travel inspirations - cuties part 1

The best cat ever - Maneki Neko spotted in Singapore's China Town

IF wings

This one was started in Kandy, Sri Lanka and finished in Singapore :)

oh and btw Tytus opened facebook page for our shops on Zazzle http://www.facebook.com/MadameColonelleZazzle?ref=ts&fref=ts so if you like it you know what to do :)

new conditions

As I wrote there are some changes (I love changes) - after super busy year my husband and I decided there's right time to pack our backpacks and go for long trip. For many reason Asia seemed to be best choice. First idea was to go just for some holiday (maybe a bit extensive) but it quickly evolved so we booked only one way tickets and decided to travel as long as we like but work a little during this time.
For Tytus it was easy peasy - he just need his TINY(comparing to mine) computer and that's it.
For me well...I was struggling with question if am I able to stop painting for let's say 5 month and stick only to computer created art? and my final answer is big fat NO, I'm NO.
It became obvious that I must take all my paints and other stuff with me.
We're still on very beginning of our adventure (right now in Elle, Sri Lanka) and so far I can say that it was the best choice ever! (both - going to Asia and taking work stuff) How it gonna end up - we'll see:)

 In Istanbul where we stopped just for one day and it was rainy and cold then.
 I've never been those kind of person who goes out to do some work - ok I tried as I thought that it might but I was easy distract so I left place like coffee shops just for meeting friends (and drinking awesome coffee;)
So I need to learn how to work in public space.

 In some hotel rooms I can arrange pretty sweet work space:) here in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka

oh and if you're interested I'll be putting some pictures from Asia on my flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/colonelle/

Holiday books

Last year and at the end of 2011 I made illustration for series of holiday board books for Palm Kids.

 

I had such fun doing this but even more seeing them published as they are really cute wit all those dye cut, embossing  and ...glitter on cover! hey! that I didn't expect coming :D

2012/2013

Well there's only way to describe 2012 - it was CRAZY busy for me. I illustrated 9 pictures book + some great Ipod app + several cover for audio books + opened 2 new Zazzle stores (that's afford shared with my husband)

 

This year was also about meeting some extraordinary, super interesting and inspiring people both my clients and new friends and for that I'm most thankful:)

oh and completely fail with my new year resolution regarding self promotion...actually I've done exact opposite to what I planned so that resolution is needed to be rewrite for next year:)
but hey! 2013 will be super exciting and totally different as we're going to make another big dream come true - promise I'll keep you posted:)

 and I wish you all the same - having some bigger or smaller dreams come true and have magical year!

Zazzle Featured Seller Interview

Yay! I've been featured as a seller on Zazzle and interviewed how nice:)

Anchor, Swallow and Roses Throw Pillow by daisyO
View more throw pillows.

Skull of Rockabilly Girl Stamps by daisyO
Make custom us stamps on zazzle.

To read interview click here

New Book!

hey there's new book with my illustrations on market! is published by Wilga - polish publishing house, written by very talented and well known in Poland Agnieszka Frączek and well I'm quite satisfy with this one:) more details as soon as book I'll get the book and for now some sneak peak (with very first working version of typography which was changed but)

Audio book covers

Oh no! my blog is still at the beginning of the year and in winter mood while there's March already and definitely spring where I live so time for update.
I've been pretty busy(little to say)lately working on great projects which ofc I'm not allowed to talking about for now (oh sooo hard to keep secret:)but recently 2 new audio books with my covers was relisted.

Chinese New Year

Chinese Year of The Dragon -custom txt- by partymonster
Make custom stickers with zazzle

what I like the most about Chinese New Year is that if you already abandoned new year resolutions you can start all over again :) good motivation, isn't?

and If you're interested with Magic Blanket updates (sure You are:) you can like it on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Magic-Blanket-Tales/135968556521123

IF prepare

Katie and the Giant Problem

This book is a proof that you can make your dreams come true in the best style and self publishing may be as good option as working with big publishing house.

So here you have warm story about brave little Katie illustrated by your truly and written by Richard Parr - designer and Katie's dad. Working with him was great pleasure and I'm really happy with result!

Book will be available to buy Feb 10th. And anyone interested in reserving a copy can contact me at: richard@artworkmonkey.co.uk

let's have look :

hard cover with dust jacket (oh my! hard cover and dust jacket)



some inside pages



adventure and magic starts at here


oh and my very favorite part of picture books in generally(space between last page and cover-I can't name it in any language)- sometimes awfully neglected not this time:)



And one more treat - this gonna be a series, I'll start work on illustration for second one very soon (excited!) and last but not least the Giant Problem will be also turn into app! so stay tuned:)

*pictures made by Richard Parr

cute guys

new zazzle's designs

2012

Seems like a time to make some New Year's resolutions:)

I've been thinking about my goals and wishes for 2012 for a while end my conclusion are

1)I'll be taking more care about promotional staff, while drawing and painting is what I love to do the most I need to remember that Illustration is my job as well and marketing is a important part of this. I will try to make it fun:)
For sure I need to be more(haha little to say)systematic with blog update and same with the other sites where I'm showing my work.

2)I'll developing my illustrator's skills - especially I want focus more on compositions, experiment more with colours, typography

3)I'll create many nice new designs for zazzle stores.

and some new year related illustrations I made for illustration rally this September (but never shown because I'm lousy blogger - you know now what I meant)but it's not my resolution for 2012

Great, full of love and creativity 2012 to all of you:)

2011

Time to sum up...
This time I can't say - "oh is really end of the year again? so soon?"
in contrary last January seems like a ages ago, and when I was collecting materials for this note, looking through my files I was wondering "oh really it happened this year?,only 7 month ago?" wow that's something new and I feel like I'm in different time line than most of my friends who always complain that everything happens too fast.
This year was definitely different - in April we moved from Poland to Barcelona,Spain. Although we've been there several times many things surprised us (or even shocked :)in both positive and unfortunately negative way. In short our everyday life is way more colorful and magic now.
I try to figure out how that change reflect on me and my creativity - no simply answers yet. I was doing quite the same like last year:

*illustrated 4 picture book and several covers for audio books
*got 4 books + 6 audio book's cover published










*done few test sample - some of them brought me great projects I'm working on now or I'll be soon (and some of them didn't)






*other big thing is that my husband after closing his shop in Warsaw has a time to take care of my zazzle shop and we open together another one - thanks to his dedication it's really working:)

so not bad...