lydia nichols

Look Over Here

2011-05-24T08:26:00.000-04:00

The blog has migrated to tumblr! It's both sad (hey, Blogger's where I had my start) and awesome. The new blog is actually integrated into my website, so there isn't anyplace else you need to go to see updates.

To see what I've been up to these past few weeks, please visit the updates page on lydianichols.com Or, if you're on tumblr as well, find the blog and follow it here.

As always, thanks for reading!

New Shop

2011-04-04T10:28:00.000-04:00

After using Etsy for a long time, I've decided to move my shop to Big Cartel for its ease, flexibility, and better aesthetics. Let's hope it treats me well! Though I'm still updating and adding, I wanted to let you know about it. Spring postcards are in stock and now is the perfect time for mailing someone a little spring "hullo," so please swing by and check it out.

Find the new shop at: shop.lydianichols.com

Happy spring!

SOK / Bayou Country

2011-04-01T11:37:00.003-04:00

I was asked by the Society of Killustrators to contribute to their third 'assignment'–a new interpretation of the album art for Creedence Clearwatere Revival's, Bayou Country. I tried to stick with something simple and folksy (what says 'folk' better then birds and guitars??) Hope you enjoy.

works in progress

2011-03-26T09:52:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything, because I've been so ridiculously busy lately. There are a few really fun projects in the works including the snippets you see above (posted here and here on Dribbble). The top one–the runner–is further along than the lumberjack below it, but both are just pieces of a larger whole.

Yesterday I was super excited to discover that my work had been featured on the Drawn blog. I've been reading Drawn for many years, so this was truly an honor!

In other news, this fall I'll be moving to the mid-Atlantic in pursuit of an MFA. It's been quite an adventure applying, interviewing, and deciding which school to attend (i.e. holy moly, I'm so glad it's nearly over). More on that later, but I'll remain available for fun freelance projects, so never hesitate to send an e.mail my way.

Happy Saturday.

little vietnam map

2011-03-04T10:29:00.000-05:00

Just wrapped up this map for the travel magazine, GO. If you find yourself in Orlando, this might be helpful!

Happy Friday.

works in progress

2011-02-14T13:45:00.000-05:00

I've been working on a rather large series of spot illustrations for an entertainment website that's planning to launch a new website sometime next month. The spots really cover the entire entertainment industry from musicians to impersonators to balloon artists. It's been keeping me busy , along with freelance at MoMA and grad school applications (hence the silence in the blogoshpere). I try to post work in progress shots on Dribbble if you're ever curious.

Speaking of grad school, I've already been accepted to my top two schools (!!!) which is both thrilling and stressful as I try to figure out financial aid, scholarships, and dealing with the cost of tuition in general. I certainly hope that I don't have to turn down a school due to cost, but I definitely won't put myself in a position of deep debt. My fingers are crossed that I find myself at a great school this upcoming fall and that everything works out well. Optimistic? Yes. But if I've learned anything throughout this process, it's that anything can happen.

Live Now available for pre-order!

2011-01-21T12:34:00.000-05:00

Eric Smith's brainchild, Live Now, is now available for pre-order! Once again, I'm super excited to be included in this book along with so many admirable illustrators and designers. Check out the Live Now site for more details, or pre-order online from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Indie Bound, My Designshop, Borders, or Powell's Books. Amazon let's you take a sneak peek at some of the work...so do it!

33.3

2011-01-03T14:41:00.001-05:00

Dana Lechtenberg should certainly be commended for all of the hard work he's put into starting and curating the 33.3 Art Show and I'm super pleased to have been invited to participate. The show basically asked 33.3 artists to reinterpret/redesign an album of their choice. Some recreated the art in their style while others completely changed the feel/direction of the cover. Below is my redesign for Andrew Bird's album, Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs. Everything about Mister Bird's work appeals to me (he's a favorite), but I particularly like the off-kilter, whimsical aspect of both his music and lyrics. In my interpretation for Eggs, I tried to capture that sense of whimsy while remaining somewhat quizzical. Hope it works!

Be sure to visit the 33.3 website–there's some great work by a lot of my favorite illustrators/designers.

postcard giveaway

2010-12-30T11:10:00.004-05:00

Dear 2010,

Thank you for being a far better year than 2009. Despite my occasional whines and complaints, please know how much I appreciated you and all you did for me. Wish me luck on grad school applications–here's to me ending up someplace great. And please put in a good word for me with 2011. I'll remember you fondly–and not just because of your nice, round numbers.

Yours,

Lydia

To celebrate the end of 2010 and my high hopes for an even better 2011, I'm giving away a package full of postcards from this past year including my new Greetings from Gowanus postcard. Just comment on this post and I'll randomly select someone on January 1st (or 2nd, if I forget). Or, if you follow me on Twitter, you can tweet at me: happy new year postcard love.

I'll contact the winner via e.mail to get his/her mailing address so that I can send off...

+ 2 Greetings from Gowanus postcards

+ 1 two-pack of Birthday postcards

+ 1 two-pack of Spring postcards

+ 1 Sewing Along postcard

+ 1 Run Cowboy postcard

+ 1 Here Comes the Sun postcard

+ 1 bonus postcard

That's a total of 10 postcards for you to keep or send! I might also draw a few other names just to mail a little 'hullo' to. I hope everyone reading this has a fantastic, productive, safe, and successful 2011.

happy holidays!

2010-12-23T14:42:00.000-05:00

And a merry christmas to you too! Or happy belated Hannukah. And happy winter solstice–did you see the lunar eclipse? Anyway, regardless of what you're doing, enjoy it and have a great weekend.

Philadelphia Magazine

2010-12-09T12:55:00.000-05:00

Last week...no, make that right before Thanksgiving (I'm losing all sense of time) I did a little spot illustration for Philadelphia Magazine for a piece on seasonal depression and the benefit of SAD lamps. Above is the final version I submitted, using the direction to keep it dark and wintry with only the lamp and face glowing. However, I also did the below color version before reaching the final. Coloring is something I enjoy, but as you know if you follow my work, I tend to keep my palettes small, muted, and flat. It was a good exercise to push myself a bit with the final piece, though I'm fairly pleased with how both turned out–just two different moods!

In other news, I've been holed up in my studio painting, drawing, and, yes, still preparing my applications for grad school. Hopefully I'll be posting what I've been working on soon! Like my illustrations, it's all very narrative, simple, and flat, but I've been exploring painting on wood and utilizing the grain as well as scale and composition. More later!

A belated happy thanksgiving and an early happy holidays.

paper from peru

2010-11-19T11:27:00.000-05:00

Last week I was contact by art director José Reyes to do a piece for byFaith Magazine, The Path of a Peru Paper Co. Card. José was great to work with–very fun and he provided great direction and feedback. In addition to a full page feature illustration, I also did spots outlining the paper making process.

In other news, I've been hard at work in the studio, painting, drawing, and sewing into wood (as odd as that sounds). It feels like things are continuing to fall into place and that with each piece, I'm able to better articulate myself. Head on over to Flickr to see more of what I'm up to.

live now

2010-11-05T09:39:00.001-04:00

I was going to wait to post this until the release date was nearer, but since it's been pushed back until spring, I'll do it now! This piece is my contribution to Eric Smith's project, Live Now.

From the website:
The Live Now book will be a collection of inspirational quotes and illustrations pursuing the notion of living a happy and engaged life. The book will roughly consist of 100, perforated pages that can be easily torn out and hung up or given away to spread smiles. Estimated arrival is April 2011, available through all major offline and online booksellers including distribution in America, Europe, Australia & Canada.

If you head over to the Live Now site or search through Flickr and Dribbble, you'll find glimpses of the amazing artwork done by a pretty stunning roster of artists, including Eric himself. I'm very honored and certainly humbled to be a part of this fantastic and inspirational project and can hardly wait to see the final piece, to be published by HOW Books. A big thumbs up to Eric for all of his work and his contagiously uplifting perspective on life.

the wedding gift

2010-10-14T08:51:00.002-04:00

If you've followed the blog (or visited my recently updated website) then you've probably seen all of the wedding materials I've been working on these past couple of months for my aunt and soon-to-be (but technically already) uncle. There are a few components I haven't yet shared, but plan to do so once I've snapped some shots of them in action at the actual wedding.

