This post is rather unseasonal, but just wanted to share my range of cycling Santas I created for Christmas cards that have been licensed by Highland Graphics for coasters, trivets and fridge magnets .
I think they’ll make a jolly addition to any kitchen in errrm 9 months’ time:-)
It’s always so exciting when you get product samples from companies who have licensed your artwork. Recently I took delivery from Trends International of my Girls’ Guide journals and bookmarks. Seeing your designs “in the flesh”, away from the computer screen, is just lovely!
Girls' Guide journal
Girls' Guide Kick back...relax...and dream of cupcakes journal
Girls' Guide Kick back...relax...and dream of cupcakes journal
It always makes me smile when Mark goes on at me for being a hoarder – but I often incorporate these bits and bobs, that I’ve had stashed away forever, into layers of my artwork. The inside pages of one of the journals features a scanned scrap of lined paper which I’d kept from an Associates concert in Leeds, 1985 – on the back there’s the autograph of the wonderful, and sadly no longer with us, Billy MacKenzie. Also layered into the cover artwork, the back of another piece of folded paper, this time from 1973, featuring some of my early artwork, “Maria on Merrylegs”. Merrylegs was a skewbald Shetland pony I used to ride and I think my drawing skills have come along in leaps and bounds since then!
maria-on-merrylegs
Girls' Guide Follow your dreams journal
My take on some wild beasties…
When will I be Tall? by Maria Woods.
Tall Medium Short by Maria Woods
Tall Medium Short by Maria Woods
For the last few weeks I’ve been busy colating and creating artwork for my new Etsy shop Maria Woods Fine Art. For now I’ll be specializing in handmade prints for the nursery and children’s bedrooms, based on some of my book illustrations and greeting card designs as well as a load of new stuff. It’s been really enjoyable, just letting my mind wander off into crazy, quirky scenes with naive animals and fairy princesses.
In the future, if I’m not having just too much fun with my characters, I’ll expand the store to include limited edition prints and original artwork of a more grown up nature.
I’ll be regularly updating the shop with new designs, so please drop in to see what’s new…
I'm Fairy Good Art Print by Maria Woods
Too Wit Too Woo Art Print by Maria Woods
Pretty Kitty Art Print by Maria Woods
Being an artist and licensing my artwork to many fashion-led industries such as greeting cards and home decor, I need to keep abreast of color trends. It’s the perfect excuse to buy great magazines like Italian Vogue and W with their insight into what’s hot for the coming year and their coverage of the runway, showing what we’ll be seeing in months ahead. Also I like to take a daily peek at the wonderful Etsy website with its array of up-cylced, re-cycled, handmade treasures.
The whole cottage industry movement is so big at the moment resulting in a color palette reflecting this. We’ll be seeing lots of pale, eggshell colors – soft blues, buttery yellows, the palest of lavender – teamed with marigold orange, earthy greens and organic rich browns.
Another trend, which has been with us for a few seasons now, has a very eclectic global feel. Mixes of textures, patterns, embroidery, beading and hot bright colors sit harmoniously with earthy tones of dark golds, deep reds and corals.
Probably my favorite of all the trends is influenced by Steampunk. There’s a lot of black and the new blacks – darkest of reds and forest greens, inkiest of blues, rustiest and deepest of chocolate browns- teamed with gorgeous dirty shades of pink, gold, blue and grey. Opulent -yum!
And my least favorite… Pantone’s color of the year – bright pink! Pantone 18-2120 Honeysuckle. Oh well, at least little girls will be pleased!
To our friends around the world, old and new…We wish you the merriest of Christmases and a New Year full of fun, health and happiness!
Every month I eagerly await the delivery of my Progressive Greetings Worldwide trade magazine – which provides a wonderful insight into the industry’s news of the day, publishers and their new products.
This month however, I was proper excited! I knew it had the announcements for the finalists of the prestigious Henries Awards – the industry’s ‘Oscars’ – and a range of my cards would be up there! After being a freelance illustrator and artist for over 20 years I’ve finally had my designs – Gg (Girls’ guide) published by The Art File – selected, by a judging panel of 30 retail buyers, from over 15,000 entries!!!
About the Henries Awards
This year the gala evening takes place on the 7th October at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, and is the glitziest event in the greeting card industry calendar. The Henries Awards recognize the best the industry has to offer and for the last 14 years the annual event has shone the spotlight on greeting card ranges showing exceptional quality of design, print and manufacture.
It is acknowledged that, in terms of design, the UK is ten years ahead the of rest of the world in terms of greeting cards. According to the GCA Market Report, 800 UK publishers produced over 1.5 billion cards in 2009!
I love being part of this fast moving fashion-led industry and now I have everything crossed – fingers, legs, toes and eyes – that my lovely, sassy, quirky, fairy will be a winner!!
My little fairy friend has been on more adventures this week – she’s to grace the walls of many a girl’s bedroom in poster and canvas form!
I revamped some of my original drawings by adding a patchwork of muted pink and neutral colors and new teenage friendly wording.
I wonder if I’m too old to have ‘drama queen’ on my bedroom wall?
Hooray! My new range of greeting cards, Gg (Girls’ guide) has been launched today by The Art File at Progressive Greetings Live 2010 in London. I’m currently working on new designs to license in other areas. Here are more of my favorite designs…
Wine cork pin-board
It’s been hard work collecting all the corks for this project – it’s involved having to drink copious bottles of the red stuff – but we do have to suffer for our art… I think my favourite cork is Fogdog and my favourite wine has to be from V.Sattui – the first Napa winery we visited many years ago whilst on holiday, before we moved to California.
My new pin-board now takes pride of place in my studio and helps me organize all the bits of paper I’ve always got strewn about:-) And of course there’s the online pin-board Pinterest for everything else
Wine cork pin-board
Wine cork pin-board
OK, time to help my friend with her cork collection. Cheers!