"An Illustrated Life"

More exciting news this week: OUOU has it's first ad space! Due to the incredible generosity of the mind behind pikaland.com, we got a cozy spot among some really incredible artists out there! I'm still buzzing from this!


Pikaland: An Illustrated Life (this is based on a Japanese word, how perfect!) has been launched by the lovely crafter behind re:makeables. Inspired by such sites as Illustration Friday, Pikaland gathers together illustrated arts from all over the web and offers concise introductions to their work.

I find the choices already showcased to be really remarkable. Pikaland highlights the joy of living an illustrated life, the fun of drawing, painting, takes the focus away from sales to simply the pleasure of discovering new artists! I'm really honored to be a part of it, and excited to see what is to come!

The ad was a new thing for me in several ways. I went to college for illustration but am not in any way a graphic designer. When I first was being shown how to knit, for example, it was so frustrating not to hold my right-hand needle like a pencil. Ooh! So frustrating! This is how I feel given a font I need to apply, rather than draw. All thumbs. Seriously.

Above you see one of the several ad spots I tried in the beginning. I ended up going around to the websites I love who have ads along their sides, and from their example... simplifying. There she is on the right---> the finished one. I'm really tickled by this, and plan on practicing a few more to get more comfortable with placing fonts.

So, those are my introductions for today. Because of the Poppytalk Handmade table there are a bunch of new designs in the shop this week! Even a Valentine that to me is just so PA inspired- lots of people in these parts have these lamp posts on their walkways in their yards. That was really fun to draw. Signing off for today, impatiently awaiting tomorrow's Lost, I hope it is warm where you are! :)