Movies, movies, movies

I've been vacationing in cold cold Edmonton and watching many movies with mom. Woot! Watched Black Swan and The King's Speech - they are both great movies. Take a look at a few reviews of these movies!

Dana Steven's spoiler review. Read more...

Merry Christmas - Yien style

Now this is the way to spend a happy Christmas eve. Indoors with my good friend Karen, some last minute Christmas decorations and of course quality Christmas television programming. Happy Holidays everyone! Read more...

Favoured Illustrator - Annie Wu

Found an really talented illustrator off the dailywh.at site, Annie Wu. Freshly graduated from illustration school in 2010, she has a really funky and urban style, slightly remimiscent of Marguerite Sauvage, with a wicked sense of nerd humour. I've been going through her illos but my favourite is her reinterpretation of the JLA. Read more...

Website editing and food (miniatures)

Just adding some touches on my website but before we go to that I just found the most cutest food minis on line. Please check out Petit Plat's website and her uber cute, realistic and affordable mini food models. Yes am sooo hungry! Read more...

Coloring Fridays

Yes I was bored, yes I was trying out some digital painting. Yes I think this thing is absolutely adorable! Read more...

Favoured Illustrator -Yellena

Just found another favourite illustrator - Yellena She has such exquisite print work and beautiful colours in her prints. She's done quite a few gallery shows and has work featured at Anthropologie Please check her out! Read more...

Books - Alexander McQueen

I was again at Chapters and found this awesome book Alexander Mcqueen Genius of a Generation. The pictures are gorgeous and the description of Alexander McQueen is a bit shallow but it's great for a bit of inspiration.

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Went to the Distillery and I shopped (again)

Just went to the Distillery to visit some friends and picked up a few neat items. Mitts from Anna Zygowski and she is a Sheridan Grad to boot. They are lined, warm and long. Read more...

Threadless shirt design - attempt!!!

It's been a bit of a clean up time with the craft shows, postings and my "day" job. I've decided to put up a threadless design from an older design of mine. Please and check it out and vote for me. Read more...

David Downton - new book

David Downton is one of my most favorite fashion illustrators. I was in Chapters yesterday and happened on his new book Masters of Illustration It was sooo gorgeous and gave a good beginning of the world of fashion illustration as well as one third of the book was devoted to his own art. My only complaint is that I wish more of his collection was there. For more information on him and the process there's a great interview here.



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Updated Etsy store!

I just finished updating my Etsy Store with my new Winter 2010 stock. When you get a chance please check it out! Some samples are below. Christmas shopping anyone?





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I am shopping now

Since all the craft shows are over I decided to go shopping at one myself. I ended up doing a little shopping (a bit for others and myself). Here are the highlights:
a) Yasmine Louis' amazing shirt prints

b) Gosia's beautiful sculptures

c) Mehoi's cheeky pins.


etc. etc Read more...

Finished all the shows!

All my Christmas shows are done! OMG I can now go back to illustrating again! Read more...

Preliminary roughs for a book

Just wanted to post some rough work I did a few months ago for a contribution for a book based on 100 years of solitude. The finals are very different from the work here but it's a little look into my work in progress. Read more...

When I am not drawing I am buying

Okay I just saw this on NOTCOT and had to get it. It's been a long fours days and two craft shows of selling, shipping and packing my new winter collection at both Make it and Royal Bison, which I send thanks to both to and I needed something to remind me that I am sometimes AWESOME! Read more...

Speakeasy Christmas Craft show!

Please join us the Thursday night for the biggest SpeakEasy event of
the year.

SpeakEasy's Annual Holiday Sale

Chestnuts roasting, sleigh bells ringing,
and the season starts a-swingin’!
Join us for holiday cocktails, a few good tunes,
and another fantastic show at The Gladstone.

The annual “SpeakEasy Holiday Sale” will be held on Thursday,
December 2nd
at The Gladstone Hotel, from 7 pm to 11 pm. It’s an evening of arts,
crafts and seasonal fun. It’s a chance to shop for hand-crafted
holiday gifts.
It’s an opportunity for the public to see the work of 47 local artists
ranging from quirky one-off ceramics to handmade soap, jewellery, books
and hand painted Christmas cards.

