Strawberryluna

Our Beautiful New Illustrated 2024 Wall Calendars Are Here!

2024 Wall Art Calendar: Fresh new art for brand new starts. All year long.

Hello there friends!

As promised, we’re dropping a quick announcement that our limited edition 2024 Wall Calendars are here! Available in both our Etsy Shop and website store. Click any images to see more!

We designed our very first limited edition flip Wall Calendars last year for 2023, and not gonna lie, they sold out super dang fast. We even had to sneak in a rush 2nd printing last year to keep up. Even so, they still sold out before the Holidays. Whoa!

 

 What will your January look like? Let’s make it cozy, hygge, and bright!

 

Yay! But also? Sad trombones for those who weren’t able to get one for 2023.

GOOD NEWS: We are doing a bit larger of a run this year, hooray! But, do note that this is a limited edition Wall Calendar and we won’t be adding a second print run this year. So when they’re gone? They’re really gone forever.

 

Our Wall Calendars were a hot friends & family gift item for the Holidays last year and we can’t even begin to tell you how much it means when our art is gifted to loved ones. So much gratitude here for bringing our art into your homes, thank you!

 

Sweet birds tending to their winter berry tree deep in December.

The Details:

  • All new art, beautifully printed in vibrant & deliciously saturated full color right here in Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Size: A fits-just-about-anywhere 12.5 inches (tall) x 7 inches (wide).
  • Each month features a handy list ready for you to customize with fun events and activities. Never forget to take the time to go blueberry picking in July ever again!
  • Chock full of illustrated seasonal sweetness for each month of the year.
  • Printed on crisp, sturdy, bright white FSC® Certified / SFI® Certified Sourcing / and Rainforest Alliance Certified® Cougar paper.

Front cover, October and back cover with a preview of all 12 months for 2024.

Wanna dig a little deeper?

Being a history nerd, Allison revisited the history of calendars a teeny bit and came across the writer Jean Hersey and her 1967 book The Shape of a Year, thanks to the lovely blog series Lost Ladies of Garden Writing by gardening writer humorist (who knew that was a thing?) Carol Michel. If a memoir of marking out one year via the change of seasons, which birds, insects, & critters come to visit a yard while gardens grow, die back, and grow again appeals? Then this wholesome slice of Mid-Century America is for you too.Pro-tip: Allison’s used book secret treasure trove is AbeBooks.

 

Thanks so much for reading this far! Wishing you a cozy Autumn!

Quick & Simple Frame & Matte Guide + Diagrams

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So you bought a piece of artwork that you love, yay! OK now what?

Yep. As printmakers and art sellers we get these questions on a weekly basis from our online shops and in person at craft & art fairs. If you are wholly unfamiliar with the elements of framing prints and artwork it can seem like a math puzzle with multiple sets of numbers to keep straight. But really? It’s simple, we promise.

And to prove it, I’ve broken down the main elements in this blog post, photos, and diagrams that I illustrated for you. Ta-da!

Frame_Matte_Diagram750

The 3 Basic Framing Elements:

1. Artwork: The print, water color painting, vintage wallpaper, etc. that you want to display. This will be the smallest element in size. Shown here as my illustration of a tulip, including the entire artwork area.

2. Matte: A thick paperboard “frame” with an opening where your artwork will be centered. A matte helps to keep your new print centered and flat in the frame as a print will often be attached to the  Mattes can be any color (white or black are the most common), any width, and you can even “double matte” (or triple matte if you are feeling ultra fancy) artwork by layering 2 different sized mattes over one another and over your artwork to be framed. Your matte will be longer and wider than your artwork / image size at it’s outer dimensions, but the inside opening will cover the edges of your artwork / image area (the green areas as above) for a seamless fit. The matte doesn’t have to cover your artwork uniformly, it just needs to lay over the edges so that your artwork is centered in the matte’s opening.

3. Frame: The frame that you choose, yep, it’s pretty self-explanatory. But like mattes, frames come in many sizes, but also in a wide variety of materials such as metal and wood, and in practically any color and finish that you can imagine. The frame will be your largest sized element, and like the matte goes over the edges of your artwork? Your frame will go over the outer edges of your matte (which in turn are over the outer edges of your artwork).  Framing is basically a layering game!

