100th Post

12:23 pm - It doesn't feel like I've been contributing to this blog very long, but I can see a marked improvement in the quality and complexity of the art I've produced over the past year+. I can't help but feel that this blog is largely responsible for that, because it's given me the motivation and focus to get better at what I do.

To celebrate my 100th contribution to the Antennas blog, I'd like to announce that I have begun work on "card kits" for my Etsy store. These kits will contain digital high-res files for the home crafter to assemble cards for friends and family. All of the elements in the card kit will coordinate, making user design fail-proof. You'll simply pick your elements from the kit, print to card stock, cut out and assemble.

The first kit (containing elements for four full cards) has a vintage Americana look. This pattern is called "Macaroons".

We're very excited to finish the design phase on move on to testing. I'll release details as I progress.

Hostage Situation

For hours now, we've been held hostage by the wild animals in our back yard. We received their initial demands:

1. Two scoops of food
2. Access to the couch fully restored
3. Delete The Dog Whisperer from the DVR

We've notified the authorities and are currently in negotiations.

*Note: That is, in fact, our designer draft blocker from Etsy. It's filled with the finest pinto beans money can buy.

Holiday Hangover

9:35 am - Late last year, we converted part of the office into a photo studio for a few weeks so we could properly tackle a holiday gift bag presentation for one of our national chain clients. You've heard of them. We'll call them "Bullseye".

We staged and shot about twenty different scenes to appear on bags in anticipation of getting about eight into the stores. As is usually the case, they selected a different assortment (that we also showed), and this group entered the gift bag orphanage in the hopes that another national chain might adopt them for Christmas 2011.

Admittedly, the art for this group falls somewhere in between "boutique" and "mass market". It's not too high brow for the average consumer, but it's upscale to say the least.

The call came last week that another (albeit smaller) national chain was interested in seeing this art. Of the six that were selected to show, three have made it to final consideration. Unfortunately, this decoupaged ornament bag was cut again.

General consensus around the studio is that this was the strongest art of the original twenty bags. It's a shame that this art is in danger of never making it to a shelf. I decoupaged the ornaments by hand, painted the pine cone and shot the scene myself, so I take this one a little personally, I guess.

I'm not completely confident in my technical photographic ability, so I am still holding out to get one of my shots in TJ Maxx as some sort of personal validation. Or maybe this never gets onto a bag and I reclaim it for my personal endeavors.

Free Art Friday!

8:32 am - Look who's on his game today. I haven't even had my morning tea, yet here I am giving away some free art.

This pattern is pretty versatile. You can put it on a 45 degree angle for some variety. Free, from my brain to your eye. Enjoy it, you must!

Click this link to download.

You'll need some sort of editing software to use this pattern. The file is a PDF.

This is the part where I tell you that a credit or link back to this blog would be nice, but I know you're not going to do it so I won't pretend to demand it. At the very least, tell a friend or show me how you used it. This art is free of any licensing restrictions. You can do anything you want with it except sell it.

As always, if you need a specific piece of art or would like this piece of art on, say, a wedding invitation, I'm available.

The Almost Blank Page

Stormy days are always the best to get away from the computer for a little hands-on art sourcing. Maybe it starts when we're in grade school. Rainy days equal inside recess, and with them comes excitement. Maybe it's that we haven't had a proper storm in months. Maybe I'm afraid lightning will destroy my computer.

I have a great big, glass-top art table right next to the window of our building. I'm constantly seeking out excuses to sit at it and daydream.

In any event, I got to play with watercolors today. I also broke out the first sponge ever manufactured to create a background texture. This is my favorite part of creating art because you aren't limited by the constraints of some programmer in a cubicle in California. Sometimes it's important to get a little dirty.

Digital Inferno

You remember way back when the universe was in a state of upheaval, right? Well, in case you don't, this is exactly what it looked like. See that little one right there in the middle? That's Earth. We made it! Great job!

Free Art ... Tuesday!

I'm still getting the hang of this art release process. I wish I could just upload it to my blog without having to rig a holding area via Google docs. It's a little annoying, but it won't stop me.

Here is the link to download this funky Christmas ornament pattern. You'll need some sort of editing software to use this pattern. The file is a PDF.

This is the part where I tell you that a credit or link back to this blog would be nice, but I know you're not going to do it so I won't pretend to demand it. At the very least, tell a friend or show me how you used it. This art is free of any licensing restrictions. You can do anything you want with it except sell it.

As always, if you need a specific piece of art or would like this piece of art on, say, a wedding invitation, I'm available.

Enjoy!