The bride and groom were 'officially' married last weekend–a small, small ceremony–but they're having the big-fun-invite-everyone-you-know ceremony tomorrow, so I thought it would be o.k. to give them their gift between the two. The groom had, in passing, mentioned how he'd love to see me illustrate both himself and the bride as children in their scouting uniforms. I'll give you just one guess as to what I did for their gift.

I used the local company Skink-Ink to have a giclée print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag produced. Not only did it come out beautifully, but the owner, Philip, is the best. An artist himself, he knows exactly how to talk with you and get the job done quickly and painlessly making this by far the most pleasant experience I've ever had with a printer. If you live in the Brooklyn/Manhattan area, I highly recommend checking out Skink-Ink.

I'll probably do one more wedding post so that you can see the remaining pieces (there's a couple of surprises), so stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of The Wedding on Lake Nockamixon.

kick it in the face

2010-10-04T12:25:00.001-04:00

We have a little saying around these parts ('these parts' meaning my apartment): kick it in the face. Life getting you down? Kick it in the face. Jerk on the subway? Kick him in the face. Artwork being a pain? Kick it in the face!

Well, perhaps I can't condone the literal kicking in the face, but I do support the idea of moving forward, fighting on through the hard times, and getting down on your problems instead of letting them get you down. Today I'm experiencing a pretty severe case of the Mondays, so I'll have to heed my own advice and kick Monday in the face.

This piece will also be in the upcoming issue of the Bushwick Review.

dribbble

2010-09-27T13:24:00.000-04:00

a snippet of my Dribbble page

The tagline for Dribbble is, 'Show and tell for designers in 120,000 pixels or less,' which pretty much sums it up. If you're unfamiliar with Dribbble, it's a social networking platform for artists/designers, but what makes it stand out is that it's geared for constructive feedback on in-progress and finished pieces. Unlike forums such as Flickr, where you might not feel comfortable giving or receiving a bit of help, Dribbble is designed as a place to do just that.

I'll admit; at first I was completed uninterested. Someone offered to draft me, and I turned them down. However, over the weeks that followed, I saw many of my favorite illustrators/designers Dribbbling up a storm and I began to understand the benefits. Luckily, the ever talented Bobby McKenna drafted me (it's currently invite only) and I've been enjoying it ever since. Not only do I get great feedback, but I get glimpses of what other people are up to and what their process is like. So, if you're ever wondering what I'm working on or how I work, head on over to Dribbble and see what's going on.

return

2010-09-24T11:31:00.000-04:00

Above is a painting I finished a couple of weeks ago, but as you may have noticed, I've been very absent from the internet these days. This partly due to a full-time, temporary freelance gig I started at the beginning of the month, but more recently because I had my appendix removed. While the whole getting-appendicitis-and-needing-surgery thing wasn't exactly fun, it did force me to shut off the computer, close the sketchbooks, and sleep. In a mad rush to wrap up my portfolio for grad school applications and juggle personal illustration and freelance design, I've been neglecting those essentials that keep the body happy and healthy; good meals and sufficient sleep. So here's to getting back on track and managing my many endeavors in a reasonable way!

In other news, the Art Hop show, Crank, was apparently a great success! I'm sorry to have missed it, but was pleased to hear that one of my paintings sold. Once the others are back in my possession, I'll very likely post them for sale.

crank! / south end art hop

2010-09-06T22:21:00.000-04:00

Ride On, 1 + 2

If you'll be in Vermont this upcoming weekend, you can take advantage of the many shows happening as part of the South End Art Hop. I wish I could be there, not only because Burlington is one of the loveliest cities I've visited, but also because I have two series of two ('Ride On' and 'Left Turn, Right Turn') in one of the exhibits. Alas, I'm stuck here in the city.

Crank: The Bike as Art

at Select Design

208 Flynn Avenue

Burlington, Vermont

Friday, September 10 – Saturday, September 11

Left Turn, Right Turn

Be sure to let me know if you make it there!

ammo issue #4

2010-09-03T12:07:00.000-04:00

Today is the day! Ammo Magazine's 4th issue is now officially available for purchase. It had an early release last night at the opening of the Inky Goodness show, Play, with which it shares a theme. I wish I could have been there, but London is a bit of a hike from Brooklyn.

As usual, it looks like it's packed with amazing illustrations and interviews (Aaron Miller did the delightful cover). I'm very excited and humbled to have my Cops and Robbers piece included among such great artists. Pick up a copy at Ammo's website and support this great magazine. There aren't enough illustration-focused publications like it around.

In other news, I've been busy busy busy and hope to post some updates soon.

Happy Friday.

pennsylvania wedding

2010-08-23T15:07:00.000-04:00

save the dates

My aunt and fake-uncle will finally become my aunt and real-uncle in just a couple of months. They asked me if I was interested in working on the print materials for their wedding and of course I said yes! It's been an interesting adventure–my first time doing wedding invitations–but totally worth it. In spite of a couple of hiccups along the way, I think everything turned out to be quite lovely.

Both my aunt and uncle-to-be grew up in Pennsylvania and spent their childhoods scouting, camping, and spending summers by lakes. When they finally decided to hold the wedding at an inn on a lake, a scout/state park theme seemed just the ticket for their autumn ceremony.

all of the invitation materials together

We stuck with a simple 4x6 postcard for the save the date, but got a lot more complicated with the invitation. Instead of just doing a traditional invitation, we wanted to run with the scout/park themes and create a sort of 'camp guide'. I ended up designing a tri-fold brochure with an inner pocket to hold the actual invitation and rsvp postcard. The brochure also doubles as a map and resource for driving/hotel information. You'll see some non-traditional merit badges across the piece as a little nod to the scouts. For the invitation, however, they wanted to keep it a little more traditional, so I stuck with a two color palette and some simple leaf imagery printed on 110# cream paper with a bit of tooth. To make the rsvp postcard stand out, I dropped the size down to 3.5x5–the smallest the USPS will accept. Lastly, we placed everything into kraft paper envelopes and had a custom rubber stamp made for the return address.

For more detailed photos of the different components, visit here.

failing for the better / monotyping tutorial

2010-08-19T22:38:00.001-04:00

top + middle: image on acrylic, bottom: printed image

It's a difficult thing, to realized you've failed. Even in your most optimistic and forgiving state of mind, a moment of failure can be discouraging. But failure is a strong and almost desperate word; one you yell to yourself at the peak of frustration. It's easy to overlook all of the valuable work leading up that moment–a million little wins forgotten in the wake of one mistake.

The other day I decided to make some monotypes (not to be confused with monoprints). I've been itching to do some printmaking and this felt like a really accessible approach, and one I'm familiar with.

To begin, I took my piece of acrylic (plexi), inked it with oil-based block printing ink, and began shaping my image by removing the unwanted ink with towels and brushes (keep in mind that like a stamp, the image will transfer backwards). When I was done, I dampened my Rives BFK with a water bottle and let it almost dry–until it was just barely damp and cool to the touch. Next, I taped my paper to the acrylic, to prevent unwanted movement, and began transferring the image by rubbing a wooden spoon and clean brayer on the back. If I were in a real printmaking studio, I would have used a press, but this should have sufficed for the simple image I was making.

The results are above. I could tell as I was working that the ink was thick and tacky–so it probably could have been thinned out. The paper was also very toothy, made obvious by the grainy way in which the ink transferred. When I lifted the print, I immediately felt frustrated and disappointed. I was hoping for something much more consistent and even in application and instead I had a blotchy mess. And, as the name suggests, it's a one chance deal. If it doesn't come out the first time, you have to start all over.

The last few things I've done with the block printing ink have been problematic, which I think has something to do with its consistency. Prior to purchasing the ink, I had been using oil paints for my xerox transfers and monotypes with much greater success, so I decided to pull them out. I grabbed a tube of cadmium red which pretty much oozed out onto the acrylic. Initially I thought, great–it's nice and wet, easy to roll with good opacity–this should print nicely. But as I tried to lift the paint and form my image, I found it incredibly difficult to maintain neat-ish edges or even remove the paint at all. I think that in the end it took me much longer to prep my image this time.

