Pilgrims & Glitter

Hello Lovelies~

I hope you are all well out there as we approach the hectic holiday season. Things here are very good... and busy. To start, I finally have photos of my studio space to share! It's coming along very nicely, only a few things to do and it will be finished (but of course I am taking bookings). Here are a few shots and the rest can be seen on my Flickr page here.

A nice sitting area for meetings and guests.

The shooting area with plenty of natural light.

I love these Asian lamps, they had been gathering dust waiting to be rewired and I finally got them all finished up and back in service!

While I was visiting home, I think I mentioned doing a portrait session for my parents. Well, those are done, and here are a few. They own all those clothes, believe it or not. Kind of explains where I come from, eh? The rest are here.

And I mentioned in the last post that I was putting some corsages together for a holiday card shoot I had been commissioned to do. Well, here are some process shots of those, as well the finished product on the clients!

Do you have artists on your Christmas list? I may have found the answer to your gift-giving needs this season. The multiple book lists for artists on Wing's Art & Design blog sure peaked my interest. Many titles I had never even heard of, but I'll be picking up a few for sure. And that blog is worth a look-see anyway, lots of great gems there.

What is your favorite holiday movie and why? I want to hear them, Friends. I love, love, love Rankin Bass movies, so Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Clause is Comin' to Town are two of my favorites. I love the corny songs and the stop-motion animation no end. I also love another movie many wouldn't think of watching at Christmas-time: Gremlins. I mentioned it last year, and I'll mention it again, it's hilarious holiday fun. Come on, give me some movie ideas!

This behind the scenes shot from Santa Clause is Comin' to Town is the bees knees.

"Hi! I'm Mickey Rooney and I'm much cuter as a puppet!"

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Lurking...

Hello Lovelies-

Well, as the title suggests, we're going to the dark side tonight. First up, I've listed some new art prints in the shop that I'm really excited about. Illustrations and photos (including the clown prints and the elephant one I showed in a previous post), and with the Vivera inks and Epson Premium paper these prints are really beautiful folks, trust me. Here are a couple I listed, the first based on the writings of Ray Bradbury, the second Edgar Allen Poe:

Also, I'm totally puffy hearting a new illustrator I found today on Friday Illustration. (Think Corpse Bride meets Rankin Bass.) He works in the Red Nose Studio and his three-dimensional puppets are to die for. Really, the work speaks for itself so check it out, but I was also fascinated by his blog where he shows his process and some sketches. VERY neat. You'll love it if you're a Tim Burton fan like I am.

And, speaking of puffy hearts, I have to show you my most favorite pen in the world. Here she is:

I found it at an antique store and sent it to the Fountain Pen Hospital (no lie, it exists) and had it restored and now, I do all of my inking with it. Speedball has nothing on this Wearever.

And lastly, to leave you with a bit of "HUH?!" as usual. Did you hear the story about the 92 year old Chinese woman who went to the doctor complaining of a belly ache (no, this is not a joke) and upon doing a body scan, they found a dead fetus that had apparently been there for 48 YEARS?! She said she didn't have the money to have it removed back in what, '61?! Uh... I just don't know folks...  Until next time: unpleasant dreams.