Do You Take Pictures in Stores? (Art Licensing Research)

 

 

I LOVE visual reminders!

I wanted to bring up this topic that I ran into on social media somewhere. Ever since I joined the smart phone crowd last summer, I started snapping pics of things I see while out shopping. The above roosters are just to remind me I need to do some sort of rooster/chick collection. In the paintings above, I liked the complimentary colors used (blue and orange).

The other cool thing that happens is when I look at the photos months later - something completely different about the photo might inspire me!

I feel a bit "criminal" taking the photos! Not sure why. All they do is sit in my phone (until now!). I think it is because it isn't my store and I don't ask permission to take photos… That being said. I have been caught several times taking pictures and no one has minded in the least.

I am hoping to get a lawyers opinion as well as artists and agents. I know there are many others of you out there who do this too! So now that I have come out of the closet, do you like this sort of visual reminder for yourself?

Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

Artist Spotlight - Paula Joerling

You have seen her work in stores!

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught?
I would say that it's a little bit of both.
Coming from a long line of creative types, I come by my abilities naturally. My grandfather taught me how to paint and my grandmother taught me how to sew and knit. My mother would commandeer my sister and I to make a variety of decorations, gifts and cards for any occasion that arose.
In high school,  art was my favorite subject so when it was time to pick a college, naturally I went to art school. I have a major in photography with a minor in painting from the Art Academy of Cincinnati. 

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?
Pretty much anything vintage inspires me. I have a nice collection of vintage wallpaper, fabric and department store catalogs. If I am ever stuck, I head to those to spark something. It never fails.

Do you work in just one medium? Several?
In the past I have been all over the place; do I want to paint, collage, stitch etc. ? It's enough to make a girl's head explode! Lately I have been trying to reel all of this in and have figured out how to combine all of it into something that I am excited about. My most recent work reflects that.
The "being all over the place" has it rewards. I have built up a library of patterns, textures and ephemera that I have painted or collaged and it all comes in handy. That said, my style will change a bit depending on the project. Products are generally aimed at a certain demographic and I will adjust my style to reflect that.

What are you working on now?
For the next couple of  months I will be working on calendars for Lang and Avalanche. I have two titles for 2015 and will have 6 for 2016. For some crazy reason, I love doing calendars. I am also working on two collections for Midwest/CBK. I will post links on my blog and Facebook page when they are available.

Anything else you want to tell everyone?
Lots of people contact me for advice and there are two things that I always say. Both sound corny but are true.

First of all, if you know in your heart that what you are doing is what you want to be doing career wise, then stick with it. Be patient, things will happen for you when they are meant to happen.
Secondly, stay true to who you are and what you do. If you love collage and don't like to paint then for heaven's sake collage away. For years I had people telling me that no one would want certain art because of this or that and I  listened. I tried new things and no one wanted that art. Why? Because my heart wasn't in it. I stopped listening, went back to what got my juices flowing and, viola, success!

Are you an early riser? or night owl?
Early riser, I like to get up and get going.

What is your favorite food?
Air-popped popcorn, I could eat a bucket of it.

EMAIL   paulajstudio@yahoo.com
BLOG     paulajoerling.com
I primarily represent myself  but have some work at Roaring Brook Art
http://www.roaringbrookart.com/gallery/categories.php?cat_id=47
FACEBOOK   Paula Joerling Studio

Do you want to be spotlighted? Send me an email: anntroe@cox.net
THANKS for stopping by - make my day and follow this blog :-D

Create Easy Photoshop Textures for Fast Rich Design!

Make them once - use them again & again.

It is fun to toss in some texture to give my designs for products some zip :-) It can be as simple as just having a layer of texture (shown in the Yorkie notepad above). Or I might only have texture in part of the image. I added swirls to the top half of the background in the pear paper plate above. (Click image to see it larger).

Not only does it make the image look richer - I use textures that I have made with more than one collection. I like that it speeds up designing/mocking up products!

Here is a good video about making photoshop brushes. It has a couple tips for the magic wand tool too.



There are LOTS of free brushes on the internet - be sure to check that is OK to use for commercial use. Some are only free for personal use.
http://www.creativebloq.com/photoshop/free-photoshop-brushes-11121140

Let me know if you are a photoshop brush fan :-D

Artist Spotlight - Melissa Guion

Check out this author & illustrator's work! Melissa was selected for the 2012 Original Art Exhibition at the Society of Illustrators!

*Note: click on images to see them larger.

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for Art? Are you self taught?
I'm mostly self-taught. I took a few classes as an adult: drawing classes, a watercolor painting class. I had studied photography a bit in college. It was a piecemeal art education. I always loved making things, though, and that's the important thing. When my first children's book was selected for the Original Art Exhibition at the Society of Illustrators, I concluded I must be doing fine!

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?
I often get ideas while playing with my daughter, who is seven, and from watching animals, which are probably my favorite thing to draw and paint. They make me wonder and they make me laugh.

Do you work in just one medium? Several?
For my children's book art, I usually work in pencil and watercolor or gouache. I sometimes ink my drawings with a nib pen or brush. I also make paper collages. I almost always work in traditional media, though I sometimes scan my work into Photoshop for touchups or minor adjustments.

What are you working on now?
I'm about to tour my second BABY PENGUINS book on the East and West coasts. And I'm beginning to sketch my third picture book, which will also have an animal protagonist. Possibly a hedgehog. Possibly...a shrimp.

Anything else you want to tell everyone?
My book work is self-generated, but I have done editorial work and I accept commissions, so collaboration and working to spec are not new to me. I've never looked into licensing my work but I'd be interested in trying it!

Are you an early riser? or night owl?
Night owl. Always and forever.

What is your favorite food?
A perfect peach or a fried dumpling.  Do I really have to choose?  OK, a peach.

You can find Melissa: 

melissaguion@me.com           www.melissaguion.com

www.facebook.com/BabyPenguinsEverywhere

represented by Steven Malk at Writers House, smalk@WritersHouse.com

Thanks for stopping by! Make my day and follow this blog :-D