why not now?

For as long as I’ve been sculpting I’ve been asked what I do with the sculptures after the assignments are finished.

Well, up to this point, all of them have been displayed in my home. Some still are. Some of my earliest sculptures didn’t survive our many moves. Some were given to friends. Some are in boxes.

After giving birth to my daughter two years ago I haven’t found the time or energy to sculpt. I miss it. As she’s getting older, I’m finding myself with a little more time and a lot more creative energy. I’ve started to feel a very real urge to create so I’m starting to sculpt again.

My goal this year is display a series in a local gallery and to post a few in my shop for sale. These have been ideas and dreams for a while, so why not try now? I’m ready and see no reason not to. It’s exciting!

To make space, I’m letting go of a few. They were built stronger and more complete than some of the others. I feel like these few would display beautifully in a home because they have in mine :)

it's been a year

Well, a little over a year. And what a little over a year it has been. I started out questioning if design and illustration is even where I should be and ended up designing and illustrating for multiple American City Business Journals and having my book sculpture illustrations published in TIME Magazine, The New York Times and The Washington Post’s The Lily.

I’ve been stretching myself in new ways. I’ve designed pitch decks for investors, maps for hospitals and, for the first time, I was the photographer behind my book sculptures.

My biggest takeaway from all of this? Everything is connected. Plant seeds.

Let’s unpack that.

Last year we uprooted from Hawaii and landed in Savannah. I was doing a little freelance work, but wasn’t sure if it would be able to replace a salaried position. There was a lot of self doubt and plenty of time to wallow in it. “Can I do this? Am I even good? Have I been tricking people my whole life!?” Irrational fears came out to play.

When I, and my husband, had heard enough, I began planting seeds and facing fears. I add my husband in because he is the most supportive of my work and he also pushed me to plant the first seed. He asked a question: “Do people in the industry even know you’re full-time freelancing?” I assumed … but actually … I really didn’t know. I was so consumed in fear and self doubt that I didn’t ask the obvious questions.

So, I got busy sending postcards to creative directors I follow in the industry. I wanted the cards to be something they would want to keep or hang up in their office, rather than file (or most likely throw) away. I printed a high quality matte card. One side had a professional photo of a book sculpture. The other side had my info. I tucked them into envelopes and sent them out along with an email. I figured that way I would get a double look - two-prong attack! It worked. I landed 2 jobs pretty quickly - one for The Lily and one for New York Times.

Next, I reached out to friends who are currently freelancing and my mentors and asked a lot of questions. If any of you are reading this THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of the advice and encouragement.

One friend suggested I sign up for the freelancing site UpWork. It landed me a big job with a hospital two weeks ago - that seed took a year! Turns out UpWork makes you searchable by location. So when the hospital googled “Graphic designer in Savannah,” my name popped up. They googled my name and emailed me through my website.

There were hard choices along this journey. I turned down 3 part-time and 1 full-time publication positions. On one hand - it was very enticing to have a sure thing (especially the times when work was slow). On the other - I wanted (and still want) something new and challenging and to know my full potential as a freelancer. I’ve always been the really-hard-working optimist; so more than once I have turned down the sure thing for the exciting (sometimes scary) unknown.

Seeds I’ve planted and things I’ve learned this year:

• Doing good business grows even more business.

• Reach out to people you may have never met but admire their work.

• When things get hard or scary - reach out to your friends/peers/mentors in the industry. It helps more than anything. I am ALWAYS available for this. Just give me a shout!

• Go to a conference. If you’re on a budget - find out how you can volunteer and get free admission.

• Sign up for a freelance site like UpWork. You never know what could come of it.

• Never turn down the job because it is out of your comfort zone. Work harder to figure it out.

Best advice I’ve been given:

• Be confident and honest.

• You have to stretch yourself in new, uncomfortable ways to get to the next level.

• You can do this.

B

settling into my space

It’s been about 5 months since I stepped foot in Savannah, excited, scared, excited. Has it really only been 5 months? Where I am at now versus where I was at then feels pretty extreme.

I’ve met some really cool people here. That aspect of moving is what I look forward to the most. I think about the people I’ve met through my past moves and the majority of them have enhanced my life. I can’t imagine my life without some of the people I’ve met in Ohio, Alabama, Virginia and Hawaii. I now know Georgia will be no different.

Overall, the pace is really nice. Freelancing has kept me busy, but the lack of waterfalls to chase and clear water to swim in year round gives me more time to work on my personal artwork. I had such a hard time keeping myself inside in Hawaii as, I’m sure, you can imagine. But now, I’m taking pottery classes again and I’ve been playing more with watercolor. Most of my playing has turned into gifts for others, however, I do have plans to open a commerce page on this site by March 1.

Here are is some highlights of my recent design and illustration work:

This is one of my favorites. The idea to illustrated watercolor came when the design director of the publication sent the pages over with folios that looked like spilled wine. The style took off and I designed and illustrated all of the editorial content and really enjoyed the whole process.

