Category Archives: greeting card

greeting cards – from sketch to store

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Very early in September I started drawing my next range of greeting cards, which would include some Christmas cards and also some drawn of the Supreme Court of Victoria and its architectural features. In hindsight I should have started a lot earlier as I have felt a bit of pressure to get these done to be ready for the Christmas season.

I am going to take you on the journey from an idea sketch to the printed card that can be purchased in stores. I am using my Koala and Gumnut Blossoms as an example.


After deciding to draw Australian animals on Christmas card I had the ‘lightbulb’ moment of including red and green in the gumnut blossoms. The design grew from there, 

I decided on five new cards and had the final drawings completed in watercolour pencil on A4 watercolour paper by the end of September. 

At the same time I reordered some of my previous card designs as stocks were getting low and Christmas is coming up and I have a stall at a big market at Etsy Made Local Melbourne in late November. Before sending my order to the local printing company for my new designs to be scanned and cards printed , I had to decide how many to print of each.  I was very fortunate to have two of local stockists Law Institute of Victoria bookshop and Paperpoint stationery  preorder 10 of some of my cards, including the Christmas koala and possum. I decided on 70 of each . Altogether I ordered 500 cards. 

I dropped my originals off to the printer on 25 September and received the cards on 18 October.  The timeframe was so long because I had received one set of hardcopy proofs to approve but I wanted to change the colour balance on some of them. I was then  sent another set of hardcopy proofs which I approved . Hence the delay. 

In the meantime I ordered 500 envelopes from my usual local stationery store and 500 cello bags to put each card in.

Saturday afternoon on my lounge chair’

Top Row : cello bags, cards, envelopes

Bottom Row: cards in cello bags with envelopes, strips from cello bags .

(hint learned from google searching. Put stickytape sticky side up on put cello strips on this. Otherwise they are full of static and stick to everything and anything . This keeps them in one place. )

They took all afternoon to package. But it was a nice way to occupy a chilly Melbourne Saturday afternoon. 

Today, Sunday, I took some very basic photographs so that I could put my greeting cards for sale on my Etsy online store. This also involves writing descriptions  and choosing keyword tags.  I will need to take  better photographs to showcase the cards. But the aim today was just to get them up online.

New Greeting cards

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I am very excited that I have SIX new greeting cards available for purchase. They are printed from my watercolour pencil drawings.

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There are TWO new Christmas cards to join the four that I already have . These two Christmas images were drawn in the last two month, specifically for these Christmas cards. They were drawn on A4 watercolour paper . I tried to think of colourful Christmas themes that fit within my drawing style. I love to draw food and smaller objects. These two were great fun.

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fungi – drawn from fungi on small branches collected in Toowoomba

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Squirrel – Drawn from one of many photographs I took of squirrels in Kensington Gardens in London.

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Drawn from old keys that I have collected over the years,

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Old Law books on the shelves at work.

I have been working on this project for about two months. Four of the drawings are from my  sketchbooks over the last few years. It took a long time to decide which drawings would look good on cards and appeal to other people. Just because a drawing looks good, doesn’t mean that it will make a good card.

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The excitement of taking delivery and unpacking my new cards

Once again, my local printers Print Together, have reproduced the subtle colours and lines of watercolour pencils. The cards were delivered last Wednesday and I have spent the last few days, putting envelopes inside them and sealing each one in a cellobag. Yesterday I started to take photographs of the cards to put up on my Etsy online store. It was a lovely sunny day, so I went to the park.

They are now available for purchase from my Etsy online store for $AUD 5.50.

MRBW Day 9

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Melbourne Rare Book “Week” actually goes for 11 days, culminating this weekend in the  ANZAAB Australian Antiquarian Book Fair (Melbourne Rare Book Fair), held in the University of Melbourne’s historic Wilson Hall.

I am flying to Manchester for the Urban Sketching Symposium tomorrow and will miss the two days of the Rare Book Fair.

Today I sketched at two events.

ARTISTS BOOKS: A ‘QUINTESSENTIAL’ ART FORM

State Library Victoria

Des Cowley

22Jul2016 MRBW Day 9am

Despite there being no agreed definition of what an artist book is, it is generally defined as a book made by an artist and intended as a work of art. This session looked at a selection of books made by artists, drawing from State Library Victoria’s collection of over one thousand artists’ books

LEGAL LUMINARIES AND THEIR BOOKS

Law Library of Victoria

The Law Library of Victoria brought together eminent members of the legal community to share their passion for books. Held in the iconic Supreme Court Library, the session celebrated the importance of the written word and the beauty of the book in people’s lives.

 22Jul2016 MRBW Day 9pm

It seemed very fitting for my final sketching session documenting Melbourne Rare Book Week events was held in my workplace, the Supreme Court Library. I have sketched in the library in the past. But they are more detailed studied drawings of the books, shelves and ladders of this beautiful space. They are available as Greeting cards from my Esty online store (I am away until 17 August and will take orders after then) or at stockists around Melbourne

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The past 9 days have been a wonderful experience for me, as a sketcher and book lover. I have met an amazing array of people who are passionate and generous in sharing their knowledge of their specialist area of books. Thanks to everyone who has discovered and followed my blog, some who have introduced themselves to me at events. A special thank you to Kay Craddock, Chris Browne and the people who worked so hard to produce this event. It was humbling and exciting to be involved.  See you all next year.

counting down to travel and MRBW

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The countdown is really on to two BIG events for me. Melbourne Rare Book Week in two weeks and UK holiday in three weeks.

Here is an update.

