New Work.

New work! Always a joy to show new stuff (people like pictures better anyway). The top one is for a great Surface Design continuing education class I'm currently taking. This semester deals with hand painted work and then next semester utilizes using the computer. This means that I'm really trying to focus on designs and textures right now that can't be done on the computer with a simple "repeat" function. Luckily, I have enjoyed discovering many wonderful surface designers out there who make organic designs that don't have a particular repeat or pattern.

The second piece just took me a long time to scan (it was for the Summer RISD faculty show). I'll be showing it next week at West Side Arts Gallery in Providence.

In other news, Craftland in downtown Providence has sold two of my paintings as well as a bunch of prints and journals. It's a great feeling to get that check in the mail every month! Thanks to Craftland and the gang.

Illustrator meeting

I. Have. So. Much. To. Do.

Well, maybe I exaggerate a bit...but I am busy. My mailers are in and I'm pouring over my client list to edit and update- so far I've weeded out several people that I realize I'm just wasting mailers (and stamps) on. I actually will try to be more heavy on the publishing side this round. However, not for picture books, just more juvenile covers for young adults and novelty items. I FINALLY got Dreamweaver back, which means that my poor website can be updated with a bunch of new work that has only appeared on my blog.

Oh, and did I mention I start teaching college again on Monday?

In other exciting news, I am meeting tonight with some local illustrators to have a drink, talk shop, and share some war stories. One is Allison Cole, who is an illustrator, Art Director at Providence Monthly, and also runs the awesome online store Bang Bang You're Thread that has everything from her illustrated stationary and comics to handmade bags and wallets. Along for the ride is also Jyll Ethier-Mullen who runs the West Side Arts Gallery in Providence. We hope to join forces, combine our illustrative power, and...eh, you get the point.

Allison Cole

Jyll Ethier-Mullen

Craftland

These paintings will be available at Craftland in Providence, RI. Going to be away until next week (my mom is in town and I'm looking forward to it!).

New Mailers

Here they are! I'm switching up things a bit this time around, but nothing crazy. The text in front does not have the huge LAUREN MINCO like before- just going with the email and website (both have my name, do I really need the large one? Probably not). I also have them not centered, and so far I think it looks a little more streamlined than before. The back is full color this time, and I really like my suitcase guy as a spot illustration (he was part of larger painting). I think these images are a nice balance, and whether I'm sending something to a teen publication or a more adult market, I should have something for everyone.

Look Ma, No Paint!

I finished my new mailers last night and sent them off to be printed. 

Meanwhile, I forgot to post this final I had to do for a Continuing Education Adobe Illustrator class I took. No Live Trace here! Mostly the pen tool and basic shapes. We had to recreate a vintage crate label.

One thing a day (aka Operation OTAD!!)

Now that I'm back from a whirlwind trip to both Philadelphia and New York City, I am looking forward to a week at home in my studio and at the computer. RISD pre-college has wrapped up (fun as always), and in August I have time to shift my attention towards freelance and galleries before Fall teaching springs back into action.

This August I'm trying something new. Obviously, I'm always working on teaching, freelance illustration, or gallery work, but the truth is that I do alternate between the three, sometimes days (or weeks) separating the "shifts". This Fall, I hope to do one thing each workday (Monday-Friday) focusing on my freelance work in order to really push that area of my life. This includes working on my new website, creating a portfolio piece, sending mailers, or just buying stamps. I'm calling it Operation One Thing A Day, or Operation OTAD for short. I don't have a particular goal, just to stick with this philosophy and hope that I see big pay off once Christmas rolls around (for the sake of the "experiment", let's say Mid December is when I'll look back and reflect on my progress).

I invite you, dear reader, to join me no matter what your objective is. You could even try one thing a week (OTAW??) if that fits your lifestyle better. Today my goal is to work on my new mailers. Stay tuned, because I hope to be posting regularly.

Surtex

Bike, originally uploaded by lauren minco.

It's a quiet, cloudy Thursday- perfect for a sweatpants-kind-a-day of preparing for the Surtex stationary and licensing show in NYC this Sunday. I'm hoping to have three custom "packages" for Dark Horse, Chronicle, and Lilla Rogers Studio, and then I'll be making some simpler packets for other people I run into during the show (and by packets I mean let's put all my 4"x6" mailers in a clear envelope and hope art directors don't chuck them in the trash the first moment they get).

I went last year and it definitely was a crazy time. First of all- it's HUGE. I've never seen a more concentrated grouping of patchwork snowmen, beach landscapes, and cute critters trying to teach me my ABC's. I'm crossing my fingers and wearing walking shoes. Wish me luck!

Sticker Preview, Mudpuppy Press

Hey ho everyone. Here is a sneak preview of my sticker book for Mudpuppy Press in New York. The book will contain about 40 stickers on 4 pages repeated twice, so 8 pages total. 

