Parasol Craft 3

EDITORrsquoS NOTESpring is FINALLY here Spring has got to be my most favourite season Well summer too because I love warm weather But spring I feel is such a gorgeous time I love the blooming flowers I love walking through the woods amongst tall beautiful trees I love spending weekends at the park or the city at the farmersrsquo markets or cafes sipping on a nice chai latte people watching or working on my embroideries Itrsquos so easy to be inspired during spring time and I swear the amount of projects I have on my list just about doubled

Speaking of projects yay ParasolbullCraft 3 is here Itrsquos inspired by playful little things children and of course Spring

I hope you enjoy the 3rd issue

xoxoYasmine SurovecEditor + Designereditorparasolmagcom

Photograph by Victor Surovec

4 KATARINA CARLSSON12 JOAQUIMA CASAS BO

20 JACQUELINE ROBERTS26 AUDREY JEANNE

32 ANNA N40 WANDA KUJACZ

46 THE LONG THREAD50 TOSHIYA WATANABE

60 AMY EARLES66 MELISSA NUCERA

70 MAI MCKEMY74 MARIA (CHOCOLATECAKE)

80 JESS QUINN86 BRITEX FABRICS

94 DOWNLOAD 12X1296 PROJECTS CHRISTY AMULAR

104 IDEA HAND-DRAWN TOTES108 GIVEAWAY

110 WE LOVE BOOKS114 DOWNLOAD BRUSHES

115 ONE ON ONE PART 1-FINDING YOUR CREATIVE SELF

CONTENTS

Clicking on links and some images will lead you to each featurersquos website

KATARINA CARLSSONLocation Stockholm SwedenWebsite httpdistractionsbymylingtypepadcommy_webloghttpflickrcomphotosmyling

What sparked your interest in ball- jointed dolls And how did you develop your skills as a doll makerI think it was the ability to pose these dolls that interested me at first I remember be-ing fascinated by the way they looked that the joints were so visible and yet so inte-grated into the look of the doll

I think my interest in making dolls comes from wanting to realize characters that I have in my head - to make them ldquorealrdquo to make a three dimensional version of them in the physical world that I can pose dress and use as a model for drawings paint-ings stories

I have always been very drawn to sculpt-ing and I have made dolls or little crea-tures for as long as I can remember For a long time I was disappointed in the materi-als available to me - I never liked polymer clays never liked the way paint behaved on these kinds of clays or the fact that you have to bake them in the oven Then I used paper clay and loved it the way you can shape it and add more or carve it I discovered porcelain and I was fascinated with this material too - the way you work with it the different stages it goes through I think working with these materials has done a lot for my doll making - I just love the work process I also think that I learnt to be very patient and stubborn when

working with porcelain especially and I think that has rubbed of on my sculpting I never rush when I make a new doll - I work until Irsquom entirely happy with it I never took any doll making classes or anything and I only had some very basic sculpture classes I donrsquot remember learning that much in any sculpture class - I really learnt more on my own trying things I was inter-ested in

What is it that draws you to dollsI donrsquot remember playing with dolls that much as a child but I remember being very fascinated with miniatures - dolls houses toy theaters and so on

I guess I became more interested in dolls as I grew up I think Irsquom drawn to the craft of making the doll and all of itrsquos accesso-ries the incredible skill behind a perfectly tailored miniature dress and the time spent on making it as well as being drawn to dolls as tools for imaginary characters and narratives

What inspires you as a doll maker As an artist in generalI love to look at other artistrsquos work in prog-ress photos - I think because I like to see how something is made whether itrsquos a doll or an illustration or some other object - I want to see the materials the different tex-tures the way someone shaped it or drew itI also get very inspired by looking at photos of works paces - I donrsquot know how many workspacedesk-groups that I am a member of on flickr

Also wandering around art supply stores and fabric shops gets me going I espe-cially love looking at different kinds of pa-per sketchbooks and pens I often buy a new pen or sketchbook if I feel uninspired or bored so I have quite a stash by now Another thing I have a stash of or a col-lection really is ldquohow tordquo books on paint-ing drawing sewing Some of these books are very silly but I love them none-theless and I often have a huge pile of these books by my bed

Who are some of the doll makers you admireFrench artist Lillycat she makes dolls under the name Cerisedolls - I adore her dolls and illustrations Her creations are so beautiful and unconventional she has

a very unique style and expression I get very inspired when I see Lillycatrsquos dolls she really makes me want to try new things

