Alice Valentine

Audrey Print

My Audrey in Type print is available to purchase at Society 6.

Art Print - 17" X 21" (printed area: 13" X 17")

Gallery quality Giclée print on bright white, matte, smooth surface, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using Epson K3 archival inks. Custom trimmed with 2" border.

In. Spired.

We had a guest speaker in class today who made me so freakin' excited about art.

Growing up I was always known as the artist. In elementary school I was always among the top artists in my class and I knew that when I grew up I wanted to be an "artist". Then I graduated from high school and took a two year diploma of Fine Arts at college. I discovered that there were lots of other people who had grown up being the artist, and suddenly I wasn't the best any more. Not only was I not the best but I found that my crafty style wasn't really being accepted by my instructors. Apparently "crafty" is a bad thing in fine art school. 

I got my diploma and had a variety of jobs (including working at a craft store, a chocolate shop, a scrapbook store, and a credit union) while I tried to figure out what to do with my life. That's when I discovered the Illustration and Design program that I am currently in online. I put together my portfolio (luckily I had lots of work because of my diploma of Fine Arts) and applied. There were more than 100 applicants and I was one of only 30 accepted that year for the three year program. That made me feel pretty kiss-ass. Until I started my first day and found that once again, there were a lot of people who are much better drawers/painters than me. I was a bit nervous to show my crafty style, but when I finally did I was surprised to find that this time my instructors actually liked it. I found that when I tried to do what everyone else was doing my work kind of sucked. When I followed my heart and picked up my scissors or needle and thread, I made some pretty cool stuff. 

In second year we were given computers and started learning how to use Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and more. We were told to focus on either design or illustration. I fell in love with typography and decided that after graduation I wanted to work for a design firm (since my illustration skills weren't really up to par with some of my classmates). I had a two month internship at a local design firm that has won numerous awards, and had a wonderful time. But my heart was missing something. It's not that I don't love design - I do. It's just that I don't really want to spend my life making ads for cheese companies.

Now that I am in my final year of school we are starting to put together our brand and portfolios. I have been having a really hard time trying to decide what I want to do when I graduate. A part of me would like to get a position at a design firm where I will get a steady pay cheque, be able to go on maternity leave, etc. Another (and much bigger) part of me wants to create beautiful works of art, create a line of greeting cards, show my work in galleries, make patterns for paper and fabric, and follow my heart. It's practical vs the unknown. Until today I was set on doing the practical.

The speaker we had today graduated from Harvard in Psychology. Then he decided he wanted to make art, so he did. He created beautiful works of art from paper and they were shown in galleries. He made GI Joes out of wood. He and his wife moved to New York and freelanced together. He designed collateral for a coffee shop and then was asked to do the interior design for it too. He created a paper city for a music video. He made a video for a fashion designer. He made a book. Then curated an artshow and made another book.

His presentation inspired me.
I love being inspired.

So what's my plan now? Well I don't really have one. I'm just going to start making whatever my heart tells me to make and see where it takes me.

Pretty Birdie

I am in love with an etsy shop. Stephanie Teague has created some spectacular designs in her shop, Pretty Birdie. My favourite part? She uses antique quilts and feedsacks in some of her dresses. Simply stunning.

 

 

 

 

School Projects

My first classes (I have one more that I haven't had yet) have gone really well, and I've been given some fun assignments. These are my first assignments:

Packaging Design - Redesign an over-packaged product. Products were assigned in class and I was given Lay's Stax potato chips which come in a silly plastic container. 

Applied Design - Choose a fictional retail client based on a real business. Create a brief and design their store logo, an environmental piece (signage, etc.), an online component, and a direct mail piece or business card as well as a rationale.

Digital illustration - Create a flash animation for a 10 second TV spot.

Web Site Applications - Design a corporate homepage.

Advanced Illustration - Create a full page illustrated magazine ad for Above the Influence (abovetheinfluence.com).

Tick Tock.

With returning back to school it's time for schedules, alarms, and checking the time. What better way to find out how much time you have to check blogs before having to rush out the door than with these lovely finds from Anthropologie?

My Aunt Jane.

My aunt, Jane Hess, is a very talented woman. She has the most beautiful home that I have ever set foot in. In April 2008 her house was featured in Canadian House and Home magazine, along with an article that she wrote about her house and her friend Holly's house. Jane is a writer and former fashion editor from Toronto. I have really started to appreciate her use of colour and patterns in her home. One of my favourite things is the purple sofa - and the green puffy curtains over it! I also love that she collects postcards/art cards (see mirror over fireplace in first image). I started doing the same a few years ago and am now focusing on collecting images of girls with black hair. 

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear Video

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear from Gabe Askew on Vimeo.

This fan video is amazing! It's all done on the computer... wait for the water splashing near the end! LOVE!

My Books

I've really been getting in to bookmaking lately and I am loving it. So far I have made four simple books. I'm trying to make one of each common type of book to practice and get a feel for what I like to make. 

1. This was the first book I made. It is a basic accordion fold. I used scrapbook paper from my stash and added a cute button on the front. Enter the giveaway at Freckled Nest to win this book and many more cute things! 

2. This book has a simple stab stitch binding. I used card stock for the pages and for the cover. 

3. I used the pamphlet stitch for this simple book. The inside is regular printer paper and the outside is scrapbook paper. I think it would make a cute journal or photo album.

4. I am most proud of this book. It is a basic codex. I had to stitch the signatures together. It's not perfect, but I just need a bit more practice. It would make a lovely journal or sketchbook.

 For my next book I plan on stitching my signatures over tape. I'm sure that many of you don't have a clue what that means, and I didn't either until about two weeks ago! I love learning new forms of art!

Logo Madness

I am currently at my internship trying to develop a killer logo for an artist guild. I have come up with so many variations, but not many of them are screaming at me. I know I'll find the perfect solution soon... it just takes time. 

Do you need a logo for your etsy shop or something else? Contact me! I'd love to help, and my prices are reasonable as I am trying to build my portfolio. 

Bookmaking

I have recently fallen in love with bookmaking. All I have made so far is a mini accordion book, but I have been collecting supplies and will hopefully be able to make a larger book this weekend. Take a look at these inspiring books I found on Flickr.

link

link

link

link

link

And while I was browsing Flickr for images I discovered the work of Jennifer from Deckled Edge Bindery which is spectacular! Too many faves there for me to post pictures of, but here are a few. Visit her etsy shop here.