Global Talent Search 2014 RoundUp!

I am very happy to be able to share lots of goodness with you today!
A big thank you and shout out to all involved in todays blog post about Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search 2014. I believe everyone put their heart and soul into this one.
This years theme ~ create a piece of wall art based on “terrariums”
You will be amazed at the many different interpretations. Lots of detail, different medium, techniques and colour used. Beautiful work!

I will start with mine. A mixed media collage piece for you in a style I have been having fun with this summer.

Wendy Flynn

Stephanie Olivieri

Sharon Landon

Lesley Todd

Rebecca Stoner

 

Mary Tanana

Deborah Velasquez

Natalie Alexander

Sherry London

Gabriella Buckingham

Carrie Tasman

Jan Shepherd

Alik Arzoumanian

Barbara Chotiner

Lindsay Buck

Evelyn Cassoli

Brooke Witt

Onneke Van Waardenburg

Lisa Rivas
Nicky Ovitt

And finally Gill Egglestons lovely illustrated piece. I am very happy and proud to say that Gill has made the top 50. I warned her that it was going to happen and it did! She is busy preparing for next weeks submission.

We wish Gill the best of luck and are sending her lots of crazy good, creative vibes.

Well there you have it! A small selection of the 999 entries from 50 countries. To see all of the entries have a visit here. A Pinterest board has also been set up here for your viewing enjoyment.

I spent the morning perusing through all of them and  was amazed at the beautiful composition, colour and diversity all based on one small theme. The talent is staggering!

Thanks so much to all involved today. It’s always nice to share.

Best of luck to all those advancing on to Round 2!

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A sneak peek into the Global Talent Search 2014

It’s that time of  year artists everywhere are putting on their creative hat and enrolling in Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search. I enjoyed every minute of last years competition. It was the final assignment for months spent in Lillas class Make Art that Sells and a perfect way to wrap up all that I had learned during my time with her. Well,  I didn’t win. In fact I didn’t come in the top 50 either. I like to think I was hovering around 51st…

I wasn’t planning on entering this year. I love the process and brief of the competition, but my plate is full of design work and life it is just plain old busy in the summer around here. Yet, here I am!

Call it a severe case of FOMO.

What persuaded me in the end was this little video by Lilla herself and much discussion within my design community. I may have rolled my eyes a few times during the video but, as always, Lilla brings a smile to my face. She is truthful and straightforward. She makes you believe.

Follow the link here to watch on Vimeo

I made a promise to put myself out there in 2014. I am sowing seeds and, as cliche as it sounds, Lilla is on to something with her “inch by inch success is a cinch”

I am also a strong believer that no art is ever wasted. So why not?

I am not sure how I am going to approach this years top secret brief. I spent yesterday on the couch eating cookies and thinking long and hard about it all.I didn’t have an ounce of creativity within me, but my head was swirling with ideas. Unfortunately, the theme is one that has been done before  and I am feeling a little hard pressed to come up with an original idea that is all me and my style. Something fresh..

 

A bit of research and some doodling, trying to put something together in my head and a starting point. I would like this piece to be traditional – very limited digital.

I am pulling all my tricks out of the bag for this one. Sketching, painting, cutting paper…I have to trust that it will all come together, but right now I have a little bit of everything on the go.

 

Some  messy freehand dip pen work. My mind works best this way with no preconceived plan. Things are always pretty darn good at this point…then I add paint and it all goes a little sideways..

I think I will save my dip pen work for illustrator and some digital work. I don’t mind the end result  below – it’s not what I have in mind, but it’s all about the process of discovering what exactly it is that I have going on in my mind.

I hope that makes sense.

From here I usually take elements I like and start to expand on them further.  I know what shapes and textures I like and I do love to cut and collage paper.

 

So the lingering questions remains…

Do you stick with your style in a safe and easy way – a joyful way – do what you do best ..

OR  do you throw it all out to the wind and create way out of your comfort zone with the possibility that it may suck.

Haha..actually, that’s not funny, it’s plain old painful, disheartening and definitely discouraging.

For example..

 

I haven’t a clue where this is going on how it even got there. It was fast and it was furious and honestly, I am a bit stuck. There is something I like about it, unfortunately I haven’t figured out what that something is!

