Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Mail Me Art: Short & Sweet


In early August, my copy of the book Mail Me Art: Short & Sweet arrived, all the way from London. The book accompanied and chronicled a monumental gallery exhibit organized by my friends Darren and Jane DiLieto, founders of the illustration sites Hire an Illustrator and The Little Chimp Society. (If you don't know Darren and Jane, click here to read more.)

Mail Me Art, a charity event, is a monumental undertaking. This year's show featured illustrations from 240 artists around the world, all created on envelopes and sent through the mail.

Every piece of art is represented in the book; in addition, a handful of especially blessed illustrators contributed the stories behind their projects as well. Darren asked me to submit mine, and I was happy to oblige.

The show is over, but the book lives on, and is in fact available at amazon.com. Would you do me a favor? Stop by (click this link) and submit a review of the book. The more copies that sell, the more people are helped. Also, it's a nice way to support Darren and Jane, who do so very much for the world of illustration.

If you'd like to read Professor Violet's thoughts on the promotion/marketing angle of Mail Me Art, click here.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

blast from the past


A few weeks ago I got a call from a kind soul at Wizards of the Coast (Hazbro Wizard). While cleaning out a closet or something, he found a pack of artwork that I had submitted ten years ago. Ten years!

My son, now twelve and only an inch or two shorter than me, was a toddler then, and the now-famous Kim Rosen was my intern. Kim took this photo of Gray on the beach at Tybee Island, GA.

If you don't know Kim, be sure to check out her stuff. She is an illustration rock star, with a keen side-interest in pattern design. Also: stellar person. Follow her on facebook and Tumblr, and tell her that Violet sent ya.

I made almost two hundred illustrations in two installments for this job, which was a proposed trading-card project for 'tween girls. The project didn't fly, despite lots of money spent—I certainly cashed in, and I was only one of several artists involved.

Looking at all of that work, I am amazed: they are tiny gouache paintings, incredibly fine and detailed. It wasn't long after this job that I left my paint pots behind for the *speed* (ha!) of illustrating digitally.

Anyway, it was such a gigantic project and it's so odd the way it resurfaced yesterday when the postman rang my bell, I decided I had to share it with you.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Isabella Paper Doll


In honor of fashion week, duopress is offering a totally *free* and super cute page to download: Isabella as a paper doll, with three outfits to wear!

Click here! Isabella and her paper wardrobe will pop up in a new window.

Cut carefully on the dotted lines. Because of all of the tiny tabs, this may be a job for a grown-up or older sibling.

To make this straw hat fit on Isabella's head, you have to cut the dotted line on the inside, just below the rim. In order for the hat to fit properly and stay in place, be careful not to cut through to the edge! If that happens, don't worry: repair with a tiny piece of Scotch tape. Isabella won't mind. In fact, she is a pro at fixing things with tape. 

Color Isabella's outfits, and post photos of your hard work on her facebook fan page. *Like* the page while you're there, any perhaps she will send you a few more outfits for your Isabella paper doll collection!
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Isabella is the cute and funny star of  the new Doodle Storybook™ Isabella's Shoe Studio (Violet Lemay/duopress 2013), available on-line and at your local bookstore.