Illustration, etcetera: COOKIE Friends

8/16/10

COOKIE Friends

Looking back over all the years I've spent doing illustration I was always trying so hard to develop my own style. But it happened when I least expected—when my daughter was little and we had time to play and make things together. And we loved to make cookies. When I put these characters all together I realized they were the beginning of a new way of working that combined my love of cooking and baking with art and design. Then there's what happens in the oven that creates a bit of magic over which you have little control.

2 comments:

CCAugust 16, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Omigod!! You are BACK!! HOORAY!!!

I love, love, love them all!! The little kids are wonderful. and the dog... and the skinny Santa.... they are wonderful.

OOOXXX, Carolyn
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ChrisSeptember 2, 2010 at 7:53 AM
What a charming, silly group of characters. Bea, why don't you write their story?
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About my work
Friends have shown me that blogging is a great way to meet other artists and have an ongoing conversation about mutual interests.

• I've been a illustrator for a lot of years. The nature of the illustration market for me dictated constant change. I began with the traditional tools; pen and ink and watercolors that established a kind of whimsical style for advertising, editorial work, and the childrens' market. I'll call that— Portfolio #1.

• My love of baking and cooking led me to experiment with baked images. I was looking for something that would create a niche. Ideas for projects were always drawn first, then baked, then photographed. All this began during the most wonderful time of being at home while my daughter grew up. We made lots of things together and her reactions were priceless. We watched Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street and haunted the library. CookieFriends became real and I did projects for Sesame Street Magazine among others. I also began to design craft projects. I'll call that Portfolio #2—CookieFriends.

• Because I draw in a hard edge graphic style, when the computer arrived on the scene I knew that would be my next tool. Adobe Illustrator was love at first sight. And the computer was a magic box. I'm remembering how it felt to draw with a mouse and watch the image emerge on the screen. It was bizaare. Of course you can draw with a stylus, but it's different. I love the computer and I'll call this Portfolio #3—Digital Illustrator.

• I needed to learn the computer programs. A job was the best way but I knew so little. Someone asked me if I wanted to freelance a few days a week at a pharmaceutical company—so I learned on the job. That was 12 years ago and I can do anything in print that I need to do. Portfolio #4—Illustrator/Graphic Designer/Art Director.

• I've loved the web for years and I've waited too long to learn web design. So with this blog I put my toe in the water and hopefully go full circle. When I get there I'll call that Portfolio #5—Interactive web designer. I see so much potential for childrens' educational materials in that area.

Illustration, etcetera

8/16/10

COOKIE Friends

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