It is this kind of work that takes me out of my comfort zone. I will finish it, but I am just not sure it will be in time to be submitted.

The clock is ticking….

Best of luck to everyone out there! This is my community. I follow and support these people and vice versa. I will be thrilled to see any one of you win!

The time is NOW to Make Art that Sells

The time is NOW! (Ok, almost now.Soon. I need a bit of a breather to rest,regroup and reorganize my portfolio!)

My wonderful time with Lilla and Make Art that Sells has come to an end. Wow,it was awesome. A big thank you to Lilla and Beth Kempton of Do What You Love. Well done!

As most here know, I am a fan of the art e-course. I love learning and am happiest trying new things. I would have to say that this course ranks top in my collection of “very worthwhile art courses”

Lilla is a joy. She is enthusiastic, supportive, yet very straightforward. There is no sugar-coating – this art licensing business is competitive. It demands great effort, patience and perseverance – all words that seem to have become my way of life.

Lilla shares with us many of her experiences and her artists too in the art licensing world. She made me laugh the whole way though and I really enjoyed the light-hearted fun in between all of the hard work and reality checks.

Journal page – finding inspiration

So, here I sit pondering all that I have learned during my 10 weeks with Make Art that Sells. I have taken a breather from creating new art for now. It’s difficult, but I believe necessary. I have doodled and sketched,painted and taken many a note during this time but,as of yet, have not a chance to sit down and really review and consider it all.

Scrapbook Market

I thought I would be overwhelmed by it all, but oddly I am feeling very relaxed and confident right now. Lots of good things are happening and the momentum is all there.I am feeling that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

HOW crazy is that?!

Having a bit of fun…

I have been trying to think of all the goodness that Part B of Make Art that Sells brought into my life.

Part A was all about my art-icons,color,original design in my style,composition,learning my limitations and what I need to improve upon.

Part B was a continuation of working my art, but also thinking more about my brand and what markets I feel I am suitable for.I have a new-found knowledge of the potential of ten different markets all in search of art to display on their products, I have contacts and a wealth of information on what makes your art sell. I have a lot of art!

I am feeling that I have all the necessary ingredients to make it happen. Now it is up to me to stay positive, make a plan and stick with it. Oh, that dreaded F- word…Focus.

(The course is not set out this way, you can take it in any order and not miss out.This just happened to be my approach to it all)

Other great benefits of this class included:

Community– I have met another awesome community of like-minded creatives. We are all at different stages of our developement, but we are still in it together. These people understand my journey. I am always a bit overwhelmed at how others are so willing to take time out of their busy schedules to share information or offer a word of encouragement or piece of advice.It all makes me pretty happy.

Folk art – finding inspiration

Trends– I am still not sure if Lilla is just so bang on her trends or whether she is leading the way and creating them. I do know that it brings me a bit of delight every time I open a magazine and see a theme we have created for during the class. It feels great to have a portfolio piece that is right on trend.

Party paper market

Many people have asked me Part A or Part B? I have to be honest and say both.I feel I received a very well-rounded education by completing both modules.

I was also pleasantly surprised at some of the markets I enjoyed creating for.The one I was least excited about is the one I am most excited about right now…you will see soon!

I believe it is important to explore all possibilities. To my surprise, I learned that all of this motif making is pretty versatile. Many of the markets overlap and all of your motifs can be used accordingly.

If you are interested in Make Art that Sells, but still have questions please feel free to email me at jules@bollah.com

It is a big investment, but I believe very worthwhile. (and no, I am not affiliated:)

If you are interested in reading about Part A have a look here

Onward my friends!

It’s sassy, it’s silly and full of surprises..

I am not sure if it is possible to design baby apparel without a goofy smile on ones face. In fact, I think it is a necessity just to get in the mood of it all. It’s cute (not sappy:), it’s sassy and a whole lot silly and it’s full of unexpected surprises. At least it is suppose to be!

I am not quite there yet, hence the goofy smile on my face helping me to get there.I should have taken a selfie! It would have been good for a laugh.

Week 2 of Lilla Rogers Make Art that Sells had me designing motifs for the baby apparel market. This is a market I have yet to explore, but I have had it in my vision because of my love to doodle and draw big blooms. I think this is a market I could work within.

