MATS Bootcamp March: Jello Molds

The theme for the latest Lilla Rogers Bootcamp, was Jello and Jello Molds! (Just google Jello Molds and you will find some very umm... interesting things!) I wanted to get back to creating some prints and drawings and ended up a bit abstract this month. I did some sketching, inking, some printmaking and ended up in Photoshop. A classmate whose work i LOVE said she could see it on a table cloth at Crate and Barrel. Oh to dream! 

See the entire gallery of 400 + interpretations of Jello here! (I made page 4 this month.)

Have I mentioned my new work is available for licensing and I am available for commissioned work?

If you want to see a little bit of the process of how I got here, please scroll down...

pencil sketches for Making Art that Sells Bootcamp - March 2014 - Jello - by Barb Chotiner

pencil sketches for Making Art that Sells Bootcamp - March 2014 - Jello - by Barb Chotiner

more pencil sketches for Making Art that Sells Bootcamp - March 2014 - Jello - by Barb Chotiner

more pencil sketches for Making Art that Sells Bootcamp - March 2014 - Jello - by Barb Chotiner

mono prints created for Making Art that Sells Bootcamp - March 2014 - Jello - by Barb Chotiner

mono prints created for Making Art that Sells Bootcamp - March 2014 - Jello - by Barb Chotiner

uppercase magazine!!!

How AWESOME is this? I was so humbled and excited to find out that I was selected to be included in the new Uppercase Magazine Surface Pattern Design Guide! Then I see that 2 of my patterns even made it into the video. (Also - that is my friend Jan (from Making Art that Sells) image on the front cover.) Do watch the whole thing. It's very interesting – but I am at 2:23!

If you follow this section of my website, you will see that I have slowly been expanding my graphic design to include more illustration and surface pattern design. I can not tell you how great it feels to have some validation that you are making a good decision and going in the right direction.

They will be giving out 1500 copies of this special issue out at Surtex in May. While I am not exhibiting this year, it feels wonderful that my work will have a minor presence amongst all the greatness that promises to be there. I do plan to walk the show and am looking forward to lots of inspiration and beautiful artworks and meeting up with folks I have only known through Facebook over the past year. 

Lastly - i do have a coupon code for $15 off a new Uppercase magazine subscription: "USPDG2014" I LOVE my subscription and reference it often.  /  #patternsplease

MATS Bootcamp February: Cuckoo Cuckoo

If you have read my blog, you will find that last year I was a very enthusiastic student of Lilla Rogers' Making Art the Sells class. I made some amazing art works in two different 5 week sessions. Well, Lilla is back. And this time it's with an assignment "Bootcamp".

Bootcamp is six months of 5 different projects. Each month brings a new assignment. The February assignment/theme was cuckoo clocks. We were then to present our final artwork as a design for an iPhone case. You should see the AMAZING designs that people have created. (And on Feb. 25 you will be able to see - as there will be a live gallery with all the 400+ participants. Looks like mine is on page 5!)

This month in particular has been a very busy one (for me) with work assignments, deadlines, power outages, snow storms, school closings, babysitters quitting via text message, interviewing new babysitters, planning my daughters 3rd birthday party, and new clients (yay!). That being said, I did not get to spend a great deal of time on my "homework." I did however end up with a piece thats a bit different than my usual take on things and I really am pleasantly surprised with the finished piece. I wish I could work at 1 PM the way I work at 1 AM.  

Its is not a typical cuckoo clock. At the time of the assignment I was reading and then inspired by this article in New York Magazine about the photographer Andrew Garn who photographed 5,000 pigeons. The photographs were breathtaking and beautiful. My pigeons are a bit more rustic. New York City is my first love and I decided to make a sketchy "cuckoo" themed homage to my old hometown...

cuckoo #bootcamp / #makingartthatsells

cuckoo #bootcamp / #makingartthatsells

patterns galore!

