Finish!

I mailed all the original paintings off to Charlesbridge... I am so relieved and happy to be done!

I am still waiting to hear back on a different project and about to start a new one... but this weekend will all be about moving!

So in the meanwhile, here is some art for the book... the title and all of the details are still not to be announced, but at least I can give you some eye candy! Muahahaha!

I am brain-dead at the moment... wish I had something more prolific or ... just funny to write but I really don't. I just wanted to brag that I was done!

I told my mom and asked her for a high-five and she said "Oh, that's nice!" but... well, my fam's always been pretty low-key... It's like pulling teeth for an "Awesome!" with even one exclamation-mark. Har har. But I did get the high-five. Hehehehe.

Thus, the online bragging!
Well goodnight... onto the next.
And I hope all is well with you. And I give you all high-fives and Awesomes!!!!!! with many exclamation marks.
;)

A good night.

Well, I can't say what this is for, nor is it the entire image, but this is a snippet of a project I wrapped up tonight and am in the process of emailing to my client.

I am really happy with it... as this is the second version of the final. :) I usually don't really paint like this... so it was difficult getting it to feel right for the project.

I adore clients who can tell you very bluntly and straight-forward what they like and don't like, what works and what doesn't, while still retaining a professional attitude and positive words...
I know that I am spoiled so far in that everyone I have worked with thus far has been this and also been interesting, fun, unique... I am very happy... but I've heard some things from Josh that aren't such a nice picture of freelance... but let's not go that way.

I am happy to say that I like this project.

I am going to be spending the weekend making my interior pages for a book finalized before sending those off as well... I can't wait!!!!

Wow, finishing up projects, moving back into an apartment with Josh, etc etc... love love love!
I always think it's nice to be able to report good news.
Hope all is well with you, too....

A New Home...

We will be picking up the keys to our new apartment on the 28th! A two bedroom in a safe, pretty area of Long Beach, CA for a super low price! We are excited! And we think our management are a couple of dears! I love nice people... especially when they are so sweet on animals. :)

After a crazy day of calling and driving and weeping... and sweating!!! we were very, very, very relieved to have landed such a deal. Not to mention, in ONE day!! We were pretty lucky with that! I know that this tends to take quite a bit longer... but we were very, very determined to make the most of the time that we were able to look because of our busy schedules... so I am glad that it didn't take too long.

I really want to take some pictures of the place to show it off! A before and after.... ;)

I am now going to sign off and get busy on re-vamping my project for a client that didn't quite hit the mark... so happy painting (or whatever it is you love to do!) and I hope to have pictures soon... hee hee hee.

a long day

Well, Josh and I spent all day (from about 8 am to 5 pm) looking for apartments... Once the week begins, I will then commence the revisions!! Hehe... I heard back on some fixes on the interior pages... I also have another project in the works that I must also get to a client.

However, I am crossing my fingers on a VERY promising apartment.

So, wish us luck!

:)

Miss you guys...

Back to the drawing board ASAP.

Can't wait to show images~!

boo!

Well, this is what I am currently working on... although it doesn't quite look like this and I've blurred the title on purpose...

I keep thinking how no one ever really realizes how much work is actually put into things... I'm sure. Even the pen that we use to jot down a note someone designed, promoted, created, and distributed... it's crazy! But I'm sure as people pick up books, they forget that there are a million hours and hands that go into it even being there to hold. :) Kind of amazing, eh?

Well, I am one of those pairs of hands and I am busy painting away!
I really can't wait to be finished, one for my poor publisher's sake(who is waiting very patiently), and also so I can get going on the next thing that is also pending at the moment... eek!

I also have a slew of personal paintings I'd like to do along with developing them into some promotional material...
then there's the apartment thing.

I think I repeat myself... a lot. Sheesh.

:)

My sister Mei has been hand-sewing these little dolls, too! And may just end up selling them. So next time, I'll have to photo them and put them up.

Bleeeeehhhhhh.... ok! Enough, time to work... :D

feeling low...

I am listening to the music for Twilight/New Moon (which is actually really good if you don't like the books/movies)... and I put this song on repeat... it isn't live but I guess it can kind of put to light how I've been feeling.

It doesn't matter what time of day this song makes me think of EVERYTHING and that's not always good. However, I am kind of an eternal optimist and therefore am undaunted by even the most depressing of moods... I will move along and think that no matter what happens, no regrets, right?

This is Iron and Wine singing flightless bird/american mouth Live.

