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Ok guys, there is one thing that has been on my to-do list for almost a year that I have kept putting off. I guess it intimidates me a bit. What is it? Start an email newsletter. The thing is, I've done email newsletters before. When I was apart of Artistic Portland (pre-baby), I was in charge of their newsletter and blog. It doesn't have to been anything fancy and it really isn't rocket science. So this is just silliness that I've been putting this off. So here I am declaring to you -- I have an email newseltter! Sign up for it! There is a little form to the right that you can use (of if you're on a phone you have to scroll to the bottom of the page. You could also just go here). I plan to send out updates monthly. In them you'll see my latest blog posts, designs, new products, and such. You'll get to know me and my art better. And you can unsubscribe at anytime. Also, right now I'm offering a free printable coloring page to all subscribers, one of my geometric hand-drawn designs. Here's a sneak peak of it.  You could even sign up for the coloring sheet and then unsubscribe after getting it. I won't fault you for that. BUT you might miss out on future freebies I plan on sending out my first newsletter in March.
There, I said it and so I'll have to do it!
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Our first year in Oregon I drew an ode to the state. It is still one of my best selling designs.  About a year later (2016), I started offering printable coloring pages in my Etsy shop. So I created this coloring page.  That's also the image I used in my shop as the product image. It's okay, but now that I mainly use my iPad to create coloring sheets (drawing digitally rather scanning my ink drawing) I think they turn out a lot nicer. It's been on my to do list for awhile to spruce this baby up. So I took the coloring sheet, opened it in the Procreate app, and started drawing on top of it. I'm super happy with the new and improved Oregon coloring sheet!  I've also since started using mock-ups rather than relying on less-than-stellar iPhone pictures, so the product image is a lot nicer. It's now available for download in my shop. I think it's pretty and keep looking at it. Though I'm sure 3 years from now I'll be finding lots more flaws.
I was so pleased this morning to not have a long list of errands to run while Ransom is in school. I’ve been sitting at Solace & Fine Espresso for over an hour now just drawing and such. Before I leave, I thought I’d pop in and share some art. I recently completed a cute little illustration that I’m really proud of. A mom at Ransom’s school had been following along with my state bird series, and asked me to draw a magpie for her. She wanted to give it as a gift to her niece. She sent me a few photos as a reference, and I decided to focus in on this one.  First I sketched it out in my sketchbook.  I took a step back and snapped a photo of my kitchen table studio. I get such great light here for drawing and for taking pictures.  I then scanned the drawing, edited it on my computer to erase some stray marks and such, and then airdropped it into my iPad. From there I added color using watercolor brushes in Procreate. I had the picture open as a reference.  I’m really pleased with how the color turned it! It makes me want to go back and add digital watercolor to more of my drawings. Lastly I added the name.  The original commission included her neice’s name, but soon I’ll have prints available that have the name of the bird instead.  I never would have done this if someone hadn’t commissioned me. That’s what’s so fun about commissions — they are more pressure because i want the customer to be happy, but they always stretch me.
I have my first pop-up market of 2019 this coming Saturday! It's a Valentine Shopping Extravaganza put on my Puplandia Dog Rescue.  Often before a market I'll do a mock-setup at home. I put up my table in my basement and arrange all my items. This helps me remember to pack everything I need, helps me decide what inventory to bring, and makes the morning-of a lot easier. I'm part-way through my mock-setup right now.  This will be my first time to have my bug coloring book at a market, and I'm interesting to see how she does. I'll have a few Valentine's Day cards with me as well. (You can click on the image if you can't make it and want to buy one now)     Every year I try and develop one new Valentine design. This year's is the "You're So Sweet" card. It kind of makes me hungry . . . To close, if you're in Portland,Oregon -- happy snow day!! Today is our first (perhaps only) snow day of the season.  |
LauraA place to share the process. A space to be honest about the triumphs and trials of my daily life as an artist and mama. Writing motivates and refreshes me. Archives
July 2023
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