The results of my paint attempt were pretty similar to the ink–it looked more like a ghost print than a successful monotype. While I'm still not entirely sure what went wrong, I have my speculations: ink/paint consistency, paper type, level of pressure applied. At first I was ready to renounce monotyping, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that making a piece isn't just about the end result; it's about the entire process and my own experience throughout that process. Sitting there working on it was so different than being glued to the screen of a computer. The results may not be as 'perfect', but the process was much slower (in a good way), thoughtful, and emotional.

a little glimpse at my messy (shared) studio

Was it a failure? Yes and no. But the key is that failing isn't such a bad thing. It's all a part of the learning process and even if I have to fail three more times before I get it right, I expect to continue learning each time. And really, sometimes it's not even the technique you learn about, but yourself.

site revamped

2010-08-17T11:10:00.000-04:00

New. New site, new work, new frame of mind. I had been coding my own site for the past four years, which has been wonderful and quite a learning experience, but I've decided to join Cargo and embrace all of the fancier things that are a bit over my head. Updates will now be far less complicated (which means they should occur more often!)

I've been able to put my existing html/css skills to use refining and customizing, so those years of practice are really coming in handy. It's almost like the grunt-work aspect of the site has been taken away to allow me more time to explore the functionality and aesthetics. Cargo also functions as a community for creatives, which is a nice added bonus that lets me discover and connect with new, fine people. Conclusion: Cargo=fantastic.

As always, thanks for reading and thanks for looking. Happy Tuesday.

hi

2010-08-13T13:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I painted. What I really want to do is pull screens and roll presses, but I can't. Not yet anyway. In the meantime, I will paint.

I've always had a love/hate relationship with painting. I can't control brushes like I can pencils, I'm terrible at mixing colors (and always manage to run out), and nothing ever turns out as I plan. It's not process oriented and calculated like printmaking can be. But I can't let it go. Perhaps I'm confusing a love of looking at painting with a love of actually painting. I nearly fell over after seeing the Francis Bacon show at the Whitney last year, it was all so beautifully executed. But I'm equally stunned by the flatter work of Margaret Kilgallen. The more street and folk art I look at, the more I feel as though I've found my own gateway into painting.

My brain has created all of these parameters of what I can and can't do. I can't paint flatly, it says, what's the point of that? These are notions leftover from an art school education that placed too much emphasis on realism and not enough anywhere else. I agree that it's important–no, essential–to learn perspective, anatomy, and color theory. Everyone should learn to draw 'correctly,' or at least the foundations of drawing. But they shouldn't be stuck competing for the title of most realistic. I realize that I'm beyond those worries of my art school days and in the years since I've largely accepted myself and the style I work in. Hey–there's room for all of us!

So I've had two conflicts: One, I like printmaking processes way more than painting, as I can better relate to them. Two, I keep thinking I'm not allowed to paint, because I'm not a 'painter.' All of these somewhat irrational thoughts have lead me to avoid painting like the plague. My brushes went mostly untouched until a few months ago. The first paintings I did were meticulously planned (the printmaking side of me), but still liberating in a sense. I was painting–in my very own way.

Lately, I've been looking into the LA art scene, gleaning what I can from gallery visits, reading up on mid-century artists/designers, and learning more about street art and culture through resources like the book Beautiful Losers. I've been trying to doodle more and be looser and freer in my work. So yesterday I just sat down and painted. No hours of preparing. Just sketching with paint. Yes, it's still flat. It's somewhat naïve and certainly imperfect, but it made me happy. To act, to be making, and to work in a way that I feel comfortable. That doesn't mean I'm not challenging myself–painting in and of itself is still a challenge–but I'm content at the moment to explore this new approach with little steps.

Sorry for the rambling. I figure that no one reads this anyway and it's good for me to get it all out of my head!

tea aficionado

2010-08-11T23:44:00.001-04:00

It's amazing how quickly the days go by. So much so, that I often find myself wishing I had more time for drawing, reading, and just walking outside. Lately I've been trying to draw and doodle more–and with less pressure. Exercises to keep my hands, mind, and eyes fresh. Today I did a little doodle that reminded me so much of a friend, I had to finish it up with color and all.

On a side note, I can't wait for tea season–we're getting closer!

finished painting / bucks county

2010-08-02T14:37:00.000-04:00

I finally photographed the painting–right before delivering it on Sunday afternoon. It was very warmly received and followed by a an hour or more of tea drinking, architecture talk, and the smells of pasta sauce on the stove top. A very fine weekend home!

cops and robbers

2010-07-30T08:43:00.001-04:00

I can't contain myself any longer–this piece is going to be in issue #4 of Ammo Magazine. I am truly beside myself with excitement and ever so grateful to Dave for including me. Ammo is a fantastic little (literally) U.K. based magazine dedicated to illustration. This next issue will be debuted in conjunction with Play, the upcoming Inky Goodness exhibition in London.

Be sure to snag a copy of Ammo for yourself and help keep this gem going. There aren't enough publications like it.

Flickr / Society6

fawn / in progress

2010-07-26T14:14:00.000-04:00

In my last post I shared a fawn study and mentioned that I would begin work on a series of Bucks County inspired pieces. The first, a gift for a lovely family that I've been friends with for many years, can be seen in progress above. The last frame is only missing a few details; namely, completing the white pattern and adding a 'flower' to either side of the fawn. It's sort of quilt inspired, but only loosely so. I actually finished the painting yesterday, but didn't have my camera with me.

I've been thinking a lot lately about what inspires and influences me. Not what I like or what I wish I could do (I've always been aware of those things), but what actually drives me, what I'm competent at, and what I have the capacity to learn. There are so many amazing illustrators/designers/artists that I admire, that it can sometimes be overwhelming and pull me into that dreaded state of doubt. From there, it's all downhill. So, instead of dwelling on what I'll never accomplish, I've resolved to work my strengths and to become more articulate about my work in general.

What I've also realized in all this thinking is that I have a strong affinity for folk art and street art that I keep subconsciously returning to. There's just a reoccurring love for the narrations and explorations of everyday life they embody. Of course there are other things that influence me: the sensibility and humor of pop art are irresistible, and clearly mid-century aesthetics inform my work. I've been gleaning bits and pieces from these various facets of art and slowly, I think, my voice is growing stronger.

Sorry for the side track into personal/philosophical dilemmas, but it certainly helps to have it out of me.

sneak peek / bucks county

2010-07-21T15:06:00.000-04:00

Getting back to nature, back to Bucks County, back the folk art and storytelling. This is a study for a series of paintings and illustrations I'm about to begin.

sewing along

2010-07-16T16:21:00.000-04:00

Julia has been hard at work in the studio, sewing, weaving, sculpting with wire. All of this exposure to fibery arts inspired this little illustration. If you haven't already, check out her website, julialines.com

It seems I have a lot on my plate, but not too much of it to show right now. The rest of this month will be really busy, so there should be some good updates around the end of July, if not sooner.

Don't forget that there's still time to get a custom deck from me or any number of other artists! It's a great cause, so check it out.

trek in the park

2010-07-15T17:17:00.000-04:00

An illustration for the Portland Mercury about Star Trek reenactments in the park. Need I say more? Read the article here.

Back from a lil Rhody adventure and ready to hop to!

import love / print for sale!

2010-07-08T11:07:00.000-04:00

After swapping this piece, it seemed a few other people wanted one, so here I am with Coca-Cola prints for you! Available here, this print measures 8" x 8" on 110# Strathmore bright white woven paper. It has a lovely little sheen and great color.

I'm off to little Rhody for a mini vacation, but I'll be back full force next week. More wedding materials, editorial illos, and other exciting things are going on!

one way or another

2010-07-07T21:36:00.001-04:00

Contributor and Society 6 have teamed up to create a shop of customized skateboard decks with the proceeds going directly to the skateboarding children of Canada. Unlike a typical shop, however, customers purchase a blank deck from the artist of their choice who then creates an original work on a full sized maple deck. I'm super excited to have been selected as one of the fifty artists/collaboratives participating! So, if you'd like me to make you a custom deck, head on over to the Contributors site or straight to Big Cartel shop and add me to your cart!

p.s. the shop is only open until August 15, so check it out soon.
p.p.s. happy high heat of summer!

the helpful scout

2010-06-28T11:59:00.000-04:00

My aunt is getting married this fall and she and her ~~boyfriend~~ fiancé have enlisted my help for the print materials. Save the dates, invites, etc...it's very fun and exciting, but a bit nerve-racking too. On Friday I picked up the save the dates from the printer, so there's one thing off the list! I won't divulge much about the materials themselves until everything is complete, but the theme they're going with is sort of scouts meets state park...which I think is what lead to the above illustration. It's not anything for the wedding, just the product of a lot of research and image seeking. But who knows...maybe it'll lead to something else.

