inked up ideas

just a few concepts for a commissioned set of postcards.
even if they aren't selected to move forward, i think i may have a few new prints on my hands. i enjoy them all so so much!

part 2 >>sketchbook project 2011

a few of my favorite spreads from my art-house sketchbook! yes, it's finally done and soon to be on it's way to brooklyn. i really would love to see the tour, but if a spontaneous trip to one of the cities doesn't pan out, a trip to brooklyn must happen where all the sketchbooks will eventually reside. goodbye dear sketchbook!

part 1 >>sketchbook project 2011

here are the first few pages of my arthouse co-op sketchbook project. each sketchbook has a theme, it can be taken literally or just inspired by... you can fill it with whatever your heart desires. the theme i choose was "in flight".
i've come to realize my sketchbooks/loose scraps of paper i draw on are quite repetitive, i end up drawing the same thing over and over changing only small details. so it's fitting that i dedicated a page to just one word repeated in different ways.
the deadline is looming and i still have a handful pages to fill up, but i'll be sure to share more!

a look back into 2010>> journal spread!

a snippet from the mini book of our 2010 adventures i wrote/drew up for Matt as a surprise new years gift. this spread is part of february & march of last year... i dedicated 3 whole pages to disney world alone.
2010 was a good year, i'm pushing for 2011 to be even better!
a year filled with more
+ creating
+ drawing
+ blogging
+ promoting
+ picture taking!

autumn leaves >> inspiration

yesterday i spent the unseasonably warm afternoon outside drawing and collecting leaves.
i think i may do some quick color studies from them before they become brown and crunchy.

new doodles

just a couple of new ideas that keep popping up while I'm drawing away...

happy july

can you believe the year is halfway through?
it's another beautiful day out & both matt and i are off, so the plan is to enjoy the lovely non-humid weather!

happy day doodle

the humidity has finally gone away & it's beautiful outside! oh happy day indeed!!

oreo the dog!

yesterday was my mom's birthday & in hopes of breaking the tradition of the same ol gifts we give her.. i tired my hand at something new. i drew her something. come to think of it, i don't think my parents have any recent artwork of mine!



this is a portrait of their dog oreo, who is a mostly black (with a tiny bit of white) cockapoo. she is still a puppy and is full of energy, and of course very adorable! i tired a few different versions.. one with her name and the big O, an actual oreo. but i went with this and was inspired by the design on the cookie as the background pattern.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4596906329/in/set-72157608772318264/ by stevendepolo

today will be awesome

the past 2 days have been filled with lots of tiny little ink drawings, watercoloring, photo-shoots, photo editing, printing, cutting, resizing.. and well, you get the picture. it was super productive!
i've been drawing up a lot of these handwritten mantra's & i love them! they inspire me, so i hope they can/will inspire someone else!



ok, so today isn't very sunny & thats OK. matt and i are heading to hershey park for some roller-coaster/water-park fun. we will enjoy the cloudiness for we both have fair skin... and maybe it won't be so darn hot.
today, in fact, will be awesome.

happy june!

can you believe it's june already?! i certainly can't!


here's a little piece i finished the other day for a friend's birthday (which i believe is today!)
she loves owls. i love owls. it worked perfect.

here's just the background of leaves. i kind of like it. a lot.



and the finished piece!
happy june! & happy birthday sara!

endless eyeballs

i was a little stumped this morning on what to draw. i have a fun little series of beachy drawings i'm starting for a friend to give as a gift & i just couldn't get started with it. (i think i may need to go to the beach to get a little inspiration, ya know?)
so i flipped through my sketchbook and saw i started just doodling owl eyes. i think i could do a whole page each one different from the other! it may also make a great surface design pattern. oh, the possibilities!

a lesson in lift

my newest just for fun drawing. 
the balloon is like the tiny banner in the yay! owl piece, it is a "pop-up". i've been considering using this as a new promo postcard, but i really don't like how it looks in a 4x6 box (with and without type!) that's a bit of a problem, huh? i have some other ideas brewing... i'm long overdue for a postcard mailer!

happy valentines day!

a teeny tiny 3x3 ink drawing for matt this valentine's day.

illustration Friday- muddy

inspired by the word of the week- muddy!
I know, I know, there's no mud and they are just wearing rain boots.. to avoid the mud.
I decided to play around with some patterning since it's been a while ( I drew a couple other birds donning rain boots- this was my favorite though)


I really want this as a shower curtain.

Illustration Friday- focused

whoooo says all owls have 20/20 vision?!
Certainly not me! This guy needs some big ol frames to stay focused.

whale of a family

Now the the holidays have come and gone I can finally get around to some updates!!
First up is this whale piece I created for a Christmas present.
I was so anxious to post about it when I finished it up... but I didn't want to spoil the surprise!

I'm happy with the end result so much that I may turn it into my next promotion postcard!
This piece along with a new pattern will be up on the website by this evening.

red and blue flakes

I love the red and blue color combination- it gives a nice cool wintery feeling!

these snowflake doodles were created by those ultra-fine bic pens I found back in september.
I just love how vibrant they are!!

snowflakes galore

can you tell I'm eager for the first snow fall??

these snowflake-y patterns would make wonderful wrapping paper!

Happy December!!

inspiration found afterwards

Just about a month ago I cracked open a brand new sketch book. It's always so exciting but... always so intimidating to start drawing on those first few crisp white pages. I began doodling a page of fun swirly hearts. This pattern below features my favorite one!

Not much more than a couple weeks later after my page full of hearts did Matt and I make a second trip out to Longwood Gardens... where we discovered this heart pattern! I love finding things like this after I've already drawn my own version.

Here are just a few other snapshots from the gardens... and most certainly future inspiration.

I just love the leaf-like pattern on these gigantic leaves.

This chrysanthemum shield is made up from just one plant- absolutely. amazing.

These little flowers were so delicate and vibrant.