The theme for this weeks lesson was Camping.It’s a trend I have seen popping up everywhere and now that 500 of us have camping motifs and floating around the world web I am sure it’s going to help it on it’s way. That Lilla sure is smart!

On my screen-playing with color

I had quite a bit of fun with this. My goal for this week was to use my neutrals and to draw a character. Yes, seems simple enough, but oh no, it was challenging to say the least. I should clarify that- the use of neutrals was no problem for my analogous brain, it was the characters. I have yet to draw anything with eyes and a face. I see anything resembling a face in my work and I quickly delete.Not this week though!

The big joke around here all week was my hedgehog. I am mighty proud of that hedgehog. Ridiculous..yes. It’s the little things in life that make me happy. Very happy that I could provide lots of laughs around here as I was trying to get this one out onto paper.Prepare to see all the woodland animals popping out of here soon. Sorry people, no humans …yet! Unless ,of course, Lilla asks because it seems that these days she is the only one I am listening too. I shake my head at the things she has made me to create. I am just a little out of my comfort zone.

I could see myself and family happily travelling along the Pacific Coast Highway in one of these sassy, little camper vans.Oh and check out my flower faces with girls swinging out of them. It took a lot of effort to do that. I am not cute, but I think I could be!

Lessons learned this week – detail, detail topped with more detail, did I mention detail? Create a story. Design your own world. Imagination is key. Get those characters out and make sure they are doing goofy things. Design the unexpected – yes, mushrooms can be umbrellas and sardine cans can be cars! Have fun…and remember, people buy your joy.

Lilla continues to brings a smile to my face.

I already 6 mini chocolate bars into Halloween with, I am sure ,many more to come. I have lots of pressure on me tonight to be the best dressed house. Artist=creative=best dressed house.

It’s going to be a long day.

Happy Halloween!

Inspired by Make Art that Sells – Part B

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas around here (only 71 days to go…)

Last week had me designing Christmas greetings for the paper market for Part B of Lilla Rogers Make Art that Sells. While Christmas is just around the corner, it was no easy task getting in the mood. The sun was shining, my outdoor deck was calling and while the snow is slowly creeping down the mountain, winter feels far, far away!

I did a bit of cruising around on Pinterest, googled vintage christmas images and even pulled out some old Christmas cards and decorations. I heard others had the christmas music blasting ~ I had to draw the line there! No festive FaLaLa’s for me. I just couldn’t face the music.

I am looking at this project as a way to ease into it all. If anything I am hoping it will find me a tad more organized then normal..I  will admit that during my research stage I ended up pinning many a homemade gift.

I have set myself some goals this time around for Make Art that Sells. The amount of info can sometimes be a bit overwhelming especially combined with the amount of creative work involved.

My goals for this time around include  ~ Icons, icons and more icons! I am going to practice my patience and spend more time creating smaller pieces. I am also really hoping to work on my color schemes and my POP value. My goal over the next 5 weeks is to develop 5 more  strong portfolio pieces with some corresponding patterns for each.

Work in progress – light, dark, birds, owls, more snowflakes…help?

Part B covers 5 more markets all in need of art! I am super excited about learning the ways of the paper, party paper and scrapbooking market. I am very interested in the baby apparel market. I am plain old terrified of the editorial market.I am not even sure what the editorial market is all about and have decided to leave it as a surprise instead of stressing over it right now.

In true julie fashion I know I am going to love all of it which is not going to help me in my decision to narrow it all down and specialize, but then why take all the fun out of it?!

My almost finished piece for this weeks market.If I had to do my own critique on it I would say it is definitely going in the right direction, however I still think it needs to be a bit more festive and fun.Maybe some christmas lights strung through the trees and a few more woodland creatures celebrating.The silent night type has to go. Any other suggestions?

What did I learn this week?

I hope all my Canadian friends had a wonderful ThanksGiving weekend. It was a beautiful, crisp and colorful weekend here in Whistler! Lots to be thankful for.

Pop by later this week for another Creative Process piece by Lindsay Buck of SlumberMonkey Designs.

See you then!

Inspired by the global search for talent-part 2

The Global Talent Search showcase is back due to popular demand!  Today we have Round two of The Global Talent Search hosted by Lilla Rogers studio

If you missed Round 1 here it is here.

