of my new–found passion into. And so...the search continues. Cross your fingers and wish me luck. For as much as we would like to say we live on creativity alone, we also need a little cash to pay the bills (and to fund more travels abroad!).

Handling rejection

Undoubtedly you will receive rejection somewhere along the way on your career path. It's one of those things that is unavoidable in this sort of the business. Just like actors don't land every role in auditions, us illustrators are likely to be passed over for someone else. Today I opened my email to find this:

Hi Vivian~

Thank you for sending us a sampling of your art style and the link to your website. I spent some time browsing through your site. Though you are a very talented illustrator, your flat ‘illustrative’ style of the card sample and the things I saw on your website, is not a fit for our company.

We wish you the best of luck with your creativeness! It looks like you have a lot of fun.
Take care~

 
I have to admit, as far as rejections go – I think this is the nicest one I received!
The trick to any sort of rejection, is not to let these sort of things get you down. Your illustration style isn't going to be a perfect fit for every company/ job opening. Stay true to your style (and yourself) and see what other opportunities are out there!


And the search continues...

Setting Goals

Good morning followers and fellow bloggers! The sun is finally shining here on the West Coast, and I'm feeling a little more motivated/inspired to get things done. So what better way to find motivation than to blog about it? It's important to keep your mind focused, and there's nothing wrong with dreaming big! I've seen too many talented grads settling for minimum wage jobs right after graduation (i.e Starbucks - don't get me wrong, I love that liquid bit of heaven they call coffee/frappes)... but sometimes these sort of jobs suck you into a vortex that you never get out of. So shoot for the stars! There's no harm in trying, is there? So I'm setting some short-term, and long-term goals. At this point I think I can see myself doing contract work for a publishing company (children's books, greeting cards, etc.) I also want to see if I can find work in Australia or New Zealand for at least a year – that's on my long term list! Originally I had thought a year abroad in Italy, but not having a language barrier might be bonus ;)
Keep your dreams big, and your accomplishments bigger! Happy Wednesday!

It's a pretty good day

Packing and more packing

Today I am working on packaging my self promo mail-outs. In retrospect, it was a good idea for me to do all of my portfolio and grad show booth printing on the ikon printer on campus for free (and not to mention, very dutch of me :), since I am now investing a lot of money into these illustration samples. Of course I want to put my best foot forward, so to speak. I received my custom postcards in the mail yesterday. I'm fairly happy with how they turned out, though the gloss coating did manage to darken the print a fair bit. I went with moo.com for these ones since I could order a number of different illustrations for the front cover... but in the future I think I will stick to jukebox printing. Next step, formatting my resume to fit the mailout! A little tip: always print out a test just to get an idea of scale. You'll notice things that you didn't notice by just looking at your inDesign file on the screen ;)

Spec work: a necessary evil or a career killer?

Since school has ended, I have been busy filling my day planner with internet searches, compiling a publishing house mailing list, and creating custom mailouts. All of this work done in search for jobs that will pay the big bucks $$$. You'll notice that there are a lot of job postings out there that are essentially looking for free illustration work. Even though they might sell you on the fact that this work will buy you fame and acclaim (ah yes... hard not to fall for that one), but this kind of exposure might not be what you want. In fact, composing work for free lowers your art's worth in the future. So where do we draw the line? Do we simply say no on principle? And does this also apply to creating custom illustration samples that will appeal to the specific publishing houses? Well I'm not one to simplify things into black and white categories. It ultimately comes down to your own set of beliefs. I'm sure it can't hurt to customize your portfolio depending on the job. I just wish that all portfolio work wasn't creating simply on spec. Wouldn't it be nice if we got paid for everything we did? You don't see doctors performing operations for free, or engineers constructing bridges for free.... I'm just say'n :P