Happy Monday. Stay tuned for another print addition to the shop later today or tomorrow!

new print in the shop!

2010-06-25T18:15:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday! I think I'm a bit late--everyone has probably already shut down their computers and headed off for another summer weekend, but I have three new prints to share starting with one of New York's most interesting people. I'm posting them one at a time, but they're all based on illustrations I've recently done.

I'm trying a new printer and let me tell you: the quality is incredible. I'm super pleased. Being that most of my work is finished digitally (something I'm trying to amend), it's really amazing to have a tangible piece before me. A bit encouraging, in fact. Although this is a grayscale illo, I had it printed 'full color' which results in a slightly warmer, deeper finish.

Pick up one in the shop!

details:
+ 11" x 17" poster/print with matte finish
+ indigo printing with uv coating
+ printed on 110# strathmore bright white woven paper
+ signed, open edition

new york is full of interesting people...number two

2010-06-19T21:53:00.000-04:00

Another interesting person. You never know who you'll run into in the city.

imported mexican coca-cola

2010-06-17T13:25:00.002-04:00

I try not to drink a lot of soda for all of the obvious reasons, but I have one weakness: Coca-Cola. Not diet Coke or Coke Zero or–cringe–Cherry Coke, but the classic, red-clad bottle of chemically engineered goodness. Some people want a glass of wine or a beer after a hard day; I just want a cold glass of Coke. But even the classic version has its variations, namely imported Mexican Coke and kosher Coke. The variant: sugar, in place of high fructose corn syrup. Some like it for the taste, others think that sugar is less harmful than HFCS, but whatever the case, there are die-hard fans that search it out. Which brings me to the incredibly awesome Brent Couchman and Luke Bott who have just started a Flickr group entitled 'Mexican Coke Art' for all of those who wish to express their love of imported Mexican Coke! Of course I had to join in! This is my little homage to king of sodas, Coca-Cola.

p.s. be sure to visit Brent and Luke's websites–they're pretty incredible illustrator/designers.

spring 2010 pika package

2010-06-16T11:34:00.000-04:00

If you haven't already, you should definitely pay a visit to Pikaland, Amy Ng's blog, or 'the land of bright, lovely, happy things.' It features artists and illustrators that Amy has stumbled upon in some way or another and also initiates projects to help connect illustrators with their audience, as well as with one another.

Amy featured me back in April after I released my Run Cowboy print and soon thereafter invited me to participate in the Spring 2010 Pika Package (much to my delight). The package is available in three sizes; 4, 8, or 12 items, and is sort of a grab-bag of illustrated goodness (prints, postcards, buttons, stickers, etc) from illustrators around the world. In addition to getting some really great work, $2 of each sale is donated to the Gulf Restoration Network to help clean up the Gulf of Mexico. To learn more about the artists in this edition of the Pika Package, check out the zine online or download a pdf.

my contributions; giant sun button, spring postcard 2-pack (pink + blue), say hello postcard

Many thanks to Amy–the package looks great! And a high-five to the other fine artists who participated: Allison Cole, Amy Blackwell, Angel D'Amico-Bauer, Carla Sonheim, Cloudery, Cristina Amodeo, Donna McKenzie, Fonfique, Jen Collins, Jordan Grace Owens, Jo Cheung, Juan Diego, Katie Green, Lucy Davidson, Michelle Cavigliano, Nancy Mungcal, Papirmasse, Roseau, Sam Wedelich, Samantha Battersby, Sarah Anderson, Pamela Tobler/Zoetropa.

tiger on the march

2010-06-15T12:06:00.000-04:00

Here he is, tiger on the march, aspiring to join Colonel Windpipe's Musical Bridage! I want to name him Francis or Oliver. Something regal yet friendly sounding. Any suggestions?

While doing this was really fun, it was also a bit frustrating. I was in marching band for three years (I even became an officer by my senior year of high school) as well as jazz band, orchestra, dixie band...what I'm trying to say is that music and band are close to my heart and I put a lot of pressure on myself to make the.best.piece.ever. In the end, I had to loosen up and let go. Perhaps it's not my finest piece to date, but I think it's sweet and fun and a great experiment in a bolder style (well suited for children's books perhaps?). Other attempts included a trombone playing rhino and a jingle bell wielding worm (who I might still do...). And what's my instrument of choice? Trombone! I love low brass!

a tiger and a wedding

2010-06-14T17:12:00.000-04:00

Lesley Barnes and uberkraaft always seem to be up to something magical and wonderful, with Colonel Windpipe's Musical Brigade being the latest proof. Similar the Happy Journey Collective, it's an opportunity for illustrators to contribute to a large project, in this case a marching band full of animals and creatures. Above is a bit of a character sketch for the flugelhorn-playing tiger I hope to finished sometime soon (today? tomorrow??). I took a slightly different approach using heavy charcoal lines that I scanned and manipulated. The result seems much bolder than a lot of my usual work, but I like it a lot.

The past weekend didn't involve a lot of drawing because I went home to see family and attend my most loveliest friends' wedding. Below are a few of the photos I snapped during the ceremony held at a wooden playground. Armed with three cameras, I alternated among my Nikon FM (film), Diana+ (film), and my great grandfather's Argoflex which I didn't load with film, but shot digitally. Confused? Google 'through the viewfinder' and you'll discover how to mesh the magic of old film cameras with the convenience of digital.

new york is full of interesting people

2010-05-28T09:54:00.000-04:00

a doodle turned promo piece. i actually did a full color version first (complete with green skin), but at the last moment, for a reason i'm still not sure of, i decided to try it in black and white. i don't have many grayscale pieces, but perhaps that will change–there's something refreshing and interesting about working in such a limited, high contrast palette. now to decide whether to have them printed and readied for the post!

happy friday–here's to all of the interesting people out there!

virtual brooklyn: the borough and its blog

2010-05-26T21:57:00.000-04:00

another illustration for the park slope reader. this article discusses brooklyn and its many devoted blogs (and bloggers!). i'm finding that i really enjoying doing pieces that are comprised of smaller illustrations. it's a nice mixture of still life and action.

hoping to be doing a lot of new stuff these upcoming weeks. joy!

masks

2010-05-19T23:25:00.000-04:00

several little doodles resulted in this series of what i imagine to be masks. i'm hoping to have the chance to make them for real–perhaps screen printed–but we'll see (perhaps by halloween!). my adventures in printmaking have hit some road blocks, but i'm hoping to power through. anyway, i did these a few weeks ago (or maybe it's a month now?), so i figured i should post them. it was so incredibly fun to just play with these faces and patterns and horns–a well needed diversion!

the happy journey collective

2010-05-12T17:31:00.000-04:00

the happy journey collective, an inspirational little site full of fine illustrations. above, my humble contribution, a sort of homage to the things in life that make it so wonderful...well, for me anyway :)

(so it goes is a phrase taken from kurt vonnegut, one of my favorite authors)

together/apart

2010-05-09T17:01:00.000-04:00

the spare room gallery is more of a conceptual gallery then a physical one; it manifests itself in whatever space is available, whether it be an extra bedroom, living, etc. this past show, together/apart, was held in our studio space and it was really quite a lovely time! the turnout was greater than expected (a wonderful surprise) and the conversation was some of the best i've had in months.

above is the first of two pieces i contributed entitled oh bother. it's been a while since i've broken out the paint brushes, so i really had a lot of pre-painting thinking to do. in the end i decided to purchase quarts of house paint (i hate mixing colors and having to re-mix) and approach it in a very flat manner.

below are shots of my second piece, i finally saw myself. i've always been a bit intrigued by sewing into paper because unlike fabric, it isn't self-healing. once a hole is made, it's there to stay. for this piece, however, i substituted paper with chipboard and utilized a palette similar to the painting. they're abstract and measured–and i had such a great time doing them. it was methodical in a way that i miss.

for more images of the show, check out flickr or spareroomgallery.blogspot.com http://spareroomgallery.blogspot.com

new york spirit / raw or cooked?

