art + illustration + inspiration

Inspiration: Maira Kalman

by on Nov 13, 2011 (0) Comments

I first heard about artist Maira Kalman when I bought a copy of The Elements of Style, Illustrated (Strunk, White, Kalman, 2007). I was still actively writing articles at the time, and despite the original intent for buying the book, I was immediately drawn to Kalman’s quirky, colorful, moody characters and objects.

Despite the use of bold, cheerful colors, her mood generally veers toward the serious, witty, or even disturbing. The book’s cover has one of the more recognizable/iconic animals associated with Kalman, being a dog lover–a pooch looking rather morose/sad/pensive/apprehensive, what have you…

I love how Kalman renders everyday objects and interiors. Everything pops, and there’s a hidden wit that leaves you questioning. I think the beauty behind her work is how she manages to combine cheery hues with serious moods. (All images in this post: Maira Kalman)

Candy “Breaking Dawn” illustrations

by on Nov 11, 2011 (1) Comments

These are three of six illustrations I made for Candy Magazine‘s Breaking Dawn Special! I’ve been excited to share this, but had to wait till the issue came out this month. I’m not a fan/follower of the Twilight series (though, I did watch the first two movies–the second begrudgingly, haha), but I was ecstatic the moment Candy commissioned me for the issue’s fashion/beauty editorial. It’s my first watercolor project for a magazine! Here’s one of the finished spreads from the section…

All you hardcore Twilight girls should grab a copy! It should be available in all major local bookstores. Hope you enjoy it! (Spread credit: Candy Magazine)

Kitch’ Café in Paris

by on Oct 16, 2011 (2) Comments

I always like to do a little imagining of my own. Since I’ve been dreaming of nothing but Paris lately, I’ve decided to take a break from my usual girls, flowers, and fruit (to be honest, it’s gotten repetitive to the point that it’s become tiring), and have decided to start putting some of my rose-colored dreams on paper.

I’ve started with this whimsical rendition of Kitch’ Café–a shop that’s grown quite close to my heart over the past few months, for many reasons, but mainly that it’s got that European charm and quaintness that hasn’t been matched by other cafés in the city. I decided it’d be fun to transplant the shop to Paris, where I think it rightfully belongs!

If you’ve never been here before, I recommend dropping by to nibble on a sweet little pastry paired with some of their freshly crafted coffee (oh yes, the people here are intense coffee lovers!). If you need to get work done, there’s free Wi-Fi, too. I took some photos of the place earlier this year–check them out here. Then, let me know what you think!

WIP 09.30.2011

by on Sep 30, 2011 (0) Comments

As I mentioned in my previous post, here are some WIP snaps of my first magazine/editorial project involving watercolors! Unfortunately, I can’t reveal any more about the project until it’s been published (it’s coming out in November, I think). Despite working this into an already busy schedule, I really enjoyed the whole process, and I’m happy with how these turned out–but happier to know that the client loved them! When you love what you do, it really shows, and it’s just one of the best feelings in the world.

WIP 09.29.2011

by on Sep 29, 2011 (1) Comments

Work for my exhibit has slowed down just a bit due to client work, and here’s a peek at the fourth piece (which I’ve already finished). Even so, I’m happy to share that I’ve received quite a number of commissions this month! It’s exciting for me because they’re all slightly different from each other–a book project, a couple of digital illustrations, a DIY craft project… And finally, for the first time (I’m giddy about this one!)–a set of illustrations involving watercolors, for a fashion editorial (which I will give a sneak peek of in the next post)! It’s been such a busy September, and I can only be ecstatic and grateful.