Sunday Updates (Ep. 25) (Patreon)

Hello Patrons! Happy first days of Fall! Yesterday was the Autumn Solstice, but as you know it’s been Autumn in my heart for weeks now. How’s it going? Did you have a great, autumnal first week! Is fall anyone else’s favorite season? Let me know in the comments! 

Okey dokey!! Let’s get in to the week!

Here’s a few of the items I grabbed last week at Artist and Craftsman... including a few more POSCA MARKERS to work on Inktober with next week!

This week I finally photographed, edited, and uploaded my new sets of stickers! This includes the Sunbathing Cats, Farmer’s Market Bunnies, and Confidence Witches (from the zine I contributed to!)

If you’re interested, check them out at my etsy!

I photographed all my products on a piece of white paper on my kitchen table using my iPhone 6,then uploaded them to my iPad and edited them using Google’s Snapseed App. If you’d like more info on how I make my stickers at home, comment or message me, I’d be happy to share more!

I also participated in another Instagram meme/game/artist challenge called #Fallthisinyourstyle ! I think the name is based on #Drawthisinyourstyle , the challenge I did a few pieces for a few months ago if you remember. This time the challenge is to draw your Fall persona, your favorite outfit or things in fall! Check out my version:

And since you guys are the BEST here on Patreon, here’s the sketch I made before the final! As you can see it’s relatively messy!

I also received this photo from the subject of a recent portrait commission! This is the Fruit Lady I illustrated with the person who commissioned the portrait from me! They are so nice to message me and send me this picture about how much they love the portrait! This is why I love making portraits. ❣️❣️

I also have finally decided officially on two vendors for the enamel pins (!!!) that I am going to order soon and the tote bags I’m going to order. There are so many vendors all over the world that it‘s super hard to choose one that you trust for a high quality product. So I did what people have done for eons, and sought out recommendations from others. And finally I found two American based companies supported by artists and companies I already admire: The Pin Dept. in LA, and Enviro-Tote in New Hampshire, which offers organic and recycled cotton!

I also finally started going through the process of choosing a design for my new products. Which for me, always starts with extensive Pinteresting.

This helps me see what appeals to me on already existing products, as well as certain trends and themes that might be popular! It also helps keep me from accidentally copying someone. 

After collecting the images and reviewing for visual styles, qualities, colors, content, and any other elements that I’d like to use for my own products, I begin stream of consciousness sketching. During this phase often ideas come to me either while I’m showering, walking, or cooking. Then I loosely and absent-minded lay sketch out ideas.

It’s not represented in these sketches, but the pin concept that occurred to me while walking to the cafe this morning was...CROWS! 

That’s just a little teaser, I’ll try to share more as that developes. Ideally by next Friday I’ll be able to say I’ve completed my pin design and sent it in for approval and production!

Non-Art Life:

Fully embracing the loveliness of PNW autumns, with walks, movies, goodwill pumpkin spice scented candles, homemade pumpkin muffins, and reading.

Currently watching: Gravity Falls , American Horror Story: Cult (just finished,) soon starting our annual replay of Over the Garden Wall! We are very very Pro Cartoons in this House.

Currently Listening: This Is: Stevie Nicks , My ”Witchy Halloween” playlist 

Currently Cooking: Veganized Homemade California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chik’n Pizza , using Daisha Mozzerella, Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough, and Gardein Chick’n Scallopini.

P.s.  Check out my Accidentally Pink Hair and new thrifted denim vest with a few of my favorite pins!

So that was this week! Hopefully I have more exciting things to share next week, although I’m almost always pleasantly surprised at how productive my week is in review!

Happy Fall again, babes, and I can’t wait to share more next weekend!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Ragon