Time & Space:
Thursday, December 2nd, 7pm-11pm
The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen West
Second Floor Lobby + Studios Rooms

Pay what you can at the door ($4.00 Donation Suggested)

Featured Artists:
Alicia Mansillo, Bags
Torched Studio, Jewellery
Alison Ruth Designs, Wool Accessories
RedHen Craft, Handmade Notebooks, Bookmarks and One-of-a-kind
Christmas Ornaments
Jen Tsuchida, One-of-a-Kind Felted Accessories
InnerGemDesign, Jewellery
Jennifer Buckland, Suede Children's Shoes & Accessories
Julia Burton, "White Squirrel Club" T-Shirts & Xmas Ornaments
Grace Design, Bags And Wooden Brooches
Joey Suriano, Stuffed Toys, Bags & Accessories
Alex Russel, Jewelery
My Fairy Uncle!, Children's Book
100% Dandy Knits, Hand Knit Accessories
Beadmarket.Ca, Beaded Jewellery
Kaia Naturals, Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloth
My Secret Music Box, Musical Jewellery
Dear Ms. Tanushka, Handcrafted Jewellery
Kempton Jones, “Owlies of Ontario”
MIKA Design, Handmade Bags, Crafts & Accessories
Natalie Draz & Sheila Jonah, Printmaking & Photography
Baited Hook Handmade, Handmade Happiness
Deedeebird, Hand Picked Feather Accessories
The Lime Shop, Handmade Accessories
The We of Me, Handmade Notebooks
Wayne Murphy, Christmas Figurines & Ornaments
Agent Honey Reclaim, Reclaimed Leather Handbags & Accessories
Willow Dawson, Art Prints, Cards & Graphic Novels.
Black Currant Jewelry
Anneke van Bommel, Touch the Dutch, Jewellery, Prints & Objects
Offcutstudio, Cameron Maclean
Suzie Saxx, Handpainted reusable cotton tote bags
Kathryn Rebecca, Jewellery Designer & Goldsmith
Helga Rudolph, Hand-Knitted Clothing & Accessories
Anne Solomon, Machine Embroidered Items
Soap Scum: Soap for dirty people
THE SPIRIT OF HELDER, Greeting Cards
Mod Rox, Jewelry
Nharo!
Picture It Picture Books
Mary Wong
Sweet Leaf Bath Co., Fair Trade Certified Artisan Bath & Body Products
Shareen Woodford Jewellery
Cozied Up, Handmade Feel Good Items
Yien-Wyn Yip - Yien Prints, screen printed clothing
Bibu, Baby Quilts, Bibs, Pillow Dolls & Huggable Toys
Bauble Box: Hand Made Glass Fancies!
Enfleurage Organics, Organic Soaps

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Untitled

Just finished watching a late movie. Please check out "Untitled" a 101 on how some different contemporary artists function and think in the current art scene. Wow that sounded preeeetentious! Read more...

Getting ready for Make it

Just getting ready for my first Make it show with Gabs and it is a big mess here. Gab has some awesome scarves going on and me I have a lot of sorting to do with my textiles. Ooooh the folding not the folding! Read more...

Capsize is cool!

OMG please check out this awesome indy game Capsized that will be released on Steam by Alien Trap. which my friend Jesse McGibs is the illustrator for. The release on PC and consoles will be available next year. This is so amazing! Read more...

Royal Bison!

OMG it's almost time for the Royal Bison in Edmonton! Me and my good friend Gab will be sharing a table at one of the loveliest craft fairs out west where we'll be showing our new clothing and craft items this season. Hope you all can make it! Read more...

Rejected designs part 2

I'm almost finished packing for Edmonton yay and am going through a pile of drawings I cut out from this year's collection. May I present Branches - something I will be painting rather than screen printing later. Read more...

Packaging for the craft shows

Hey hey just finished screening my giveaway bags for the next few craft shows. You know what is pretty - trees! Read more...

