Search results (tags) for: "drawing"

Handmade Portraits: Leslie Stein

2008-11-14T11:30:00Z

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Leslie Stein, aka larrybear, spends most of her time drawing comics, listening to old time radio shows and playing records. Leslie started her first comic series, called simply Leslie, back in high school. It revolved around her wacky adventures with her magical bunny and bird that helped her out in gym class and other misadventures.

After discovering underground comic book artists like Dan Clowes and P eter Bagge when she was an angsty teenager, Leslie decided comic books would be the perfect medium for her to tell her stories. Both of her comics — Eye of the Majestic Creature and her more experimental construction paper comics — are hand drawn and printed at a small printing press. Unlike mainstream super hero comics, her stories are autobiographical and don't have a typical plot. As Leslie says, "If you're looking for thrills and drama, this might not be for you, but if you're interested in seeing the world the way I see it, pick one up."

Leslie decided long ago that rather than work professionally as an illustrator, that she would hold a regular job and save her creative energy for her own work. She dedicates all of her free time to her creative pursuits and she finds inspiration everywhere. From walking down the street in Brooklyn to looking at an empty field, humanity and curiosity light the way to new adventures and new tales to tell.

Leslie won a Xeric Grant to print her work "Yeah, It Is!" and was nominated for Best New Talent in 2004 by the Harvey Awards. Keep you eye on this one!

Watch more Handmade Video Portraits on Etsy's blog!

Books and Zines Category | Book Worms and Writers Gift Guide

Zines Posts | Comics Posts | larrybear's Shop

Fresh Shops: badhairmountain

2008-10-09T15:00:00Z

Sometimes I find art on Etsy that really speaks to me, in some language or another. It's possible Sean from badhairmountain, a Fresh Shop started in August 2008, found all my metalhead friends and drew their portraits. There's also the possibility that he just lives in the coolest town ever where all the townspeople have beautiful flowing locks....and of course, listen to Priest.

Sean finds inspiration in the odd-looking animals and people in the universe and discovered his love for drawing as a kid, sketching the Ninja Turtles. This self taught artist, with a bit of design training, is welcoming the summer in Australia by rocking out to The Hold Steady, a rock and roll band from Brooklyn, NY, and plans to experiment more in his drawings and paintings, to see what he's really capable of. When he finds the time, Sean also enjoys film, animation, stenciling and writing, and of course, consuming "various beverages" (don't we all).

I plan to keep an eye on badhairmountain, because I'm sure the best has yet to come. I'm very intrigued by the voluptuous couple rockin' the Lady Godiva style. I'd invite them over for coffee, if they promised to at least wear loincloths.

If this cast of characters is an accurate cross section of the folks in Sean's town of Perth, Australia, then maybe it's time for me to change hemispheres. But until I can afford a ticket around the world, I guess I'll just have to day dream about being neighbors with everyone at badhairmountain.

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Etsy Finds: Love It and Leave It

2008-09-25T09:51:00Z

Sometimes to really love a city you have to leave it. New York's history as an art capital is long and venerated, oddball and full of fits and explosions. This volatility and excitement is what has drawn generations of artists from Europe and the Midwest, to try their hand at causing one of those infamous art world fits. But in a city where you can't rent a studio the size of a watercolor set for less than what Damien Hirst sells his smallest dot drawings (Sotheby's estimate: $60,000!) it might be time for those artists to head home. But, before you pack up and head back to the future art capitals of Richmond, Kansas City, Montreal, Mexico City, Berlin or Detroit (where I'm fairly sure you can rent an entire block for the cost of a Manhattan lunch), make sure you take something to remind you of the city you loved and left.

Brownstone Neighborhood

This print captures the crowded, hectic energy of a city constantly reinventing itself. By sweetbabu, $33.

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Three Brothers ORIGINAL

A more stoic and European cityscape, this painting nonetheless has the light hand of a city dweller always on the move. By artquirk, $70.

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Crowded - Original Art

What it must look like from a 24th floor window in Midtown. Vertigo and awe is a heady combination. By lisachow, $75.

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2312 Lyndale Ave., Original Watercolor

This watercolor slows down to notice the quirky beauty of a single door. By patchofsky, $30.

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City Buildings

I think of the Metropolitan Museum's rooftop when I look at this deceptively controlled painting by MaeveW. It has the landscape of the Upper West Side and the brash color scheme of a Miro I just saw down in the Modern wing. By MaeveW, $192.

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city building print

The cramped homeyness of this tenement hearkens to the New York my grandfather grew up in. By missbrigette, $20.

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large NYC print

Here the city is both contemporary and a fantasy of the past, a living city constantly reworking the myths of its artistic forebears. By matteart, $60.

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Little Boxes...Original Illustration

The subdued color and element of collage in this picture show you that even in the busiest of cities one can carve out a place of one's own. By michelemaule, $40.

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In the cit

In the end, New York has always been a winter town, so maybe stick around for one more year. You never know, the next sensation could be right around that crowded, loud, city corner you can't help but to love. By shelbyhealey, $20.