These are just a small sampling of the 1500 entries, but all of these  vintage, playground inspired, journal covers inspire me!

They motivate me to try new techniques,play with different mediums and experiment. I think Lilla hit the nail on the head when she suggested this theme . It really gives artists a great way to play and experiment.

I have included the artist name below each piece and a link to their blog post about The Global Talent Search.

Simi Gauba of Simi Designs

Tracy Bixby

Lisa Firke

Laurie Baars

Heather Dutton of Hang Tight studio

Ine Beerten

Catriona Robyn

Julie Ansbro of Acadreamia design

Gabriella Buckingham

Tammie Bennett

Pavinee

Jill Howard

Jennifer Orkin Lewis

May Leong

Pretty impressive isnt it? I have mentioned it many times and here I go again, but I am amazed at the quality and the variety ~ so many different interpretations of one theme!

Tomorrow is the big day!  Lilla Rogers and her team will reveal the top 50 who will move onto the second round. Fingers and toes crossed- I am hoping to know more than a few of those who make it.

Making it into the top 50 is a huge achievement in itself when chosen out of 1500 entrants!

Best of luck to everyone who entered! I will keep you posted on how it all rolls out.

Inspired by the global search for talent!

Lilla Rogers is all the rage in my surface design world right now. She has just recently launched her first ever e-course, Make Art that Sells, with Beth Nicholls of Do What you Love and it was a roaring success. Now the two of them have collaborated to host a Global Talent Search.The reward for the winner- a 2 year signed contract with Lilla Rogers Studio.

That, my friends, is kind of like winning the lottery in my world.These are two very clever women!

I am still unsure of how many entrants they received for the search, but my guess is over 700. There are many out there just dying for a shot to be represented by Lilla. Yes, I am one of them…

It’s funny because when I signed up for her course I didn’t realize I would automatically be entered into the talent search. I am not sure I would have participated  considering I am in the throes of summer vacation with kids. But, after 5 awesome weeks with Lilla and Make Art that Sells I was excited to keep the momentum going and was thrilled to have another mini brief to design around.

The brief for the global talent search – vintage inspired playground. I wont lie-my initial thought was ..ugh..

Once again though, Lilla pushed me creatively to create a piece around a theme I had never even considered. Now, I have a whole bunch of playground inspired motifs to play around with for patterns and upcoming art.

My mind at work in the inspiration stage…

The finished project! I am quite pleased with it.I stepped outside my boundaries, used lots of different medium and even tried some new colors.

I thought it would be fun to give you a little sneak peek at some other playground inspired journals for the Global Talent Search. The top 50 get chosen and published August 1st, but that’s just a bit to far away.I love seeing all the different styles and interpretations.

I have included the artist name below each piece and a link to their blogpost about The Global Talent Search (or in some instances just their blog…lots are taking a breather this week!)

Mary Tanana

Deborah Velasquez

Sharon Minchuk

Wendy Flynn of Doris and Fred

Rosie Martinez-Dekker

Claire Lordon

Laura Escalante

Anneline Sophia

Cat Athena Louise

Miki Berman


Rachel Place
Maike Thoma
Tina Devins

Isn’t it amazing to see all the different interpretations and styles?I love all the different medium used from chalk to embroidery. Lots of look at!

Best of luck to everyone who entered! I will keep you posted on how it all rolls out. It should be very interesting!

Learning from Lilla Rogers – Part 2

I am sad to say that my time with Lilla and my new community of friends in Make art that Sells has come to an end ~ at least for the time being.Part B starts in October and I am signed up and ready to go.I have an idea of what to expect this time around and plan to be fully prepared. The next couple of months will be a well needed break as I have quite a few ideas on how to change and improve things around here.

Creating moodboards to inspire

I  have to admit that I am always a little sad at the end of any course. I find it very motivating to get into a schedule of creating and I have discovered that I love creating to a brief. I find that my best work is produced when I explore a theme.I love all the ideas and fresh outlook that it creates.

Mixed media-paint, paper,ink and some sewing too!

My time with Lilla has taught me to approach my art with a new sense of wild abandon.Well, not too wild, but full!

