One Kings Lane banner ad

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

The Magic Of Whimsy

Illustrator and designer Lydia Nichols kindly spoke to me about some of the pieces in her shop, as well as the portrait that made me realize I wanted to interview her:



Q // House Sitter: the girl is far larger than the building, and she seems dismayed and forlorn. Does this illustration reflect a particular experience?

A // This illustration came a bit more out of mood than experience--that feeling of things not quite working or fitting, of being a bit exhausted.



Q // The objects in your home/kitchen prints are arranged to fill space meticulously, like an intuitive, orderly puzzle. Are organization and clarity important aspects of your own living areas?

A // It's funny--I used to be horribly disorganized as a kid. Somewhere along the line things changed and now a bit of order is essential to my productivity. That doesn't mean I don't have stacks of sketches about, but I try to tidy at the end of each day so that I have a workable space the next day. It makes it way easier to be productive!



Q // What's the story behind the "tea friends"? Is someone invisible holding the pot, or is it hovering through the magic of whimsy?

A // Haha, I suppose it's hovering through the magic of whimsy! A lot of my work has a whimsical quality and that's one of the great joys of being a illustrator--you can show things that can't really happen. You can create worlds and people and scenarios that you would never encounter in real life. It's a visual manifestation of the imagination.

Illustration ... is a visual manifestation of the imagination.

// quote background: pencil pow-wow //

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Where To Keep A Rabbit



Bunny Dream House by Sandra Steffensen. It's shaped like a giant carrot stuck in the ground! My rabbits live in a veritable palace, but it's more rectangular:

bunny palace // outdoor enclosure for rabbits

We ordered this enclosure from K9 Kennel Store, and I helped my dad set it up. There were some quality control issues with the panels, and the supply of zip ties was definitely inadequate, but the end result is perfectly functional. In fact, the rabbits enjoy having their little domains. They hang out in there voluntarily, especially during their afternoon naptime.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Neighborhood



City and House Icons by Wijtze Valkema. I love illustration. Although maybe this would be design? Both are loosely defined segments of the visual arts pie. I consider illustrative work to be anything intentionally representative, of a concept or a narrative. That's super vague, though, right?