I also really like Koitsukihimersquos dolls - they are just stunning

Whatrsquos the most challenging part of your process What part of the process do you like bestMy favourite part of the process has to be the when I first start sculpting something - when the idea for the doll or character is all new and all I have are images in my head or rushed sketches and then start working with just a lump of clay I love see-ing things take shape it feels like magicThe most challenging part of the process is finishing the prototype doll and making molds from it But at the same time this is very comfortable work very repetitive which leaves me free to dream up new things in my mind

Do you sell or exhibit your dollsI started selling dolls a few months ago Irsquom taking it very slow and have only had a few dolls for sale as itrsquos all new to me

What are your goals and aspirations as a crafterI really want to be able to spend more time on my craft to get to do what I love to try new materials and develop new ideas

JOAQUIMA CASAS BOLocation Athens GreeceWebsite httpetsycomshopKupKup httpkupkup-landblogspotcom

What is the story behind your KupKup setKup Kup Land is the name of the land where Kup Kup lives Kup Kup is a little man who likes rambling around to find treasures When I was thinking of the name of the character I asked my son (he was 3 at the time) how I should name it and he answered Kup Kup which is how we call his small blanket that he uses ev-ery day to sleep since he was a baby

How would you describe your workI always loved to draw paint I have studied graphic design and illustration in Barcelona many years agobut as it hap-pens many times one ends up working in completely different things I started to play with fabrics buttons sewing and I discovered felt A fantastic material with which you can create a lot of thinks from illustration to many interesting projectsI have always had special interest in all

handmade but I am self taught I did not learn the things I do in a particular place I have been experimenting always with new ideas

What are the materials you often find yourself usingI love cut and paste Sewing by hand and machine embroidery draw I try to combine all these elements I like to ex-periment with all sorts of materials but without doubt felt is my favourite one I like to combine it with fabric and other materials paper wool

How would you describe the overall look of your craftMy style is kind of pop and baroque at the same time -- at times I try to make

things more minimal but the result never satisfied me so far -- so I guess thatrsquos what defines me better

What is the most challenging piece yoursquove ever createdIrsquom having so much fun with my new col-lage series and also I enjoy a lot with my sceneries of Kup Kup Land I love designing pincushions The scenery idea came from the illustrations of the char-acter Kup Kup and his friends I thought of passing these characters to a tri-di-mesional world and the pincushions just suited very fine for this scope they are a fantastic object in order to re-create min-iature situations and there are manypossibilities by playing around with fab-rics felt and beads I have a great time creating it

What is your biggest inspiration as a crafterMy inspiration comes from the materials themselves the fabrics the colors the drawings and the ornaments etc The ma-terials make me visualize the idea I have for a creation I am fond of most Japanese styles in craft making as I am of comics illustration books for children nature and life itself

My favorite part of creating is the design stage then taking that idea and turning it into something tangible I always carry around my Moleskine notebook in which I doodle when ever an idea hits me

My inspiration comes from the most un-expected places and many of my cre-ations come into my mind during the manufacture of other pieces

Do you sell your crafts and art Where can we find your workYes You can find my work in my Etsy shop httpwwwetsycomshopKupKup

What are your goals as a creative indi-vidualDonrsquot give up and be open to trying new things Be patient and donrsquot ever get dis-couraged

JACQUELINE ROBERTSWebsite httpjacquelinerobertsnet httpflickrcomphotosjacqueline_roberts

How did you get your start as a photographerI always liked art in all forms and shapes but never considered it as a ldquoseriousrdquo professional option I am a self-taught photographer and like many I started with my fatherrsquos old Kodak camera when I was in my teens Fast forward 20 years and I got myself a Nikon D80 to take pic-tures of the kids I started taking their portraitand that was it There was no turning back

Your photographs have an ethe-real quality to it that reminds me of classical paintings How would you describe the look of your work It is difficult to describe what I do for me it is easier to just do it But I like portraits with deep tones rich colours and with a certain formality regarding composition and posethis is what I try to reflect with my photography

I see that many of your photos are children What draws you to them as a photographerI started like many other parents wanting to document my childrenrsquos childhood As I observed them I tried to detach myself from all pre-conceived ideas and cliches we

have on children and chose instead to portray them as I saw and experienced childhood whether theirs or my own I wanted to include both daydreaming and tears emotions and snots conceptual representations as well as life-bites I tend to distant myself from this one dimensional perception of children as cute in-nocent creatures rather I love their rawness their dignity their ldquoself-unconsciousnessrdquo their uncompromising ability to be as they are their endearing fragility along with their compelling determination