The HCA medical advertorial was my first freelance project in Savannah. The client wanted a tech cover, but wanted the tagline to be on the front as well. After designing the tech cover, I decided to give another option - a “human” version. I treated the tagline like a headline and illustrated accordingly. They loved it. I was able to work in some illustrating while laying out some of the spreads as well.

I made a board game! And you can play it. This is the cover illustration and the inside illustration and layout I did for a national piece for ACBJ. The concept came after reading it four times a “how to” kept popping into my head. So, I tried to make that as fun for the reader to digest as possible. It was fun to write the steps. It was pretty much like writing a giant double edit - throwback to my Virginian-Pilot days.

The wedding invite made me feel good about what I do. The excitement for the final design that made her have even more excitement for a wedding was such a good feeling.

I was so excited to support my friend in her campaign to become alderman. In the end she was just 14 votes shy of pulling ahead of the incumbent. I’m so proud of her for fighting for change and it was a pleasure to work on her “fresh perspective” campaign.

I’ll end with this gem I did most recently. I wouldn’t call it my best design work but it is my funniest. It is an accordion style card I found through Nations Photo Lab and it front and back. The story: The rescue swimmer shop wanted to do an “A Christmas Story” themed Christmas card that they send out to all of the swimmer shops around the country. The guys were going to play different characters and create different scenes, so naturally I wanted to make Donnie the Leg Lamp costume. After gathering materials from Ross, Hobby Lobby, Lowes and a naughty store - I made a master piece. Of course, after seeing how ridiculous my creation was, everyone wanted to be the Leg Lamp. So, everyone was.

just go for it. some resources that have kept me going

"I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do." - Georgia O'Keeffe

I recently saw this quote on an Instagram story. It is very relatable right now.

It is a time of change for me. Change of place, job, people, myself - and I'm terrified. Self doubt creeps in and it can be paralyzing. I temporarily forget that I have years of experience in design, that I can hold a conversation and that I am actually a really good person to have on your team. Whether it is friendship, work or a trivia night. 

And whether I am terrified or not, I still move forward. I go to the event. I take on the job. I throw myself into a group of people I have yet to win over. All because I wholeheartedly believe everything is connected. If I don't insert myself into the new group, then how will I make friends? If I don't go to the event, well, I could miss out on the connection of a lifetime. If I don't take on the job, then how in the world do I expect to be a freelancer?

A few things have been helping me move forward lately:

• The Rise podcast by Rachel Hollis. She is empowering to women in a tough love, best friend kind of way. She recently did a few podcasts reading some chapters of her most recent book "Girl, Wash Your Face." I'm sold. I've listened to her past episodes as well. They've really helped me chill out and find motivation.  
   
• I've stopped lying to myself. I got this from the podcast mentioned above. Let me explain. So many times I say I am going to do something for myself. "I'm going to go to the BNI networking meeting. I'm going to the gym today. I'm going to watercolor for myself." When things come up like work, invitations from others, deciding the couch is pretty comfortable, or just being terrified of something out of my comfort zone - I tend to throw out my needs first and make excuses as to why I can't do it today. I'll do it tomorrow or next week. This has just created a pattern. And I've been doing it for a while. So, now I wake up. I make a list of everything I need and want to do today. And I do it. All. It's only been about a week for me at this point, but it feels so great. Truth is, I do have the time. And I am not that busy to not take care of myself.  
   
• "The Power of Now," by Eckhart Tolle. A past coworker recently read this book posted some feelings and quotes about it on social media. He dug up some important things I needed reminded of. I read the book 6 years ago. It was life altering and perspective changing. Over the years this is something I've reminded myself from the book a lot: "Ask yourself what “problem” you have right now, not next year, tomorrow, or five minutes from now. What is wrong with this moment? You can always cope with the Now, but you can never cope with the future — nor do you have to. The answer, the strength, the right action or the resource will be there when you need it, not before, not after."  - Focusing on moving forward in the now, without worrying about a future that hasn't even happened yet takes a lot of weight off. 
   
• I've been a better friend and partner. When I am better to others, things go better for me. I don't have a typical 9-5 in the publication world anymore. I set my hours. I choose what I do on my breaks. I am communicating with multiple people all over the U.S. daily. And I love it. While change is scary to me (have have always worked in an office), have had a breakthrough recently and I feel like I have hit the refresh button. I'm more productive. I am catching up with friends more. I'm more present at home. I am hustling. It's for me and I am excited and optimistic about where it will go. It makes me a better and happier person and motivation and creativity are blooming.
   
• I've reached out to others for advice. And you know what? They are happy to help. I have always had a little anxiety about reaching out to new people and even good friends for help and advice. I don't want to be the friend that wears others out with their issues. However, there is a difference between dumping on someone all of the time and really wanting help and advice. I have found that people I know well and others that I am getting to know well have been incredibly helpful and motivational. 

