Going Etsy!

Christina Gets an Etsy Store!

After years and years of doing mostly commission work, I've decided to take my own personal creations and put them out there.  This is one of those really difficult decisions because much of these creations are based in sentimentality.  Funny thing about being sentimental, it takes up a lot of space.

So, I finally got it together, cleared my space...even found a few things that I thought I lost!  Mostly, I organized a lot of artwork.  Photographed, a lot of artwork.  Spent a lot of time in Photoshop cleaning up those photographs which could be a lot better.  But the end result is that I finally opened that shop.  That is pretty amazing!

I have my drafting table back and creativity is running wild.  I just hope that I can reel it and find what it is that people love when it comes to artwork.  I know that the little French crab on the easel was a hit, but that was a commission.  I was told once to keep doing what I love and others will love it too.  Well, we will see.

I love the pen & ink style.  

I think this will be a temporary fix until I decide on my business cards.

I keep wondering if I need a graphic style logo to be all professional like....or keep it here and be totally the artistic type.

So, the long and short of it is this...visit my shop and well, shop.

Christina Thongnopnua ~ illustrations @ ArtisticallyNclined at Etsy

Picture Book Style

Pierre Crab in Process

There are a couple of goals that I must accomplish as an illustrator and one at the top of my list is to illustrate a children's book.  Not the kind of book that can fit neatly into a diaper bag or backpack.  No, it must be the kind of book that sits on nightstands and must be read either bedside or whilst sitting on a lap.  It must be the kind of book that is read aloud and mostly covers the child's entire lap, often stared at for minutes before the next page is turned.

I have been working on a series of paintings done in picture book style.  I love this type of artwork because I love to see a child mesmerized by the items that can be discovered in the picture.  A bunch of hidden gems that make the story pop and come to life.

This series is commissioned as single panels, each telling a bit of a story.  By all means, the art belongs in book form along with the story that the client tells her child.  But for now, it will be placed in the child's newly designed room with intention of being what she will see before bed at night.

What a fun way to enter dreamland.

Pierre Crab 2012

One day I will find my author; maybe my own child, who writes non-stop, will pen a story just for this purpose. 

Maybe I will pull out some of my poetry written on bits of paper and tossed in drawers and just illustrate and compile.  

Until then, I will hone my skill and find a style distinctly my own.

ART is for Children Too

Creating for children is the most satisfying experience.  The look on a child's face when they see a bit of art that is specifically created for them in mind, is wonderful and delightful.  I have created illustrations for bedtime stories, theme room murals, and bits of art for rhyme.  A picture to go along with a favorite song or even Bible verse is a helpful for memorization and what child doesn't like to add a bit of art to call their very own?

One type of art that I create often is Bible lesson plan illustration to be used in many ways but mostly as a coloring sheet for the children.  I've found that there is a limitation on cute, colorful art that goes with Bible teachings.  I think that adults believe that cute illustration makes a Bible presentation less valid.  Not, so!  It makes it much more memorable in the eyes of a child.  Isn't that the goal, after all?  To help them remember the presentation?

Word play helps memory and what better way to help that word play than to add a cute bit of illustration to go with a Bible verse?

"But "BEE" ye doers of the word, and not hearers only..."

James 1:22a

How much "more" fun did that verse just get with this little bee art that was created digitally?  

The neat thing about this bit of art is that I can instantly have a

coloring sheet

with a few clicks.