Frame_NO_Matte_Diagram750

However, note that a matte can be an optional element of your framed art, depending on your style and the artwork itself. Above you see a my diagram of the same artwork in a frame, but without a matte. To illustrate that difference further below are two examples of our Ghost Ship By Day Print framed, one with and one without a matte.

Example A, Framed with a matte:

Here is our 3 Fish screenprint, sized 16×22 inches and framed with a 1 inch matte, in an 18×24 inch simple black frame. As the first diagram above “Framed Art With A Matte” shows, the matte actually extends the content of the frame out to fill the interior. So in this case a 16×22 inch print fits beautifully into an 18×24 inch frame with a matte, because the matte covers the edges of the print and is cut to fit the frame size neatly.

3 Fish Print, size 16×22 framed with a matte in an 18×24 inch frame.

In another example with a matte below, in the upper right corner (photo by a sweet customer with great taste in prints @mylittlecherry on Instagram) shared this gallery wall photo with our Ghost Ship By Day Print on the top right:

Screen Shot 2016-08-23 at 3.23.37 PMExample B: Framed without a matte:

Here is our Be Kind Always Print, sized 12×12 inches and framed in super cute birch wood frame without a matte. As the second illustrated diagram above “Framed Art Without A Matte” shows, the print itself extends all the way to the inner edges of the frame. So there is no need for a matte at all.

Our Be Kind Always Print, framed without a matte in a 12×12 inch frame.

And the same Ghost Ship By Day Print from earlier in this post is also shown below without a matte, in the middle between two cuties (photo by one of our lovely retailers @apple.village on Instagram):Screen Shot 2016-08-23 at 3.24.01 PMExample C: Unframed, with magnetic wooden print hangers:

And finally we love this option for a clean, casual and modern approach. No frame at all, instead the art work is held between 4 wood slats with magnets embedded into them so that the hangers clamp together and hold your print in place, as below, once again using our 3 Fish screenprint as an example:

Our 3 Fish silkscreen print hung with magnetic wooden slat hangers.

OK! I’m ready to frame my art! Now what?

As for the actual frames? Again, lots of choices to fit every aesthetic and budget are available. We love our local Frame Shops here in Pittsburgh:

We adore five places online that have great frames and mattes that offer all American Made materials, plus all frames and mattes are cut to your specs, which is amazing and really great. They all ship quickly and safely. All very affordably!

Frame USA – Our favorite online go-to! No really. For DIY framing or bulk frames, and super specific specs and variety Frame USA is the tops. You can find standard US frame sizes or enter your custom dimensions and they make your frames and mattes to order. Great for odd sized artwork and / or out of standard matte needs. All of their materials and frames are made here in the USA, featuring an incredible selection of reclaimed and first-use wood, metal, and composite frames in a huge array of color options, including mattes and accessories from super affordable to super high end. They make framing projects so easy.

⇒ Craig Frames – Much like Frame USA above they have a wide selection of frames and mattes. They are somewhat less customizable in terms of sizes, with an emphasis on standard US frame sizes. But the size selection essentially runs the gamut of most needs. You can buy frames and mattes separately, or, go with their pre-made kits in standard sizes. Including bulk packs of frames too, which is really nice and easy for stress free framing. Craig Frames is a solid “plug & play” option.

All Barn Wood – many of their frames have a more rustic and camp vibe with lots of reclaimed wood options.

Matteboard And More – offers custom size, color, and material options in mattes, backing boards, frames and show kits and more.

We Are Well Made – Our go-to place for the super fresh magnetic wooden STiiCK print hangers. STiiCKs, simplify the framing process by eliminating the glass / plexi front and matte. Strong magnets, embedded just below the surface of each wooden slat, clamp art at the top and bottom without damage, and makes for a very modern look with a casual low-fi vibe.

There are of course great off the shelf options these days now too at places like IKEA, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond also where frames usually come with a matte included. If you are going that route, we suggest that you find a frame that you like, and then get a matte custom cut to your artwork’s size for about $10 at places like Michael’s & JoAnn’s craft stores, or at your local favorite framery (see ours above) or art supply shop.

So there you go! If you have any questions feel free to comment below. We hope that this post helps you get you new artwork up & beautifully displayed.

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Join Me For A FREE Workshop in Surface Pattern Design with Bonnie Christine!

Hello there! Raise your hand if you also started the year hoping for more clarity, confidence, and real progress toward your goals?