2010-05-05T23:23:00.001-04:00

just a quick spot illustration for new york spirit magazine comparing raw and cooked foods and analyzing the pros and cons of each. what i really liked about the article was that it reminded people to be wary of new trends and to do their homework before jumping on the bandwagon. but i have to be the first to admit that this isn't one of my stronger pieces. time/energy permitting, i would have liked to work it out a lot more, both concept and execution, but time to move forward!

it's been an exhausting week, full of mailing packages and contemplating life. i'm looking forward to the weekend and being back in the studio post-show. speaking of, on friday or saturday i'll reshoot the pieces from together/apart and post some photos (the ones i currently have don't do the show justice!).

feliz cinco de mayo.

from me to you

2010-05-04T10:19:00.000-04:00

another batch of brilliant illustrators/artists/designers. these fine folks are not only extremely good at what they do, they're some of the nicest people i've encountered lately. hats off to these lovely creatives!

1/ uberkraaft, a.k.a. matt williams, is a uk illustrator/doodler whose 'she dreamed of tomorrow' print on society6 instantly captured my attention–the shapes, linework, colors. his work is bold and fun and almost surprisingly versatile...and he tweets some of the best things out there, so go follow!
2/ brent couchman's mid-century sensibilities and superb design skills are part of the reason fossil has such tight and well-executed branding–he's their senior designer. in spite of his work being a bit of throw back (which i love), there's something about it that remains very contemporary and fresh.
3/ thereza rowe's bright and cheerful work has been popping up everywhere! a jack-of-all-trades, she's recently completed an adorable sesame street-esque animation with the also talented lesley barnes as well as playing cards, prints, collage, etc. she also helped to form the happy journey collective, a site exploring coffin artwork.

thanks again to everyone who participated in the run cowboy print giveaway! and thanks to those who made it out to the show on saturday–it was utterly splendid! photos and info. on the show to come soon!

together/apart this saturday

2010-04-26T21:37:00.001-04:00

poster by the ever fantastic tim vienckowski

last december, my dear friend alison (of king popcorn) came into some extra space; her roommate abruptly moved out and suddenly there was a second bedroom, sad and lonely, but full of potential with its blank walls and empty floor. and thus the spare room gallery was born! several of us transformed the space for a show entitled "sweet/unsweet," covering the walls and fixtures with our art. but we couldn't let the concept of an impromptu gallery die so quickly, so we swore to continue to locate and utilize spare spaces as a traveling gallery of sorts. the next show–this saturday–will be held in my very own studio with the theme "together/apart." i am very excited to say i've hit the paint again (after quite a while), as well as some embroidery (but in separate pieces). so here i am inviting you to join us for the opening:

saturday, may 1, 2010 / 5:00 pm / 75 10th street, brooklyn, new york

if you're in brooklyn, please swing by and bring a friend or two.

for more information, please e.mail: spareroombrooklyn@gmail.com or visit spareroomgallery.blogspot.com

ride on

2010-04-23T11:10:00.000-04:00

a little something inspired by great weather and the general awesomeness of bikes. i really tried to push the level of detail, switch up my color palette, and definitely include multiple figures. it seems a little stiff–definitely not my favorite piece–but it was a good learning experience and there are certain things i'm really digging. and, if there's one thing i've really come to understand, it's that sometimes you just need to move on. appreciate the process and keep on keepin' on.

i'm still hard at work in the studio, enjoy and grateful for my (temporary) freedom. it raises some interesting questions as to what the next steps in life are: going full-time freelance? grad school? (yes!) artist rep? figuring it all out! i've been lucky to be in touch with some really amazing illustrators and artists recently, but i'm still trying to find my place.

one last thing: congratulations to kathryn! winner of the run cowboy print. some other participants forgot to leave their e.mails, but if you commented on the run cowboy post and send me an e.mail with your mailing address, i'll send you a postcard. also: you can pick up your own print (a mere $10 for high quality printing!) or set of postcards in the etsy shop.

happy friday, internet friends.

postcards in the shop / 04.22.2010

2010-04-22T11:18:00.000-04:00

the spring illustration was so well received i've decided to turn it into a postcard! pick up a four pack for yourself in the etsy shop. you'll also find birthday postcards as well!

i've been hard at work in the studio, but i haven't been so great about posting. later today and/or tomorrow and i'll give you an idea of what's been keeping me busy.

p.s. there's one more day to win a run cowboy print! just leave a comment in the previous post!

run cowboy print + giveaway!

2010-04-15T16:41:00.001-04:00

voila! the first print is here. i'm very excited to have partnered with a superb brooklyn printer, rolling press, to bring this digital illustration to life. as i slowly get back in to screenprinting, it's nice to know that there's a way to produce some of the digital pieces i've already created.

you can check out the etsy shop for specific details, but the gist of it is that this fella was created in the most environmentally friendly way possible; recycled paper, non-toxic inks, windpower. indeed!

because i'm so excited, i've decided to take a cue from many other artists/blogs and hold a giveaway. oh boy! that means you could win a cowboy of your own from this edition of 50 signed and numbered prints. just leave a comment in this post. say hello, send a link my way, whatever you'd like. i'll randomly choose a winner on friday, april 23 so don't forget to include your e.mail. yay!

the beauford

2010-04-11T22:26:00.001-04:00

i've been sketching cars lately, particularly antique ones because of their interesting details. this is an in-progress experiment of sorts, focusing on some simple line work. i'm thinking of actually pulling prints of this one (monotype?)–we'll see!

in other news, i'm preparing a number of things for the shop, so keep your eyes peeled for postcards, prints, and the like (if it so pleases you).

here's to another spring-timey weekend.

strand / tote bag competition

2010-03-30T09:13:00.001-04:00

eighteen miles of books. it's an odd way to measure a quantity of books, but such is the claim the strand has made. and what a bookstore it is! aside from your local mom and pop bookstore, it's the best place to go in nyc. why mention all of this? because the strand is having a tote bag competition. current totes flaunt the work of art spiegelman and adrian tomine–swoon!–so it's safe to say it's a pretty awesome opportunity.

so...i had to submit. i don't have any illusions of winning (though being a runner up and getting a bag of books from fantagraphics would be pretty amazing), but i did have a lot of fun (and yes, a bit of frustration) trying to come up with something that reflects nyc life and not just books. there are things i wish i could tweak; i think some of the individual elements in the green-yellow combo could have been more refined for greater fluidity. in the end, i spent a bit more time refining the pup in the blue-orange one. but, deadlines are deadlines and i'll learn from my mistakes. the process of completing each new piece teaches me a little something about myself and illustration that i may not have realized before.

it's also really interesting to see what other people in the nyc area are doing. because sva is a sponsor, i'd imagine several of the submissions are coming from current students.

enough babbling. over and out.

yeehaw

2010-03-26T12:05:00.000-04:00

another western inspired illustration. how can you not love cowboy boots, hats, and cacti?

p.s. feeling patterny these days. more to come i think.

farm time! / follow up

2010-03-22T11:40:00.001-04:00

the pieces for the lake grove store are up! sadly, i was unable to make it out there to see them in person, but i was sent some photos. twice as sad, the photos weren't so great, so I'm just posting this one to give you an idea of how they were finished. the décor team decided to print directly onto 2" thick pieces of wood with the sides painted in a color pulled from the illustration. this was then mounted on an even larger piece of unfinished wood. the final effect allows the wood grain to show through–surprisingly delightful, i think. in doing so, they were able to tie these into the rest of the store's décor even more.

i only wish i was able to get my hands on one! the tribeca store may also use the illustrations, but on a smaller scale and with a different printing technique (no wood, alas). should that happen, i will post those results as well.

* visit the first post to see images of all the illustrations.

put the kettle on

2010-03-20T13:06:00.001-04:00

drinking tea during the winter and fall is one of the greatest comforts when it's cold, damp, and generally miserable. with an enduring love of tea time and mid-century inspired everything, here's a little kettle-illustration-turned-pattern i did last weekend (and haven't posted until now!)

spring draws nearer

2010-03-14T14:26:00.000-04:00

happy (almost) spring! another experiment with hand/custom typography. even though my own day-to-day cursive is on the sloppy side, i love to examine the curves, loops, and structures of more formal cursive/script. it also allows for an interesting play between thick and thin line weights and, to me, is another wonderful form of drawing and illustration. joy!

also in pink! over and out.

share some candy

2010-03-11T15:01:00.000-05:00

just a quick post to say thanks to share some candy for including my spring reading illustration on the site! made my day!

p.s. yes, this screen shot is using google chrome's incognito settings. how sneaky!

farm time!