B

Honolulu to Savannah

After four years in Hawaii we returned to the mainland in June. From June 13 to July 1 we did all of these fun things:

• Camped in Kings Canyon
• Camped in Yosemite
• Climbed the cables to the top of Half Dome
• Drove through the night to somewhere near Area 51 in Nevada
• Stopped at the "Black Mailbox" where people who hunt aliens camp
• Drove to Utah
• Hiked Observation Point in Zion
• Camped in and explored Arches National Park
• Stayed with friends in Colorado
• Stayed with friends in Chicago
• Picked up a new car in Ohio
• Stayed with my family for a week
• Dyed my hair purple

For those who don't know, my husband is in the Coast Guard which is the reason for our move to and from Hawaii and now to Savannah. So what am I doing now? For work, I'm freelancing for a couple of the journals at ACBJ. I'm also doing ad work, campaign work and branding for different clients. I'm open to all design and illustration requests. And, of course, I'm keeping an eye out for a job opportunity that I cannot pass up. 

Otherwise, I'm exploring Savannah, road tripping and renovating our new home. If you are in Savannah and want to grab a coffee or a cocktail, reach out! I don't have many friends here yet*.

*working on it

B

book of lists

One of the biggest projects I took on in 2017 - or ever - was PBN's yearly Book of Lists. The theme was "A Trip around the Islands." I drew (literally) from my own experiences to create the cover. I had recently visited Moloka‘i, so I painted the light house at Kalaupapa where I learned about its history and experienced a sacredness that brought me to tears. I painted Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island where I stood in awe as I watched the lava meet the ocean. There’s also the Na Pali Coast on Kaua‘i, where I was humbled by the stunning 11-mile-hike to Kalalau, and the Road to Hana on Maui, which is still on my bucket list.

Filling the book are just over 100 individual watercolors that took 45 days to paint. Millions of brush strokes make up the illustrations that ranged from 45 minutes to four hours to paint. And more than once, I dipped my brush into my coffee mug thinking it was my water cup.

There are 12 chapter covers inside that all have a unique front with places highlighted from the chapter.

As the project was coming along, my wonderful coworkers came up with the idea of the coasters. I worked with the printer and Events Coordinator to create the four coasters above that we handed out at the event.

This was my last major project at PBN and the most laborious project I have ever taken on. It was definitely a labor of love and something I am very proud of. I also got way better and way more confident at watercolor. Hundreds of hours doing something over and over will do that to you.

B

a really happy January

Last year was actually a really good year for me.

• I didn't go blind.
• I began planning a wedding.

We found a spot that will hold 30 of our friends and family members for 5 days. I. Can't. Wait.

• My sister visited! And agreed to be my maid of honor.

We chased waterfalls.

• I became Creative Director at PBN.
• Became one of 4 designers in the company on the National Content Team.
• I made new friends that I can't imagine my life without. And reconnected with some I had lost.
• I moved to a house with a mango tree.

The front yard is just as cool. Flowers to come. 

• I saw my family at Christmastime.
• I found out that at some point I paid for a year of Amazon Prime. The happiest accident when you live in Hawaii.
• I went snorkeling for the FIRST TIME. And managed not to drown.
• I explored the Big Island and saw lava. 

This was my college senior final in 2010. I was obsessed with geology due to a course I had just taken. It still fascinates me. So, just imagine my excitement when my past and present collided in a fiery spectical. Literally. I was rattling of all of the facts I had gathered for this project on the walk to the lava. 

• I made a book sculpture.

I love when things light up and twinkle. This one was so much fun with so much color. Plus I bought my first ever backdrop. Maybe this year I'll build a studio :)

• I got a tent! Yay camping!

Na Pali hike, here we come!

The list could keep going. Sure, there were rough patches in the year but the moments I look back on - for me personally - were pretty fantastic. 

This year has started off pretty fantastic, too. On Friday we had our company holiday party. It was so nice to be out of the office laughing and spending time with each other (off deadline). Once everyone got there I was so honored by what happened next. I was announced as Employee of the Year. PBN hasn't given out the award before and I don't have words for how honored I am to be the first.

I work with a very small team and every single person could have been chosen without question. The fact they chose me meant so much. I have so much trust and freedom there. They allowed me to hand paint this year's Book of Lists cover. Making an aloha print  - that wasn't tacky but not too trendy but still Hawaii - was SO HARD. But everyone was supportive and gave great input. That support really makes me love what I do.

Would you wear it?

For this year, I'm working on being more in the moment and not stressing about things beyond my control. That means giving social media a rest. Election season about wrecked me. I'm keeping my phone in my pocket more and having more conversations with those around me. I decided that rather than read about all of the ways I can make a difference, I'm actually going to do something. I've started taking the bus to work. Not only am I saving ($200 a month... and that is still with me purchasing a monthly bus pass), I'm also purchasing way less fuel and I have time to read books. And our new house has solar powered hot water - which I LOVE. I am watching much more closely where I put my dollar.