She had us explore many different mediums and I found that a lot of my learning was actually applied  to the creation of my artwork~ experimenting and trying new things. I am definitely going to try to incorporate lots of new techniques into my work and I may even sit down and finally conquer photoshop.  My hope is to find a way to incorporate my traditional and digital worlds. Most of my favorite pieces from other students in the course were those that had a combination of techniques. I truly believe that skill in both is necessary to market yourself.

I thought I would share some of my learnings from Lilla~ a few that I have tucked away and use when creating to remind me to step it up!

Learnings from Lilla:

10,000 hours – yes, it is true. It will take many hours of (free) time and devotion to perfect your craft. You have to have a lot of patience and perserverance.Create everyday. Every mark is a learning experience.

Keep exploring– try new things.Experiment with new techniques and different mediums.Every mark is a teaching experience. Keep an art journal.

Delight your audience. There are in house artists that can make polka dot patterns-your art needs to surprise and delight your audience.

Discover your passion~ what gets you excited? I know that marks, texture and color get me going.I love layers too.Discover your passion and work it.

Go the extra distance.Think about how to make your art just that little bit different from everyone else. Think about how you would like to present it to the world.

Contrast~your work has to stand out in a thumbnail.Use color, contrast and texture to make it pop.

Don’t compare – easier said than done. I was amazed at the talent in our community. Blown away may be a better way to describe my reaction to the completed assignments. Lilla constantly stresses that you are on your own journey and your style will find it’s time and place.Stick with your style – work your style. There is a place in the market for everyone.

Mixed Media-paper, pen,paint

Stick with a theme. Have a focal point. Use different mediums to get your point across. Work your composition. Use wonderful, fresh color!

Hyper-lush zipper pouches. My favorite assignment.

The list goes on and while many lessons are those that you have heard before, it is nice to be have them presented in a new light and with examples. I have mentioned this before, but Lilla really opened my eyes to many new possibilities of what I can do with my art..and she provided lots of examples.

I have so much more to share, but I think it’s time for you to consider this course for yourself. I know I was a tad skeptical going in, but I can safely say that it is time and money very well spent!You wont be disappointed. As always, if you have any questions please feel free to email me at jules@bollah.com

For more info – Make Art that Sells

For Part 1 of Learning from Lilla see here!

I am participating in Lilla’s Global Talent Search. I will give you a sneak peek next week!

Learning from Lilla Rogers

I am half way through  Part A of Make Art That Sells. We have covered Bolt fabric, Home decor, Children’s Books and Wall art. My eyes are wide open and my heart is beating a little faster.The possibilities for surface design are endless and as Lilla likes to say  “There’s room for every style, trust me”

Lilla has introduced me to a multitude of ways to get my art out there into the world. Markets that I would have never considered – think.. tattoos, stickers, coloring books,ornaments,ceramic art, wall decals. The list is endless. She has me considering opportunities that I would never have dreamed possible.She also has me a bit overwhelmed and thinking that the time is now to start thinking about my art, my brand and my direction.

For now though, I think I will immerse myself thoroughly in all aspects and enjoy the introduction to all of the possibilities that are out there. I am feeling creatively stretched to push my work just that little bit further. I am raising the bar.

Sharing a few art journal pages with you that I have created during my time in the course ~my visual way of thinking, finding direction and just plain old daydreaming.

The course has been  full of interesting information.I appreciate how Lilla has broken down the art assignments into smaller bite size pieces.Instead of being faced with the daunting task of creating one large piece, she has you slowly creating everyday, using the smaller parts to make up the greater whole.It is a  nice and easy way of approaching the, sometime ,overwhelming big white canvas.

working some of my hand drawn kitchen elements into some sort of cohesive whole

Taking time to add detail and interest my goal, to “delight my audience and blow myself away”..I love that! I think that quote is going to have to go up in my studio.

Lilla encourages you to follow your heart, create what you love and create things that get you excited. Your enthusiasm and joy will shine through in your work  “People buy your joy”

“See the world around you as raw material”. I never thought I would have so much fun and find so many ways to illustrate a plain, old mushroom.

Lots of daily reminders and encouragement to be authentically you ~ create how you love to create ~ but don’t be scared to try new and different media and tools. Approach your work with an open mind.

