a close up of her face. i love painting "sweetness". she is my fairy without wings.

I had the most interesting day today (and perhaps amazing in some way as well). At first it seemed to be turning out to be a hard, everlastingly long day. I scanned my spring girl and went off to staples. They told me I couldn't print my artwork until tomorrow so I went off hunting for another staples... three staples later and I was downtown with hardly a line at all. My prints started coming (the entries for applied arts and communication arts magazines) and so did the compliments. Two very sincere and wonderful business men helped me pick glossy vs matte and on top of it all I sold my very first fine art print ever! $20... and from a staples print off nonetheless (of my mermaid painting). I gave my newest client my blog address so I hope he posts a comment on here as I have a message for him:

I will one day be making prints with archival quality paper (and colors that are much more true to my actual painting) and promise to give you a $20 discount towards a replacement print of your choice. Plus the copy I gave you is yours to keep forever. You never know... perhaps that copy will be worth alot more than you bought it off me for tonight one day? You never know really!

Cheers and here is the scan of my final painting for applied arts and my self promo postcard mailout.

Today I was so lucky. It's 10:30 and I've managed to finish my entry for comm arts/applied arts (one of two entries, thanks Gabe!). I believe I spent a total of approx 30hours on the piece and am happy with it. Right now I've been staring at it for far too long in one chunk (12 hours or more... 14???) so maybe I'll think it's terrible tomorrow and want to start again but I surely hope not because I simply do not have enough time or energy. Whew! I know I already finished my painting but due to exhaustion I have decided to scan it tomorrow instead of today. Not to leave empty handed, however, I have been photographing my progress. This was where I was this morning. I put another 10 hours into it so get ready for the grand finale....

Today I have told myself that it would be in my best interest to finish my communication arts entry. I have spent far too long fiddling around with etsy and am losing track of my goals. My entry is going to be one of four designs completed for a post card series and series of art cards, buttons, etc used for self promo and resale. Four cards: four seasons. The first post card is for spring time and shall be a little beacon of hope for those with the winter blues. She's still wearing her scarf because where I am from you never can seem to avoid wearing all your "winter wearables" long past due...

I've put together a mini demo as I go along. This is the "prep" series. I forgot to take a picture of me gessoing the chunk of wood but I'm sure you can all imagine how it's done (you just paint it on). I will attach more in the series as I begin to finish her and then perhaps a bunch as I try to print and make things with her.

Today and yesterday I finally made time to get some product in my etsy store, birdybear. Handpainted original pieces of art that decorate your kitchen: Kitchen fancies! These are currently up for sale so if you are interested check out my store on etsy (link located to the left under my links).

I am going to put up prints, paintings, buttons, little quirky nick nacks and more. Keep checking for fun things to purchase!

Happy valentines day everyone! I'm off for a dinner and chocolate cake with my husband. I drew this little guy at work while saving a massive banner file. Whew!

This week I have been working each evening hour away on my website. I am working with iweb, a program on new mac computers. Iweb is a program that makes website publishing easier for people like me with no experience (but honestly can still prove quite challenging at times). I completely designed the site but am finding that I am redesigning as I go in iweb (having discovered this after designing my site entirely in photoshop... silly me).

Other news is that I am to be the guest professional illustrator at Grant MacEwan for the final year illustration students this thursday. I have all my stationary samples laid out on the floor and am currently sifting through the pile to see what I am going to show off (and not show at all!). I'm working out what to say and wear (funky or formal?). As with most, if not all, public speaking occasions I am nervous and excited.

Other things are happening on the New York front. I have met with a local author and am planning to finish a dummy for May complete with at least three illustrations and cover. I am going to bring copies of the dummy, tearsheet samples and other fun free stuff to hand out. I'm thinking magnets, buttons, bookmarks or postcards (tried, true and affordable...). All of these will go hand in hand with the local author's work. A themed proposal if you will.

The attached illustration is for valentines day because it reminds me of the tim burton's romantic even in death style. I'm certain no one else has done as much for children in the realm of seeing different perspectives on death as he. Happy V-day everyone. xoxo -crystal

I had this copy in with my illustration friday but it didn't make much sense so here it is in it's "own" location:

I started my contract with the Royal Museum of Alberta on Monday and it's great to be back in a positive, excited work environment. I am trying my best to convince everyone that illustration is exactly what they need a project I'm working on (cross your fingers!) but otherwise I have my hands in some very cool exhibits. In fact you should all check out their website and read all about the renewal project. The museum is expanding (huge!!!) and will be closed after July I believe (or June???) to do some heavy construction work and preparation for the great things they hope to accomplish. So, my advice is to go and see the exhibits before they close for quite some time.