  I feel like a lot of artists talk about what it's like to work from home and have your studio nearby, but I thought I'd give praise to my mate who deals with living with an artist who has her studio smack dab in the middle of the apartment! He's more of a neat freak, too, so the fact that he was okay with small paintings and my scanner all over our office floor was appreciated. My laundry was drying on chairs for five days and we ate frozen pizzas quite a bit! So thank you, babe. I'm happy to say we had a home-cooked dinner last night and he's enjoying a much more relaxed girlfriend now that there are no more stickers to work on.

Upcoming Events

Man, if 2008 proved to be sluggish, then 2009 is starting with a bang! I'm lucky to report a string of exciting events and happenings, including....

I am making a Princess Sticker Book for a NY based product company (I think I have to keep some details hush hush until it's out). I'm very excited to know that something I've made will be out  in stores (plus, who DOESN'T want to stick miniature versions of their art all over themselves?).

I have a few show appearances coming up...

FEBRUARY 15th, "Tunnel of Love", Genuine Artikle Gallery & Boutique in Ronkonkoma, NY

FEBRUARY 21st, "V-Day",  West Side Arts gallery in Providence, RI

MARCH 1st, Grand Re-opening of Cranky Yellow in St. Louis, MO (my art will be                  available permanently after the show in their new awesome space!)

In the meantime I will be making an appearance this Thursday on a licensing Panel for RISD's Art of Business lecture series. I'm happy to say some of my Arts in RI friends will be there to witness me in business-mode!

Stan Arrives

Stan Arrives, originally uploaded by lauren minco.

It's Saturday, my last Saturday before I begin teaching on the weekend. Thank goodness it's not the morning session because I would be exhausted after teaching at Montserrat on Fridays. Today (drum roll please), I will send the mailers out to get printed! No excuses. There will be 3 different cards, some going to more teen/tween market clients and others to more general clients. In the end I'll have 500 of each! Now I just have to update the client list...


The above piece was inspired by a Coconut Records song, one line saying "I wish you could put yourself in my suitcase", and it put some fun imagery in my head. The actual painting is done on a cardboard backing from a used up wax paper palette. Since I was invited to a group show where the theme is "recycle and reuse", I thought I should just make the piece work for the theme.

Graphic Designers are your friends!

If you ever make a promotional mailer, it's great to have some graphic design-savvy friends look over it. They can help you with typography, use of space, and making sure your postcard doesn't come off as I-have-a-copy-of-photoshop-but-can-you-tell-I'm-an- amateur? For this next batch I was working with square images and wanted the images and text to read comfortably but also effectively. Of course your art is the center piece, but remember that overall presentation is very important.

For instance, The above version is the improved version (but "illustration" will be gone from the final design and obviously I will spell my name correctly in the final!). Below is the old one. Some things my buds mentioned...

1) centered text makes you look very inexperienced. That's GD 101 right there. We went with the right justification with the margins.

2) The font I was using had odd spacing, especially with the "i". The new one has more cohesive use of space between the letters.

3) Like I mentioned before, we're taking out "illustration" mainly because I used it as filler.  You'd be surprised how much empty space you can have in an area and still have a good design. People who don't know how to do effective GD usually want to make type too big or stuff an area with too much info.

That's it for today! I'll show you the final along with the back sometime next week. :) 

Summer Madness

Whoa! Who knew that the summer months were going to hit me so hard. RISD Pre-College has begun and so far my students seem pretty much on the ball. I'm behind on my promotional materials and now have to debate whether a 10 day vacation in August should mean I should delay the whole deal until I get back (no use putting out mailers and then having to turn down jobs a week later). 

In other news, I've recently found myself featured in all these blogs! Who knew??

Design is Mine

Elephatine

Croq Blog

Pretty Little Things

Paper Crave

Eggnmeiyo

Kiddlebug

By Lilsis

We Love Etsy.com

Birdie Says Products

Sunday Sampler

The CraftGossip Blog

Quin Knits a Twisted yarn

Hullabaloo

Thanks everyone!

I know you want pictures, but tough.

It is Memorial Day. Today, my boyfriend and I will celebrate by cleaning the apartment and fighting the terrorist that is our dirty laundry. Have at you!

On another note, I am done with teaching and have felt like I have shed my skin. This summer I will be enjoying pre-college again, and in the Fall I start teaching at Montserrat College of Art. One thing that has really helped me be successful is teaching. Jumping in out of that environment keeps my mind sharp, whether it is with business, personal goals, or the development of my art. taking my own advice (the advice I give my students) has saved me a lot of stress and anguish.  Some of the important things I've realized, especially in the last few months:

1) There are thousands of clients out there. My work will not fit all of their needs, and that's okay. I do not have to stretch my portfolio in 263 directions. I can pick the subjects/styles that make me happy and try to find clients that fit ME.

2) It's about time I got those damn books my teachers told me about!

3) Hard work always pays off, even if it's in ways you don't realize.

4) Do not be too influenced by your inspirations and likes. The world doesn't need another (insert artist's name here). They need one of YOU.

5) Connected to no. 4... no one will do your work better than you. Isn't that enough reason to find your own identity?

6) learn from your mistakes and failures. It is okay to be disappointed, even angry for a moment, but that moment has to pass.

7) Your work should make you happy. If it doesn't, something is wrong.