Unleash the Kraken!!!!

Hooray! Our ImageKind shop is open, so you can now purchase prints of many of the wonderful eVille illustrations. Please take a moment to check them out. We appreciate all of the support we've received over the last year. There is still a rough road ahead of us. Many startups don't make it very far past launch. We hope we're not in that bucket, but only time will tell. You can see our prints for sale here. The Kraken above is one of my all time favorites. There was the opportunity to make him dark and super scary, but our game requires a certain level of contrast for the images to be seen in thumbnail form. Besides, I eventually decided that a giant pink monster on a lovely summer day was far more humorous. Someday, I'd love to see him made into a plush toy so I could throw it on people while yelling "UNLEASH THE KRAKEN!!!!". It's the little things in life :)

 And of course, if you have time, you can check out the game on Facebook.

The Pit of Despair

Working on eVille has given me a great opportunity to brainstorm fun ideas for various card art. The Pit of Despair kept coming up while we were trying to think of cards that could protect your buildings, but for the longest time, no one could figure out how to make a pit interesting. We weren't trying to recreate the pit from The Princess Bride, which really was a torture chamber. We really wanted it to feel more like a booby trap. The trouble is, everyone thinks of seeing a pit from the top, rather than the bottom. Jason finally came up with a brilliant sketch. I illustrated it, and must admit that it has become one of my favorites. Unfortunately, this type of card is more downplayed inside the game, and so the artwork cannot be appreciated as often as others that are in the spotlight. Hopefully we'll be able to sell prints of some of the card art soon, allowing fans to take their own favorites home. You can see more art (and have some fun too) by checking out eVille on Facebook.

A Little Post Valentine's Day Round Up

Over the last year, I've been working more in illustration than ever before. I still end up doing lots of User Interface work, because well- it needs to be done, but most of my joy comes from completing an illustration. My current project is eVille, a card and location based Facebook game. Now that the game is live, I hope to share some of the pieces I've contributed to it a little at a time. These are two from our limited edition Valentine pack, The Florist, and Bad Cupid.

It's difficult for me to grasp where exactly I fit in the illustration world. Almost all of the pieces for the game, including the ones above, were originally sketched by Jason English, a extremely talented concept artist. I don't have the right kind of mind for translating an image in my head to paper I suppose, but when it comes to taking the sketch and making it come to life in digital form- that I can do. Both are vector images created in Adobe Photoshop.

You can see these guys in action inside the Facebook game here.

The Four Elizas

"modify" for IF

Eliza was one of my submissions to The Doodle Off V.3. She was originally drawn in dark blue ink, but this grid of four colors suits her better. I don't normally modify my art this way, but sometimes things just feel right.

It's been a beautiful summer. I never look forward to fall. Fall means winter isn't far behind. We've been slowly cleaning out the apartment, trying to find new homes for things we don't really need. I feel tied down when I'm surrounded by too much clutter. I'm thinking about attempting to organize some box swaps with friends in other states so we can exchange things that the other person may find useful. We've been doing this randomly for the past few years, but never planned. A yard sale is still in order, but how do you do that from an apartment?? It seems strange to me. Some vintage things will likely end up on Etsy. Selections from my letterpress collection will be in that group. Part of me hates to give them up, but I have so many! There is just this itchy feeling in the air telling me it's time for a change.

Flinging Paint

I've been experimenting lately with combinations of paint and ink. The ink is less apparent in these that I finished yesterday, but I have in my mind something that looks almost like a topographic map overlaid on top of the paint. These are very sketchy, which I like. There is less precision and more intuition than I'm used to. I need a good name for the lips. I was thinking of something silly like "Mustard", but if you have any ideas, shout them out! They will both be listed in the shop shortly :)

The Red Coat Prints!!!!

Finally! We have finally managed to turn The Red Coat into a beautiful 5x7 print! For a long time, the delicate stippling in the snow seemed impossible to reproduce, but now I've got it worked out! Only $9 in the shop. :).

How's it Feel to Have Your Art in a Museum?

It's pretty awesome my friends, pretty awesome. Don't worry, we won't forget the little people, whoever you are… I know by now you're looking for the punch line, so... ok, ok. So maybe we don't have anything of ours hanging in the exhibition hall, but hey- we're not complaining. Anyone can feel like a Rembrandt at the Hunter Museum of Art in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The best part about the place in my opinion is that they don't just encourage viewing art, they encourage experiencing it and creating it. In several areas of the museum there are pencils and paper provided and guests are invited to create some art of their own. You can take your masterpiece with you, or leave it at the museum, where they will put it on display in one of the little lounge areas for others to enjoy. So while we were there this weekend, we left a little something behind. The big teeth in blue up there is named Chomper. I wish the picture was better, but hey- not too bad for a camera phone in so-so lighting. *Sigh* We only hope the museum will appreciate our generous contribution :)
Tomorrow I'll post about the entire trip, so stay tuned!