2010-03-08T17:15:00.000-05:00

the stores keep coming, one after the other, and with the opening of the new lake grove store on long island, i was invited to create a series of six 36" x 36" pieces for the children's area. it was a rare and treasured moment; i could work as i pleased without the worry of conforming to company brand standards! i was told that they really liked my style and to feel free to explore the ideas of food and health as i saw fit.

i decided to focus on farming as it seemed to be a fun subject for both me and the parents/children who would be in the space. the deadline was short for these six pieces–only a couple of weeks and it had to be done in addition to my usual work load. therefore i kept them very simple and composed each illustration of several smaller ones.

for a greater sense of cohesion and because children tend to like elements of repetition, i limited my palette to only six colors and had several images recur throughout the pieces. if you look closely, you might begin to decipher a pattern to my decision making as far as composition and patterns are concerned, but if not, i'll keep that my (time consuming) secret.

xerox transfers, round one

2010-03-04T22:15:00.000-05:00

to get back into printmaking, i've decided to start small and simple. on tuesday i experimented with a chemical-free approach to xerox transfers. most of my research claimed the process required gum arabic or wintergreen, but i remembered a project back in my school days that needed neither. the concept is very simple, though the execution takes a bit of care and patience. the tools: glass (for working on), brayer, oil based ink, printmaking paper, water.

begin with a xerox copy of your image, in my case a pair of fancy men's shoes. place the sheet, image side up, on a piece of glass and proceed to wet it using a sponge or spray bottle. the toner should repel the water (you'll notice it beading up; i gently wiped it away with a paper towel when possible). let it sit for a few minutes so that most of the water on the toner evaporates, but the paper remains wet. repeat as necessary (perhaps one or two more times). you want the paper thoroughly wet but not pooling, and you want to toner as dry as possible. ink up your brayer (i was out of oil based ink and used oil paint which seemed to work well enough) and begin to roll over the image. the water-soaked paper should repel (most) of the ink while it adheres to the toner. repeat, re-inking brayer often, to ensure the image is well inked. once you're all inked up, place the paper you plan to transfer to carefully on top of the inked surfaced. i used the back of a wooden spoon to rub the paper and transfer the ink. and you're done!

the tests i did are a little blotchy; they almost look like watercolors or india ink which is nice in its own way, but not the effect i was going for. because these few were practice runs, i used really small pieces of paper, but i think in the finals the images would really benefit from more breathing room. the inconsistencies could live a bit more and become more of an interest and less of a distraction.

it feels so good to be making things with more hand, less computer. i have a long list of things i want to focus on this year: xerox prints, relief, screen printing, stenciling, embroidery, painting. here's to year of hard work and grad school applications next january.

travel dreams, the taj mahal, and bread overload

2010-03-01T22:27:00.004-05:00

travel. it fills the mind. to the point that i've willingly allowed my inbox to be filled with "travel deals" from every travel search engine i could find. ever since our iberian adventure back in september/october, i haven't been able to shake the itch to pack my bag, listen to some foreign language podcasts, and spend hours on google maps, plotting and planning my next big exploration. but travel requires time and money (both of which are in high demand!), and therefore must be considered a special treat; to be anticipated, savored, and fondly remembered.

i'm not sure if the taj mahal sits next on my list, but it certainly is on the list. the very, very long list. it's hard to imagine traveling in air for so long and so far, across water and land, above clouds in the sky. the expression "it's a small world" often holds true–like when you run into someone from elementary school on the subway platform (which you are sure of by the name on the package tucked under their arm) and quickly walk by to avoid an awkward moment–but still the world is vast and saturated with things. all kinds of wonderful things to explore like food and culture and science! oh, in short: i can't wait to travel again.

p.s. we baked and cooked up a storm this weekend including the previously mentioned rye bread. of course it seemed like a good idea to start a *second* bread (albeit a less complicated one) during the rising times of the rye. in the end we had monkey bread to satisfy our sweet teeth and rye...well, rye for everything else.

wintry weekend

2010-02-27T12:38:00.000-05:00

we're making rye bread right now. a delicious, and ambitious, eight hour affair that will hopefully yield the type of rye bread hard to find at your local grocery store. fingers are crossed. in the meantime, i've been working to finish my website. i may have prematurely debuted it–if you've looked around, you'll have noticed the lack of sketches and et cetera. no more! lydianichols.com is fully complete!

back to nova: origins and winter kittens.

wfm // t.shirt

2010-02-22T22:33:00.000-05:00

another t.shirt design for whole foods market. i had to put this together relatively quickly (a few hours), so there are definitely some things that could use tweaking and refining, but i'm not sure i'll have the opportunity to do so. it's not so atypical to receive assignments at work that require an incredibly fast turn around!

also in the works: a series of farm illustrations (for wfm as well). i am incredibly pleased with how they are turning out, but want to wait until they're completed to post. beyond that, i'm planning several personal pieces, mostly utilizing some sort of print technique like relief, xerox transfers, or screen printing.

and more more more winter olympics!

new times two

2010-02-15T23:38:00.000-05:00

it was a wonderful weekend all around, from freshly baked challah and cookies (courtesy of my absolute favorite, smitten kitchen) to sunshine and walks 'round town. because i didn't have any assignments, i was able to focus my energy on some personal work. ever evolving goals include the exploration of architecture and exterior/interiors. on the horizon: landmarks of the world. starting with: the taj mahal. to be posted: soon!

i might have to blame the sunday times market for the need to do a mid-century influenced interior.

run cowboy // illustration

2010-02-13T15:49:00.000-05:00

cowboy done and on the run! wobbly legs and all. i wrapped this up while watching the vancouver 2010 opening ceremonies last night. while i adore the olympics in general, i particularly love the winter events, so every four years it's a real treat to watch them. last winter olympics i was fortunate enough to be studying abroad in italy and made my way from firenze to torino to watch slittino (luge). it was one of most fantastic adventures i've ever had.

cowboy detail

here's to the weekend and more drawing/illustrating.

from me to you // i love mail

2010-02-12T15:28:00.001-05:00

mail is a beautiful, wonderful thing. e.mails are always nice, but nothing says hello like a piece of mail...especially royal mail! oh, the uk! granted i ordered the items pictured above, but it is always lovely to see how an artist packages their work.

1/ esther aarts (back left, center) the push your luck postcard series can be summed up as amazing. the eight postcards done using mimeograph techniques on a heavy speckled paper showcase a wide sampling of esther's illustration and typography skills. bonus: i got to receive mail from the netherlands!
2 / lizzy stewart (back right) this lovely little gocco print (now sold out) features a somewhat androgynous figure reminiscent of bacchus. it's simple, bold line work with a splash of color is too sweet to pass up. check out lizzy's etsy shop for other fine gocco prints.
3/ ammo magazine (front center) print publications live on in the form of ammo. issue #2 features several illustrators from around the globe, all with varying styles. a real treat for illustrators, designers, and admirers of illustration alike.
4/ stuart kolakovic via art bureau (not pictured) i've already mentioned stuart's amazing work (i think he has quickly risen to one of my favorite illustrators) but i need to mention the fine print i recently bought. there. it's mentioned. check out stuart's shop for prints, postcards, and badges or art bureau for other awesome artists.

that's it! phew. i have acquired a number of beautiful pieces this month. inspiration as i push forward with my own work.

you'd better run run run run, cowboy // sketch

2010-02-11T08:02:00.000-05:00

it seems i don't often post sketches, especially not while a piece is in progress. time to amend such oversights! just last night i initiated this illustration of a cowboy running through a mountainous, cacti-filled desert (not yet shown). i like the idea of a cowboy so happy and contented that he'll run on his own two feet, no horse required. i imagine him to be a good conversationalist, and a superb listener. grab a pint with him at the local saloon!

bit by bit

2010-02-07T21:46:00.000-05:00

stamps are like tiny portable printmaking devices, which is probably why i like them so much. while these are mostly for envelopes and promos, i can't help imagine the possibilities. it's not much different than using relief techniques on linoleum or the like, except with lasers you can get incredible detail on such a tiny scale. the exactness! hmm...perhaps i'll mull this over a bit more. the sun is like a little illustration already...what more could i do?

new york spirit // yoga time!