Who would you say are your influences and inspirationsThere are many photographers whose work I love and admire I could mention Sally Mann Jan Saudek Richard Avedon Jock Sturges Julia Margaret Cameron Joyce Tenneson Rineke Djkstra o Helen van Meelebut by all means for me the Old Mas-ters remain the Masters

What are some of your favourite photos in your portfolioMy favourite photo is usually the last oneuntil I move to the next one

Do you work primarily on commissioned portraiture or editorialsI do some editorial work (book and magazine covers) and I am now starting to take commissioned portraitureso I look very much forward to work with different models

What are some of the projects that you are currently working on Do you have any upcoming showsI am in the process of setting up my photography studio in the meantime ideas come and go but I am working on a series called ldquoEver afterrdquo on mundane episodes in the life of a child I am also starting to explore wet plate collodion photography a 19th cen-tury photographic process using glass negativeswhich is ultimately the technique I want to use for my work

AUDREY JEANNELocation Caen France Website httpaudreyjeanneblogspotcom httpaudreyjeannebigcartelcom

What sparked your interest in craft My first interest was in art The emotion that I could felt in front of a drawing by Picasso was a revelation to me Myself I always felt the need to draw It make me feel happy My interest in craft appeared later and gradually discovering the Bau-haus movement for example I like to make life more beautiful and attractive and I think craft can contribute to make this possible

What are the things that you usually make And what materials do you usu-ally use to create your products

I use mostly pencils paper and my com-puter My drawings are made with pencil on a blank paper I scan them and then I make improvements to my drawings I add small touches of color patterns or other details with my computer Then I reproduce my drawings on different ob-jects such as postcards badges pocket mirrors or bags

Are you a full time crafter I am not a workaholic I need time to day-dream But even when I donrsquot create Irsquom always gathering inspiration In that way I am a full time crafter I donrsquot think

you can be an artist from 10 am to 8 pm If you are an artist you are an artist all the time Even when you watching TV or when you go shopping at the supermarket

I love your sweet little characters What in-spired them I always liked the little characters I am an only child and when I was a child I surrounded myself with a lot of plushes or various figurines to avoid being alone I think the little characters that I draw today are a remnant of that

How would you describe to us the overall look of your craft I donrsquot know why but Irsquove never been good at describing my artwork I would say my craft is minimalist in sweet tones perhaps poetic sometimes childish And I hope touching

Where do you sell your products I sell my products in my online shop and in several shops all around the world To name a few Renegade Handmade (httprenegadehand-madecom) Les fleurs (httpboutiquelesfleurstypepadcomles_fleurs_la_boutique) Little circus (httplittlecircus-shopcom) Petit Deco (httppetitdecoshop-projp) Galerie Doux Dimanche (http2dimanchecom) Muumlm (httpmumboutiquecanalblogcom)

What are your goals as a crafter and small business owner First I would have quickly my website Secondly I would like make drawings for other items such as rubber stamps metal boxes pat-terns for fabric or dishes

Then I want to maintain the desire to cre-ate and ensure that inspiration does not dry up Finally I wish earn enough money to live off my work

Who are some of your favourite crafters designers and artists My tastes evolve but there are some art-ists who rest important to me Pablo Pi-casso because he was the first David Hockney Silvia Baumlchli cute characters from Yoshitomo Nara the discrete strange-ness of certain artworks by Camilla Engman Minauml Perhonen for its textiles as beautiful as paintings Banana Yoshimoto and Haruki Murakami for their stories

which transport me And many others who are different every day

ANNA NLocation Moscow RussiaWebsite http flickrcomphotos27241019N04 http diaryru~magic09

What is your most favourite among your dolls and toysMy favorite doll is my Blythe doll Tober-mori Shersquos named after the cat in the lsquoNocturnarsquo movie I love her to bits and just canrsquot imagine we can ever part And among my handmade dolls I love Sleepy Mouse Girl most for her permanent dreaming

What is it about dolls that you likeMy fav dolls are the ones that can make you believe they are alive not only in the photo lsquocause picture canrsquot show you the dollrsquos soul It can only show the soul of the photographer but there are dolls that are alive in the real life too some antique dolls handmade toys or customized dolls I mean when they are filled with the emo-tion of their creator they are unique in their own way