Thanks for reading my ramblings. 

brb

where did October go?

October was one crazy, fast month. I wouldn't be convinced it happened if I didn't have so much to show for it. 

Quick list:

• Almost went blind in one eye
• Freelance really picked up
• Book sculpture for Tampa
• Illustration and layout for VA Magazine
• Wedding planning
• 7 issues of PBN sent to the press in 4 weeks

I'm not complaining about having so much on my plate. Don't get me wrong. I am thrilled with the outcome of pretty much everything - including the fact that I didn't go blind. Yay! I did learn the value of saying "no," though. I had to say "no" to some things, both work related and socially. Even though using the "I could go blind," explanation felt much like "the dog ate my homework." But guess what? It was OK. I have always struggled with saying "no." The truth is, sometimes there literally are not enough hours in the day and the all nighters I once pulled in college are no longer realistic. Taking care of your mental and physical health are more important.

the blind thing

Ok, I'm going to lecture for a minute, then I'll tell you why. 

Designers and anyone who looks at the computer for long periods of time: TAKE CARE OF YOUR EYES. Don't take them for granted.

In about 1 week all of this happened: My eyes got dry. My contact stuck to my eye. When I took out my contact it ripped my cornea (totally didn't feel it, but this is what the doc said caused it). For about 24 hours I thought I was going crazy because I swore there was an eyelash in my eye. I luckily notice a small white dot on my iris. The doctor told me to come in immediately. I was then directed to a specialist who said he would be on call for me over the weekend if anything got worse. I heavy medicated with drops and a temporary stem cell implant lens was put in my eye. 

Everything is better now. I wear glasses much much more. Although thanks to the stem cells the scar on my eye isn't as deep, so I can still wear contacts without bacteria growing under them again. I also learned from the doc to wash my eyelids with warm water and no-tears baby shampoo. This stuff is amazing. It is so gentle and takes off makeup better than any makeup removing wipes I've ever tried. 

Moral of that story is please take care of yourself. Things happen fast.

The addition of sand was both a fail and a success. We went big with it and had to dial it back. One of the really great pieces of advice I learned at the Pilot. 

the book sculpture

The book sculpture for Tampa was one that didn't come super easily. I was getting over the eye thing and felt pretty creatively zapped. But with a few sketches and some good feedback from Tampa I pushed forward. I went with my first instinct. I wanted a tent with lights. To me that represented "festival," and the illustration was being used for their "Festival of Reading" cover. As the idea evolved I threw in a book signing and Florida-based animals reading books. I really couldn't be more happy with it. Giant thanks, once again, to Krystle Marcellus for being a truly terrific photographer and art direction buddy. And also not getting upset that I got sand all over her living room. 

PBN life

My daily job as creative director at PBN has been challenging lately but good. A job should always be challenging, right? I think that is what keeps us on our toes and makes us continually better. Whether it is better work, better time management or learning something completely new. I'm really honored to have recently been placed on ACBJ's national content team. I'll be teaming up with some amazingly talented designers from three other journals to create packages all 40+ journals can use. 

wedding planning

I don't know if other creatives feel this way, but I feel a lot of pressure to make it awesomely creative. I know, I know. That is not what it is about. I am very aware of that. But I do feel the pressure to be the DIY bride. The only thing that keeps me calm in this is knowing that no matter what my partner/ favorite person will be by my side.

If you made it through this post, thanks for reading.

As always, 

brb

So many good things lately

I've been with PBN a little over a year now and things are finally starting to flow for me. I'm more calm about centerpieces, have more ideas for our event designs and photoshoots and I have more time in my day to dedicate to coffee outings (which are 100% necessary). 

For me, it really takes a few months to learn all of the new things a new workplace offers, a few months to feel comfortable, another few months to feel confident, and another few months to really feel at home. I'm pretty much there now :)

Anyway, a few great things have happened lately.

A couple weeks ago PBN brought home 3 Pa'i Awards. The Pa'i Awards are a local competition between the different publications, both paper and magazine, put on by the Hawaii Publishers Association. We brought home:

• First Place for Excellence in Design (Newsprint) for the centerpiece, “Hawaii Chefs Cook Up Business.”
• Second Place Feature Photography (Newsprint) for the series of fun portraits by Tina Yuen of the people we talked to for “Hawaii’s Most Wanted Young Professionals.”
• And Second Place, Excellence in Illustration for the book sculpture on our Book of Lists cover. The judges said, “Simple in conception, complex in execution." I liked that description.

I was super proud of everything that got awarded. It was nice to help represent PBN. You can see the designs and write-up by our editor here but I do believe the write-up is behind a paywall. So subscribe!

I was totally NOT going to add this one because it might be one of the LEAST flattering of me, but it shows our teamwork so well. Or i'm sneezing... Anyway, this is the photoshoot for our 40 under 40 section in action.