Maintaining a holding pattern

Transition always takes some getting used to, whether it's transitioning from one job to another, or moving from one city to another. So I feel as though I'm in a sort of holding pattern waiting for the next big adventure. Though perhaps "waiting: is a bit passive of a word. More like searching for my next challenge. Since school has ended it seems as though I've been busy organizing this transition. Now that the move is over, and all the final assignments and paperwork have been completed, it's time for me to finally venture out and see what the world has waiting for an eager young illustrator like myself. Currently I am looking for venues for fine art shows, as well as publishing companies looking to take on new illustration talent, or some contract work. Feel free to contact me with any leads you may have. As you know, networking is crucial in this industry (well, any industry really... unless of course you are a professional hermit... then I would assume networking would go against your curriculum vitae — notice how the job search has actually impacted my vocabulary?). So whatever transition you may find yourself in, don't lose the faith. Stay optimistic and positive, and maintain that confident holding pattern. I know there are many adventures out there to be had! Long live the pursuit!

Love getting fan mail...

Well you might think by the title of this blog post that I've let the completion and success of the grad show go to my head. Perhaps a better title would have been "Encouraging Words" but that seemed a little sappy, even for a post graduation post. Today I received this email:

Dear Vivian,

I recently just happened to stumble apon your grad show a few days ago.

Your work is Amazing and Truely Inspiring... I loved your (Fine art) book presentation.

I'm sure you'll have no problem getting sales or gallery representation. Keep up the fine art!!

I see you right up there with another successful vancouver artisan Bobbie burgers! your works also reminded me of the great Georgia O'keefe. 

I hope to see more of your work and watch your career Blossom! no pun Intended!! :)

I wish you great creative energy and inspiration.

~B.

I've changed the sender's name. If I told you I'd have to... ummm... no idea. ANYWAYS, moving on I just wanted to express my sincerest thanks for all forms of encouragement and special thanks to all of you who have referred my name to (hopeful) future employers. The future is bright my friends ;)

Panel: close-up

Click on image twice to enlarge and read text

Grad Show recap

Wow! It's hard to believe that three years of hard work comes down to three hours in one night, and then just like that it's all over. I think all the prep, all the process work, and all the final edits were all worth it in the end. It was a great night. I got great feedback from creatives and non-creatives alike. It was a great opportunity to showcase my work and socialize with a large audience. Thanks to all of the people who came out to show their support. I'm excited to see where the future may take our careers. I can say this about my classmates — they are seriously a talented bunch! I've posted a few pictures of the gala but since I was at my booth all night I didn't get the opportunity to play photographer. Hopefully some more pictures will surface soon and I can add them to my collection.

Grad Show Booth done!

 Today I went over to the Harbour Centre to set up my grad show booth and it went extremely well (except for one deep paper cut)! I recommend that for any sort of mounting of a grid on a booth – save yourself some work and cut yourself some measurement guides out of foam core and then label them. For example I had a few pieces cut that measured 4 inches wide, another for my gutters at .5 inches, and another 5 inches wide to measure my distance to the corner of the booth. A genius idea that saved me the trouble of measuring and calculating (and oddly enough, something my instructor Milo wanted to keep afterwards! I should really start patenting these ideas). It was a beautiful morning. I guess a great day for the Sun Run as well. I will miss living on the North Shore but I'm looking forward to new career opportunities and a new place to live as well! Off to bigger and better things I hope :D 

Feel'n good!

I just got back from a great portfolio review with Claire Khan from repART. I can't say enough about how friendly and helpful Claire was today. It's always a good thing when someone in the industry reminds you of a good childhood friend — that helps with the communication part, and relating to one another in a casual but professional way part. I think being personable is a huge factor in finding work.  I left the review feeling very confident in my portfolio and self assured that I can do this! Who would have known that 7 summers cruising around the world would have prepared me so well for interacting with people? (Something that Claire pointed out - good to know that the last 7 years work–experience hasn't been completely unrelated to my field! lol). So going forward from this, I'm going to look at booking a few venues/cafes for my Through the Looking Glass Oil painting series, and hopefully find some leads on an in-house illustrator position at the IDEA grad show on Monday.

Proof that I'm industry ready!

Process pics are up!

For those of you waiting for some current news, I've posted a few process pictures to hold you over until the storm subsides. Right now I am in the middle of the storm – I suppose you could say. But this sea laden gal sees bright skies and calm oceans in the near future. My grad booth assembly will take place on Sunday and my industry professional review takes place tomorrow. Wish me luck!

