Studio Clean-up

So lovely to start off the week with a clean desk! Spent most of yesterday and some of Saturday organizing, cleaning, and paring down in my studio. I'm half minimalist, half collector/packrat, and the minimalist half got tired of all the paper monsters taking over my workspaces.

Here's what my desk looked like around lunchtime yesterday:
And this morning:

Work table before:

And after:

My studio mate, Lloyd

View from my desk chair of the trumpet vine in full bloom...dreamy!

Web Update & Conference Prep

Finally brought my portfolio site up to date! Feels so good to get that off the list. And here are a few scenes from today, getting ready for the SCBWI-Houston conference. Painting some graphics for the info page of my site. Trying to get the right order on the portfolio.

In the studio: Lena vs. Brontosaurus

So, the air plant & dinosaur holder were a birthday gift (and so awesome). My kitty took it as a challenge, but at least it got her off my paints. Happy weekend! ***No plastic dinosaurs or epiphytes were harmed in the filming of this.

A different painting medium

So, this is what I would love to be painting, with watercolors.

But in getting the house ready to sell, I'm working in latex housepaint instead, with an eggshell sheen. It's definitely satisfying to see the end result, but my illustration and blogging life are on hold for the next couple of weeks.

Before (the only dark color in the house):

The scary middle bit:

After:

Like candy for artists

Testing out my new paints today, unwrapping each little half pan like a gift. And creating a color key is both helpful and satisfying. You can see how much smaller this set is compared to my regular palette for the studio. Below, some wild horses I discovered yesterday behind Cheapo Discs.

Back in the studio after a conference

The trick after a conference (the Austin SCBWI conference was this past Friday & Saturday) is to turn all that info and inspiration into illustration momentum. This time for me, that really means updating my website. I've let it get way out of date, overthinking the big picture. And maybe depending a little too much on this blog and flickr to show more recent work.

But it's hard to stay in front of my computer when these recent acquisitions are calling my name: art books (the one on Japanese textiles just came in today), high quality watercolor paints in a travel-friendly format (these have been on my wishlist for years), and some Moo minicards I got printed for the conference (okay, these aren't studio tools, but cards this size are fun to look at). And below, my "assistant" demonstrates how appealing a new pencil can be (this one was loaned to me by the uber-talented Clint Young).

Still sifting through my post-conference thoughts, but I hope to write more on that soon.

Feels good to have an organized studio

So, I still have some unfiled stacks of papers and reference materials on the tables, but it's a working level of stuff. Recently, my studio clutter hit a critical mass that was stopping me from getting any creative work done. Over the past week, I've been clearing out unused materials from my studio (and the rest of the house), and after several Goodwill visits, full trashbags and recycling bins, and a shifting of paper to a second IKEA white chest of drawers, things are much more organized. Feels so good to just sit down and work without having to clear a spot! So back to work. Later: hanging art.