More recently we just finished our 40 under 40 event where we honor 40 super talented overachievers that are under 40 years old. I really couldn't be happier about how the section came out. Tina and I are working really closely now and are finding we work really well as a team. It's fun and rewarding. And she can really make ANYONE fell comfortable in front of a camera, which makes my job of telling them to act like an old Hollywood movie star much easier. The event was a blast. My design even made it onto a Lexus!

Our work! And faces of relief that we pulled it off. 

The pages of our special section for the event are in my "weekly" tab, along with some other designs I've been happy with. 

And I just realized that since I wrote last that I have been promoted to Creative Director. It is similar to what I was doing before, I'm just much more involved in the overall process and I have a few more responsibilities. Let the creative juices flow!

- brb

We do it for the reader and for ourselves.

My locker doors opened the wrong way...

Thanks, Dad! The speeches about not half assing anything and giving everything 110 percent are still holding on strong.

Last week I finally had the opportunity and inspiration to create a paper illustration for PBN. I have been with the company almost 9 months now and haven't really been in a situation to step away from the computer. So to make sure I really had enough time I planned to work on it last Sunday. I worked 5 hours only to rip it up and start over the next day. 

My time is precious. It really seems like every minute is scheduled out right now. Losing 5 hours on this didn't go over well. I thought about just saying, "Screw it! My lockers cater to all my left handed friends!"  But I didn't. I really wanted to see this through for myself and I wanted it to be done right. 

I did a quick design in InDesign and used that as my template for the lockers and the letters. It definitely helped speed things up and took some of the guess and check work away.

Going at it the second time was actually much faster. I repurposed some things and saved the brainpower/time  I  already used to figure out where everything was going to go. 

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Some of my favorite people (and dogs) in the world made it in via photoshop and actually held up on the press! You all really make me feel great about my work (not so much the dogs) and, more importantly, you don't sugar coat things. Everyone encouraged me to make it better and correct it. Thank you. 

The finishing touches are always the most fun part. I love adding little Easter eggs into my work. Some of my favorite people and pups made it that much better. 

You can see the finished page and the graphic that goes with it under "daily."

-brb

i've been here a year!

July 12th marked my first full year on Oahu. It's been full of change, growth and exploration. Also see: stress and impatience.

Since January I have been working as the Lead Designer for Pacific Business News - Hawaii's branch in the American City Business Journal family tree. It's been exciting and has pushed me to be a more free-thinking, self-solving designer. I am the only designer actually laying out the paper. It definitely helps that I have a really great, visual editor and I get wonderful feedback from our corporate office. It is very much a company of teamwork and people who take pride in their work.

This is one of the views from our office. I am in awe here a lot.

Did I mention my schedule is now Monday through Friday? A day shift? AND I get holidays? And we host really fun events? This part is new for me since I have always been in a daily publication and PBN is a weekly. It was something I both wanted and needed. I get to spend more time with the people I care about and even though my job is fast paced, I feel I have more time for me. No more stress of a daily deadline (which I will admit I miss sometimes). I suppose living in a place labeled paradise by the majority helps too. 

Back to one of the things I love. I have a handful of these in the works. Keep a lookout on the website. A few will be for sale soon. 

The new schedule gives me time to work on pottery. Something I haven't touched since I left Alabama. It is therapeutic and much needed for me to be creative away from the computer. The mug above is hand thrown, hand carved and hand painted. There are easier ways the letters could be done, like a stamp or a mold (as I've been told more than once). Although helpful by saving time, I love the process of these. No two are alike and the hand-carved letters are what make it really cool, I think. 

This hike is pretty much my in my back yard. I did it almost every morning when we first moved. Definitely helped me stay sane. 

A lot has changed in the past year. It is definitely a struggle moving. Just because you move to Hawaii (aka: paradise) doesn't make it easier. It may actually be harder. The booming housing market makes finding a place to rent difficult and the jobs to people ratio makes it pretty hard to get a foot in the door. I am aware of how incredibly lucky I am, although it was very stressful in the beginning. I met with a dozen companies and went 6 months before a full-time hire. Yay benefits and medical! Even though paradise isn't always paradise, as I settle in it is becoming home and am quickly falling in love with - quirks and all. 

stepping out of my comfort zone

Last week I finished up my first big project for the Star-Advertiser. It was a tough one, not only because of the topic but because I was taking a leap back into creating graphics. Not just 1 or 2 graphics. Try 12. And they were the main visuals on 4 days worth of inside spreads. 

It was a series on Child Protective Services in Hawaii and I was put in charge of the layout and visuals. I really wanted to do this series justice. The reporter did a wonderful job. That also means he was extremely thorough. I had more data than I was sure what to do with. Luckily, he organized it by day and I really didn't have to hunt for a thing. 

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Part 2 of 4

We have an incredibly talented graphics staff, but I really wasn't even sure what to ask of them. The pages I was designing had a jump, a sidebar, timeline, other pull outs and graphics. I was overwhelmed. Rather than ask them to change the size (more times than is acceptable) and to make them visual (in a way I wasn't even sure of yet), I gave it a go. It was part of my major in college after all.

