My ghostly appearance and a good cause!

The story behind the portrait? It's not too big really. Rather it is part of a slightly bigger story. I was working on a skateboard design for the "Kickflip for a cause" contest, arranged by deviantart and the vans warped tour 2012. Kickflip for a cause is a contest held to raise awareness around Boarding for breast cancer. The assignment was this:

Create a skate deck design for one of the four bands that will be shredding up the stage at this Summer's Vans Warped Tour and support the work of Boarding for Breast Cancer! Even better, winners walk away with some awesome prizes! Boarding for Breast Cancer, is a non-profit organization educating young people on breast cancer awareness and breast health.

I liked the cause, I like one of the bands participating, I didn't really need more motvation than that! Anywhoot, I had a great idea for a board design, but for that I needed a female portrait. I didn't have the time to set up a photo session with a model so I photographed myself with make-up running down my face and into my eyes. It stung so much I could hardly see. You have no idea how hard it is to do a good picture when your face is smeared with make-up and water, but hey I got the right picture in the end. I based the portrait on my own face, adding, stretching, making up and beautifying my visage until I had something that looked like what I wanted. The result is below:

(c) Anita K. Olsen

it's too late to participate in the contest unfortunately, but if you would like to see some of the other entries and maybe show your appreciation towards the people who put in an effort for the cause than head over to deviantart and take a look at all the cool and different designs! Links can be found at the bottom of this post.

And of course below is my super duper bananapancakesawesome skateboard design. Enjoy!

 

(c) Anita k. Olsen

Contest rules: http://moonbeam13.deviantart.com/journal/KickFlip-for-the-Cause-Contest-302754801

Entries in the pierce the veil category: http://browse.deviantart.com/contests/2012/kickflip/piercetheveil/

Until next time
Anita K. Olsen

Feather Tattoo Design

This is the most recent tattoo design of mine. The client, in this case a friend of mine wanted to tattoo a feather on her wrist with the word "breathe" written above it, but she couldn't find anything generic that she liked, and she also wanted something unique that would be only hers. This is where I come in, solver of design problems!

I had her give me some reference material to get a clear idea of what she actually wanted and then I fixed her up with some nice sketches and when she decided on a design she liked I whipped up a lovely finished feather for her.

Here is the design itself:



(c) Anita K. Olsen

And this is what the finished tattoo looked like right after it was finished:

Need a tattoo design? Then feel free to get in touch by contacting me either her on the blog or via
anitaolsen.illustration@gmail.com

Until next time,
Anita K. Olsen



The bumblebee post delivery system!

Today my head was a total blank. I had no ideas at all so I needed help. It doesn't happen often, this whole not having any ideas, but when it happens it hits my brain hard. A lot of people have different techniques for working through a block. I usually browse the web for stuf that I like and hope that I can pick up something useful. I vaguely remembered hearing about creative idea generators that you can find online and googled the term. I found a site that worked nicely for me. I pressed the "add a word" button twice and ended up with the words "envelope" and "bee". That really got my brain up and running again. I had three different ideas swimming around in there in just a couple of seconds. I liked two of them so I've made one which is the image you can see below and I'll be making another more detailed fantasy concept that I'll try to work on during the coming week.

So without further ado I present the "Bumblebee post delivery system" or BPDS for short

Got a block? Bored? or just plain curious?

Try the idea generator!

Until next time,
Anita K. Olsen

There are butterflies in my stomach

Not literally of course. But it sure feels like I either have an army of butterflies or a really large seagull flapping around in there.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had finally decided to start focusing on writing as well as illustration. I made a promise to myself and I made a promise to you my dear followers. I was going to finish my children's book manuscript and hand it in to a publisher.

Guess what? I did. Today, this very day. I attended the weekly editors corner at Cappelen Damms bookstore Halvbroren, which is held every Thursday. Editors from different departments who are ready to talk to you about your book idea and receive manuscripts are at the scene for an hour. I walked in there nervous as hell. I kid you not I was so nervous I was even trembling a little. That says a lot considering it's like 26 degrees celsius in Oslo right now. I came early because I didn't know whether there would be a long line or lots of people, but there was only me and one other girl. Imagine that.

I sat there waiting in the bookstore for about 20 minutes, I had to buy a smoothie from the little coffee shop next door to cool down, and to have something to focus on besides being anxious. It happens every time I do something big or meet someone who might be important to my future career. I sweat and I shake and my stomach clenches up. I think it's because I care so much about what I do. I really want to make an impression on the world. I want people to love my art, I want little kids to read my books and cherish the memories of them when they grow up like I cherish the books I read when I was little.

Anyway, the editor arrives, my number is called and I meet and greet with him. We talk briefly about the story and the fact that it was originally my grandmother that made it up, I've just put some finishing touches here and there and edited it. We spoke a little bit about my education and then he took my manuscript and said that in about 6 weeks time they would let me know what they thought about it.

