I spent the better part of the day working on a quick logotype for an esteemed laboratory for my big client. It was a bit meditative and I think today there might be more of the same. Its a pretty limited palette of things to work with (predetermined font and color) along with not a very illustrative topic (oh, you could illustrate it, but its not too pretty, whimsical or evocative stuff). So, this is a bit of a linear exercise which I am enjoying as the path is straight, and you can see the next visual step. This sort of progression is a nice break from trying to work with design developed by the unskilled and not visual and being respectful of the work while trying to rescue or resurrect it into something that reflects a Fortune 100 company. Sometimes that is the hat trick.
I have been posting a bunch of things to Zazzle/Artsprojekt with my delight in having postage stamps with my valentine artwork. Jenny M., an old college colleague posted that she thought the Post Office should hire me which tickles me--as that truly would be FUN. However, the Zazzle/ Artsprojekt work is fun and I have made a few sales from posting it to Facebook. I find this cross posting very interesting as it does drive traffic and surprisingly doesn't seem as grasping as I felt would would be. Plus, I get to spread the good news about Zazzle/Artsprojekt to my other illustration friends out there.
I made a nice double recipe of the same cracked wheat topknots yesterday--with a variation in taste, and only a variation in the plain flour I used. I need to stop ranging around with this stuff and stick with a brand of flour and no deviations. I have been happy with King Arthur all purpose and should stick with it. These rolls are 1/3 wheat flour so I have been happy using the local Farmer's Ground. I will need to get with Stefan and pick his brain as soon as I have something viable as a logotype to show him. I am working on an illustration of two mules which in a single color are looking good. I think it may have to be two color to pop some shadows into the mix....and I should look at how it looks on kraft colored paper to see if the highlights pop enough as I go. There's a thought.
We still have a full house. The little red heeler, Sonata, has totally calmed down and gnaws on bones all day. Shady is very competitive with Sonata, so she is gnawing bones too (an anomaly for her)...pretending to a ferocious dog that she is not. Shady would rather cuddle with a stick of butter in her bed. Please dont let her know you know, okay?
Its a beautiful frosty morning with long lavendar blue shadows and warm,peachy highlights on the snow. We have a bright blue sky (the first in a long time) and anything seems possible.