Tightrope Paisley

I'm currently working on a series of cards for baby-related occasions. I'm not sure I should even bother specifying whatever event they are intended. The point is that they're baby subject matter.

I'd never done a paisley pattern. I don't particularly like paisleys. They remind me of ties. However, I thought I should know how to draw them, and now I do. I'm going to do my best to incorporate them tastefully into the art.

Even though I'm not finished with the series (four total), I wanted to share some of the art. Naturally, each new one grows in complexity.

Free Pattern Friday -> Saturday

A lot of work for me is great for business but bad for Free Pattern Friday. I guess I shouldn't complain because my day job is what allows me the freedom to continue this blog. However, a full day spent staring at my keyboard prevented me from freeing some vector art.

Not to worry, the art will be released on Saturday. I'll channel my guilt and release a better pattern, free from licensing as always.

Studio Delivery

The most recent delivery to the art studio meeting the second most recent delivery to the art studio.

I'm not sure how I talked Sarah into buying a new chair for the house, but it happened. Now we get to all spend time in the office, instead of taking turns on the computer.

Now if I could just figure out how to get a small flat screen into the office, I'd never get anything done.

Tiny Joy

I've been a long-time user of Pilot's Precise V5 extra fine pens. I don't know anyone else who relies on these pens for drawing, but I think they're superb.

My newest box is sporting a new green design. Each pen is created from nearly 90% recycled material and has "BEGREEN" printed on the side.

The tip of the new design is very similar to the classic Precise V5, but the shaft of the new design is slightly larger in diameter, which I think makes for a more comfortable grip.

Perhaps my favorite feature of this pen is the ability to refill it once the ink dries up. I no longer need to worry when I get down to my last few pens. To be sure, I'll be stocking up on refills. It's quick and clean.

If you're into pen and ink drawings, I'd definitely recommend this pen. It gives tight, true lines, it's comfortable and it's very smooth.

*Sorry for the brutal camera phone photo.

Madero: A Color Study

Color makes such a huge impression on art. It can take a piece of art that feels lifeless and traditional and completely change the context.

The Madero pattern (pictured left) was mundane in a monotone palette. What was meant to make the art feel traditional had robbed the life from the interesting pattern. The introduction of a soft blue to the medallions opened up the pattern to an array of more contemporary uses. The art now hints at Spanish tiles rather than shouts it.

Good stuff.

Veracruz

I've got a handful of patterns that are based on Spanish tile work. They are all variations set on a grid, and they're all repeatable.

This one is stamped into paper.

They are almost as fun to name as they are to create. Maybe one of these will slip into the Free Friday art release.

Heart Bouquet Greeting Card

My pen-and-ink bouquet is really progressing toward a full-blown concept. It needs a little more development before it's a full concept ready for presentation, but I thought I'd select this sketch to document the different stages one must work through before it's ready to be shown to a client.

This art appears to be destined for a greeting card.

Free Friday!

I recently did a repeatable pattern that I thought turned out really well, and I'd like to share it.

Click here to download the vector art in PDF format.

This is the part where I tell you that a credit or link back to this blog would be nice, but I know you're not going to do it so I won't pretend to demand it. At the very least, tell a friend or show me how you used it. This art is free of any licensing restrictions. You can do anything you want with it except sell it.

As always, if you need a specific piece of art or would like this piece of art on, say, a wedding invitation, I'm available.

Enjoy!

Scattered Seeds

Soon, they'll credit my patterns for the arrival of warmer weather and greenery in general.

Doesn't everyone draw flowers around Valentine's Day?

Seriously, though, I'm working out a style based on the new pens I bought. I feel like this is going to result in a ton of random objects drawn in pen and ink cluttering up my desk space. Maybe it will also result in a series of cards on Etsy. Although, I've been saying that for about a year now with only a few watercolors ever having been listed.

Rice Paper and Free Friday

Sometimes a drawing takes so long to complete that you forget the inspiration or even the intent of the drawing. I think this was meant to be a background for another drawing, but it took on a life of its own.

While drawing tiny grains of rice on paper for hours, I thought back to an older neighborhood kid who would spend hours drawing mazes in a spiral notebook. I remember being in awe of his concentration.

This isn't a maze, but I spent hours drawing it. I really like it, but Sarah thinks I'm crazy.

Also, tomorrow will be the first ever "Free Friday" on the blog. I'm going to start the tradition of releasing a piece of vector art into the wild for unrestricted use. Get your cages ready.

Brause Blue Pumpkin

There is cause for celebration around the house today. My shipment of Brause nibs, Tachikawa holders and Kuretake ink finally beat the snow and made it to my mailbox.