Otherwise I have been collecting contact numbers from papers around the city and scoping out places that might need illustration so that when my "local" tear sheets are done I will know where to send them. Otherwise the ball is rolling to get to New York. Illustrations are being planned out and details are starting to get clearer: I am so excited. Life is amazing right now. Amazing.

I'll add a sketch later!

ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: SPROUT

I admit I had another illustration in the works for this project but am currently putting my website together and found a painting I did last year that fits. Only the alien has killed said sprout... (bad alien!) This painting was a self promotional piece: a bookmark that I am going to eventually make into a series of fun little oddities.

Painted on rough wood. Approx original size: 4x13".

If you havn't already check out my mermaid painting a couple of blogs ago. I finally finshed the piece!

I've been so terribly busy working on my website the last three days (hence hardly any new sketches). I patiently wait for approval on photographs I took of some products I illustrated while at my last employment so that I can start doing the "behind the scenes" part of the website (ok, my husband is going to help me actually "make the buttons work". What on earth would I do without his help that amazing man?).

I had to cancel my "make things for Etsy" crafty day with some cool gal pals of mine. I bought a block to stick knives in from the thrift store which I am going to paint up all funky with cool cows and chickens and things. I adore painting farm animals. I hope to charge at least $40 for it and want to charge more but frankly who would spend more than $30 on a knife block even if it was hopelessly cool in the kitchen? I guess if it never sells I will put it in my kitchen and all the other kitchens on the block will go over the edge in jelousy. Take that.

I will let you all know when my website is working. Right now I'm almost done the "information" section which outlines a bit about me, my contact info, links to cool places like this blog (how exciting) and a picture of myself. My husband thinks it's terribly cheesy to have a picture of myself on my website (I think it's pro and cute...) but I rather enjoy it. Does anyone else have an opinion on this matter?

MERMAID PAINTING is done!

After many weeks painting after work and on weekends I am proud to bring you my mermaid. I produced her because I was tired of working with tight deadlines and as you may have noticed, I LOVE mermaids! The ocean is such a vast unexplored place and it's right here on this planet. Who is to say merpeople do not exist? I would dare to say that they are probably not as "human" looking at my painting is but maybe they have hair like seaweed and sea animals flock to them. If you are a careful observer of ocean creatures you will notice several things. The first is that there are two fictional animals in this piece (you guess which). The second is that some of these species do not belong together (and no, not "shark and little fish, I'm thinking more geographically). I wanted to paint something that reminded me of the great barrier reef, which I visited a couple of years ago. It's so packed full of creatures of different sorts that it's hard to turn in each direction and not bump into something.

New species of fish are being discovered all the time. Coral reef populations in many parts of the world are being fished by dynamite (Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, etc) which is devestating the fish population and reef life and therefore must be respected, documented and painted (haha, cue for me). Fish are such amazing creatures too! Did you know that salmon return to the same river they hatched in to spawn? Some shark species do not lay eggs but rather bare live young. Every place you turn there is a wonderful new creature doing something amazing.

Why not paint it!

Illustration Friday: RED

Click on image for better preview.

This little illustration is a product of staying up too late. It evolved into a representation of what employers imagine their employees capable of (or want them to be). Unrealistic expectations of the multi tasking angel who is diligent, ontime always and stays indifferent to office politics.

Today was my first "free" working day. I finished the cover to the handbook (only three more illustrations to go, whew!) but cannot post it here (hark! Must wait until it is published, if it does get chosen). I was invited to subcontract at my old employment and am waiting to review the contract to decide what to pursue.

After the meeting, however, I rushed to Chapters and bought two very important books: 1). 2007 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market and 2). Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market. If you have never heard of these books I would suggest you go out and read them (even if you have to read them while sitting in the middle of the business aisles in Chapters). Handy little guys, let me tell you.

Time ticks on by as I try to get lots of art completed before the big book show in New York. That's right, in case I havn't said so earlier I am going to Book Expo America to talk to publishers and hopfully make a couple contacts. Maybe learn a bit more about the big guns... who knows?