Hi - So maybe you know... but I am looking to venture into the world of surface pattern design and art licensing. I recently completed a wonderful class from Pattern Observer (by Michelle Fifis) called The Sellable Sketch 2. In this class I completed 3 collections for 3 markets - The Apparel Market, Quilt Market and Home Decor Market. As I grow as a pattern designer I am trying to incorporate my love of design with drawing and printmaking. I had so much fun creating these. I am looking forward to visiting Surtex in May and seeing many of my former fabulous MATS classmates (& new friends) show their beautiful art works... And here's hoping that in 2015 I can be there in some fashion as well.

BiZ cards

I think business cards are very important. They are what you leave behind and need to make a good impression and be thoughtfully designed so the person you have given your card to (a) remembers you and what you do, and (b) doesn't throw it into the recycle bin when they empty their pocket later that evening.

I'm working on business card designs for a client, and was telling her how people seem to like to choose their own cards and was suggesting this as an option to her. I have three front designs to my own business card. They are subtle, but different. For printing, I used Moo.com's very cool Printfinity option. For a different front - or back - you can change up words, designs, photos and more. 

14_0210_bcards.jpg

a bavarian bonanza! (um what?)

Here is my last project for my Making Art that Sells course. The theme (of all things) for this final week, was to be inspired by Folk Art. But... specifically Bavarian and/or Ukranian Folk Art. How random and wonderful and it was something I would have NEVER thought of to draw inspiration from.

The market for the final week was paper/party goods. Ooh - how fun (read: amazing) would it be to have products in Target with my artwork on it? Hopefully one day! That is certainly a goal.)

We have learned SO many things in the 5 + 5 weeks of Lilla's class: Use icons. Use great color. Make sure it looks good small. Be yourself. Quirky is good. Be positive. And most important - PEOPLE BUY YOUR JOY!

Well, I tried to do all of this in week 5. I researched. I drew. I drew some more and then I embraced my inner quirk. I actually went "super quirk" on my little funny birds. I gave them them tights and high heels and knee high socks and hats and braids and surrounded them with yummy bavarian pretzels. I was certainly having fun dressing them up.

Barbara Chotiner | bzdesignstuff | created for Making Art that Sells

Barbara Chotiner | bzdesignstuff | created for Making Art that Sells

This class was amazing. I can't recommend it highly enough. The friends I have made from both sessions are invaluable as well as the knowledge and insight I have gained from Lilla and from Beth. I hope they run another MATS class. Word is they are planning on it. And once it is announced, I will be there toot sweet!

In the meantime, I am catching up on design work, creating more holiday cards for my etsy shop, and starting to gear up on a surface pattern design collection.

Happy Turkey Week everyone!

map madness

It was a busy week. For Lilla Rogers' MATS class this week, the topic was Editorial Illustration and our assignment was to create a map of where we live. My first thought was WAIT - I Iive in suburbia (albeit a beautiful one) surrounded by trees, houses and a major attraction of my hometown is the Bed, Bath and Beyond/Old Navy shopping center. What am i going to draw?? It made me miss my vintage days of living in the colorful and vibrant West VIllage of NYC  (pre how it is now with all the fancy shops on Bleecker St.), then the Back Bay in Boston and later within the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. However life & priorities change. Now we need a yard and parks and a good school system and fortunately I have found these and am additionally surrounded by amazingly beautiful, traditional old stone homes. How could I convey this green and grey suburban-ness to my classmates in Hawaii, Thailand & Australia among many others??? 

Well, I started with words and built up from there. I added many personal references and things I found special, random and funny. (Yes there is a really sign in the park that says speed limit 7.5 mph). I really could've added more but had to stop due to time and space restrictions. Also - the amazing thing was while I was working on this I had on in the background All Things Considered/NPR, and the show began to discuss the 100th birthday of the Lincoln Highway (which was last week) and which happens to be the large black line which runs corner to corner on my map. I am on this road at least once a day and it was such a coincidence this came on as I was working on this.

Any with that... I present my excessively excessive map of my hometown. Enjoy!

Map of The Main Line by Barbara Chotiner - bzdesignstuff.com

smile!

Happy Halloween! So… Week 3 of my MATS class brings me to the wide world of scrapbooking. Shown here are hand drawn and inked drawings which could be used for stickers elements and patterns for complimentary coordinating card stock. Say cheese! (but not cheesy!) :)

barbara chotiner | art for scrapbook collection - featuring retro camera / typewriter art