I-F: Tales and Legends

I'm sure there are many tales told about the Great Wall of China.
This is an old one (hence the different style) - it was for a book about the Olympics in Beijing THIS YEAR. (2008 seemed so far away when I did it!)

Well this will be my last post before I head off to the USA to Memphis to see my hubby perform and then to NY for the SCBWI conference. I'm pretty happy with my folio, though i think i'll use the plane rides to do a few finishing touches! (i've got a few of em! plane rides that is.)

One of the things I'm most excited about the conference is meeting fellow illustrators Alicia, Monica and Courtney. See you there ladies!

So off I go... I plan to keep a visual diary in my moleskine so I'll be sure to do a big write-up/sketch-up on it when I get back.

Until then, have fun out there in bloggy land!

Go ahead, make my day.

Well, my day was definitely made by Nicole passing on the 'you make my day' award to me. Thanks Nicole! If you don't know Nicole's work, definitely go check it out, her collages are totally unique and she uses texture in such a great way. Some of my favourites are here and here.

Here’s how the “You Make My Day” award works:

1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that make me think and/or make my day.
2. Acknowledge the post of the award giver.
3. Display the "You Make my Day Award" logo
4. Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news.

I wanted to pass this on before I go overseas. I thought I might choose some people who I have just discovered recently, but also some artists that I have 'rediscovered' lately.

It's funny you know, I started this blog over 2 years ago now - for the first year I posted a lot, did I-F almost every week, and met lots of great people. Last year, I went travelling for 4 months and when I got back went straight into obsessively looking to buy a house, then moving, etc. etc., so blogging sort of fell off my radar a bit. I'm excited to get back into it this year though, and to keep meeting people and making the world a smaller, happier, friendlier place. Doesn't that sound good? Well, let's start with these lovely people who totally make my day:

Johanna Wright - her work is so whimsical, with a quiet beauty that hits you in all the right places. (Plus, she lives in Portland, OR, where I lived for 8 years!)
Kathy Weller - If you haven't already seen Kathy's work, check out her fun sparkly illos, especially of bunnies, which are just too cute for school!
Gorillustrator - I'm really enjoying the art of Lee Cosgrove, otherwise known as the Gorillustrator. He has this incredible sense of lighting, and his images look like high-end hollywood storyboards! I always learn something visiting his blog.
Limoon - Limoon is my new favourite illustrator. Click on 'my little creations' to see her asian-influenced beauties. She's got such a great sense of perspective.
Green Weeds - Sarah makes wonderful collaged paintings that i have been drooling over of late. Go check her out!

And to everyone else who visits this blog and leaves a comment (and even to those who don't) - you all make my day. Even though I-F is of course creation for creation's sake, it is still a nice little boost when i find i have more than 3 comments! so thanks everyone :-)

I-F: Plain

It's plain to see that love is in the air!

This is going to be a wedding present for a friend of mine.

I'm really enjoying the combination of acrylics and collage. This has collaged bits of an old book and also Japanese washi paper. I'm pretty happy with it - I just hope the newlyweds are too!

I've started doing little colour sketches for my paintings in my moleskine before i do the real thing - it helps me think about how i want to use colour in the piece and i find it really helpful... thought you might like to see..


This piece is also going to be the last addition for my folio for the NY SCWBI conference. (I leave in exactly a week! and still so much to do!)

one lucky girl.

It was my birthday yesterday, and I just had to show some of the beautiful works of art I received. (I am so lucky.)



A and I had eyed off this amazing metal sculpture we had seen in a shop in Brunswick (where we used to live) - so he went back and got it for me. It turns out it is made from recycled oil drums from a very resourceful artist in Haiti! It is so amazing, so wonderfully detailed, and i love the 3-dimensionality of it. I feel so proud to have it and happy that buying it means we helped an artist somewhere else in the world. I will definitely have to find a special place for it. You can find out a bit more about them here.


A also gave me a book on mosaic-ing (now that we have our own house I have been threatening to mosaic the bathroom and paint murals on all the walls!) - and a few tiles to start me off. but that's a project for another day!


Also, my best friend in Montreal gave me a necklace made by a mutual friend of ours, Lydia Lukidis. Isn't it stunning?! Lydia makes amazing jewellery which are works of art unto themselves, using mainly silver, but with gems and other goodies too. Go check out her collections at lydialukidis.com

yes, one lucky girl i am.

I-F: Stitch

acrylic on paper with some collage, ink, coloured pencil, photoshopping

I've been sick the last few days. (poor me) sometimes colds seem worse in the summer. This one seems to be dissipating quickly though so hopefully it keeps going that way.

I slept pretty much all day yesterday, under a quilt which my friend made for me as a wedding present. Isn't it beautiful? I think it was the most amazing present we got. It's obviously my inspiration for this week's IF.


And I just wanted to thank everyone who commented on my last post, and helped me with my colour crisis - BRIGHT definitely took the cake!

Since then I got a book on colour theory which I have been reading in my sickie-half-awakeness, and I think i am soaking it in by osmosis (ie. falling asleep on top of the book!)

all the best for a creative week everyone xx

I-F: 100%

This is 100% the same composition as my last IF post for "soar"!


I have been going through a colour crisis lately. Ever since I read Penelope's post on colour, I've been looking at my own work differently. I tend to go for the really bright, happy, punchy colours, but sometimes they are so bright that they look a bit fluoro and garish.

When looking at other IF entries for "soar," I took careful note of which ones I liked, and a lot of them had really earthy palettes. So I thought I'd try something different, but using a previous composition so that I could really compare the two.

So what do you think??!! I've wanted to update my illo-of-the-month for January on my website, but not sure which one to choose, so please help me decide!! Leave me a comment and let me know which one you like best - bright (soar) or earthy (100%) ?

I-F: Soar + Merry New Year!

All the best for 2008 everyone!

May all your dreams come true, from the little 'i hope they have chocolate chip mint flavoured ice cream' dreams to the big 'i hope I get my big break' dreams.

It's exciting being at the start of a new year and not knowing what it will hold. i reckon a good year is part hard work and part luck, so here's hoping it all goes your way in 'oh ate'!

love, lil kim. xx