You have such a great eye for photo-graphs and your dolls are styled so well What would you say are your in-fluences as a crafter and as a photog-rapherThank you for the compliment

Well I felt like doing something with my hands since childhood and I think that every book or picture I saw and liked had some influence But still I think that most

important are books by Gianni Rodari Er-nest Seton-Thompson Lewis Carroll and Julio Cortazar

Who are some of the artists and craft-ers you admireI really love works of Chris Sickels (Red Nose Studio) Vladlena Sheveleva (bellz) Vera Torohova (ligreego) ElifKarakoc reneefrench on flickr Ragazza Evange-lione Makidra Mariersquos Garden addiolula Lenaah Super Ninon Paola Zakimi and a lot of other amazing artists who inspire me I just canrsquot name them all

Outside of flickr and the online world what is it that you doI make toys customize dolls and study economics Irsquom a very timid and boring girl

What inspires you as a creative indi-vidualIt can be anything a beautiful person in the street a movie or new book photos and dolls from my fave artists

WANDA KUJACZLocation Enghien-les-bains FranceWebsite httpflickrcomphotos--wanda-kujacz--

How did you get your start as an artistphotographer It took some time but it did

The problem is that I used to be a very good pupil and student when I was young-er so that every body encouraged me to become a prime minister or an engineer and it blinded meBut we canrsquot lie a life long to ourself I couldnrsquot and one day quite suddenly I stopped my brilliant and promising studies to enter a Parisian Mov-ie School and I was happy I wrote stories and directed short films Some traveled all around the world through international festivals and were prized

Do you make your living as an artist It begins

How would describe your work Hard I think it would be the same answer if you asked me ldquowho are you rdquo Because my work takes as many different ways as I can feel in a week in a day or in a min-ute

My work is sometimes funny when I make huge multicoloured sculptures in paper ma-cheacute It can become darker with black and white moody picturesI donrsquot ask to my self ldquowhat are you going to do as a picture today rdquo I do it I do it as I feel as I really feel that Irsquom working like Irsquom breathing

What are the tools that you use to gen-erate your images Technically my cameras my computers my pencils and above all like every body my past my background essentially when I was a little girl I grown up near Paris with my polish eccentric grandma She never met Reality

What inspires you as an artist The moods I feel music colours

Who are some of the creative individu-als you admire Karl Lagerfeld I admire his sensibility his competencies his personality and he makes me laugh

Outside of art and photography what do you do Well I have a life with my 11 years old daughter who sometimes accepts to be my model and my husband

What interests you Music image watching and listening to people creating

What are your goals as a creative personTo feel free when I create a piece I mean to get ride of what has already been seen to get ride of fashion to get rid of what I know to get rid of my fears and to go always farther in my world

THE LONG THREADName Ellen Luckett BakerLocation Atlanta GA USAWebsite httpthelongthreadcom

FEATURED BLOG

When and why did you start blogging about craftI started my blog over two years ago in an effort to promote my machine embroidery business I never felt passionately about my business but enjoyed writing the blog far more

Who are some of the crafters or artists who inspire youOh there are so many I was first inspired to sew by an article I read years ago about Denyse Schmidt in Martha Stewart Living I didnrsquot get a sewing machine for another 5 years and still donrsquot make quilts as much as Irsquod like but her powerful combination of modern and handmade left an indelible impression on me Soon after that I discov-ered the quilts of Geersquos Bend which were

created not far from my home town in Ala-bama

What is your most favourite craft project(s)Sewing definitely Irsquove become more in-terested in fabric dyeing techniques print-making and hand embroidery Irsquom hoping to work more with quilting in the next few years

With a growing readership base what are some of your favourite and least fa-vourite aspects of being a bloggerPutting myself out there is still a challenge for me I tend to have a less personal blog than most other crafters but I feel a need to maintain some privacy

As a crafter what are your most favourite materials to work withLately Irsquove been buying vintage sheets for projects Maybe itrsquos because spring is finally here but I love the bright colors and bold floral prints

Name some of your favourite blogs or websitesI donrsquot have any individual blogs that I con-sistently follow but when I have time I check in with Maya Made Angry Chicken Bloesem Kids Posie Gets Cozy and Crafty-Pod among others I do visit Craftzine and Etsy just about every day

Aside from craft what are some of your other interestsI am wrapping up a sewing book for Chronicle