My business is officially up and running. I already have one logo finished with the help of my husband (who is also a graphic designer) and the second logo is in very close to final approval. There are three children's books in the quoting stages and a possible ongoing group of contract work through my last employment (a local publisher).

I had a big "open for business" party last night with so many wonderful people I have known throughout the years. They seemed to like my mermaid painting, which I must admit is going rather slowly these last few weeks due to other more pressing portfolio matters. (I am doing a large piece on wood that is full of fish, coral and other oddities. I've always wanted to complete a painting that reminded me of the great barrier reef, which I visited in February of 2005). However! I have a good start on the handbook painting which is encouraging. I almost want to redo it though because I'm simply hating the darn paper I've chosen to paint it on.

So here officially begins my illustration "journey".

I completed this odd sketch while watching Hero last night. I got so lost in the crazy shading that I finished quite late. I should probably get onto painting some things so that I have actual color work in here...

thanks gabe for signing my guestbook, first to sign!

Today's sketch is a little bitty of fun I created at Christmas time. I dreamed up Samuel's story as such: a lonely musician playing for coins on the street, happy as can be. There are ideas that involve Sam travelling with his guitar and singing on the road, gathering different friends and contacts until someone trys to sign him. Samuel doesn't feel this would be good for him but signs anyway and eventually... well heck! I can't ruin the end of the story. Stay tuned to find out about Sam!

I am rather excited to get back to painting today. Yesterday consisted of much figuring out of web material (setting up a flickr account, scanning like crazy and waiting for my husband to finish playing xbox live so that the internet could work again... or just go to sleep because the playing never stopped!). I have a really good sketch done for the cover of that teenage handbook. (and no, it's not the mermaid picture on here) I think that I can not attach it to this blog until after the contest runs it's course as I wouldn't want unpublished material to surface before the publishers had their run of it (that is IF I win the contest which may prove difficult).

I have also discovered a marvelous website called childrensillustrators.com which I am going to join as soon as I have 20 of my own pieces (unless of course I can get my current employeer's permission, which would be so great and save so much time). Here's hoping!

In the meantime, enjoy a sketch I put together at my parents house on the farm. I really enjoy drawing mermaids. There is something so exotic about them. You can put anyone's face on the body but as soon as you add that tail it's a whole new dimension.

Unfortunately for me, I have to completely redo my portfolio of four years (having been under a work for hire contract as a full time employee.) so most of my work for now is still in the sketching phase. Keep checking for updates as I finish paintings and upload sketches.

This week has been quite surreal. I am still at the local publishing house for one week and each day that I return it feels like nothing has happened and life is going to continue like always. Yet I have this wonderful sense of hope and excitement that I can't seem to shake off so I guess it must be real. I have been so fortunte to have worked with such amazing people. They are so talented, inspiring and hard working and most of all have become dear friends.

This picture was done over Christmas holidays. I really love drawing girls with weird necks (not sure why!) and odd creatures are of course one of the coolest things in the world. Sigh...

I have spent the last four years illustrating full time for a local publishing business but have been craving more time to work in my home based studio. I am one week away from cashing in my card to be there, and going part time at our local provincial museum. I am going to approach children's book publishers, local magazines and various other local business's that require personal artwork. Scribbled Business is going to be the journal of progress that my business takes as I make my way from no name corporate artist to crystal driedger, "that illustrator now featured in communication arts", or "that artist who did illustrations in that new book at Chapters".

My goals are to create pieces that I feel comfortable entering into Communication arts and Applied Arts (deadlines are in February and March) and there is a local publisher that is doing handbooks for teenagers and children and I am going to enter there as well (prize 10,000 big ones, enough to get my business good and started full time). I have been painting a mermaid for a good month now and will finish that this February and plan to post it here as well. I am going to create an original mail out sampler that goes to local business's and a great brochure type mail out to go to the big gun publishers.

A little teaser of my work appears on my website splash page at www.crystaldriedger.com and I have included a recent sketch I did while watching some movies on my couch. It is certainly inspired by Maurice sendak as I had received a copy of "where the wild things are" for my birthday in October. I love Maurice's characters hands and scribbled etching type under layer pen work. Do check it out if you've never read this book. It is certainly a classic beauty!