Furoshiki Design - In Print!

So, just this last year, I entered in the Japan Foundations' Annual International Furoshiki Design Contest. This was the first year that the contest was opened to the States, and after seeing the posters scattered about the illustration department (and a nice tip off from a few teachers), I decided that this was something that I couldn't pass up.

The idea was to create a work that pushes interaction between Japan and the respective designer's country. As an avid lover of folklore from both countries, I decided to incorporate my favorite furry animals as creatures that often find themselves the subjects of these stories. Besides, who can resist these little charming critters?

Tomodachi, "Friends", 2010

To my surprise (and I mean that - I didn't know this happened until I was feeling self absorbed and googled my name, only to find it on the Japan Foundation website), this piece was chosen for an honorable mention! Well, just this past week, I received an email saying that they were going to ship me twenty copies of this work, printed on actual furoshiki fabric! I am absolutely delighted!

I will be sure to take a photo of the actual fabric when it comes in the mail - Glad I have something to look forward to in the coming weeks.

'Til then!

You Are What You Eat!

I've always wanted to post this somewhere, but until now, I've never had the time!

These are some simple, silly, and fun spot illustrations for an assignment last semester. We were asked to pick from a list of potential subjects (love, food, medicine, business, etc) and create some simple images that could be sold as a stock illustration. Being a girl who is completely food obsessed, this was a no-brainer for me. I decided to go with the commonly known phrase "you are what you eat", and put my own spin on it. I also have a minor obsession with drawing hair. Seriously, give me an excuse to draw a green afro and I will have a ball doing it!

"Lilly, anytime I talk to you, you're either eating, or talking about eating." 

The Tweet on Milwaukee

Last year, I was lucky enough to find my illustrations in Milwaukee Magazine alongside an article titled "All-a-Twitter". The story focused on what numerous "Tweeters" (I feel like I made that word up. Hum.) had to say about Milwaukee. There were a few that were colorfully pessimistic, but many did hit pretty close to home for myself and a few other fellow Milwaukeeans. I also had the perfect excuse to incorporate one of my absolute favorite neighborhood restaurants' logo - the Comet rabbit! Now I'm craving some of their macaroni and cheese ... and maybe some coffee ... Mmmm.

Never forget - Home is where the heart is (and the cheese...and the beer...)!

Ack!

Well, hello!

I know it appears that I've dropped off the planet (yes, yes, I'm sure all .... eleven... of you noticed), but I just wanted to inform everyone and myself that I have not forgotten about this blog! I have had a tremendous amount of work to do since I last posted -- flying back from Paris, traveling back to Kansas, then back to Milwaukee to greet my second job -- it's been keeping me busy, to say the least.

Currently, I'm trying to finish up my final project for the Paris trip (and final project EVER), and work on a few pieces for some freelance clients. I'm very excited about all these projects ... I just hope I can find the time to finish them between a 50 hour work week!

Well... a 50 hour work week and some wine...

Anyway, once everything has been cleared out, I will be customizing this puppy and finally making it look like my own blog.

'Til then!

Greetings from Paris!

A view of Paris from the plane. See the tiny, vertical structure towards the left? Ah yes, the Eiffel tower! 

Bonjour!

I know that it's about 5.30 pm on everyone else's watch, but it's almost 12.30 am here, and I am absolutely exhausted from running around the city since day one. Of course, I'm not complaining - good food, great culture, and copious amount of art history. It's all drool-worthy.

As I have been a bit lacking on the blogging end, I will only be posting one or two photos tonight. I'm having some serious sensation overloads -- from my taste buds, to my spirituality, to the aching in my feet. No photos -- or drawings, or videos -- will ever truly capture what Paris is. It's been an awakening to every one of my senses.

Not to mention the food... Did I already mention food?

My Croque-Madam (with oeuf!). The first dinner I had in Paris!

Today, we visited Notre Dame. I will have to write a much more detailed blog about this one later. There was so much to take in, and I can't even begin to express how I felt upon entering this building. For now, I'll just add a small teaser.

A view from the side on the outside. This was taken from Six/Huit, a small boat/restaurant that Eric Vogel (one of the instructors on the trip), a few of my classmates and myself decided to have lunch at. I finally got my crepe fix there (jambon a fromage a oeuf!). It will be the first of many, I'm sure. The weather was absolutely perfect, and the view was more than I could ask for. 

And finally, a small teaser of the inside. 

Forget about everything you thought you knew about religion, spirituality and yourself, folks. This church rips all of those ideas a new one. 

Well, it's nearing 1 am here. I think it's time to take my weary body to bed. Tomorrow? Versailles! 

Bonne nuit!  

The home stretch...

So, it's about a week until I walk at graduation.


... I'm going to let that sink in a little more.


Needless to say, I'm having some mixed emotions. Sure, I'm feeling the rush of adrenaline -- I'm waiting on the edge of the plank to take the final plunge into adult life ... But at the same time, I have grown so attached to my graduating class! Not to mention I've been in school for about 14 years. It's time to whip out the individual thoughts and find my direction. I'm definitely excited to get going on my OWN art and projects. It's going to feel really, really good.

Emotional turmoil aside, this is an excuse to post some of my work from Illustration Thesis class. It's not thesis (a post about that will follow shortly), but I had a lot of fun creating the work, so I'm going to throw it up on here, anyway.

Our assignment was to create illustrations for two playing cards. Each card was drawn pretty much at random, but I ended up trading one of mine to get a little more variety. After counting up our entire class (and a few teachers, to boot!) we got a whole deck of cards covered. We're getting them printed to make a little commemorative token of our graduating class. Oh, it's bringing tears to my eyes already! Sob.

Here's the first card -- the Two of Spades. 

Poor little deer girl. At least she seems rather nonchalant about her situation. 

Card number two -- The Four of Hearts.

Had a lot of fun with this one. Successfully combines my love for foxes, hair, and squeezy droplets.

It was a great way to end the year. I loved being able to let loose and have fun making some quick, simple illustrations. 

Now, what's a great way to end this post? Sleep. I think I've given myself a false sense of accomplishment from posting two pieces of art. Ah, well. I think I deserve to go to bed, now. Right? 

... Right? 

Until next time, all. Guten nacht. 

Ah!

Hello! Bonjour! Guten Tag! Konnichiwa! (and many other salutations!)

With the help of Marisa, the owner of the fabulous Good Good, I have finally decided to dive back into the world of internet blogging after about a 6 year hiatus (the previous blogs were filled with high school mush and frantic teenage streams of consciousness -- nothing anyone will miss, trust me.)

This is just your basic "howdy! I exist!" post, so nothing too fancy will be gracing this first entry. I simply wanted to give a shout out to the world.

I'm a little saddened I didn't start this sooner. I feel absolutely elated to begin blogging again, yet I feel a tinge of regret at the same time. There were so many things that happened to me over the course of my MIAD career, and I'm just now starting to record my experiences and share them with the world ... right before I graduate? Geez, where was I four years ago?

Ah, well. Here's to the future! Onward and upward!

Lillian