Marco writes:

“hi lilla, ‘pastarito’ restaurants assigned me the new menu covers, this is what i did for them.
‘pastarito’ has 23 restaurants in milan and rome, they serve mainly pasta and pizza…as you may guess.
in the restaurant restyling last year they also used my works for wall decorations and murals.”

Friday:Lisa Congdon in Martha Stewart Living

Sarajo writes us:

“Hi all,
These are photos of the sketchbooks I used when creating the artwork for Noonie. Noonies’s Masterpiece, written by Lisa Railsback, was originally going to contain about 50 drawings in black and white or possibly one color. The book is written in the first person, and the idea was I would channel my “inner” Noonie, a fourth grader, as though I were Noonie drawing in my sketchbook. Eventually the scope of the project changed when it was decided the entire book would be in full color with drawings on nearly every one of the 200+ pages!

Because of the way this project evolved, first in black and white and then color, I wanted to keep the sketchbook feel and be able to use all the drawings that had been completed by the time full color was approved. My working process involved scanning lots of drawings and collage elements into photoshop where I created the final artwork. I’ve included a few screen shots of what these files look like—lots of layers! Layering enabled me to try different approaches to the artwork, and send all of these versions to the book designer, Amelia Anderson, at Chronicle Books for feedback. Noonie was a very special project to work on and I am so happy to have had this opportunity!

(I received my sample books in the mail today—so I included a few pix of those!)

Cheers,
sarajo”

Noonie’s Masterpiece is available for purchase here.

Wedneday: Map of Marco’s family trip to Cuba.

Introducing the amazing, fully-illustrated book by Sarajo Frieden, Noonie’s Masterpiece published by Chronicle Books and due out in Spring 2010.

What’s exciting about this book is that it’s a novel, yet, unlike most novels, every page is illustrated in full color. Sarajo spent many, many months on this project with Chronicle. By working on this for so long, she really was able to evolve her work to an astonishing level. That’s the beauty of working on a long-term project. So when you get a long-term project, look at it like a home-study course. Settle in and grow your work.
I’m always happy when an artist gets a project like this. I know, maybe even better than they yet know, that they will do some of their best work.

I think this book will do extremely well. It certainly deserves to.

Friday: Guest Blogger: Susy Pilgrim Waters

Sarajo writes, “Here’s the final on the Justin Roberts job…an 8 by 10 foot backdrop and keyboard skirts…i’ll send a picture of it with the band, soon as I have one!”

Wednesday: Breakfast with Mimi

This piece is entitled, “Count Abernathy’s brother Sigmund Abernathy on his first trip to the United States with Mr. Owl bumps into a hungry yet friendly Augustus the lion.” We love you, Matte!

Matte was asked to do a whole series of pieces for the Jonathan Adler shops which will be shown at the Madison Avenue, Soho, and Columbus Avenue stores in NYC.

Tomorrow: Bonnie Dain’s recycle pieces.

Truly an amazing job. Gensler Architects, kudos.
This is for the Children’s Room of the main branch on 42nd Street.

For more of Susy’s work, click here.

Tomorrow: Bonnie Dain’s magazine work. Great line.

How many commissions and product licenses have I given my artists over the years? A jillion. But every now and then, even jaded me gets excited about a project. Here it is. Helen’s bags for Blue Q.

Don’t forget to check out our Shop Page!

Tomorrow: New Work by Bonnie Dain.

The watertower top is rising! What a gift to Albuquerque. You see how the imagery must read from those vast southwestern distances? Thanks to all of you following this series of Lisa’s art for the watertower for Mesa del Sol in Albuquerque.

Lisa says, “I explored some new designs here that are based off of work I did for Mesa del Sol. I love this series and want to continue to explore this when I have time.”

One of the best ways to get inspired and advance your career is through research, meaning that you look and discover and explore and follow your passions down to the minutiae.