I'm a bit in shock right now. I can't believe I did it, but I did. I handed in my very first manuscript. Yay!
Of course I will let you know how it all goes. In the meantime here is a little snack from an upcoming image:

(c) Anita K. Olsen

Until next time
Anita K. Olsen

Oh sweet sweet temptation...

I love cupcakes, I can't help myself. I bake them quite a lot, and I usually end up eating all of them in a feeding frenzy.

I was a little bored today and it is a sunday. So I decided to draw something for fun, but didn't know what to draw. So I scanned my apartment for something to draw and my eyes fell on my small ceramic cupcake jars. I think they are super cute, my fiancée on the other hand hates them and believes them to be totally useless...

Hah, proved him wrong didn't I, because they inspired me to draw this awesome blue cupcake:

(c) Anita K. Olsen

Tomorrow I'm starting a new week. Hopefully I will be able to get some paperwork done, since that is quite important when you are running a business. Have a nice new week everybody ^^

Until next time
Anita K. Olsen

An author..me?

Who says you can only have one career? Superstars nowadays seem to be juggling up to two or three careers at the same time, singer, designer, television  host, actor, you name it they do it. So why can't I?

I have grown up with dreams of becoming a rock star, an artist, an author, a dancer, at one point I even wanted to become a truck driver for the Coca Cola Company! (I was very little, don't judge). Some dreams faded and died and some are still alive today. I realized pretty early that I could not be a dancer because I don't have one co-ordinated bone in my body. I am afraid of cars and traffic so truck driver was out of the question, and I never learned to play an instrument, though I am still a decent singer so who knows. One of the dreams that have stuck with me so far is obviously the artist thing, I am an illustrator so that dream is coming true every day. The other dream that has made it so far is the dream of writing, and lately the urge to write has become stronger and stronger. I feel I can't ignore it anymore.

Illustration (c) Anita K. Olsen Illustration

I've been writing for years. Short stories or the beginnings of books, I have never published a single thing though. I love dreaming up characters and plots, weaving a magical tale that will set the imaginations of others on fire. I feel good on the inside when I write, just like I feel when I make illustrations. it's the intense joy of creation. Just thinking about it gets my heart pumping and makes my face feel warm. My only problem is that I am afraid to believe in myself and my own writing. I'm always afraid that it won't be good enough. I may love it myself, but will others? Therefore I have never submitted anything to a publisher. The closest I get to publishing things is when I write this blog. I enjoy it a lot, but I still dream of holding my very own book in my hands, written and illustrated by me...Aaah that is truly the dream.

I have a short children's story about the wind that I would really like to publish. It was originally created by my grandmother, she used to tell me that story when my brother and I slept over at her house. We absolutely loved it. Last Christmas my grandmother gave me the story, needless to say I cried like a baby when I opened the present. I think she hoped that I could finish what she had started. Her dream had been to become a children's book writer. She wanted to have her stories published, but she never got around to do it. Sadly, she died this year and thinking about it still breaks my heart into tiny pieces. So in honor of her memory my intention is to publish her story, as a last tribute to a wonderful person and a fantastic grandmother..Wish me luck..

Illustration (c) Anita K. Olsen Illustration

Until next time
Anita K. Olsen

A short rant about motivation!

Oh! motivation you treacherous villain! Some days are just harder than others. You know those days when nothing seems to be working out for you and all your hopes of becoming something seem to be impossible fantasies conjured up by a wayward silly child? Your life seems to be nothing but bills and expenses and you barely have enough money to make sure you have dinner to put on the table. I 'm having one of those months!

At times like these it is important to remember that the negative feelings of today will probably fade away tomorrow or some other day, hopefully sometime soon. I am lucky enough to have a significant other that always tries to cheer me up. I swear he is the sweetest man alive. Without him I don't know if I would be able to do this whole business thing. I have really bad nerves and I agonize over every stupid little detail if someone doesn't keep me in check. This may seem as just a personal rant and of no use to anyone, but there is a point to this I promise.



Then get to it you say? Very well!

The point is that having a good support system is crucial. Not to your success that is up to you, but to keep you going until you reach success or decide to throw in the towel. It doesn't really matter who your support system is as long as it works. It could be your family, your significant other or your friends. The important part is having someone to talk to about your troubles, be they professional or on a more personal level.

Why is it important you ask?

It's important to have support because keeping your troubles to yourself is sure to drive you crazy in some way. You may start having anxiety attacks, or maybe you get so stressed by your problems that you run yourself into a ditch. You wouldn't be the first person in the world to hit the wall.  Maybe you'll start to isolate yourself, burying down into your work, or maybe you'll become snappy and moody.Talking about problems or difficulties is good, it resolves matters, gives you a different perspective on things, and it makes you feel like your not in it alone. If you don't have a functioning support system in your life there is always the option of making a new one which is a lot of work but is usually worth it in the end. Or maybe the solution lies in going to a psychologist. Whatever floats your boat!

Take it from someone who pretty much looses her marbles every other week, it's a neat little piece of advice.

Until next time
Anita K. Olsen