Lots of Sunshine and Buffalo Plaid

Chickadee on Red 

I am in love with this combination of buffalo plaid and and pen and ink sunflowers that I designed a few months ago.  I think this little chickadee is my favorite.  Maybe it's the red with the black and gray that makes it so striking.

Using this design I wanted to create a set of cards that all had a similar feel to them.  Now as far as a set of cards goes,  I strongly feel that a set  should consist of  4 unique designs and while the first card pictured here in this collage does show sunflowers and is a design that I love, it just doesn’t go with the other three.  It almost looks like that Sesame Street matching game deciding “which three of these things go together”?

So even while on a recent vacation and many miles away from my studio my sketchbook is always near.  I decided to work on another sunflower design that will be used to come up with that 4th needed design.  I also get many requests or inquires about cardinals so I thought the combination of a cardinal eating from a sunflower would fit perfect.  The sketches below are still safely attached to my sketchbook and will be what I will be working with as soon as I get home to my scanner.  I'll be sure to post the updated set as soon as I can and they WILL be available for purchase on my ETSY shop soon at ETSY SHOP

If you like my artwork, I might suggest that you join my Studio VIP list through my website at JulieTownsendStudio.com.  I try to have monthly art giveaways and being part of the list ensures that you have a chance at winning.  Sign up at the “GIVEAWAY tab.

New sketch that will be used for my 4th design in the series

Turnip the Beet

Hollyhock illustration

It has been quite a week that has now has come to a close.   Running the gallery on First Friday each month is always so exhausting but also energizing at the same time.  I love talking to all the visitors and other artists about my artwork or about the gallery.  This month, I took my artistic journal sketchbook with me to show some of my friends my newest page that features a Rock & Roll Beet. Several of my fellow gallery artist take the time to look through the pages.  For me it was almost like having a someone flipping through your family photo albums and have them admire your children and talking about those fond memories.  Yes, it's pretty much the same with my art journal.

So even though I was pretty much worn out from my late night at the gallery, I found myself up early and anxious to work on my lovely beet sketch.  I am pretty happy how it has turned out and the little vegetable humor here as a spoof on the Dobie Gray song, "Drift Away".

After I finished working out the details of the sketch with my color pencils, I scan it and then fix up the digital file using a little of my newly learned Photoshop magic. All week I've been working on a sticker sheet collection that I'm calling "Life Began in a Garden" and this image is going to work perfectly with that collection.

My really big plan for this afternoon, after church of course... start working on drawings of turnips and paint some rocks. I know you are envious of this exciting artist life I lead.  Who doesn't appreciate a nicely painted rock and have you really looked at a turnip?  That gradation from purple to lavender to grayish purple almost white is amazing. Won't that be a fun challenge with my color pencils and just think of all those great puns I can come up with? TURNIP THE BEET for starters.

Life Began in a Garden handmade stickers

An example of one of the handmade stickers

I'm going to close leaving you these cute images and my completed sticker sheet that is available for download on my Etsy Shop.

Julie Townsend Studio-Etsy Shop

Now wouldn't you look awesome sporting this?

A number of my images are also available to be added to an assortment of merchandise. Here is an example of what my Rock & Roll Beet would look like on a hoodie.  Just check out all the options available on my RedBubble site:  Julie Townsend Studio- RedBubble

Stuck on You Like Gum on Your Shoe

These Stickers are the best of fun

Just plop them on and you are done

These stickers are making the world a brighter place

I’m just doing my part to help the human race

Can you tell I'm just a bit excited about making my new stickers?  I'm not sure exactly what it is, but I have been fascinated with stickers for sometime.  Not just any stickers.  I know that there are a group of people that are crazy about stickers and have sticker collections.

They are cheerful and pretty much brighten up any surface that you apply them to.  I should clarify....When my niece, our last child at home moved out to leave Brad and I to finally enjoy the empty nest we found that she had put a number of cheap stickers on her beautiful solid wood dresser.  I was not happy about that to say the least so PLEASE USE THESE STICKERS RESPONSIBLY!


So applied correctly to notebooks, laptops, books, journals, planners and such they are a really nice touch.  So this week I took the step to start making my own stickers using my original artwork.  Now that is a sticker I can get excited about.  I chose 4 of my farm animal sketches to begin with.  I purchased an inexpensive laminator and a 100 sheets of matte sticker paper and when they all arrived the learning curve commenced.



With a few other adjustments yesterday I was able to add stickers to my Etsy Store listings.

ETSY STORE- FARM ANIMAL STICKERS






Besides Etsy, I want to make these stickers available locally and several galleries so packaging and display concerns I also dealt with.

Another new addition to my Etsy store is beautiful bovine magnets.  Now over this pasts year and a half I have come up with a half a dozen or so paintings of cows.  There is something about these creatures that really struck a cord in the hearts of many.  I get a lot of positive feedback on these pieces so it only makes sense to make them available in a small 4 x 6 inch format with a magnet backing added.  Now they can easily be added to brighten your kitchen appliances, office cubical, file cabinets, lockers or many other surfaces that are made of boring metal.  I even laminated the print to add extra durability and make them water and stain resistant.  These guys and gals will make an excellent gift for any country girl or the cow lover in your life.  Guys....Mother's Day is coming!
ETSY STORE- COW MAGNETS