I'd read all kinds of great things about the Blue Pumpkin, but I found the fine-tip B66 to be better for my style.

Both are quite flexible and hold ink for quite a while.

Hopefully, I'll get some art posted from these pens soon.

Forest For the Leaves

I remember saying just a few days ago that I was going to try to refrain from nature patterns, and here I go with back-to-back leaves. And green ones, at that!

Oh well... this art is based on a series of leaf stamps.

This is my subconscious calling for warmer weather and sunlight.

Pressed in a Book

This pattern (Title: Pressed in a Book) is based on a series of pen and ink sketches. It's fairly self-explanatory. The leaves are pressed in a book, and they leave imprints on the page.

Big Wheel

I have long been a fan of letterpress. I also really like big wheels. At long last, these two independent interests have clashed on the page.

I could very easily see this mature into a multiple-color pattern. It bears all the hallmarks of pattern material. Plus, there is a winter storm bearing down on us, so I'll need something to do tomorrow.

I feel this needs a mustachio'd man sitting side-saddle with suspenders.

A New Collection

This is my first new pattern in a series I'll be creating over the coming weeks. It was drawn in pen and ink.

I'm not sure how you'd describe it exactly, but the goal is to produce patterns that aren't floral. We'll see how long that lasts...

New Pattern Sketch

The view outside my kitchen window has inspired a new pattern idea. Thanks to some snow and a neighbor's tree that drops annoying seed pods all over the street, I've got a rough for a pattern made up of small line drawings taken from branches of the tree.

I really like the process of following an idea from inspiration to execution to see how it evolves, so I thought I'd share some of mine.

I have a feeling that I'll be doing a lot more line drawings now that I've started a good collection of dip pens.

When a City Shuts Down

It seems that cabin fever has gripped this city. I went to show off my latest Craigslist purchase to Jeremy, only to find that he has a case of Militia Man Dementia. Or maybe those pesky neighborhood kids were waging war.

Either way, he made good use of the snow shovel and a plastic storage drawer. Unfortunately, the wall only lasted a few hours before crashing down directly on top of his Japanese Maple.

I finally broke down and built a desk for my home office. It couldn't just be any desk. That would be too easy. I had to locate some trashed posts for my desk legs (for character and to save $$) and then use my trusty plane joiner to build a 1.5 inch top that I beat to match the legs. It was a fun project that produced a completely solid wood desk. I learned how to make drawers and angled legs for a table.

Now that the (furniture) work is over, the (art) work can begin.

I'll get some detail pics of the desk up later.

You can see that I'm hard at work on some textile patterns.

Parenthood

Before October, the only butt sniffin' going on around the homestead was of the canine variety.

I'm not tough enough yet to execute the finger dipstick diaper check. I think the brown finger maneuver comes on the second child.

However, the point of this post is to promote the local photographer who took our newborn photos.

Tulsa photographer Shea Casey set us up in her home studio weeks after our daughter was born. We've gotten a lot of enjoyment from the photos from our session. Cruising her site, you'll see that she does a great job staging her subjects and gives very professional results (all for a reasonable price).

Our New Italian Tile Spa Shower

What started as a cosmetic upgrade quickly turned into a necessary upgrade upon demolition as the bottom third of my shower wall crumbled from water damage.

This project (which I originally estimated to take two weeks) spiraled out of control. I wasn't ready to use a jackhammer, replace an entire drain assembly and rebuild a shower pan (more masonry work).

Six weeks and one angry wife later, I have a new shower that turned out even better than I imagined it would. There is still the rest of the bathroom to be dealt with (drywall/floor tile/pedestal sink/medicine cabinet/wall texture/wainscotting/paint/can light over the shower...whew!), but progress is the name of the game.

I only post these pictures as a warning not to try this at home. Do yourself a favor and stay under budget by installing a prefab shower stall in a weekend.

Six Months Later...

Let's call it a hibernation. The last time I posted, it was pushing triple digits on the thermometer and Sarah was just a few days into the third trimester.

How times around here have changed. I've been preoccupied with house projects and parenthood.

Thanks to the worst snowstorm in the history of our fair city, I got the opportunity to spend (in tight quarters) almost a full week with Sarah and Connelly. The break from work also gave me the chance to rediscover why I became an artist in the first place. It took a little inspiration, but I got my pencil and sketch pad out and went to work.

Since that night, I've decided to focus back on the original purpose for this blog: The creation of art for fun. I'm sorry, blog. I'll never forsake you again!