This lettering piece started as a series of rhythm studies with pencil, pen and marker on a tissue pad. I eventually got a sketch to use as a starting point after several pages of studies. My intent was to combine a formal script and mix it up with Spencerian style characters. I plan to continue creating letters of this style and in time the best is yet to come.

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Gotta Be Bad to be Good is a freeform script style I have been developing for the past few years. This style is a loose mix of upper and lowercase letterforms. When the piece was only 3 words it needed more interest and was changed into a play on words. After getting the rhythm and flow worked out for Gotta be Bad to be Good I decided to change the visual read to something a bit more complex with flourishes and swirls. The final result is quite different than the initial sketch and definitely more interesting to view.

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Great Video from Adobe TV and AIGA San Francisco of Marian's process, and work.

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Yes, yes ... I have been completely MIA with my blog posts and my new website is still not finished.  Aaaaah, the joys of being able to do my own design work - not so fab all the time.  Soon, soon ... I promise.  Finally have the layout and concept all laid out ... now the implementation process begins.  Hoping to launch next week!  I am so excited about it and hope that you enjoy the new look and features as much as I do.  :)

Websites are not the only things being worked on over here!  Lots, and lots o' new invites and wedding papery are making their way out the doors for my May brides!!!  

Recently delivered these blue beauties to Ashika & Jim for their May wedding.  So adorable.  I was thrilled to work with this blue color palette.  Butterflies took main stage on these babies and I can't wait to share the custom die-cut butterfly escort cards that have been created for the big day!!!  And the custom envelope liner - I am all about liners this year.  Love 'em.

Congratulations Ashika & Jim!!!

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I do like to browse around and see what is out there in the art industry. As a designer is very important to be resourceful and take a peek on other artists around the globe. Here are some great illustration blogs for inspiration you should know about!

ELO

Ape on the Moon

A Blog documenting the adventures of MoonApe in searching for the most cutting edge illustration styles and techniques in the cosmos.
Illustration Friday Blog

The Blogging wing of the popular Illustration community, featuring artist interviews and other news.
Illustrophile

A Blog for lovers of Illustration and Commercial Art, featuring up-and-coming, as well as established but little known illustrators from around the world.
Illustration Mundo Blog

The Blogging wing of Illustration Mundo, featuring Artist Spotlights and the second home of the Escape From Illustration Island Podcast.
Editorial Anonymous

The Blog of an anonymous Children’s Book Editor offering an inside look at the industry.
Drawn!

A collaborative Weblog for illustrators, artists, cartoonists, and anyone who likes to draw.
Today’s Inspiration

A place for those with an interest in Illustration from the 40’s and 50’s to share their knowledge, views, and opinions.
Zero 2 Illo

A Blog for aspiring Illustrators.
Lines and Colors

A Blog about anything even remotely related to Illustration.  If it has lines and/or colors, it’s fair game.
Signature Illustration

The Blog that strives to be “The World’s Finest Illustration and Art Place.”  You decide.
Character Design

Interviews and Galleries from the top Artists in Animation, Movies, Games, Illustration, and Comics.
DFCKR

A Blog focused on “keeping track of design stuff so you don’t have to.”
Fuel Your Illustration

Illustration news, interviews, inspiration, apps, tools, and more.
The Little Chimp Society

The Illustration News Portal where you can submit your own news and events as well.
Thunder Chunky

Illustration news, interviews, and entertainment.

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Another quick wrist script exercise with a Lamy calligraphy pen on graph paper. I made the strokes thicker with a Sharpie marker and scanned the lettering for use as a template.

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save the date for for yeenee + todd's september wedding at the pennsylvania academy of fine arts. we created the design template and yeenee actually handled all of the paper selections, printing and assembly—a great way to keep the wedding budget down! she wanted something a little different so she used eyelets from paper source to create a little package and attached a magnet strip to the back of the second card. she also attached the pafa admission clip to the second card as another creative design element!

5.4" square, printed 1-sided

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Here are some preliminary sketches for the Little Dude lettering design. This project is another example of how I change letterforms and structure while drawing in Adobe Illustrator. The tight sketch was a good start but was out of balance and the cross stroke of the double t did not read properly. All in all I am pleased with the final result and plan to continue developing this lettering style.

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jordin sparks kicked off the evening with a personal song she wrote to a friend with cancer.

photo by philip gabriel.

posing with jordin along with our amazing friends and fellow design committee -- allie and sam. (thank you, thank you, thank you!)

photo booth by philip gabriel.

photos from alex's lemonade stand's 2010 lemon ball. we were so happy to be an in-kind sponsor for the 2nd year in a row! we had so much fun developing and carrying out the bright and happy theme of butterflies & lemons for this year's event.

it was a very special night full of inspirational words from alex's parents -- liz and jay scott and many others touched by childhood cancer. over 800 guests filled the ballroom of the downtown marriott where $600,000+ was raised through ticket sales and auction items!!

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