HOLIDAY

Three weeks to go ’til we leave on holidays to the UK – here is this weeks envelope to Mum. I a not at prolific this year and have forgotten to scan them before I send them !. Here are lots from  last holiday three years ago  to the UK.21Jun16 squirrel envelope

MELBOURNE RARE BOOK WEEK  – PART 1 – Sketching

As I have described previously I am going to be sketching the events of Melbourne Rare Book Week. They will be quick sketches in pen, maybe adding a splash of colour. I plan to combine these with some sketches of the buildings or room they are held in to provide context, interest and colour. Yesterday I spent time at the beautiful State Library of Victoria (after dropping some of my greeting cards off at  Readings bookshop – they reordered ! Hooray. But that’s another story) .

Five talks are being held there in two different rooms at State Library of Victoria. I could only gain access to one room yesterday – The Red Rotunda. I sketched from two angles – both sketches are very heavy handed, but they give an idea of the room. I may go back and redo these.

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MELBOURNE RARE BOOK WEEK – PART 2 –  Exhibition

The other part of my involvement in Melbourne Rare Book Week is my exhibition “You Can’t Draw in Books?” at Melbourne City Library. Yesterday I met with one of the Library staff to look at the practicalities of the display. We tried to find display stands to suit the various book sizes and see how they would look in the different areas of the library.

photo 2photo 3photo 1 Life is very busy and exciting !

reusing sketches

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A short and simple blog post this week.

31Mar16 Birthday card

It is my nephews 10th birthday .  He lives in another state and  I have been disorganised and ran out of time. I bought a last minute present ( which he loved) and made a last minute birthday card. Usually I like to draw a customised birthday card, that includes something that the person likes or includes an interest they have . This time I used a sketch I had created a few years ago, printed it onto card and added a little extra to make it birthday card.

Below is the original, sketched in Sydney at the Australian Museum in 2011. (in two scans because it was over two pages)

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Something serious and sensible and scientific , suddenly become a little bit silly.

My cards at State Library of Victoria

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The last few weeks have involved some very exciting events for me and my art.
My greeting cards are now for sale at The State Library of Victoria at Readings Bookshop and the Law Institute of Victoria Bookshop.

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my cards are all along the top row and the first three on the left on the second row

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The greeting cards at State Library of Victoria include my drawings of library books, library ladders, feathers and nests. I visited on Friday to see them  prominently displayed on the shelf and fitting in very nicely in their surroundings. I am slightly overwhelmed and in awe that my cards are being stocked at such a prestigious and historic institution. It is visited by thousands of tourists and locals as it is a  Melbourne landmark and cultural icon.  This is a Very Big Deal for me as this Is my first stockist (apart from  my local corner store).

6Feb2016 SLV

I drew this on the morning that I dropped my cards off at the Library. It is a magnificent 19th-century building .

There is particularly interesting and strong connection between the State Library of Victoria and the Supreme Court of Victoria Library (where I work and whose books and library ladders feature on my cards).

25Feb16 statue

Statue of Sir Redmond Barry ,outside of the State Library of Victoria

Sir Redmond Barry, KCMG, QC (1813 – 1880), was a colonial judge in Victoria, Australia. He is a leading figure in Melbourne’s history. Amongst many other things he established the Library of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1851, The current building, with its magnificent dome was completed in 1884 . In 1854 he established the Melbourne Public Library, now the State Library Victoria. It is Australia’s oldest public library and one of the first free public libraries in the world (and also has a dome).

In a second event my Library and book greeting cards are also going to be available for purchase at the Law Institute of Victoria bookshop. This is another area of great potential . There are 20 000 solicitors in Victoria and this is their member organisation and bookshop. I had a wonderful discussion with the manager and have many ideas for new drawing projects.

Of course, you can buy my greeting cards  from my online Etsy shop .

My Christmas cards are available

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Christmas is coming. The countdown is on. I have four Christmas cards for sale in my Etsy online shop!

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This card is not Christmas specific and could be given at any time of the year

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I chose four watercolour pencil drawings which I drew over the past few years. In the past I have photocopied and printed these drawings and given these to friends and family. This year I decided to have them professionally printed by my Melbourne printer and add them to my growing range of cards.

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This card is not Christmas specific and could be given at any time of the year

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Of course you could give the gift of cards and purchase a selection of my other cards of feathers ,nests, books and library shelves !

All of my Greeting cards are printed on 300 gsm Cream card

Size 130mm x 180mm (5 1/4 x 7 1/4 inch)

and come with an envelope in a sealed clear cellophane bag.

The card is blank inside, so you can write a long, inspired message or a simple, short note.

 

 

my first markets

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This weekend was my first time of selling my greeting cards at markets.

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It was a very low key entry as it was a fundraiser for a local church’s Community Pop Up Preloved Markets. A neighbour offered some space at the end of her table and I helped sell her jewellery as well. We were one of more than 30 stalls in the church hall and around the grounds. There was a steady stream of people from the moment we started to set up at about 9.00am ‘til about 3.30pm.

I had no expectations, so was pleased to sell 15 cards.

More importantly were the conversations I had and the people I met.

It was a chance to meet other locals (I have been in Melbourne for a year) and to get to put names to some familiar faces.

I met:

  • someone who lived in my apartment block in the 1960’s and whose daughter has just moved to my home town in Queensland
  • a barrister who uses the library (Supreme Court Library of Victoria) which features in my drawings. It was lovely and surreal to meet someone who has actually been there, and probably knows it better than I do
  • someone who would like to commission me to draw a car
  • a lady whose son studies birds and may help me to identify the birds nests I have been drawing
  • a few people who said ‘you’re the lady with the library display’. So nice they saw the display I have in our local library this month of my sketchbooks (and in August of my drawings and cards)  and connected me with that

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I learnt a lot about having a market stall. I had about a week to organise this and had great display ideas which I did not have the time to put together. It  was a good experience for a future craft/artisan market I hope to have a stall at early next year.

A wonderful but tiring day and I slept well last night !