Cute Pandas!

Nothing much to say at this point, I am up to my eyeballs in label sewing. So for everyones' entertainment - PANDAS! Read more...

Winter 2010 photoshoot

Wow it was a busy day! Just finished a photo shoot of my new winter collection for the upcoming craft shows. Thanks to my good friends Melissa (model) and Karen (photographer/photo assistant) for a long day of hard work! Read more...

The Make it Craft show

Just to let everyone know I'll be back in Edmonton for Make it next from next Thursday till Sunday. I'll have some new designs that I'm just finishing up right now. I really hope to chat and see all my favorite Edmontonians there! Read more...

A very wet day

It's raining quite heavily today so I thought I'd give myself a time out and do a little sketching. Read more...

New Info graphic - Carnival park deaths

I just updated my website with another info graphic I did for a company a few while back. The topic was some of more outlandish deaths at Carnivals and wow I found they could either range from super tragic to super silly. There was the ride in China where six people died and eight were injured or a USA Ferris wheel where the ride stopped, the guy panicked and then tried to climb out, it was three stories high. Half the work was spent on online research, wow there was a bit to go through, and the rest was on the info graphic. The finished product took a total of five days, including research to complete. Read more...

Rejected designs

Just finishing the remainder of my 2010/2011 collection and came over some designs that I really couldn't use. I have this adorable fawn is that is so CUTE but alas had no place in my collection this time. Read more...

Not on my playlist but fascinating nonetheless

I was browsing for some new music to listen to when I happened onto the Hatsune Miku concert in Japan. Hatsune is a singing, digital avatar created by Crypton Future Media that customers can purchase and then program to perform any song on a computer. I thinkg the concept is brillant, like attending a 3D movie, and if they ever use it for bands like Gorillaz I am sound. Now the singing on the other hand - is like listening to my old cell phone ring - tingy and a little annoying. Read more...

Oooh so cute!

Please check out one of my new obsessions - Nancy Zhang - a concept designer from Berlin. She does the most adorable fashion illustrations that she pairs side by side with herself in a pseudo fashion shoot. OMG this is like my two most FAVORITE things put together. Read more...

New Bag design

Whew... I'm in the middle of screening and craft for the next few craft shows coming up, Make It, Royal Bison and Speakeasy. Please wish me and my fellow vendors good luck! And now my new bag design for the give away totes I have. Read more...

Red face comic

I just saw this comic off notcot a few days ago and instantly fell in love. Red face is a horror comic from artist Emily Carroll with slight tones of Edgar Allen Poe and an amazing art style and layout. Though Halloween is long past, it is definitely worth another read through. Read more...

Money and MMOrpgs

I just updated my website with an info graphic I did for a company a few months ago. Now I'm not a player of MMO rpgs, my last one was when they were still text base, but I learned so much interesting information about the financially more successful companies and top games. Half the work was spent on online research, wow there was a bit to go through, and the rest was on the info graphic. The finished product took a total of five days, including research to complete. Read more...

Rare Bird Find Post

I just found out a little while back this awesome fashion blog - Rare Bird Finds did a post recommending one of my t-shirts. All I can say is thanks and SWEET~ Read more...

Music for my ipod

Recently I was introduced to the lovely Jane Lui from a friend. She has a knack for collaborations and a smooth and utterly melodic voice for all you jazz/contemporary fans out there. Her album is available for downloading at her site. Nothing like some easy listening as I try to ink my way through 7 clothing designs!

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Process work for The Truth about Unicorns Cover

It's Friday - yay - which means I get to show a little bit of my work-in-progress for the Truth About Unicorn cover.

I initially did three roughs based on an art brief from the art director.



After that and a bit of nit picking here and there, we decided on one particular rough and modified it a little bit.

Then came time for the final work:
a) I did some finished ink work from the final rough

b) Added some watercolour and texture for the hair.

c) Played around with the composition of the trees.

d) Then after some back and forth - voila - instant art.... yes I am summarizing here.
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