9 days to go

Wow. Three years have already flown by! And it all comes down to this! After three years of sleepless and stressful nights, neglected friendships, lonely weekends, missed meals and excessive caffeine consumption, I'm going to showcase all of my hard work (and then all my friends will finally understand why I've been a social hermit!). 
So as avid followers of my blog, you are hereby invited to come out and help my class celebrate! April 18th from 6-9pm at the Harbour Centre, downtown Vancouver. All are welcome! And if you're in some far away land, or in a hermit hole yourself, fear not – I shall post process pics and pictures from the night itself. Stay posted (ha ha - see what I did there? It might be a proven fact that dry humor is a direct result of social isolation)

Bright and Early

Good morning followers. As I sit here at my imac waiting for my dropbox folder to sync up, I thought I would take the opportunity to post a blog. Though forgive me if it's not that captivating... I'm not a morning person :S

First off I'd like to thank the lovely tenants upstairs that decided to skip out on rent a few months ago. It has been sublime since you've left. I've actually managed to sleep and get work done without your incessant techno parties and world of warcraft web chats. And the fact that this has had no impact on the amount of rent I pay – sincerest thanks! And while I'm at it, I'd like to thank all those friends who have stuck by me through 3 years of being a social hermit. It has all led up to this moment... well almost this moment. Certainly not this early Wednesday morning, I'm talking about this.

The countdown is on

I am getting more and more excited to showcase all of my hard work. I am about halfway through laying out my portfolio spreads in InDesign. I hope to finish that up tomorrow and then go to print sometime this week as well. I really want to give you a sneak peak of my progress, but I don't want to ruin the surprise/unveiling. I remember from past IDEA grad shows that it's a little disappointing to come to the show if you've already seen everything online prior to the big event. So you'll have to forgive me for being a little secretive for the next few weeks. :D

However, not to disappoint those looking for a pic: this is kind of interesting. Take a look at my audience. The internet is a beautiful thing – my art is reaching people in Malaysia, Netherlands and Brazil (to name a few countries).

Line it up!

Line work can be extremely tedious... and some days I'm just not in the tedious work mode. I've kind of been working on this piece periodically throughout the day. It's hard to be patient when all the fun blending stuff comes after this step. I guess today my mood suited more of an oil painting kind of day... but alas, I'm kind of committed to seeing this one through. We'll see what sort of mood I'm in tomorrow. 

Call me crazy...

Today, amidst all the madness of the final weeks of the semester, I decided to start a new illustration. Yes – call me crazy. I may have, in fact, actually lost my marbles this time. But I'm going to roll with it (or them I guess... I would hope I have more than one measly little marble up there ;) So behold, I present to you my crazy idea: my original line work done in graphite. If this state of craziness continues I'm planning to scan it and then take it into illustrator and photoshop to colour it digitally. This impulse to construct a new illustration was in part inspired by someone's (I forget whose) wise words "Past sketches and doodles aren't done for nothing. You can always use/draw inspiration from them." So remembering a few doodles I had done in first year that had images intertwined within each other, I thought I'd create an illustration that combined imagery of a late summer night. And here I am. Almost 4 o'clock on Tuesday, with a lot of other projects needing attention, starting something entirely brand new. Well... when the mood strikes right? (I think that's what they say...)

A little bit about me and my illustration style

(Click twice on the image to magnify enough to read the text)

Go Play - direct mail

(click on image to enlarge)

I'm in a great mood despite the weather outside. How often does a great artist like Kiff Holland say that he would have bought my painting? Not everyday! Now that's a compliment. Plus I got a great review on all of my portfolio illustrations (this one included). Life is good! I can't believe how many illustrations I've produced since January. Hard work really does pay off!

