Monday, January 23, 2012

Holiday Treats!

Over the holidays, Papertopias was magically filling stockings with frisky faeries, glitter, and paper dolls. Here are a few of the treats sent out over the season!


1: The original painting of Ession, an Anarchist Paper Doll framed. This illustration, inspired by Johan Ess, graced the back of Fifth Estate's Fall Vol. 46, the Anarchist Fiction Issue.





2: Mermaid in a Coffin paper doll postcards. These postcards where modified to say "Greeting from New Orleans". The original says "Greeting from Brooklyn".






3: A custom paper doll set for Justin Lange, of Magic Hat Films. Complete with arduino and ukulele! Justin received the originals as well as this hand bound printed booklet of his set.












4: Custom stationary. This stationary is adorned with white peacock butterflies and water hyssop, both non invasive species for this plant lover in Florida!








How were your holidays?
Cheers!
xxx
-R

Sunday, January 22, 2012

What is on my drafting board today? Mermaid Invitations!

Happy Weekend!
Today I have enjoyed staying warm inside and painting Mermaids in Love, a new wedding invitation card. Here are a few steps in the process, eveything is hand painted and inked. I use a light table in the drawing process, perhaps a more detailed post on that process for the next snow day!













And the finished design!






Order your own Mermaids in Love wedding invitations on my online shop.
Cheers,
xxx
-R

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

2012 New Year Bliss!

To start off the new year, I wish you a rejuvenating one filled with silver sparkles, calm moments, and candle lights.

To finish the old one, I am posting some Holiday cards designed for the season, one for Tammy Golson of Tammy Golson Events with hand scripted addresses, one for Brooklyn Betrothed, a custom paper doll card, and one my partner and I collaborated on for the holidays.



The gift box set version of the tree card I am selling on Esty.




My favorite tree top moment, the heart.


For Tammy's custom card order, she mentioned to me her excitement in recommencing her annual Christmas tree decorating party this December, making it a great theme for her cards this year. The recipients on her Christmas card list received one tree card, a scarlet envelope, and hand scripted addresses in white ink. Addressing the envelopes was a thrill since it was the first time I mixed and used white ink.


Mixing and practicing, and then the end result.



The next card was designed for the Brooklyn Betrothed ladies. We got together in November to brainstorm about our very first holiday card, I was delighted to be asked to design it. First, I inked a few quick conceptual sketches and then the BB girls selected their favorite design from among them, the winner was unanimous.






The piece chosen highlighted the intertwined hearts from the logo I designed for BB. I continued with the theme of vines and hearts, expanding it to the framework and main illustration piece of the card. The card was then water colored, and gold and bronze accents where added to the light fixtures. I used sumi ink for the lettering.

Then we signed the card on our group Spa Castle day...so nice.



The next card was a custom order for two sisters, Adrien and Leah who have the most spectacular Christmas cards in all history! It was so much fun to bedazzle them and their furry friends in Christmas cheer.



Compositional ink sketch.


The finished card.


The grand finale! A Christmas treat my partner and I collaborated on for our friends and family.



Cheers and a very happy new one.
xoxo
Ruth