tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29505781810579421522024-03-13T22:55:52.987-04:00ViviLuluBlog about design, crafts, creativity and inspiration. Sometimes creativity needs a glittering, sparkling place to flourish. Luckily, my imagination has rooms for rent and an unlimited decorated budget.Vivianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881114648915375294noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2950578181057942152.post-3802059495411932372013-07-24T23:13:00.000-04:002013-07-24T23:13:31.298-04:00Life-Cycle of an Idea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One morning about a week ago I was extremely stressed out - and had been for a couple of weeks. To the point of needing to start taking beta-blockers because my heart-rate was galloping every time I got upset. </div>
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So in an effort to find stress relief I started researching art retreats and yoga retreats and dreamed of how nice it would be to have the time and money to attend one. As I was reading about all the amazing art experiences out there, I got really excited about the idea of trying to create the atmosphere of a retreat for myself. </div>
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I decided the place to start was here on this fallow blog - I could set up exercises for myself to create art and talk about it here. I became so inspired that ideas just came tumbling out onto my sketchbook page. I couldn't concentrate on my work, my heart was racing (apparently beta-blockers aren't just for stress situations) and I made tons of plans.</div>
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Of course, this was all terribly short-lived. As you can see in my illustration, around 4:15pm the real-world came crashing through the front door (literally - my 9 year old son and his friend home from day camp) and my stress levels returned to their previous mid-morning levels.</div>
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However, it was not all bad. I created this illustration and in doing so found a process I really enjoyed. I started by doing a small rough sketch, followed by what I thought was going to be the finished drawing. But, as a web and graphic designer I'm sometimes more comfortable on the computer where control-z can save my commitment-phobe butt and I can play with more colors than my current selection of markers. </div>
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So I outlined the drawing in fine black marker, erased my pencil lines and scanned the whole thing.</div>
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Next I used Photoshop to isolate and move around the pieces I liked, colored in the drawings with transparency settings (multiply), and added the arrows and text.</div>
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I feel like it ended up with a nice hand-drawn, quasi-retro feel, but more polished than I could have achieved just by doing it as a sketch on paper (at least in the few hours I allotted to do it in anyway.)</div>
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Finally, my stress and anxiety is paying off.</div>
Vivianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881114648915375294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2950578181057942152.post-79074312719708571202009-07-20T23:36:00.007-04:002013-07-24T22:50:22.893-04:00Welcome to the New ViviLulu!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mu_YZZfBTh8/SmVFJf7pNXI/AAAAAAAAAUY/JM8xCIk2jzw/s1600-h/card_butterflies.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360766960947246450" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mu_YZZfBTh8/SmVFJf7pNXI/AAAAAAAAAUY/JM8xCIk2jzw/s400/card_butterflies.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 283px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Hello! Today I'm relaunching ViviLulu as a design blog.<br />
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I can usually be found over at <a href="http://kosherwhine.blogspot.com/">Kosher Whine</a> writing about my family. My husband, <a href="http://kosherwhine.blogspot.com/2008/06/casting-change.html">KosherCook</a> and 5 year old son, <a href="http://kosherwhine.blogspot.com/2008/06/casting-change.html">KosherCop</a>, are both real characters, so there is usually something hilarious to write about.<br />
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ViviLulu, however, is about my love of art, design and crafting. By trade I'm a graphic designer, web designer, and web consultant. However, I'm completely addicted to buying craft supplies, and sometimes even use them.<br />
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I've spent the last few months following a number of craft blogs, and I'm<br />
blown away by the generosity and sharing spirit among craft bloggers. People are always giving away the most amazing demos, sharing new and different techniques.<br />
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And more importantly I've been so inspired by the wonderful work that people showcase that I've actually spent some time on my own projects!<br />
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So I hope you'll check back often and say hello when you stop by!<br />
Chaya Blumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12716817076212284464noreply@blogger.com1