With a little spring in my step

I wish this pic had audio attached so you could
hear the birds chirping in the forest in my backyard

Happy spring-time to all of my followers and fellow artists out there! One season closer to my favorite time of the year. Perhaps all that extra vitamin D is getting to my head – I feel all happy and energized. It's a weird feeling... lol. Well today I am working on a direct mail piece for parks & rec so of course I'm dreaming about summer road trips and tailgate parties, bonfires and sunsets. Not that that has anything to do with what they offer for summer activites... but could you imagine? :D Hopefully I can get this illustration perfected and entered into the 3x3 student competition (deadline tomorrow). So it may be a long night. I'm also going on campus this afternoon to meet/listen to Claire from RepArt. Should be a good day!

Wow what a load of...

It's crazy to think that such a small amount of materials could actually cost so much money. I recently received this portfolio book/cover in the mail. I love it – I just wish it didn't cost so much $$$. Oh well, 'cest la vie. I've also included a picture of all of the revisions and some of the sketches for an ongoing project I'm working on. I don't feel overly "talkative" today despite the two extra large mugs of caffeine I've inhaled. I'm also suffering from illustrator's wrist today... it's hard to type and keep my wrist on the heating pad, so I'll keep this post on the shorter side. One thing I've learned this week – a lot of money, and a lot of hard work goes into making a great industry ready portfolio. But it'll all be worth it... right?  Stay optimistic and happy drawing! Till next time.

New work for your tastebuds

Oil paintings for "Through the Looking Glass" series

As I was writing that title I was wondering if that made any sense at all? Is it possible to have visual tastebuds? Well if it is – then you have them :) So feast your eyes.... ah see: "feast your eyes"... Okay so we can assume there are visual tastebuds. Moving on... Here are my latest oil paintings. Some days I wish I could just concentrate on oil painting all day long. Unfortunately though I need to focus on developing my professional illustration portfolio as well. Here's to multitasking!

To post pics or not to post pics? That is the question

Greetings fellow bloggers and followers. I apologize for my absence. I've put myself under house arrest for the last couple days in order to get a lot of work done. Thankfully (and you'll notice this is a reoccurring theme) I had caffeine and tunes to keep me company. I got a lot done, entered some illustration and photography competitions, and finished up some oil paintings for a Fine Art Publisher. Talk about a productive week! Now in order to keep this blog interesting to all of you out there I'm inclined to post some pictures of my progress and current artworks. However, this is where things get a little tricky. I really can't stop anyone from taking a screenshot of my work. And just fyi, if you want to make it your desktop background - go right ahead! I'm honored.
Okay... back to the point I was trying to get at before I got all sidetracked by all my fans... right :) IF you are posting images of your work remember to customize the metadata. This can be done in Adobe Bridge or in Photoshop itself. This way you can link back to your site, enter the copyright info and most importantly add your name as the creator.

well I wasn't gonna leave you with no picture to click on.
What would be the fun in that?

Now for those pictures... well I like to keep a little bit of intrigue so you'll all come out to my upcoming show @ the Harbour Centre downtown Vancouver. You can find a sneak peek of images at http://www.viviangerber.com/

Friday night... still doing revisions

Whoever said that illustrators don't live glamorous lives? Like right now for example, I'm sure you're all wishing you were modifying your illustrations and redrawing your sketches. Unfortunately not everyone can live this life: only the elite survive. I feel sorry really for all those people at parties, dancing in the clubs, and drinking away their worries. They really wish they had my life (can you taste the sarcasm yet?) Well happy editing! Hope you are all having a wild and crazy Friday night like I am having right now ;)

Next step is to colour it digitally...

Band Poster (line work)

CD cover

cd cover for Amos Lee: keep it loose, keep it tight

A morning with Pascal Milelli

If you're an illustrator like myself, you're probably familiar with that need to burrow and lock yourself in your home studio and just produce work without a care about the outside world. The good news is that this is a completely natural feeling! Not to worry – unless of course you've become a hermit and lost all contact with the real world, stopped showering and are living off of scraps... then we might need to have a chat. But as many successful people in the industry will tell you, it's important to "surface" every now and then. Gaining insight from your peers and professionals in the industry is extremely valuable – especially when you're just starting out. I had the pleasure of listening to Pascal Milelli speak this morning and I must admit it was extremely insightful. It's important to realize the role of quotes and invoices and that 'money' isn't a dirty word. It's great to see how other illustrators work too. For example, when I was in Brooklyn I found it comforting to learn that Sam Weber transfers his sketches by using graphite on the back of the paper (something I do as well). And today I learned that Pascal uses the grid system. I don't know why illustrators as a group seem to doubt their talents a lot of the time; perhaps because we're such an introspective group of individuals. Whatever your method, realize you're talented and that your work is worth a lot!