After I built them (I stopped keeping track of hours on this), I worked with a few coworkers to polish them up. This all helped me gain some confidence back that I didn't realize a big move could pull out of me.

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Part 3 of 4

Back in my comfort zone, I'm really happy with the way the main image turned out for each day. Day four, "Adoption," is my favorite. The overall concept was that children are delicate (especially in the cases referenced - they died and/or are missing), and paper dolls are delicate. The stories  in this project were more than heartbreaking. They made me angry that people were able to be be so cruel and evil. And made my heart go out to those who tried to make these cases have a better outcome. I made one doll smaller than two others to represent the family unit. I wrinkled the small one a more than the others to represent the abuse and I carried the wrinkled paper theme through the pages. It took three photo shoots, countless paper dolls, a patient photographer and helpful creative minds. We finally nailed it.

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Final of 4 parts

I'm still tired a week later, but the time spent on the project was well worth it. And there are warm beaches everywhere I turn to recuperate. So that helps :)

- brb

first work days in Hawaii

After 3 months of "vacation" I started work at The Honolulu Star-Advertiser. It's a temporary design and illustration position with the possibility of a permanent spot in January. Which is good for me because that is when my temporary position ends.

With my first few weeks of work behind me, I am being refreshed on the quirks of Quark again and translating my DTI brain to NewsEdit (this has happened much quicker than I thought it would). The real challenge has been moving forward and also away from the routine/styles I was so accustomed to (I can't let go of dog legging stories. I just can't).

I was pretty hard on myself at first. Not only was I trying to knock every page out of the park (no matter how much the page just wanted to be a bunt), I was also learning a new system and adjusting to collaborating with a new group of people. I'm realizing there is always a learning curve. I think experience helps shorten that curve, but there is always more to learn.

I was pretty excited.

I've done some pretty cool things in my short time here. In my first full week I designed the Sunday front about drones and painted a Saturday lede illustration. No matter what, designing a front page will always excite me. I took a few photos of them in the rack at Starbucks. I've been designing features, illustrating, writing DIY's and helped make a video for online. 

Overall it has been fun. It's nice to get back at it. 

Aloha and as always -- brb

last days in Virginia

I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel like my time here was too short. The freedom I was given as a designer and the friendships I've made have really made me feel lucky and loved. The experiences will be taken with me to the next place. Life is transient and I'm so excited about my next adventure. I'll be en route to Hawaii soon! And I won't be venturing out alone. My boyfriend will be working at Barbers Point on Oahu. Once we leave we will be going to Mississippi for my dear friend's wedding that I'm in. We'll stop in Mobile, drive up to Ohio with a pit stop in Black Mountain N.C., on to Oklahoma, and finally to LA where we fly to the island on July 12. I can't wait to drive across the country. It's something I've always wanted to do. I have a couple of job hopefuls I'll be meeting with once I am on the Island. In the meantime, I'll be focusing on illustrating and freelancing guided by the confidence and knowledge I've picked up here. (I'll be working on some themed book sculptures. Contact me! End of shameless plug.)

I have truly been shaped by The Pilot in all areas of design. I'll be leaving here a journalist. That's something I couldn't say confidently before. What I've learned will be carried with me in whatever direction my career goes and I am incredibly grateful for that.  - What conversation are you trying to have with the reader? The best and/or smartest presentations start with the headline. Doesn't matter if it isn't pretty as long as it is smart. In a good work environment everyone has your back. It's endless. - I'm so lucky to have worked with such brilliant and passionate people. 

The relationships I've built here have been my therapy through my through job stress, homesickness and life. Many have become extended family. As this chapter closes they are there cheering me on. It is comforting and encouraging during such an exciting, yet terrifying, leap. One coworker told me, "You know, I have always thought that if you aren't scared at all the move isn't worth it."

Thank you, Virginia.

As always, brb.

sketch more often

Sometimes I sketch on paper and other times I head straight for the computer. On this particular day my computer was acting up (big surprise) and I had to call the help desk. Luckily I read all of the stories before problems began. 

While I was waiting time was ticking away to POD (that is Pilot for when a group of anyone in the newsroom stands behind me and we discuss the stories and if my page is working). This can be intimidating but helpful so you always want something on the page. Two-years-ago me would have been freaking out as the clock hit 5 and I had a little over an hour to get a page together. 

I laughingly decided that if my computer wasn't going to be up and running I would just POD with my awesome sketch. Well, It turned out that my sketch was awesome. As my computer came back to life at 5:15, I had an hour to lay it out. I had already discussed the sketch with my design director and got the go.  My final page was very close to the original sketch. Thank goodness for our dogleg style. I broke a personal record. 

My entire night went more smoothly. The poor, misspelled sketch on lined paper gave me a piece of mind and a plan vs. a white page and the stress of 1 hour to pull it out of my head for the curious editors that would be standing behind me.