Sneak Peek

Well, here is a sneak peek at one of the interior pages for a children's book I've been working on for Charlesbridge. I just sent a PDF of the book for approval... very nerve-wrecking. Have you ever been staring at something for so long, all you can see is blurry??? Well, that's sort of how I feel. I don't really think I'll relax until I see the actual printed book, too.
There is still the cover in the works and I am sure there are other little elements as well as revisions!
:)
Still, it's always nice to reach this point!
I had my first two hours off in a long time this morning while the pages were being scanned... HAHA.

Now I am waiting on approval on a couple projects and also the hunt for the apartment should now commence!!
Keeping busy... can't wait to have our apartment set up... I have lots of updating to do!!!!
:)

Happy Sunday peeps!

Bad Hare Day

Bad Hare Day

Josh's latest T-shirt design is up for voting!!!
:) This is so adorable...

Just a little something...

I am blogging about my fiance's shirt design which is up for voting on threadless.com...

He had a couple other designs up for vote as well if you visit his site but I thought this design was especially worthy of everyone's time... There's also a pretty impressive process video....

Anyway, I'm really proud of all the work he's been doing... so check it out!

If you like what you see, maybe cast a vote!

If not, kindly move along... :)

But regardless, I like the message of this piece... it's actually a nice concept. So hopefully it will brighten your day as it did mine.

Now, back to work... :)

Busy Beaver Buttons!!

My sister's button was selected as one of the Featured button's for the "Souveneir" designs!!

Click here to view~!
Or the title of this blog to simply see the designs that were selected... her's is "LaLaLand".... ;)

oh my..!

Well, quick post...

I am buried up to "here" in work!!

I am excited to see though upon a quick, quick, quick online peruse that lots of happenings are happening and lots of good work is being published!!!! ARGH! I need to work...

I plan on re-vamping the site with my new info and updating images and the sort once I climb out of my desk... yes, climb out. Actually, not desk, coffee table.

Thank you Josh for being able to laugh with me about how insane illustrators are and how we are glad to be insane!

Oh if only I could post all the work I've been doing but that would require more time as well!!

But I am working on my fifth picture book at the same time as my first editorial piece for some awesome new baby product!

Meanwhile, I am also feeling that sick itch to improve and push my artwork which is really hard to feel when you're in the middle of something that can't suddenly look totally different...

hehe.

Creativity can hit at the most awkward times...

Next month should be filled with a lot of apartment hunting and then hopefully moving!

and..

more work!

Someday, I will post!!!!

Miss you all so very much!

my fiance is rad...

So Josh has ten designs to be published in this here booky....

Isn't he rad?

To be released in August!!!

oh, and a more recent piece of work:

"Elvio Esposito contacted me to be one of 6 hand picked designers to design a comic book/ t-shirt that would promote their "Stop and Think" AIDS awareness campaign in collaboration with Italian League for the Fight Against AIDS (LILA).

"- Josh Kemble's blog under news: www.joshkemble.com

You can view a hi-res image by visiting his flickr:

www.flickr.com/photos/joshkemble

Just some music...

I've been listening to Miyavi's album Victory Road to the King of Neo Visual Rock on repeat while working on my book... I just find his lyrics to be really uplifting. My twin and I were lucky enough to see him live at the Grove of Anaheim the day before our Birthday last month and ever since then, I can't get that night out of my head. It's really rare for a Japanese rock star like Miyavi to tour America and the great thing about that is you get to see him up close!! If we had seen him in a different country or Japan, the chances of seeing him as close as we were are so close to impossible.

Anyway, I worked all weekend... but wanted to share this little snippet of what I consider a great musician.

It probably is a little weird if you can't understand the language but I guess if you like it you'll look it up! HAH.

I know other artists that listen to certain bands while they work and I've posted before about The GazettE... I guess it's a cultural difference but I find it hard to chat about these Japanese bands because not a lot of people know of them.

I gotta finish more pages... but cheers!

... and just to give an idea of how talented he is... here he is just "messing around" on his guitar (and YES, Miyavi is a MAN. hehehehe...)

Aww a present!

I got home from my day job and there was a package from Downtown Bookworks! My copies of one of my latest books, I'm So Not Wearing A Dress! by Julie Merberg... :)
To pre-order click here.

I know I haven't posted in quite a while, but it's the usual reason... I am too busy! In fact, I am desperate to post about these books in the mail before I have to crash... I have been going to work and then immediately working on my newest title... which I cannot post about just yet... but the deadline is approaching much too fast!! :)

I just sent some cover revisions and I hope they go-over well.... I really love this character and wish I could put up some pictures!!

Another reason is that I have finally installed a wireless router here at my Mom's house (which I am temporarily residing at until Josh and I move into our own place) so I can use my laptop to access the internet. Mei tends to use the computer quite a bit at night... and I am usually painting so I've been slacking off on posting or even reading posts... I cry a little inside thinking of all the goodies I've been missing out on....