Round? Yes, round!

I am  loving Lilla’s  enthusiasm for her course. I feel she is really present in our community and classroom. She is a wealth of information and loves to share. She is a teacher in the true sense of the word.

Yay for Lilla, our Momacita Fairy Godmother!

More to come next week for Make Art that Sells ~illustrations, wall art, editorials and more. Watch out for Lillas  Global Talent Search starting this week!

I will be back later this week for another creative process blog post!

Enjoy the sun.

Inspired by Surtex 2013

Well NYC has officially beat me! I have escaped to Central Park for the afternoon. Sitting here on a rock under the trees,I can still hear the dull roar of the city behind me. It’s mayhem out there! I love the energy and inspiration NYC provides but,after 3 days, my thoughts drift back to a more peaceful way of living.

My trip here to visit Surtex 2013 has been a great one. I have  been on a roller coaster ride of emotions-super excited,starstruck,overwhelmed,relieved,anxious – just a few emotions that have swept over me the past few days of Surtex. All of this accompanied by some very sore feet from all the walking!

I am thrilled that I had the opportunity to walk the show for my first time this year. I followed all the rules of etiquette but discovered quickly that they are just guidelines. Everyone is super friendly and very helpful. I took pictures with permission, spoke to many of the artists, handed out a few business cards and generally made connections with others within my community.

I had the opportunity to meet up with many of my virtual-world designer friends.  I loved spending time with them, they are always full of enthusiasm and good advice! Many exhibitors I spoke with during the show commented on the importance of working within a community. Many of us sit at home daily designing and need to have designer friends to reach out to in times of need. These are your people!

Some of the girls from our love of print & pattern group
Kim Andersson,Suzie Tremel,Julie Hamilton,Deborah Velasquez,Mary Tanana, Maeve Parker

I still don’t have enough trade show knowledge  to answer the question that everyone keeps asking ” Are you going to show next year?”  Many thoughts are running through my head and they may be off kilter. All I do know is that Surtex isn’t something one takes lightly!

You need to have your style and your brand down and it needs to be different and uniquely you.You need to stand out – even before you get to the show. I believe a lot of your connections have to be made beforehand. They need to know you are out there. I also believe you have to commit to the show for a few years and slowly develop your connections. You need to have a 3-5 year plan of  surtex attack. As with any brand you need to be consistent and present. Lastly- Know your market.

Sarah Watts of Wattsalot – my favorite booth! http://www.wattsalot.com

I do believe that it is a great community and place to make connections.The show is super organized and well presented.Everyone is happy, helpful and supportive.If you need a little break from pattern then you have The National Stationary Show and International Contemporary Furniture Fair right next door. I spent hours walking the aisles in awe.Home furnishings, paper, pattern,typography – it was my little piece of heaven.

Caleb Gray – http://www.calebgray.com

Some delightful designers I had the opportunity to meet and chat with.

Cindy Lindgren – http://www.cindylindgren.com

Unfortunately, I didn’t get pictures of some of my other favorites – Jessica Swift, Elizabeth Olwen, Alex Columbo, Monica Lee, Pink Light Studios, but they were all there. I felt like a bit of a surface pattern design groupie!

Kim Gann- http://www.kgartstudio.com Karen Reeves- http://www.karenreevesstudio.com

I was very fortunate to have some chat time with Lilla Rogers of Lilla Rogers Studio. Lilla is a leader in the art and illustration industry.My first impression was wow-now that’s a teacher!

Lilla Rogers, Deborah Velasquez, Julie Hamilton

Lilla is a teacher and it becomes most apparent when in discussion with her. She loves to talk and her enthusiasm for art and willingness to share is limitless. I was lucky enough to bump into her on three separate occasions (I may have been stalking her just a wee bit…) and each time she was engaging and fully present, asking all the right  thought-provoking questions of me and providing me with thoughtful answers of her own.

I still haven’t signed up for her course. Make Art that Sells, which she thought was quite funny, but I really want to now. Fingers crossed!

If you have any questions about Surtex please don’t hesitate to email me at jules@bollah.com.

Goodbye NYC! Next week this time I will be camping ,with no power or running water, in the middle of Vancouver Island in B.C.. Talk about extremes!

Have a great weekend!