Moral of the story: Sketch more often. 

reopening the Chrysler

The Chrysler Museum of Art closed for renovations soon after I moved to Norfolk and I never made it in before the doors closed. Well, thanks to this project, I got to take a tour while the finishing touches were being put in place. Even in dim lighting and repeated fire alarm testing I was in awe. The collections are beautiful and inspiring. The pressure was on to do justice to this package. 

We had some fun during the tour. During normal hours I may have been asked to leave for this. Big thanks to Gary Marshall for the photo and the awesome tour. 

My design director had been wanting me to do a charcoal/pencil rendering and this was a good time for it. Each of the floors were given to us in vector form by the museum. I printed them and traced over them with help from a light box and started shading. I didn't test my luck with charcoal. Soft pencil did the trick. The process took me about 2.5 to 3 shifts. There were so many small rooms and the shading was done in about 4 layers. It definitely gave paper quilling (you can see the "Best of the Best" cover in the illustration tab) a run for it's money as far as tediousness goes.

First floor down. Another to go.

Once they were drawn I had to figure out how to connect the chunks of information to the floor plans. I went with a number system. It was the cleanest option. Color coding would have been nice, but we didn't know about color until the Thursday before print and the bulk of the project had to be finished by then.

The front illustration was hand drawn. I bumped the contrast up in and added the wall art in Photoshop and colorized in inDesign. Overall I was happy with it. I wanted the letters to look like a glass sculpture, but it proved to be difficult. I didn't have the time or the reference to get the glass perfect. I added some white highlights to the letters but took them off. I thought they looked cartoon-like. Coworkers and friends I showed the two versions to were divided, so I went with my preference: no shine. Still not sure if it was the right choice. 

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Overall I am very happy with it. And I'm thankful I was the designer given this project. Can't wait to check it out on the 10th! If anyone reading this is from the area or traveling through, I highly recommend you go. Here is The Pilot's ----> online article <----- (click it) along with a 360 tour. Check it! - brb!

q&a with Arizona State

A few weeks ago I Skyped into an Arizona State classroom to talk about editorial illustration. So often it's just go go go, I don't really stop to think about what all goes into a page. It's really nice to be reminded of it all. I have tailored the answers around the citizenship page below. Here are a few of the questions and answers:

What is your process for coming up with a concept? I read the story FIRST. Sometimes I read it more than once. Then I start thinking of a headline. I jot down ket words like "citizenship, easier, clear path, open road (Thesaurus.com helps expand these words, too)." Sometimes I google the words and look at the images to spark an idea on how to make the topic visual. Once I have the words I start with the illustration. Many times these are created together. I knew I could make "Doors could open on path to citizenship" visual. You've got doors, paths, flags. I start sketching the whole page. A visual without a good headline won't work. It won't make sense. The ultimate goal is to make the topic quick and easy to understand to the reader. 

Who do you work with throughout the creative process? My design director is there from the start to bounce ideas off of. Usually we both read the story then toss out headline ideas. Then come the visual ideas. About an hour and fifteen minutes into my shift we have a group meeting behind my chair that everyone is invited to. I talk about the stories on the page and we discuss if it works or not and give suggestions on the page.  This terrified me when I began here. Everyone is standing behind you and you are trying to remember the stories and if it doesn't work everyone knows. It's something you created. It's hard to let it go sometimes. The thing about it is these people become a second family. I wouldn't call these meetings fun, but they are laid back and can be. And it's super cool to think that everyone is working together to make the best possible page. Everyone cares that much about what they do. Nothing is personal. We are a team. It's a really great thing to be a part of.

How do you choose what method of execution is right for your concept? It depends on time. How much time do you have and what style can I use in that amount of time to give me the best execution? You can have an amazing illustration idea but if you can't get it done by deadline it turns into a horribly stressful idea. I went down to the wire with the page above. And it was one of my first concepts. I used textures to fill each shape. I was really happy with the way it turned out and the fact that everything from illustration idea to layout to headline was mine. I thought it was a really important story as well and I think I did it justice.

How do you define the success of the page? Does it tell the reader what they need to know? It is clear? Does everything on the page have a reason to be there? Does it have impact and is it visual? If the answers are all "yes," then it's a success. A personal success is when I try a style out of my comfort zone and nail it on deadline. The page above didn't have a new style but it felt like a personal accomplishment to mesh the headline and illustration together and for it to hold the entire top of the page.

Some advice on getting out into the workforce? I have always been job oriented over place oriented. My first job was in Alabama. I had no idea what to expect, but I knew I would be working with one of the design greats. I made friends there that I will have for a lifetime. I found things like caving that were unique to the region. I found a love for microbrews. I could go on... but I'll spare you. The people and your openness to embrace the place make it. I miss Huntsville, Alabama a lot and wouldn't take back those experiences to live in any other place. So go explore!

I had a great time talking to the students. They asked some really great questions, too... but I can't remember them. I should have written this post right after. They did ask me to share some pages that didn't work. I have plenty. I sent them a few, but those will not be posted here. Sorry. I just can't. If you have any questions feel free to leave them below.

