 I recently went to Ketchikan, Alaska to visit family, and like any good tourist, I went shopping.
I collect coffee cups and became truly inspired by the art work of Sue Coccia at a local art shop I wondered into with my mom. I fell in love with the exquisite detailing that Sue puts into her art and the intricacy of the wooden puzzles that were available for purchase. While the puzzles were out of my price range, I did walk away with a new cup that was adorned with a whale design. I soon became intrigued by the idea of creating an art piece using her design style. I haven't started yet, but it's on my list of things to do. I think it (whatever "it" will turn out to be) will make a wonderful gift. Check out Sue's art at http://fishcreekalaska.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=174  Like any creative artist, sometimes the next BIG idea is allusive. Whether you're a writer, painter, sculptor or architect, "writer’s block" can strike at any time.
As a graphic designer, it’s up to me to listen to my clients and help realize their vision. Many times pulling together a design concept is easy and the client loves what I’ve presented. But there are other times when coming up with the perfect design idea takes some extra time and research. The masters of years gone by, such as Picasso, van Gogh, da Vinci and Dali had their muse. What I have is a stack of books and magazines, and links to web sites that are full of beautiful designs. Often when I get stuck, I walk away from my computer and do something else. Or I wait until the next day to revisit what I’ve done. There have been times when I’ve tossed out many hours of work and started over, and the final outcome is exquisite! On my web site are a list of my go-to resources that help inspire me. Check it out at http://pmgraphicsanddesign.com/resources.html  Back in the early 90's there were a series of books by Nick Bantock about a fictitious couple called Griffin & Sabine. They were beautifully illustrated, and the story was made up of postcards and letters. For the letters, an envelope was adhered to the book page with a letter inside.
I was enamored with the stories and the look and feel of the books, and for the past three years I've wanted to do something similar. Recently I did just that. On the right side of each page is a calendar, along with a flower and it's description. On the left side is a space for a postcard or an envelope with a letter inside. This was a gift to my mother. Each post card and letter were personal snippets of my life - something I knew my mother would appreciate. Here's a link to the book page on my web site: http://pmgraphicsanddesign.com/books-and-catalogs.html |
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