A new project started...

Here's a new project I've just started this evening. I'm pretty psyched about it already. After looking through my portfolio I realized I'm lacking some work with a more 'sketchy' feel. So here is the main image for a cd cover I'm working on.

Working in a style you're not comfortable with

Undoubtedly you will encounter a job where the art director is asking you to work in a style you don't normally work in. Ideally, the art director would review your portfolio and hire you based on your style. But sometimes you'll come across a job where you are required to work in a specific vein. Often times you will receive reference material. So how do you resolve this disconnect between the project requirements and your "comfort zone". Research is often the first step. Don't let the word research discourage you. This research is often just looking for visual inspiration: what does this style look like? Who is working in this style? And then thumbnailing comes into play. Sometimes this is the most tedious step. You may need to leave and come back to your work station many times. It can be a discouraging process, but eventually you'll give into the style and let go of the resistance. This is where you'll finally enjoy working in the style: by finding your own way to interpret the project. If you haven't got to this step yet – carry on. You'll get there.

I will post more blogs on my progress soon.

Selling out? or becoming successful?

close up of Hosta leaves in oil;
a work in progress...

Today I spent the day working on an oil painting series which I am hoping to take to a fine art publisher. When painting for this sort of market, it's important that the content appeals to the masses. The more prints sold = the more royalties you'll make. Of course this sort of income is limited since it'll take about 3,000 prints to make you $300. That's why it's also a good idea to think about a theme that is broad enough that you can continue to pump out fine art to add to the collection.
I must warn you though, there are people out there that will tell you that artists who paint for this purpose "sell out". I know because I've seen this sort of attitude in my prior studies when I was in a liberal arts program. However, I'm here to argue that without making money – you're not really in the industry are you? Money is what fuels our jobs (ANY job really). It's a reality. When art isn't a hobby, it's important to remember this. So be courageous and ignore the nay-sayers. 

The influence of music

Studies have shown that music plays an important role in creativity. It has also been said that when you fall in love with a new song – levels of dopamine increase. Proof that I need music in order to function properly. Typically my mornings start off with a big cup of coffee, soon followed by cranking up the stereo. Finding great music to work to is important. Thankfully I often work from home, or with my earbuds in - so I don't need to worry about pleasing others with my music selection. Every project will have its own mood. Generally when I start out on a project I need some music that will energize me and get me pumped up. But if you're looking for a more mellow sound I recommend Amos Lee. I've recently discovered his music and I love it. Check it out for free on grooveshark.com http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/Freedom/1RPozn?src=5

Take advantage of sunshine

View from the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge.
Copyright 2011. Vivian Gerber Creatives

I once heard somewhere that it's a good idea to change your clothes after you get home from work. The thinking behind this advice is that your mind-frame changes once you're out of your work clothes and then you can finally relax. Oddly enough this random fact has stuck with me. Which brings up an interesting dilemma when you're doing freelance work... but as most artists will tell you: they eat, live, and breathe art – so separating themselves from work isn't actually an issue. But I think even if you are working in an office, or at school (like I am currently) it's important to take some downtime to clear your head. Take today for example: after two lectures this morning about business practices I had a 2 hour window for lunch. Instead of sitting in front of my iMac, I opted to go out in the sunshine and take a walk around the cemetery (no judgments please... it's actually quite peaceful with a view of the mountains... in case you were wondering) and the equestrian center. Even though you're not being productive at this moment doesn't mean that you won't be later on. Sometimes the best thing to do is to take a break. So wherever you are at this moment, take a moment to glance out a window, or leave your computer for a bit and take a walk around. You never know when and where inspiration will strike... sometimes when you least expect it.

