A New Look for an Old (but good) Client

Posted on 25 Feb ’11 by Tami

The Colonial Heights Chamber of Commerce, one of my oldest clients, recently approached me with the task of updating their tried and true but dated logo. They wanted something that more accurately depicted their newer initiatives laid out in a new slogan, “Connecting Business, Education and Community”. So, I took on the challenge. Here’s the final logo:

The client loved the colors and really felt the mark represented their vision and mission with clarity and purpose.

Here are two of the comps that didn’t make the cut (just because I liked them, a lot). Such is the way logo designs go. Like the Highlander, “there can only be one.”

I’ll be posting some new design and illustration work soon. Until then…best to you and yours.

Into the Woods…

Posted on 18 Jan ’11 by Tami

I’m making progress on the quilt pattern project and have added two new panels and amended the original bear artwork as well. The series is called “Into the Woods: A Quilted Year on the Appalachian Trail” and features (of yet) four seasons represented by four animals (a black bear, a fox, a raccoon and a barred owl). The bear has already been finished in it’s quilted fabric form (by my ever so talented mum-in-law). And I have yet to complete the artwork for the owl. But, IMHO, it’s moving along quite nicely.

Fox in the Snow (Winter)

Raccoon in the Tree (Spring)

Bear in the Woods (Fall) amended

Once we have the artwork finalized, the patterns will be for sale online at Etsy. Sweet!

Shhh…

Posted on 26 Oct ’10 by Tami

I can’t say a whole lot about my latest project, but I will give you a little glimpse at what I’ve been working on. It does involve a story and pictures, I can say that much.

You’ll know more when I do…until then, happy Fall!

Just Bear-ly

Posted on 29 Sep ’10 by Tami

This is one of a series of illustrations that will ultimately be quilt patterns. I’m working collaboratively with my awesome mom-in-law, the fiber artist. I’ll post the final image when it’s in fabric. Should be pretty cool.

Self-Promo Postcard

Posted on 19 Sep ’10 by Tami

Another milestone in the production of new promo materials…the self-promo postcard. Although I’ve heard several arguments for and against the long-standing tradition of mailing promo postcards. However old-school it may be, I believe having a tangible, in-hand sample of work is a good thing to impress an artist’s name into the mind of an art director.
Next up, changes to the site…

New promo materials…

Posted on 17 Sep ’10 by Tami

I’ve been busy working on some new branding and promotional materials for myself. I have a shiny new brand for my illustration work…

and some shiny, new tearsheets…(download PDFs)

Next up, promo post cards and a spit and polish for the website (with the new brand and a clean, simple interface). See you soon!

Another Highlighter, put to bed!

Posted on 2 Sep ’10 by Tami

I can’t believe it’s been 3 months since the last quarterly issue of the Highlighter for SCBWI Mid-Atlantic. Time really flies. I just wanted to showcase a couple of pages from this one. Perhaps the powers that be will eventually make the download open to anyone and I can post a link. Until then, I must be content with images of the spreads. I act as the art director/designer for this publication. We have a regional readership of around 600.

Miss Mouse Takes Her Tea

Posted on 30 Aug ’10 by Tami

Mousie's taking tea

Here’s a tiny little spot illo I originally created for a tea party invitation. Just a little frothy, frilly fun.

She’s been converted and colored in Adobe Illustrator and is now a scalable vector.

Folk Tales

Posted on 29 Aug ’10 by Tami

I recently finished an illustration for an African folk tale called the Lion and the Hare.

Hare, in African lore, is a trickster and in this particular story, he manages to convince the large, but easily outsmarted, Lion not to eat him.
I’m sharing my process, again in this illustration, starting with the initial concept sketch.

To the final rendered pencil that will become the base for the final work. This gets scanned and cleaned up in Photoshop for the final piece.

Once that happens, I begin using “paths” in Photoshop that will allow me to isolate and work on regions of the artwork.

All this finally leads to the final piece. Yay!

I’ll share this cover illustration in context on an upcoming post!

Cheers!

New work

Posted on 6 Aug ’10 by Tami

I’ve been busy this summer. I’ve found it’s a lot easier staying in the cool air conditioned studio when the temperature is around 100°F every day. I’m posting the first of several pieces I’ve been working on in the last month.
This is a fall themed spot illustration, “pumpkin pickin’” and, IMHO, it’s been refreshing working on this, thinking about the cooler weather when harvest season rolls around.

And just for fun, here’s the original line drawing…

Until next post…stay cool!

The menagerie next door…

Posted on 25 Jul ’10 by Tami

It might seem odd to have a taxidermist next door but for me, an artist, it’s a great source of animal reference. My neighbor, the taxidermist, is also nice enough to allow me to come over and draw from his menagerie and that’s where I found myself a few days ago. My two kids and his son, Cody, joined me for a little sketch party for about an hour at the shop. We drew from the creatures in the showroom. The wood duck pictured above is a permanent denizen of that wood-lined room.

My 6 year old son, Drew, didn’t care too much for drawing dead animals, so he decided to sit on the 4 wheeler ATV and draw that. I’ve posted his drawing, below because, frankly, I was astounded. You can see the handlebar detail down to the screws and the clutch lines and ignition.

Of the evenings sketches, this one is my favorite. It’s not an animal but rather a tiny toy robot my son’s friend, Cody, had in his pocket. Boy’s do keep loads of odd bits in their pockets, don’t they?

a mini milestone

Posted on 18 Jun ’10 by Tami

It may not seem like a lot so some, but I finished off one of the three sketchbooks I’ve had in progress since about 2005.

It is a major milestone to me. This unassuming little, black book was started in 2005, finished in 2010. I have three sketchbooks at the moment, that I keep in different places. This one was kept on my desk at ,work. I started it when I first started thinking about seriously pursuing full-time, professional freelance illustration…now it is finished and I stand on the edge of taking that leap…