2010-02-04T13:37:00.001-05:00

another new york spirit illustration for an article entitled, here comes the sun: a yogic guide to spring cleaning. it's about renewal; physically, spiritually, and mentally. everything from cleaning house to cleaning soul. i really had a lot of fun with this piece, and i mean that with a nod of my head. it felt good to try new things, to try to challenge myself a bit. i've realized that most of my work is spot illustrations (not that this one strays far from that), so i'd like to focus more on full figures and backgrounds.

this weekend i plan to do a series of three illustrations. to explore and play, just for fun. i miss doing that.

the first

2010-02-01T09:20:00.000-05:00

it is the first day of the second month of the new decade. i only point this out because it feels like time is moving quickly.

i spent the weekend sketching, but sadly in that disappointed way where nothing seems to turn out right. success was had, however, when it came to cleaning and organizing the studio. after several months, it finally feels like an inviting space. j has put her loom into action and there's nothing quite like weaving.

this week i'll be working on another social workout project and an illustration for new york spirit. i will be sure to post once completed!

in the meantime, a little something i found in the files. happy monday/february.

etsy // reopened

2010-01-25T15:16:00.004-05:00

i probably shouldn't admit this, but i hesitated to reopen the etsy shop. to be perfectly honest, i'm feeling a little taxed. as i try to promote my work (something i find to be especially challenging because i've never felt comfortable or confident doing that sort of thing), i've come to realize the weight of the internet and its seemingly infinite venues. from twitter to blogs to facebook to flickr to sites like behance, it's no wonder that people have full-time careers...on the internet. oh, the internet–a place that doesn't even really exist, that's not physically tangible in any way unless you count your computer monitor. whoa. how can so much life exist within a place that isn't real? it's both nauseating (after too many red-eyed hours) and exhilarating. the best and worst.

where does that leave me? i'm still figuring that out. i just don't want to spend more time promoting myself and devouring my google reader than i do making work. because making work is the thing that really makes me happy, and everything else comes second.

that said, i feel like etsy is almost a necessary evil. well, not etsy exactly, but a shop. i'd rather have a nice little shop tucked away in some corner with a tiled facade where you could come and visit me and we could talk over tea and biscuits (i really love to do that), rather than floating in the webs of the web, but alas. maybe one day.

it's been a long weekend. is it obvious? over and out.

birthday boy

2010-01-24T20:55:00.000-05:00

i decided to do another birthday card to go along with the one i made for allison. i'm even toying with the idea of selling the two as a set (minus a's name, of course!), but who knows. really, i'm trying to draw, draw, draw, and illustrate as often as possible. goals. goals indeed.

from me to you

2010-01-21T09:11:00.000-05:00

more recommendations! it's incredible, and quite humbling, that there is so much amazing work being done all of the time.

1/ stuart kolakovic i bubbled with equal parts awe and jealously upon seeing stuart's folk influenced work. charming drawings, incredible detail, and a most delectable palette. a favorite recent discovery.
2/ mauro gatti it's true that i have an affinity for all things italian, but gatti's seventies-esque illustration and design caught my eye alone. full of humor and general sillyness.
3/ jez burrows has been cropping up with increasing frequency in my general explorations. his work is bold and clean, bouncing back and forth between design and illustration.

re//fresh

2010-01-21T00:49:00.000-05:00

lydianichols.com

i needed that. like a shower after a terribly long day at work. the website, blog, etsy store–they're all happily in the same boat now. perhaps it's a little sail boat blowing along the winter winds. with the sun shining in the sky. yes, definitely sunshine.

thank you, whoever is reading this, for reading it at all.

thank you

2010-01-19T08:25:00.006-05:00

what i really mean to say, quite simply and plainly, is thank you.

happy birthday allison

2010-01-14T10:38:00.001-05:00

i'm trying not to let any occasion slip by without making a little something. tomorrow is my co.worker/friend allison's birthday, but being that i won't see her, it's done today! once again, i've fallen victim to a love for orange/yellow/red, but please note the pop of pink!

and because i am so fond of the other prominent alison (note the single, stately "l") in my life, i do recommend a visit to king popcorn. alison slowly creates hand embroidered cards that i wish i could steal by the handful and claim as my own.

the bushwick review

2010-01-11T11:25:00.009-05:00

jack-of-many-trades kristen felicetti has been working away at the immensely interesting and beautifully presented bushwick review. from conceptualizing the zine to gathering contributions, she managed to create something wonderfully tangible and completely digestible (keep it in your back pocket for daily snacking).

needless to say, i am incredibly pleased to have contributed and honored to be included among some of the finest thinkers, makers, and doers i know. soon to be found in tiny coffee shops and the like (and online too!), pick up your own copy in the meantime through kristen herself.

my humble little drawing

two for tea

2010-01-11T00:38:00.002-05:00

it's late and my pot of tea has already been exhausted, leaving me warm and content. the weekend has come and gone, but the cold is here to stay. sketches in the works–motown inspired as predicted. to be posted...soon? g'night.

from me to you

2010-01-08T23:46:00.003-05:00

have you seen these? if not, i highly recommend them. there are such beautiful things being made all of the time.

1/ eric testroete's giant paper head self sculpture. inspired by video game big head mode.
2/ lisa congdon's a collection a day, 2010. beautifully curated collections of all of her things.
3/ adrian johnson has new work. such sharp design and illustration.

happy weekend.

ketchup and mustard?

2010-01-08T22:59:00.004-05:00

red and yellow. ketchup and mustard. rust and gold. when did this become my favorite color combination? maybe i miss sunshine and the pink cheeks of summertime. long days and warm nights. i love the winter's snow and snuggling, but it really is the bluest time of year.

here's to a weekend of sketching and ill-o-strating. i'm feeling inspired by motown, so we'll see where that leads me...

social workout / new year's edition

2010-01-07T11:53:00.004-05:00

technically i wrapped this project up just before the new year, but, in typical fashion, i didn't post it in a timely manner. alas. being a better blogger is one of my new goals (but not an empty resolution, which are so abundant this time of year!).

social workout is a web presence focused on promoting health and fitness for both body and mind. their goal is community–an online group of members that essentially encourages one another to stay focused and stay healthy. every couple of months they post challenges for their members who can track their progress online. and to help them out a bit, social workout creates handy postcards to act as a check list. that's where i come in!

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this is actually the second time i've collaborated with social workout (yes, i will post the first project...eventually) and both times proved to be a lot fun–they're really great people to work with.

twenty-ten is looking good

2010-01-05T09:14:00.000-05:00

farewell, double zeros. hullo, twenty-ten. in celebration of the new year, new decade, and my new goals (different, i think, from resolutions), i've spruced up the blog a bit. once i get back into the swing of things, i'll be posting more more more and sharing the things i've found on the web. weeee!

happy belated christmas

2009-12-27T12:23:00.003-05:00

as is typical, my post is belated. and sadly, my alternate holiday greetings are not finished! so, as of now, all i can wish is a happy belated christmas and an extremely belated hanukkah and general winter well wishes.

eat lots of cookies and get ready for the new year!

overdue

2009-11-24T23:04:00.006-05:00

i have slacked. a lot. in updating my blog, that is. at the end of september, i embarked on a mini iberian adventure to barcelona and lisbon that left me...in awe. the trip was amazing. i left after work one day and over a thousand digital photos and eight rolls of film later (and, of course, sketches), i returned. my grand plans include transforming my sketches, with the help of my photos, into some finished pieces, but in the meantime i've been steadily working on new illos. i just haven't found the time to post them!

below are three (yes, three) pieces i've done within the past two months for the park slope reader:

november 2009 (just finished this tonight!)

october 2009

september 2009

for my day job (graphic artist at whole foods market, in case you didn't know), i recently completed a hoodie design. the actual hoodies, made of recycled and organic materials, were distributed today and met with many smiles. needless to say, it was a much needed pick-me-up during these *crazy* pre-thanksgiving days. as soon as i have actual photos of said hoodie in action, i will post!

