New business card design

I've been working on a lot of graphic design projects for Adventure Foods (based in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania) including Firefly Chocolates, their shop at Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg. We wanted their business cards to reflect the same look and feel we've already established for this arm of the company, specifically the posters and signage I had designed for previous projects.

These images show the front and back of their new cards.

Dexter in color

I finished Dexter (here's the sketch), and he turned out somewhat close to what I originally had in mind. I was hoping for more dramatic lighting, but that seemed to leave him too dark in the shadows, so I lightened him and the whole scene up a little.

The glowing green and purple colors took some getting used to since most of what I do uses colors that are closer to earth tones than flourescents. But I knew I had to do it, so I put the painting aside for a couple weeks, hoping it would look better later. When I finally came back to it, the color didn't seem as garish as when I had left it.

I like him enough that I'll probably use him for my next postcard promotional mailing in May.

You can click on the image to see him larger.

New photography portfolio images

I've updated my photography portfolio with several more landscape images and photos from Banning No. 3 Mine. Click on "portfolio" and choose "photography." These are all silver gelatin prints, made the old-fashioned way with film, chemicals, paper, dodging and burning.

My portfolio site URL: http://www.norathompson.us

Banning No. 3 Mine operated just outside Van Meter, PA and is off the Yough River bike trail, part of the Great Allegheny Passage. You can read in more detail about the Darr Mine history and explosion at http://patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com/darr.html

Rough sketch for kid's illustration

I so lied about making you wait. Here's the sketch of Dexter in the setting I came up with for him. He's in just a little bit of trouble, but I think he'll be O.K.

His puppy's name is Poindexter.

New banner design for Etsy shop

Here's a new banner I designed recently for The Dreaming Owl's Etsy shop, along with the matching identity icon. The Dreaming Owl sells handmade mittens, scarves, jewelry, bookmarks and purses, and requested a banner to reflect the shop's personality. We went with this hand drawn and stylized owl and banner.

Sneak peek at a new sketch for a promo illustration

Everybody, meet Dexter.

He got here because of a doodle that was originally meant just for me. I started drawing one night, and consciously convinced myself not to censor. I finished him and turned the page, but I found that I kept turning the pages back to take another look. I couldn't figure out what it was, but he kept getting cuter every time, so I decided to do something about it.

The biggest problem I had was trying to figure out what he was looking at, and it took a long time before I finally finished a sketch of the scene. I had lots of ideas, but I liked him so much, I didn't want him to get hurt in the process of telling his story.

And, oh yeah, sorry. You'll have to wait until I finish him in color to see how that turned out. I'll post him after the digital paint dries.

Lots (and lots) of snow

It must be February.

Yesterday we got more snow in one snowfall than we've had in the last 17 years. The unofficial estimate in the backyard would be around 18 inches, but it snowed more after that.

Earlier this winter, we had a January that didn't get above freezing until late in the month, so the snow we were getting just kept piling and piling. This is an image of our birdfeeder from that January stretch of weather.

Newsletter subscriptions to the Nora Thompson Illustrations Newsletter

I will be upgrading to a professional newsletter client prior to the next newsletter cycle, and I need current subscribers to re-submit their information. I don't have access to email information, so I'm not able to transfer from one mailing list to another.

And if you're not yet a subscriber, feel free to jump in at any time! Newsletters are scheduled quarterly throughout the year.

Electronic kid's illustration portfolio

I've put together an electronic portfolio on issuu.com (relatively easy!) to send out to those great publishers who are looking to go green (way to go!). Issue makes your pdf look like you're flipping through a portfolio (or magazine) right there on your computer screen.