Good news! If you are a creative, artist, illustrator, and/or designer, or even a hobbyist looking to make strides on your creative journey then join me for a FREE (yes, free!) Workshop led by the incredible industry expert Bonnie Christine called Secrets to Success in Surface Pattern Design. This free Workshop is tailor-made for both beginners and for those who may be mid-career. I’ve taken Bonnie’s courses a number of times and have legitimately always found them to be a great way to learn, stay engaged in my work, and build confidence in my abilities both artistically and business-wise.

This FREE Workshop was the first step for me a couple of years ago to a whole new way of working and helped me set and achieve some big, BIG goals for my business. Seriously! Look below to see how learning with Bonnie helped me develop and actually get my surface patterns onto beautiful real-world products like the ones below in our new Society6 Shop:

Learn how to turn your existing or new ART into INCOME in Secrets to Success in Surface Pattern Design. It’s kind of bananas that this Workshop is free. But a spirit of generosity is one of the things that I love about learning with Bonnie. And she teaches in such a thoughtful and honest way that you can’t help but feel calm, capable, and ready to move forward confidently after her lessons.

Her philosophy is simple: “Do one thing a day.” And this mantra has been a foundation of my own more recent growth as an artist and creative entrepreneur. One thing a day. We can all do that! Big or small, one thing a day that works towards our long term goals builds a healthy habit and a sustainable practice. Trust me! It changes everything when you adopt that mindset.

This Workshop is chock full of great education, and it’s also a precursor to (in my opinion) the GOAT of online ed, Surface Design Immersion Course, which a much deeper dive into actual design and technical skills builder for illustrator and surface pattern art like no other. Immersion is where I really found my groove because finally someone taught Adobe Illustrator in a way that made sense for my needs and profession as a full-time artist.

If your interest is piqued, then I would love for you to join me in this upcoming (and did I mention totally FREE!) workshop: Secrets to Success in Surface Pattern Design. The investment in yourself is truly worthwhile.

In this 4-part video series, Bonnie will be sharing:

  • How to craft a career (and life!) you love in surface pattern design
  • The essential stages to becoming a designer
  • Mapping out your personalized road to success
  • Creating income as an artist and adding multiple streams of revenue

If you’d like to register for the FREE Workshop, you can do so right here:

LEARN MORE + REGISTER HERE

When you sign up, keep an eye on your inbox for Lesson #1 to arrive on Monday February 13th. It’s only available for a limited time, so be sure to sign up, watch the lessons… I’ll meet you there!

Full disclosure – I have taken this free workshop in the past, and also am an alumni of Bonnie’s big, once a year (only!) Immersion Course, and I am an official affiliate partner this year 🙂 Which means that if you have any questions I’m here for it! Please feel free to ask any questions that you might have and I’m happy to help!

And finally, for folks who enroll in Bonnie’s Surface Design Immersion Course, which opens later this month, I am offering some really fun and hopefully helpful bonuses. More details on those soon, but in the meantime you might want to sign up for my newsletter list or comment below / email me so I can send you more info in a couple of weeks!

P.S. Know someone who might enjoy this free workshop? Feel free to forward this post to them so they can join us and kickstart their professional goals too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

img_1853Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.

This year, like every year, we wish one and all a wonderful day of Thanksgiving, no matter who, or where you are.

And like every year, the best way I know to recapture that ultimate Thanksgiving feeling is via this perfect and lovely Charles Schulz cell illustration. Why? Because it’s the best there is.

Wanna get cozy and watch the show? Click the image above or the link below:

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving in all of it’s meanings for you & yours.

Saul Bass Short Film: Why Man Creates

Here’s something great that you might enjoy as much as we do. In 1968 Saul Bass, the already legendary designer, created & co-wrote the short experimental film Why Man Creates with screenwriter Mayo Simon. Simon, most well-known for writing Futureworld isn’t the only Hollywood credit on this short – the young George Lucas was enlisted as a 2nd unit director as well.

Why Man Creates (posted recently on Fast Company’s site) is a wonderful snapshot of the extraordinarily playful + intensely serious thinking about Design (with a capital D) and intellectual thought so much a core foundation of Mid-Century American culture. There is no pandering to the audience, there is just fast-moving play & rhetoric mixed into one dense, small chunk of time and space planted quite firmly in a New York / East Coast vibe. We love it!