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and one last piece...what i had originally hoped the hoodie to be...breakdancers! it turned out to be a super fun personal piece anyway!

that's it! more work and sketches to come soon. really. i promise. until then, know that i am plugging away, designing for social workout and nachos ny. oh joy!

mymidwest magazine holiday gambling dreams

2009-09-12T00:38:00.007-04:00

things have been slow of late, but i'm happy to say that i've just completed a piece for mymidwest on milwaukee's potawatomi bingo casino. apparently, a casino is the perfect holiday destination for the whole family, with something for everyone! although it seems a little early to think of the next year and i don't plan to head to any casinos to celebrate, it was a fun assignment with a super smart art director who has faith in my rather terrible thumbnail sketches.

over and out.

where did august go, matey?

2009-08-28T04:51:00.004-04:00

the summer has slipped away and autumn is nearly here. i look forward to big pots of tea, fall colors, plaids, and warm blankets, but i'll miss the late night light that comes and goes so quickly every summer. sunshine, stick around a little longer, huh?

it's been a tough a summer and i sadly haven't produced nearly as much work as i was hoping to. but, i have good news: we've found and rented a studio space! a lovely little room in which to draw, print, and in the case of julia, weave. i hope it will prove to be just the thing i've needed.

onto the illustration! ahoy there, matey. a pirate i spy!

i made this fellow at my day job (surprise) as part of a treasure map for kids. however, it has been adapted as an office door cling hence the "ye olde sign shoppe."

in action

hope all is well with everyone out there thinking, making, doing.

society6

2009-07-28T21:17:00.005-04:00

this past month has been tiring and stressful due to some unexpected life craziness. consequently, i haven't had much time to work or even sketch. as july finally winds down, i have my fingers crossed that things will generally improve throughout the month of august and to help kick it off, i've joined society6, a community for creative people of all different backgrounds. it seems like a great place to observe fellow artists and apply for grants/opportunities that could really help me gain exposure.

other (good) news includes a possible studio space in the very near future (the application is in!) which would mean access to printmaking and woodworking facilities–yippee! as i become increasing interested and involved in printmedia, i plan to start posting relevant work at hulloitslydia.com. i hope hope hope it all works out.

now all i have to do is move all of my crap!

summer reading

2009-07-04T00:15:00.003-04:00

another piece for the park slope reader and a follow up to the spring reading piece i did earlier. sort of a quick illo, but hopefully it makes you think of warm weekends in the park with a good book.

peaceful opposition

2009-06-22T22:33:00.002-04:00

iran's election and its aftermath...well, we're still watching and wondering. here is to peaceful protests and the right to be heard.

cacti cowboy

2009-06-21T22:53:00.003-04:00

i'm wrapping up a rather productive weekend with one last illustration--a(n armless) cacti cowboy. not to be redundant, but i've just been seeing so much great stuff out there, i can't help but be inspired.

in other news, i've signed up for HAI! (hire an illustrator). fingers crossed it will bring in some good/new work. i'm always looking for things to do.

that's it. until later.

park slope reader [part two]

2009-06-20T00:08:00.005-04:00

since i'm in pennsylvania for my sister's graduation (woot!) and there isn't much else to do tonight aside from watch rocky horror and work, i decided to finish off a second idea i had for the fips/park slope reader. in the process, i realized how unhappy i am with the initial piece. the drawing of the dog seems to have gotten lost in translation and i'd like to refine and touch it up. it's unfortunate because i think the texture and palette work well, but the drawing is the core of each piece! sigh. since i am away from my scanner, however, fixing it will have to wait. in the meantime, here is that second version i mentioned. i like it even though it is very different!

here's to hopefully constantly reflecting and improving. it seems that no piece is ever done or "perfect," but recognizing the problem areas and avoiding them in the future is what's most important.

babble babble.

g'night.

park slope reader

2009-06-19T14:27:00.008-04:00

another little illo for the park slope reader about the blog fucked in park slope. being identified out on the streets by your dog must be a pain.

i'm hoping to get a bunch of new work finished and posted soon. i'd like to try some new techniques out (mostly printmaking influenced). i've seen some really great work lately and it's been very inspiring. check it out: esther aarts, rob dunlavey, and alberto cerriteño to name a few!

etsy front page!

2009-06-14T18:08:00.007-04:00

when i awoke this morning to find two etsy orders, i was admittedly a little surprised. i mean, it was sunday morning--and only 9:30 am. i then learned that my sunshine pin had been featured on the front page!

i hope the pins/buttons continue to sell (buy one here) and that i'll have time to make some new ones. so much to do! in the meantime, i'm working on an illo for the park slope reader...to be posted soon. after that, i'd really like to throw myself into printmaking--serigraphy, relief, stenciling. it's my goal to return to school and earn my masters in printmedia/printmaking. time to explore new things!
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slacking!

2009-06-01T20:35:00.004-04:00

i have proven, yet again, my inability to maintain something on a frequent basis. sigh. i am ashamed. however, i intend to persist and hopefully improve. if i may provide a reason (excuses, excuses; i know), life has been crazy. a trip to vermont, which proved to be hellish (condensed version: train to jfk, delayed flight, delayed flight, delayed flight, cancelled flight, back in brooklyn by one, rental car, flat tire, new rental car, lost in jersey, burlington, rain, sunburn, back in the car, brooklyn), a friend from france, birthdays, graduations...need i continue? in spite of it all (and a terribly boring day job--please hire me!), i've been trying to sketch sketch and improve improve. here's what i've been up to:

hull-oh cow-boy

keith olbermann's many ears

possibly a handsome youth

never again (again)

that's what i have for now. i'm encouraging julia to buy a loom so she can weave us into a giant cocoon of art making. i hope to (re)start my silkscreening endeavors while she pursues her fibery love. there's nothing like a work buddy.

over and out.

ai-ap web gallery

2009-04-28T22:42:00.005-04:00

good news! the piece i did for mymidwest magazine this past winter has been chosen to appear on the ai-ap web gallery. it should be up by november 12 (a long way off, i know!). it's a small achievement, but a happy one nonetheless.

i'm currently sketching away and working on several new pieces that i look forward to posting. freelance work has been slow, but i'm continuing to plug away.

weekend sketches

2009-04-12T17:29:00.004-04:00

this weekend i started playing around with prismacolor markers and fine tip sharpies. below are the results. they're sort of silly, but fun and spontaneous. it was a good exercise and i hope to keep it up! also in the works: cowboy + cactus friends and the good day man with cat. sketches for those (and finishes hopefully) to be posted soon.

too cool for school

sad cow-boy

more sunshine

more sketches on flickr. and, as always, please check out my website--i love to get feedback, so drop me an e.mail. thanks!

p.s. i just helped the lovely julia wilson (fiber artist) with her website. please take a look! www.pastafajulia.com .

new york spirit illo

2009-03-27T16:49:00.003-04:00

there's no better way to begin spring than with a springtime illustration! i was contacted by the local magazine, new york spirit, to do an illo for their spring book review/reading list. below is the final product as well as a couple of the sketches that got me there:

i think my initial sketch/concept was a little too elaborate and ultimately unbalanced. with the hope of simplifying it a little, i may have gone to the extreme, paring it down to just two birds, a few leaves, and the title in a speech/tweet bubble. in the end, i decided to combine the two...leaving me with the above.

portrait of a kitty [edy]

2009-03-22T20:22:00.005-04:00

my little tubby street-cat, edy. she used to be so tiny!

p.s. i am on a yellow kick!

updike (again)

2009-03-12T20:42:00.003-04:00

as you may have noticed, i trashed my original john updike. i realized that i had rushed through it, not bothering to improve my sketch or rework some colors. below is the revamped version. while i still have some reservations, i feel much better about it. yellow!

etsy shop open

2009-02-21T14:34:00.004-05:00

so...i've done it. i've opened an etsy shop. i'll be posting pins, cards, prints (most exciting), and stuffed animals...and maybe whatever else i can think of. it's exciting, i guess, though my expectations aren't too high! we'll see how it goes. http://www.lydianichols.etsy.com

john updike, from sketch to finish

2009-02-19T21:36:00.006-05:00

i finally finished up my john updike sketch that had been floating around. it seems appropriate (well, sort of) considering his recent death. oddly enough, kurt vonnegut died shortly after i completed a portrait of him. my friends think i'm cursed and have discouraged me from drawing any other important literary figures.

so it goes.

original sketch