It wasn’t all handmade notebooks these past 2 weeks because I also just finished an illustration project for a friend’s portfolio website. This actually helped me get my drawing groove back and pumped me up for the notebooks.
Sometimes, you lose your spark only to find it again unexpectedly in the most positively surprising way.
A few days back, I got this wonderful tweet from Ms. Maricel and of course, I was beyond delighted. Finally, the book that the fiance and I were working on for quite a while has gone through printing and will be launched on May 11.
This project is special to us because it’s the first book project that we’ve worked on together and we feel emotionally attached. It’s even more special because it’s a children’s book.
We’re really thankful that we get to work together on some projects, but still have the time to pursue things on our own. It’s always fun to mix it up and experience the fruits of our collective/individual labor.
October has been a great month so far for the boyfriend and I because two of our illustration jobs got published. We did drawings for Summit Media’s K-Zone October 2011 and Good Dog October 2011 (free and bundled with Good Housekeeping) issues. And look, ghosts!
The Holmes project we’re doing for K-Zone is hopefully an ongoing one. We already submitted the November illustrations some weeks ago and am just waiting to get the prompt for the December one. I wonder what version of Holmes I’ll get the chance to design next (each month features a different kind of Holmes, set in a different world).
It was so much fun designing the characters, drawing, coloring and painting these illustrations. I actually felt that I didn’t have the necessary skills to make it happen, especially because the more-experienced boyfriend was busy and could only do a few things at a time.
But I think these came out great and I’m really proud of myself. Hoping to get more of these kinds of illustration jobs in the future, definitely.
(Source: lorraelena)
I’m still very new at freelance illustration so when I get my works published in actual tangible form, I get all excited.
I did this wedding illustration for Asian Dragon Weddings a few months ago and it’s finally out! I was waiting for this since the end of May like a stalker. My parents were extra excited about this one, I think, because it’s a Chinese magazine with actual Chinese articles inside. Bilingual yo!
It’s kind of weird though that this came out now when I’m actually sort of stressing about this whole wedding business. People have been asking us non-stop about when the boyfriend and I are getting married and it’s been getting on my nerves. Just in the past 6 days, 5 different people who don’t know each other have asked.
We do want to get married but that’s not something people should rush into nor pressure other people about. It’s a personal matter.
Anyway, if you’re a Chinese couple thinking of getting married or non-Chinese but like the idea of Chinese beliefs and traditions, you might want to check this article out. It talks about auspicious days and compatible signs.
This is my favorite piece from an article I wrote and illustrated for, for a children’s magazine. I’m not sure when it’ll be out in stores but I’m excited to see how the staff will lay everything out.
I was at a loss as to what to draw for a particular section of the article but then my Tumblr dash suddenly became flooded with Harry Potter pictures and posters of the last movie and I took it as a sign.
Here’s to you Dumbledore and here’s to the last Harry Potter movie.
Here’s a magazine illustration I did but I think it may be okay to publish here since this is nowhere near the final version that I submitted. This version has a few things that they wanted changed, like the Chinese character on the card the guy is holding. I shame my Chinese heritage (but dad, I do this for you and I hope you feel proud when you see the final one). More color in the final version too.
Still, I like how minimalist this looks but I like how the final version turned out too. Watch out for that one, which will probably be okay to publish in a few months’ time.
Anyway, this was one of the things that kept me busy the past week. Other things are my thesis, ever evolving as it is, and branding my own brand which is SO much harder than branding someone else’s brand.
But all these things, thesis aside, will eventually give life to my design and illustration portfolio, which I’m hoping can be online soon and attract lots of money. Yes, money. I need me some moneyz.
I actually finished this commission roughly 2 weeks before the new year for Smarla, who wanted to improve her blog and focus mainly on food and baking for 2011.
First, I made these illustrations to go with the new header. Smarla wanted something that was not too kiddie so I made sure that there weren’t too many distortions made on the proportions of the characters. This one features Smarla and her boyfriend, RJ, who is her partner in most of her food adventures.
I also made these logos for Smarla to look at and choose from. I really like the first one with the cake. At that same time, I was agonizing over another logo for a personal project and kind of got envious that I made something that I really liked for someone else haha.
Finally, these were the header studies I made. I like the 2nd and the 5th one. And if it’s not too clear, the 4th and the 5th are similar except for details on the background. The 4th one features filigree designs while the 5th one has a map of a certain part of Manila, similar to the 1st and 2nd ones.
In the end, Smarla went with the 5th one but decided to stick to her old logo typography, adding the cake I made to it, and chose a darker shade of blue-green for the background.
I wish Smarla the best for this blog improvement and she certainly has done a lot to give readers the perfect food adventures. My favorite new sections on her blog are Kitchen Adventures and Ask Smarla. The map she added, as well as the sorting options, in Ask Smarla are pure genius.
So, if you have the time and are a foodie (self-proclaimed or otherwise), go check out Smarla’s Everyday Sweet Notes.
Just finished inking this commission for a doctor’s new clinic. I’m still trying to decide whether to color it fully or just use a two/three-color treatment.
Will definitely change the transparency of the giraffe growth chart and the big NO! Also, will add background texture and maybe some wallpaper designs for the outside of the clinic. Have to find a way to divide panels properly too.
This is a commission piece that I’m going to be printing out on canvas (Giclee print). It reminds me so much of my Mother’s Day 2010 drawing but I think this one’s an upgrade.
Texture credits go to tearfulcreations and gimei.