Thanks, Adrienne Hapanowicz for asking me to speak with the class! 

 - brb

Declaimer: The answers here are not verbatim of what I said to the class but the basic gist is the same.

coming down from the high

The "Divergent" page printed today! The print came out wonderful. The detail that I spent hours on is visible and I couldn't be happier.

After I wrote the last post, I went into work and started on the sculpture at about 7:30 p.m. The people took FOR.EVER. or so it felt. I left work at 3 a.m. and returned at 6 a.m. to leave later that day at 7 p.m. And I would do it all over again. I love what I do. I love the process. I love the problem solving - and it all takes time. 

The first couple people were a challenge, but by the fifth I felt like I was cruising through and actually felt I would be ready by the photo shoot. 

The shoot was a huge success. The' Pham was my photographer and really brought the piece to life. After an hour and a half of lighting adjustments we had it and spent another hour perfecting the shot. I quickly moved away from the plan of dropping the main character with a low shutter speed. What was I thinking? She would have been all over the place. We ended up attaching her to fishing line and then to a stick. I was able to move her around the book and change her body position.

The' was great to work with. He would tell me "left, higher. OK. feet towards me." there was a lot of laughing when the falling girl seemed to have a mind of her own while my arm was unsteady. She didn't listen at all. It was great working together and the help was much welcomed when it came to problem solving for the piece. Words can't explain how much I appreciate photographers. One day I would like to shoot my own pieces, but for now I am just so grateful to work with people who take my opinions in the studio and pour just as much heart into their half of the illustration as I do. 

After we landed on the photo we wanted The' photoshopped out the fishing line and toned the photo. I had been thinking about the page and the headline since the start so it came together quickly. The section editor allowed me to bump a story inside and my design director gave me some small edits. 

I still haven't caught up from the missed sleep, but what a rush the whole thing was. Check out the "features" tab to see the finished page. 

Windows!

I am very aware of how creepy this one looks. 

buildings are harder than trees.

This is most likely the midpoint of my book sculpture. Hopefully, I'm farther than that. And I'm happy with it. At the moment. 

The past sculptures I've done had trees on them. Trees don't have to be exact. I'd start making a tree and let the branches go where they want and viola. Beautiful. With a building, things have to be exact or as close as you can get. If it isn't it ends up looking more like a second grade craft project vs. an illustration that will be published in a newspaper I've admired since college. 

The scene from Divergent should be recognizable (once finished) to those who have read the book and have seen the trailer. She jumps from a tall building into the giant dark hole. I won't go in to more detail since I don't think the trailer tells more. Don't want to be a spoiler. 

My next step is to craft paper people. I want to have a crowd on the top of the building while the lead character jumps off the top. I am hoping to achieve the image with a slow shutter speed and dramatic lighting while she is dropped. Fingers crossed. I never really know how these will turn out. I have a sketch and I have talked out my idea to several friends. Talking about it helps. If my descriptions can give someone a clue to what I am talking about and they get excited about it, I feel like I am on the right track. Of course, I tell the friends I know will be brutally honest. So, I tell my idea and wait for a "that's going to be so awesome! you could do this and this and this, too!" or a seriously confused look. Both are welcome. The first is preferred. 

We shoot the sculpture in the studio tomorrow. I always get nervous for this part because after all the work I've done, if the photo isn't strong my illustration isn't either. Luckily, I work with (and have worked with) the best and haven't been let down. The nerves are still there, though. Not to mention, I now have about 24 hours left including a full day of work (not related to the sculpture). I know I can do it. Right? Right. I can. It just may cost me a night of sleep. That's OK. I have always gotten it done before. But what if I don't! See?! The nerves! 

Ok, time to start working and stop typing. I'll post the finished product later this week. -brb

I pretty much hated it here and thought it was hopeless.

I liked it here and changed my mind about telling my boss it wasn't going to work

Completely questioned my decision to build on top of the book cover. She is jumping into the book. And it gives nice contrast. It is also a different approach from my past sculptures. 

and I'm back.

It's been a couple weeks since I launched my new site and it has been kind of non-stop. My roommate/the sports intern I was housing moved out as his internship came to an end. The day he moved out a best friend visited for a week, which was speckled by visits from my boyfriend and his dog. This is the first moment I have had completely to myself since then. I love company, but alone time is like hitting the refresh button. I can really focus on my to-do list which is never as long written out as it seems in my head – endless.

The time lets me get back to being creative. I am super excited to be creating another book sculpture. I'll be creating a scene from the trilogy-made-movie Divergent. It will be published in The Pilot on March 22nd. I am also super excited to be skyping in with Arizona State University to talk about editorial illustration on the 18th. 

Ok, I have to get ready for work. Stay tuned to see my book sculpture in progress and a Q & A from my Skype session with Arizona and other thoughts as they come. - brb