Books that will be out next year so the book and my children have been my exclu-sive interests over the past few months Irsquom boring

What are some of your favourite online resources I love The Purl Bee Design Sponge and The Crafty Crow who never let me down by providing loads of wonderful project ideas

How do you see your blog evolvingI plan to make some changes this sum-mer and I assume that Irsquoll be making more changes as my book comes out next year Right now I link to lots of other tutorials which I think people enjoy but Irsquod like to consolidate those and focus on my own tutorials

TOSHIYA WATANABE

Location Tokyo Japan Website httpflickrcomphotostoshiya-w

AFSANEH TAJVIDI

Location Toronto CanadaWebsite httpjoojoome http joojoolandetsycom

Location Toronto CanadaWebsite httpjoojoome http joojoolandetsycom

AMY EARLESLocation Evansville USAWebsite httppushedundercom httpwoolandwateretsycom

MELISSA NUCERA

Location Ambler Pennsylvania USAWebsite httpThisYearsGirlEtsycom httpJanuaryWishcom

Location Ambler Pennsylvania USAWebsite httpThisYearsGirlEtsycom httpJanuaryWishcom

MAI MCKEMY

Location Asheville North CarolinaWebsite httpwoodlandbelleetsycom httpwoodlandbellecom

Location Asheville North CarolinaWebsite httpwoodlandbelleetsycom httpwoodlandbellecom

MARIALocation Madrid SpainWebsite httpcaprichin-chocolatcakeblogspotcom http flickrcomphotoschocolatcake

Location Madrid SpainWebsite httpcaprichin-chocolatcakeblogspotcom http flickrcomphotoschocolatcake

JESS QUINNLocation Bristol EnglandWebsite httptwistedyarntypepadcom httpquinnknitsetsycom

Location Bristol EnglandWebsite httptwistwdyarntypepadcom httpquinknitsetsycom

PARASOL s

BRITEX FABRICS

Located in one of San Franciscorsquos business shopping districts Britex Fabrics carries an AMAZING selection of fabrics notions trims and more Established in 1952 and spans 4 floors of crafty amazingness Britex is definitely a must-see for crafters hobbyists and designers

Address 146 Geary St San Francisco CA 94108Phone 4153922910Website britexfabricscom shopbritexnotionscom blogbritexfabricscom

THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE WHEN

YOU ENTER

A WALL OF BUTTONS

TRIMS

LOTS OFFABRIC

DOWNLOAD 12X12

Spring Garden

Kit by Yasmine SurovecResident Crafter Christy AmularWebsite httpsweettidingsblogspotcom httpsweettidingsetsycom

Spring Garden

SCRAPBOOK CARD

A great mix and match card-making project to celebrate Spring and Motherrsquos Day

Materials Board paperDigital files tiny butterflies geo mini dotsButterfly template (free tem-plates available on the web) Paper cutterDouble sided tapeBone folderHot glueGlitter jewelsPainted wooden flowers (handmade or purchased)Colored raffia twine

Directions1 Print digital files on board pa-per2 Cut tiny butterflies paper into 10 inches x 7 inches size Fold into half using bone folder3 Cut geomini dots paper into 175 inches x 5 inches size4 Assemble and lay-out materi-als using double sided tape of hot glue 5 Embellish card with hand cut butterfly and other scrapbook em-bellishments

BUTTON ORGANIZER

We canrsquot get enough of ric rac This is a cute way to store and organize your button stash Also a wonderful gift giving idea for crafty friends

Materials Board paperDigital files ric racRubber stamp alphabet setStamp inkButtonsDouble sided tape cut into frac14 inch squares

Directions 1 Print ric rac digital file on sturdy board paper2 Cut printed board paper into 4rdquo x 4rdquo sized cards3 Hand stamp desired title on button cards4 Segregate button stash by colordesign and attach buttons to button card using double sided tape

MINI JOURNAL bull NOTEBOOK COVER

Add a splash of spring beauty to plain notebooks and jour-nals with this easy and chic project Also a great gift giv-ing idea

Materials Tracing paper 92 gsm letter sizeScissorsDigital files cream flowersColored printerGreen leather stripWhite bond paperDouble sided tape transparent tapeBlank journalnotebook approx 5 inches x 7 inches size

Directions

1 Print cream flowers digital file on letter sized tracing paper2 Neatly cover plain notebook or journal with white bond paper Se-cure flaps with transparent tape or double sided tape3 Cover the notebook with the cream flower tracing paper Neatly secure sides with double sided tape4 Tie leather strip around the booknotebook You may adjust the length of the leather strip as de-sired You may add leather tassels or other embellishments as you wish