Don't forget that you only have until Sept 1st to mail in your caps for the Bottle Cap Challenge! Find out more here.

Bird Of Paradise?- An Ink Blot

This is a little blot we drew a while back. I've always thought it would be nice on a t-shirt. It's also a great example of where our logo came from. If you look toward the bottom you'll see a flower like image. That flower or some variation of its design tends to resurface often in our drawings, so it made sense to use it (cleaned up quite a bit) to represent us. Other reoccurring elements include eyes (or other facial features), scales, wings, and swirls. Although we do name each piece, we like for other people to decide what they see. What can you find?

Don't forget that you only have until Sept 1st to mail in your caps for the Bottle Cap Challenge! Find out more here.

In One Ear and Out the Other: A Crayon Blot

Here is another crayon blot we saved from our scribbling at Macaroni Grill. We highly recommend these exercises. Since you're just working on what is considered to be "throw away" paper, there is a lot less pressure to be perfect. We just have fun and draw whatever. Of course we don't actually throw them away. To the fascination of the other restaurant guests, we simply tear out our art from the paper table cloth and take it home. A good way to get started is the ask your server for a topic. That gets them involved and makes them less likely to spill tea on your drawing :)

You Belong Among the Wildflowers

Illustration Friday: "Enough". When I've finally had "enough", this is where I want to end up.

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
Sail away, kill off the hours
You belong somewhere you feel free

When I was 11, my mom decided we were going to Ohio to visit my Aunt and Uncle. You can imagine the amount of enthusiasm I met the journey with at that age, knowing that we'd be spending our vacation in the country with mostly cows for company. What I didn't know at the time was that I'd fall in love with sights, the smells (not the cow smell of course), and the overall feeling of peace there. It's just different. The mountains and the fields are just bigger, greener, and more wonderful. You can feel something in the wind there that speaks to your soul. We went back every year until I went off to college. My fondest memory was sneaking out of the house with my mom and riding around the countryside getting lost and exploring little towns. Among the dime stores, junk shops, yard sales, and everything in between, I think we felt a freedom we didn't feel back home. We didn't have anywhere to be, or anyone to answer to. We just laughed and enjoyed each other's company.

These days, my mom and I don't get to spend much time together. But a few weeks ago, I got to go back to Ohio for the first time in about eight years. She had already driven up from Georgia prior to my arrival and met me at the airport. The trip to my Aunt's house was about three hours long, and I wasn't terribly surprised when she made a "wrong" turn. There's no telling if she did it on purpose or not, but regardless, we had a lot of fun getting lost again. With Tom Petty blasting from the CD player and the dust kicking up behind the car, I think we both got a long overdue adventure. Here's to you mom. I hope to do it again soon :)

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worries
You belong somewhere you feel free

(Illustration Detail- Wildflowers -pencil, digital color by Lani Mathis- Wildflower lyrics by Tom Petty)

Doodling at Macaroni Grill

This post is for Racheal, who recently asked us why we stick to black and white in our ink blots. The truth is we don't. We typically prefer black and white, but give us a set of crayons, and we'll gladly occupy ourselves for hours. (I guess that makes these Crayon Blots…) The only reason we go to Macaroni Grill is because they cover the table with paper and let us color. And to be perfectly honest, waiters and waitresses that don't set drinks or plates on our drawings get bigger tips :D Oh sure, we've freaked out a few people. We've gotten some strange and dirty looks. But you know what? It takes all kinds to make up this great world, and we're proud to be wacky.

Ink Blot Illustration: Tails

Tails came to visit us while we were sitting at Starbucks the other night. She prefers spending her days adrift in the ocean flexing her spirals to propel herself. I think she's rather lonely. Cupid's arrow has found her many times, and yet her shyness holds her at bay. Perhaps we can coax her out of her shell. Feel free to leave her some advise :)

Ink Blot Illustration: Slink

Meet Slink, yet another addition to our Ink Blot family. I think Slink is on the hunt for something. He seems incredibly focused on finding it, but I wouldn't want one of those bony fingers tapping on my shoulder. What do you think he's looking for?