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Looking for more Art Finds? Try these links:

Art Showcase | Art Collectors' Gift Guide | Items tagged "original cityscape"

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Handmade Portraits: Julia Pott

2008-08-01T12:00:00Z

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(Music credit: Elijah B. Torn)

Artist Julia Pott began drawing at an early age. After watching her first Disney film, she knew she wanted to be a cartoonist, which later meant becoming an animator. Her thesis animation from Kingston University, My First Crush, is a sweetly nostalgic vignette of anthropomorphized animals talking about their first crushes. Beautifully rendered and lovingly assembled, the little film touches the hearts of anyone who has ever longed for love.

Julia's illustrations and animations are usually about love and revenge. However, Julia's frilly aesthetic and her handmade illustration style give her drawings, cards and films a touch of pure sweetness.

Etsy sent independent filmmaker Gabriella Kessler, aka gkessler, to visit Julia at her home and studio in London, England. (See Gabriella's film production company's site for more information on her work.)

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Trends: Illustration Nation with Design For Mankind

2008-06-04T11:59:00Z

A thinker, a lover. A writer, a dreamer. A mover, a shaker?

Erin Loechner is the founder and writer/editor of the fabulous design and style blog, Design for Mankind. ("because beauty lies in the details of design. in the pencil shavings, in the blueberry waffles. the vintage dress, framed portrait, old postcard. design is inevitable. celebrated. design for mankind.") In her spare time, she works on her novel about hair. (Yes, hair, and it's fabulous. The novel, not her hair.) When she's not writing about hair, she's playing with her dogs. Or eating hummus. Or surfing.

Also, she lied about the surfing thing.

Here Erin weighs in on illustration trends on Etsy. Her picks are modern, stark (lots of black and white!) and totally inspirational. Enjoy the design!

Laurie Gilbert of Elle UK tells me that this summer, "If this summer were a high school, the art nerd would be crowned homecoming king (or queen!)." Lucky for you, we’ve got some great nominees right here at Etsy (all nerds aside).

Death 44 tee: $27 from LuchaWorkshop
Illustration never hurt so good.

Village tee: $17 from Timberps
It takes a village to raise a t-shirt.

Circles 1 original drawing: $35 from PengwynneArt
Circle up now: ten hut.

Owl fetish earrings: $15 from TillyBloom
Hoot hoot.

Brushed nickel drawer pull: $8 from MonkeyShines
My kind of octopus pull.

Original series tea bag string cup: $20 from BaileyDoesntbark
Would you hair for some tea?

Tea towel — bears tea party: $8.75 from MissEllieMay
Tea and bear it.

Branching out print: $7 from AtWhim
Branch me, branch you.

Moustaches postcards: $14 from OhMyCavalier
Say it with moustache.

Didi black zipper pouch: $16 from LouLouBell
Zip it. Zip it good.

Mohair horse and rider: $25 from YellowMonday
Mohair, may I?

Brilliant ideas notebook: $10 from PaperAndCanvas
Great minds draw alike.

For more of Erin's unique brand of stylish commentary, check out Design For Mankind. Also, see our past Trends pieces here!

Etsy Finds: Drawings of Girls With Balloons

2008-04-08T11:12:00Z

Hello, dear readers. Today's Etsy Find is all about drawings of girls and balloons, in a variety of combinations and permutations. Also, it is Buddha's birthday today. Happy birthday, Buddha!

Balloon Girl Print

Drawing of a girl with an animalhead shaped balloon. By LaurenMinco $15.

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Waiting

Print of a girl with a white balloon. By sarahjanestudios, $24.

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The story of the sleeping red balloon (blue)

Drawing of a girl with a red balloon, and a sort of birdcage-y torso. By Lilymoon, $13.

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Giclee Print - Untitled (two girls and bunny - watercolor)

Watercolor of two girls, a white balloon, and a bunny. By mimidoodles, $15.

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birthday love

Painting of a girl and a red balloon, wearing a little red hood, with a bear. By creativethursday, $35.

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Swing Girl Original

Drawing of a girl on a swing, with many balloons. By SoCalCustom, $45. (Really!)

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Parade

Drawing a of red(haired) girl with a ballon for a head. By MultiplePersonality, $18.

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We all float

Print of a girl with a red balloon for a head. By calobee, $17.

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Fly Away

Print of a girl lifting off the ground, presumably by balloons, and floating off. Yay! By carambatack shop, $18

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Etsy Finds: Philosophical Art

2007-11-09T06:59:00Z

Shopping on Etsy is always interesting. The opportunity to find completely unique items and support independent artists is rewarding enough. However, from time to time I stumble across an item so astonishing and brilliant that I am overjoyed at my luck.

obsoleteworld's Etsy shop is full of stunning and stylistically unique art. The print titled Light Reveals Wonder is — to me — a powerful, beautiful and deeply meaningful window into the soul of Man as he seeks to find his proper role in the greater cosmos; it is teleology, existential and intellectual, emotive wonder wrapped up in a single, perfect print.

Whether you or someone you know is philosophically curious, or just loves truly fine art, you won't be disappointed by obsoleteworld's art.

After Jared, Haim and Chris, Jay has been with Etsy's engineering team the longest.