COOKIE TOPPERS

Herersquos a cute bake and craft project using Parasol + Craft Issue 3 exclusive paper downloads Itrsquos cute way to package baked goodies for holiday birthday and special occasions

Materials Dots digital filesCello plasticDouble sided tapeScissors or cutterSturdy board paper

Directions1 Bake cookies or your choice2 Print 12x12 minidots2 files on sturdy board paper3 Place cooled cookies inside a cello sleeve (cello sleeves of various sizes are available on ETSY)4 Measure the top width of the cello sleeve Machine or handcut printed board paper to fit the top width of cello sleeve Fold using bone folder5 Apply double sided tape on the insides of the cello topper flaps Never use stapler wire when packaging baked goods6 Fold cello topper neatly in place You may decorate your dotted cookie favor packages with handmade stickers tags or bakerrsquos twine Enjoy

NEAT IDEA

HAND-DRAWN TOTESProject by Yasmine Surovec

Screenprinting appliques embroideries--how else can we personalize a plain canvas tote

One of the art materials I always keep on hand is a black fine point marker For this project I could have used a fabric marker But Irsquove drawn on fabric using per-manent markers before and theyrsquove turned out fine I do think that depending on what fabric you use regular markers may bleed a bit But for a nice sturdy canvas tote my marker inks did not bleed and the lines were nice and clean

This isnrsquot necessarily ldquoprintmakingrdquo as you are hand-drawing the image on Personally I love hand-drawn things as they are unique

Some tips when drawing on fabric Option 1) For my example I just drew directly on the fabric Irsquod practiced several times on scrap paper until my hand was warmed up and I was ready to draw the design on the blank tote (which Id purchased at a craft store)

Option 2) If you have a graphic in mind print it out as a nice crisp black and white image--kind of like what yoursquod do using a graphic for screenprinting Once printed using a soft lead pencil generously shade the black parts When done place the part of the paper where the image has been shaded facing the fabric Using a spoon rub the back side of the drawing hard enough so that some of the lead from the shaded parts of the drawing is transferred on the fabricOnce done trace the shaded parts with a fabric or permanent marker

After you are done drawing iron over it This will help with the permanency of the image

And you are done Yay

GIVEAWAYOh my goodness This issuersquos giveaway is a

Fred Flare

Gift Certificate from$10000

To enter email us at editorparasolmagcomwith the secret code on the subject line We will

pick one winner and announce it on parasolmagcom and aprintadayblogspotcom on May 15 2010

SECRET CODE UNICORNDREAM

WE BOOKS1 Hand Dyeing Yarn amp Fleece Gail Callahan 2 One Yard Wonders Rebecca Yaker3 The Handmade Marketplace Kari Chapin 4 An Illustrated Life Danny Gregory5 A Dollmakerrsquos Art The Creations Of Nancy Wiley Louise Fecher 6 Birthing the Elephant Karin Abarbanel 7 Keys to Drawing Bert Dodson 8 Designing the Doll Susanna Oroyan

1 2

3 4

5 6

78

If you Craft Yoursquoll ParasolCraft Click on each image to preview

ART amp ILLUSTRATIONPROJECTS amp TUTORIALSDIGITAL DOWNLOADS

aprintadayblogspotcom

twitter facebook flickr

BRUSHES

To upload in Photoshop go to

WINDOW +

BRUSHES+

LOAD BRUSHES+

SELECT ldquoBRUSHESabrrdquo

And itrsquos ready to use

ONE ON ONEPart 1 Finding Your Creative SelfWhen I was about 8 years old I knew that I wanted to be an artist and fortunately my parents were very encouraging of this Instead of a lemonade stand my mom propped a table for me in front of my grandmotherrsquos house where I could sell my drawings for what would be equivalent to about 25 cents I remember it being hot and humid and felt that maybe selling drawings was not the best idea But later in the day Mrs Bel-tran our elderly neighbor who lived at the end of the dead end street fumbled through my drawings and asked ldquoWould you like to paint a picture of Mr Beltran and I for his birthdayrdquo Not knowing what to say I ran inside the house to tell my mom and she told me to run back out to say yes