Bass’ description of the creative process that guided his career:

“Where do ideas come from? From looking at one thing, and seeing another. From fooling around, from playing with possibilities, from speculating, from changing, pushing, pulling, transforming, and if you’re lucky, you come up with something worth saving, using, and building on. That’s where the game stops and the work begins.”

Sounds just about perfectly true. We hope that you enjoy!

(Read more about the truly amazing Saul Bass here on his AIGA Medal induction page and also here on Wikipedia.)

Steve Frykholm’s Picnic Posters for Herman Miller

WHY_PicnicPosters_02One day out of the blue our good friend Terrence McClusky sent a link to an incredible little blog post and video about Herman Miller designer Steve Frykholm and his iconic “Picnic Posters”, created for the company’s annual employee & family picnics.

As young designer in 1970 (and Herman Miller’s first in-house graphic designer) Frykholm was approached to try his hand at creating a poster to announce the annual picnic that year. What blossomed from a simple side-project utilizing old school techniques that he learned in the Peace Corps is honestly so wonderful.

“It’s a sequence of events, one color at a time. And then that last one goes on and it’s better than you imagined.” – Steve Frykholm

Be still my heart.

Washing out a screen in preparation for printing.

Frykholm_PPP_washoutClick any of the images above or below to watch the beautifully done short video on Frykholm’s history, process and The Picnic Posters series.

Frykholm standing in front of the MoMA‘s collection of his Picnic Posters.

Screen shot 2015-08-04 at 2.17.46 PMFrykholm watching over the printing & drying process. Screen shot 2015-08-04 at 2.14.17 PMPhotograph of one of the many Herman Miller employee & family annual picnics. I want to travel back in time to this place and day…

WHY_PicnicPosters_06

Kay Nielsen: Illustrations of Gorgeous Form & Light in “East Of The Sun & West Of The Moon”

Kay Nielsen illustration from “East of the Sun, West of the Moon”1914, via Brain Pickings.

‘And then she lay on a little green patch in the midst of the gloomy thick wood.’

As a lifelong lover of fairy tales & folk tales (quite literally, I have never grown out of my adoration for their magic and storylines ever). Like many others, I have been fascinated by the illustrations that have come to accompany theses tales in the past couple of centuries. How lucky we are in this way to have not only the tales, but books beautifully illustrated by visionary artists illuminating twists, turns, and the drama of these ancient stories.

One of my many favorites is the Danish genius of form & light, Kay Nielsen (1886 – 1957) who worked both in his native Denmark as well as the UK and the US in his career. He illustrated many books and set decorations, as well as his noted work for Disney, but today I am highlighting his unbelievably epic and lovely work in one book, “East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon”, (this version published in 1914)as it is staggering in its detail, drama and use of light and texture.

Following are some of my favorite examples from 3 pretty great sources: Brain Pickings, 50 Watts, and the Flickr feed of the National Library NZ on The Commons all of which are amazing resources and well worth your time and support.

Kay Nielsen illustration from “East of the Sun, West of the Moon”1914, via 50 Watts.

‘He too saw the image in the water; but he looked up at once, and became aware of the lovely Lassie who sat there up in the tree’.

 

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Illustration by Kay Nielsen in “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”, 1914, via National Library NZ on The Commons

‘On that island stands a church; in that church is a well; in that well swims a duck.’

 

Illustration by Kay Nielsen for “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”, 1914 via Brain Pickings

‘The King went into the Castle, and at first his Queen didn’t know him, he was so wan and thin, through wandering so far and being so woeful.’

 

Kay Nielsen illustration from “East of the Sun, West of the Moon”1914, via 50 Watts.

‘So the man gave him a pair of snow-shoes.’

Illustration by Kay Nielsen in “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”, 1914, via National Library NZ on The Commons

Illustration by Kay Nielsen in “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”, 1914, via National Library NZ on The Commons

‘He took a long, long farewell of the Princess, and when he got out of the Giant’s door, there stood the Wolf waiting for him.’

Published in 1914, this version of “East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon” marks a high point in the American era known as the Golden Age Of Illustration (roughly from the 1880’s through the early 1920’s). We will we publishing more posts from some of our favorites from that time in the near future. Thanks for reading & I hope that you enjoy!