Ink Blot Illustration: Wicked Wasabi

We just finished a few more Ink Blot Illustrations that we'll be putting on the blog this week. To start it off is Wasabi. He is definitely one of the trippiest pieces we've done. He reminds me of some sort of 70's Chinese dragon groove train. And due to the look on his fabulous face, he's our submission to Illustration Friday for "Sour".

In other news, I just got back from a little trip to Marietta, Ohio. I haven't been for many years and it was past time to visit family. It's amazing how much you don't realize you miss a place until you're there again. Now all I can think about is going back. All of that green and all of those rolling hills help me to remember what is really important- what is worth saving and cherishing. I haven't felt that at peace in a long time. I hope everyone else is well and having a fine summer. :)

Rare Sightings of the Elusive Jackaloptopus!

Here we present the Jackaloptopus. You cannot possibly imagine what an honor it is to have witnessed this amazing creature in it's natural habitat. A twisted love story between a jack rabbit and an octopus brought science this logic defying animal, and yet it has conquered all odds surviving both on land and at sea. With no camera available at the time, I'm afraid we were only able to scribble this Ink Blot of the creature as it slithered and hopped along the shoreline, nibbling at whatever washed up on the deserted beach. You can see here how only five tentacles protrude from what appears to be a fluffy bunny tail! Unbelievable. It remains unclear if a sustainable population is in existence, but this sighting certainly brings us a renewed hope that these creatures can become more than a genetic whoops.

We watch too much Discovery Channel. Enjoy :)

Catch You on the Flip Side

So we're working on last minute details for our trip to Augusta. Of course, we're never as prepared as we'd like to be, and we never finish as many items as we'd like, but too bad! We'll go and have a great time as we are. The shop will be closed on Friday since all of our items will be going with us. Look for the reopening and some great new listings either Sat. or Sun.

We'll now leave you with our newest Ink Blot friend- "Robo Chicken". Like an overgrown garden that someone forgot to tend, Robo Chicken is a little twisted and warped. He has ropes and pulleys, eyes and teeth, spiders in his brain and fish in his throat. The vines have grown around him or rather become part of him. Our submission for Illustration Friday "garden". Enjoy :)

Adult Swim- Eat your heart out.

Keep A Weather Eye On the Horizon

I love drawing facial features as many have noticed from our ink blots. If there are teeth, or eyes, or lips thrown in there, I probably did it. This is another colored pencil drawing that hopefully will converted into a brooch soon. We've run into a few snags on that project, but keep a look out. We'll be sure to post pictures as soon as they are completed.

Also on the horizon:
If you are anywhere near Augusta, GA during first Friday on March 7th, we will be downtown at Vintage 965. They are doing an eco-themed show and we have been invited to go hang out, meet people and make some jewelry. We'd love to meet some fellow etsians, or anyone else for that matter, so drop by and see us if you can. :) We've been gearing up for this event for about a month now, so we aren't listing anything new in our shop until March 9th. In addition, we will be taking most of our items from our shop to the event, so if there is anything you have your eye on, shout at us now! Hope everyone has a great week!

I'm Seeing Spots

We finished this little blot in January and I think it got overlooked, so here it is! Stars are back by popular demand and I swear one of Grandma's doilies squeezed in there! The Ink Blot Dominoes are actually doing pretty well. We really need to focus on them some more. We have a big event in March that we are currently throwing all of our creative energy at (more on that later :) so the shop has taken a temporary back seat. But don't worry; we have some great plans that hopefully will be ready for Spring. We'll keep you posted.

Well Lick My Lips and Call Me Luscious!

Dangerously seductive pulse raising just bitten lusciously red.....lips. Color Theory in colored pencil for illustration friday.

Well, since we just posted the weather wheel, I thought we'd have a circular weekend. This is the first in a series of little colored pencil drawings I'm working on. I plan on turning them into little brooches adorned with little upcycled parts. Each one will be completely unique with an original drawing. No prints will be used.
I've always loved blood red lipstick. It reminds me of the 40's starlets. Mouths aren't bad either. I have a series of mouths in different mediums called "Progression of a Smile". I'll have to dig them up and post a picture one day.

Hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day :)
*kisses*

Do You Think God has a Weather Wheel?

This is my submission for Illustration Friday "choose". After the weather we've had this week, I'm convinced that God just spins the dial and goes, "Well that's going to be weird, but ok!". Let's see- Tuesday it's nearly 70 degrees and fine. Wednesday it looks like flurries. Hello???

The illustration is really all about the icons. I'm working on them for another (much more complete) mystery project :) The rest is just a quick layout to display them.

On another note, Michael just finished taking a bunch of pictures, so hopefully we can clue everyone in on some other fun things coming up soon.