This was my first commissioned piece For 50 cents I painted our neighborsrsquo portraits using my auntrsquos leftover poster paint She was a visual communications major at the time and had a lot of paper and paint on hand Once dried I proudly walked towards the Beltransrsquo home rang the bell and I was greeted by the Mrs

ldquoIrsquom going to frame thisrdquo she exclaimed

She gave me my 50 cents and let me pick star fruits from the tree behind her little house I was so ecstatic by the fact that someone was willing to pay me to do some-thing I absolutely loved and knew at that point what I wanted to do for the rest of my life

Now I know that this is very elementary and as grown ups life is a wee bit more com-plicated than what I just described As we grow older we carry a bit more baggage more preconceived notions more factors such as debt taxes mortgages relation-ships the ups and downs of the economy competitionfear And sometimes we end up doing things we donrsquot always necessarily like to make ends meet When this hap-pens I believe itrsquos important to set aside a bit of time for yourself to explore the things that you love We arenrsquot robots--wersquore humans And as humans we are naturally cre-ative We have needs desires and emotions

In my case Irsquove always worked as either a freelance or in-house designer or illustrator

for major companies Irsquove also shown at galleries and public spaces but design and illustration has been my bread and butter But while my career may be perceived as fun and creative like anything it can also be draining Itrsquos still a job after all and I often found myself burnt out Being creative on demand and on someone elsersquos time and dime can be a bit much especially when you have expectations to beat budgets to meet and numerous people to please And these arenrsquot just colleagues These include customers--people such as yourselves So at the end of the day what do I do I take out a skinny binder of scrap paper and I draw I write And I do so without caring about what anyone has to say because this book is just for me I draw and write whatever my heart tells me to And let me tell you my journals are what kept me sane and inspired

But aside from my paper journals Irsquove always kept a blog around after college Itrsquos al-lowed me to share a few of my pieces with friends family and people Irsquove met online Viewing was limited at the time as my blog was private But it wasnrsquot lsquotil I made my blog public and started sharing my work that I started to meet so many supportive and gen-erous people Opportunities started to knock from companies wanting to purchase my designs to licensing inquiries to more freelance work I realized that in order to grow in my creative career I had to share a bit of myself Even with cost factors market studies and trend reports people can still appreciate work that comes from the heart Yes it sounds corny but let me tell you there is nothing more satisfying than being appreci-ated for doing something that you love--whatever that may be And somewhere inside me my 8-year old self is telling me that Irsquom doing an pretty good job

Now here are some tips that have worked for me

Make time for yourself Give yourself an ldquoinspiration dayrdquo Donrsquot just look at blogs and magazines Go out Do things you wouldnrsquot necessarily always do Read things that you wouldnrsquot necessarily always read Observe the world around you The world isnrsquot very pleasant all the time but itrsquos still beautiful and inspiration abounds from the tiniest crack on the street to the lady trying on lipstick at a WalGreens to the mountains or buildings that embrace the landscapeThe world around you is actually quite amaz-ing We are best inspired when the mind is refreshed and stimulated

Keep a journal It can be an old notebook or a binder with loose paper Anything that you can afford Write or draw about what you see or hear or smell or touch What is it that appeals to your senses What is it that excites you Is it that vintage dress yoursquove been eyeing at the thrift store Is it the scent of freshly baked cinnamon rolls from your neighborhood bakery Is it that attractive person who sits across from you at the 815 bus Once yoursquove figured this out write or draw about it Your grammar doesnrsquot have to be perfect Your lines donrsquot have to be perfect either Itrsquos all about you

Be around people who are passionate It is easier to be enthusiastic about life when you are around people who love what they do and are enthusiastic about it This is whatrsquos great about creative communities both online and in real life Itrsquos great when you find people who are excited about being creative and are generous about sharing their knowledge and work I find this to be very inspiring and personally I can only hope that I am able to share the same enthusiasm and passion with others

This may not always apply but as someone who is in the creative industry I think that it is important to make decisions based on the things you love rather than that things you think would make you money Great things always come when you are passionate about what yoursquore working on And based on experience satisfaction al-ways follow when you are true to yourself and your work

Donrsquot be afraid of criticism Donrsquot be afraid of failing Treat all obstacles as a learn-ing experience and free yourself of all preconceived notions of how certain things should be done Some of my best work comes from not worrying about what others think Yes itrsquos good to listen to constructive criticism Itrsquos part of the learning process But the most important person who you should listen to is yourself

Photograph by Victor Surovec

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Photograph by Victor Surovec