Here I am rambling more and feeling bad that I am up here rambling instead of either 1. eating, 2. sleeping 3. working. the only things I should be allowed to do at the moment.

On that note, I will be back someday... don't forget me, as I have not forgotten you, fellow blogsmen!

I cannot express how nice it was to get these books while working on another... it's like a little pick me up and it reminds you why you love this and how giving up every free second to work is worth it and having your nieces and nephews see the book reminds you of all the little faces that will hopefully read and see your work... it is worth it... and I do love it. :>
So! with renewed passion for such a wonderful awesome job that I have, I hope to produce more crazy good art for this awesome book! I am too tired to write well so I am sorry...

hahaha, man, I'm tired.
Ok, good night...

PS: my pugs are already snoring...

weird

So ever just googled yourself? Well, I did... and strange enough this little website showed up with a bunch of little thumbnails of my art and a fake signature above them... the strange thing is, the contact doesn't work.
So whoever thought to make me a secondary website, I think that's weird.

Anyway, I made a link from the title of this blog.

I don't know who or why this is out there, but I do hope that however it happened, at least they put my name up.

frickin' weird.

feeling a bit MIA?

Well, I haven't posted anything in forever and I am actually staying late at Art Supply to make up hours (I had to drop my mom off at LAX and had to take an extended lunch).
Meanwhile I am waiting to hear back from Charlesbridge on some re-works I did for a title to be released in 2010... If I had my the files here, I could try to upload some of the sketches...

Anyway, I hope that everyone is well...??

I should however, say that part of the reason I have been M.I.A. is because the end of last month, I drove up to Portland, Oregon with Mei to move Josh down to CA. So that took about a week or so....
During the trip Mei's car broke down twice and we've been dealing with things like that since... so I am a bit behind on my blog.
:)

I also haven't been able to read any posts recently either...
bummer.... I love to read up and see all the work-in-progress posts.

I am at least happy to say that seeing Josh was just grand. I hope we find an apartment soon so we can post some pictures!
Anyway, take care world!

deadline deadline deadline

Well, of course, everyone is posting cool posts and I have no time to read them!!!
I checked my email and ended up scrolling through some blogs I follow only to wish I had a couple hours to catch up!!
However, I must paint!!!!
Sorry there isn't anything interesting to post up here but once I am done with this title, I am on to the next!!
The end of the month is also the only time to move Josh down to CA so I will be pretty busy...
hope all is well with you?
:)

Examined Life of an Illustrator

So Josh, my fiance, announced just yesterday a solo podcast he has decided to start... I haven't heard it yet, as I cannot download to this computer, but plan to listen once I am at my work computer.

So, for those of you that are interested in checking it out, feel free to check the Blog (I'm sure there's a link there to download) by clicking on this post title.
I also went ahead and added a link on my link list.

YAY for Josh!
Sorry about BIPT but I guess that can happen sometimes.
Hope you all like what you hear and keep coming back!

I forgot...

check out this cute littl' Easter wind-up toy my mom got me.

Chevelle and children's books...

I don't know why but I find that listening to Chevelle while I paint helps me keep pace with things... if I paint sometimes I find myself sitting there spacing out.... heh...
Right now I am in the middle of trying to get through a couple pages that sort of look similar which will leave me with a couple more complicated pages... sometimes grouping these together helps me feel like I am closer to being done! HAHA... ah, I love to trick myself.
And then of course, once I am done, I think... "now what? I wanna do more!"

I think maybe there's a bit of a sicko in all of us, isn't there?

This band makes me think of .. weird imagery and gets the creative juices flowing though. I think that the anger and frustration and sense of urgency in the music makes me sort of dive into painting. Even though I prefer to paint happy images... :)

Sometimes I forget how much I love music... how much I love painting. It's weird... I had a long span of time where I could not stand listening to anything while I worked. I also had a long span of time where I would play a movie in the background on repeat... (my two favorites to play were the Burbs and Father of the Bride). I would still do that except that I am sharing space in my sister's room at the moment and can only access her computer once in a while and both of those movies are VHS... (hehe, that's right! good ol' VHS!!!)

Anyway, love Chevelle... miss the ol' punk days and all the crazy teen angsty feelings... aw... how cute.

Which reminds me of Keegan (like everything does)... as soon as he could walk he would make a little one-man/baby mosh pit in our living room while he listened to Cursive... now what is more cute than that? Did I tell you he can do nun chaku ("nunchucks") now?

Ok, enough procrastinating... must go paint.