Illustrator woes

This project is proving to be more difficult than I had anticipated. People often warn you that you will become trapped within the computer... (think TRON). So it always is a good idea to start out on paper. Keep your ideas fresh and just get them down on paper, refine them to the point where you're happy with them and then scan and import them. However the catch is that it's much easier to move things around once you get into Illustrator, so you may want to start out there... and this can be your downfall. You can spend hours moving things around and still be no further ahead at the end of the day. I read an interesting section in Foote's The Business Side of Creativity: The Complete Guide to Running a Small Graphic Design or Communications Business. If you're looking to read it, check out chapter 7: Dodging the Ten Pitfalls of Preparing Estimates. I'll save the rest of you the read and summarize for you. Basically one pitfall that any artist (illustrator, fine artist, or graphic designer) can fall into is trying to achieve perfection. Welcome to the downside of being a perfectionist! I'll include a quote here cause this guy knows what he's talking about: "The closer we get to perfection, the more time and expense is involved in attempting to achieve it, and the more elusive it becomes... As an example, let's say that giving a client a creative solution that's 90 percent of "perfection" (your definition) will take ninety hours. To go from 90 to 95 percent won't take a proportional five more hours; it will probably take ten. And to go from 95 to 97 percent of perfection will probably take an additional twenty hours! And so forth."

Notice how throwing mathematics in the mix makes for a more compelling argument? Let's remember that when we're writing up project proposals and job estimates... we'll get into that more later. For now it's back to the drawing board for me... let's see if I can figure out some sort of creative solution on paper and give this laptop a bit of a rest.

Trying to get back into the swing of things...

I thought I would share with you a picture of my workspace (notice the tall mug of coffee... looks like I need a refill). You can see one of my b&w prelim sketches  (along with some inspiration reference). These sketches will eventually be applied to in-flight packaging for a northern airline... I'm hoping to get these scanned this weekend so I can start working with colour and vector images. 

Working from home: a blessing or a curse?

Now many people will tell you that working from home isn't a good idea. Too many distractions they say. They also say things like "you need an environment where people will motivate you to do work".  But if you're like me, home is where the creative juices flow. You'll have to make this decision for yourself. It helps to do a SWOT analysis... plus then you can say things like "according to my swot analysis I work better if I sleep in..." and things like that :D So it helps to know how you work best. What are your strengths and weaknesses? 

a little take-away gift from Topos Graphics that sits on my desk:
a great reminder that money doesn't grow on trees.

Since it is cloudy again today I am going to try and simulate sunshine with my daylight lightbulbs... turn up the space heater and drink some iced coffee. I'll update you on my progress. Stay creative and I shall post another blog soon.

Sunshine on my window makes me happy

I feel like I am a solar powered illustrator. There has to be such a thing right? Or perhaps I'm the first. I feel energized and motivated to get work done when the sun is shining, but when it's cloudy out - beware! Well it's not that I turn into a werewolf or anything when the sun goes down. I guess the sunshine just fits in with my idea of the ideal work day: hot cup of coffee in hand, tunes cranked, and the sunshine flooding in through the windows. Perhaps I will need to invest in some UV lights for my work space or buy some minutes for a tanning bed - though I'm kind of opposed to the orange type of people that seem to emerge from those things (they should really come with a warning that you may be transformed into one of the characters from Jersey Shore... or so I hear – I've never actually watched that show).

It was sunny this morning so I managed to tweak my website a bit more and format this blog to match the same aesthetics... and now? Now it's cloudy... so instead of starting sketching my next illustration here I am writing another blog. Fingers crossed for some sun rays to peak through the clouds.

From sketch to completion...

Sea Change
Short story illustration
Watercolour & Prismacolour
Vivian Gerber 2011

Welcome to the random thoughts of Illustrator Vivian Gerber

If you find yourself reading this then you must have some sort of curiosity or odd fascination with what goes on in an illustrator's head. Well I can't speak for all artists out there, but I can share with you my insight, thoughts, and frustrations. So grab a nice hot cup of coffee, crank up some tunes and enter into my world. Enjoy!