Etti The Yeti!!!

      Santa’s Surprise Book by Joan Potter Elwart with illustrations by Florence Sarah Winship from 1966 is a chief source of inspiration for my new illustration of a character I’ve dubbed Etti the Yeti.  Other sources such as James P. Sullivan from Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. have also provided influence on her design.  This work was also my first solid opportunity to utilize a custom brush I created in Procreate Pocket now dubbed ‘cottonsandy’ for it’s sandy movement and similarity to cotton candy. This was the primary tool I used to paint Etti. 

     Seeing how well the music I used to promote TREAT HOUSE went over, I thought it might be worth exploring and developing a little song for Etti. The song evolved alongside the development of the character and I’ve now decided that Etti was born Elizabeth, and through a cycle of Bess, Bet, and Betty stayed there a while til she tried spaghetti for the first time immediately falling in love.  She then became Bettie Spaghetti which was shortened to Betti Sketti and finally landed on Etti.  Here are the lyrics set to, and heavily influenced by, James Taylor's Jelly Man Kelly.

Here’s a story bout Etti the Yeti.

She loves ‘sketti the most.
Yeah, but most of all
Etti the Yeti loves her ‘sketti with sauce.

So, Etti, putchur ‘sketti on
Getchur sauce ready
Getta strawberry milkshake for the side.

That yeti ‘sketti ready?

Fetta betta then a chedda,

But a parm’ll take it up another notch.

Ohhhhh, getchur ‘sketti ready, Etti,
Getchur ‘sketti ready, Etti,
Witchur sauce.

Yes’m,

Ohhhhh, getchur ‘sketti ready, Etti,
Witchur strawbbleberry milkshake

Like a boss.

The strawberry milkshake came from a discussion I'd had with a friend about having desserts along side a meal and I also thought perhaps yeti's may be more inclined to cozy up with something cold to drink over something warm.  Following is the time-lapse of the creation of Etti wherein I was able to use, for the first time, my own custom designed brush in Procreate Pocket that I named cottonsandy- sandy for how it moves and the fact it looks like cotton candy.  Etti herself was painted almost entirely with it!  Also, while it was rather hastily done, the music, originally utilized for a shorter WIP (work in progress) posted over a week ago on Instagram and Facebook, has been polished a bit- tweaking/finishing up the lyrics and sung in three part harmony by yours truly.

  The design is now available for purchase on about 30 products in my shop at laurabmakesart.threadless.com.

Here We Come A-Scaroling

 To say nothing for my skill, or lack thereof, in musical notation and my limited understanding of it, several years back I was inspired in concept by my brother-in-law Tony’s, and I believe my sister Libby’s, concept of scaroling. (Scaroling being the holiday of Halloween’s version of caroling.) This in conjunction with an affinity with the idea of penning a carol and sending it to loved ones as a seasonal greeting a la Alfred Burt goosed me into taking an existing carol, Here We Come A-Caroling aka The Wassail Song, shifting it to a minor key, and setting new, holiday-appropriate lyrics to it for distribution to friends and family.

Sadly, it hasn’t ever been performed.. until now! It occurred to me recently it would be remiss to let it continue languishing when it may still be of some value. So I strapped on my performer/producer suspenders, such that they are, and went about knocking out a recording. I doubled all four voices for a fuller sound and raised the bass line up to accommodate my range. I also added some echoiness to punch up the spooky factor. 

Here is the original final I delivered to folks.

And here is a hard copy I rewrote with revisions for recording. There are at least several flaws in both.

To listen for yourself on Soundcloud click HERE.

I hope you enjoy the results. I’m fairly pleased myself.

New Shop Merch!!!

 This just in: WE GOT NEW MERCH!!!!!!!!!!

Just a smattering of the new merch available at laurabmakesart.threadless.com .

We got BROOMSQUATTERS, SKULLBERRY, BOOBERRY, and SLURPASAURUS REX!

Check out the various items wearing these images:

TREAT HOUSE De-but!!!

 Here it is!  The moment you’ve all been waiting for!! From early sketch to full render time-lapse video and final work, here is my newest, latest, hot-off-the-presses pitcher-ooni!!!!! I give you:  TREAT HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Now available for purchase through laurabmakesart.threadless.com !!!

 I wanted to make an image that expressed the joy I get celebrating the place where the divine magical mysterious meets the profane.  It’s one of my favorite yearly experiences and a fabulous opportunity to express creativity and share it with loved ones and a variety of communities.  

I hope my picture conjures at least a bubbling of that same joy for you! 🎃💀✨

The DECKED Event, A New Work Announcement, and Some Lil Animations!!!

 Such excitement!!! 

On top of the DECKED event being a success:

found some scapes by Nathaniel Flanagan!

the signed ‘thank-you deck’ for Tony Hawk

‘Ollie Pops’ on the wall

live painting past the velvet rope entrance

some beautiful work

the exterior DECKED chalk signage

great gallery space with artist Tony Lipps! making an appearance, and a band in back

skaters doing trick work out front

checking out my favorite discovery in the show: fiber art chucks ^__^

… the DECKED show’s been extended through the 9th to be on display during the fall/Halloween festival, Operation Pumpkin, taking place just outside on High St. that weekend!

In addition I’ve just released my celebratory holiday work in my threadless shop: laurabmakesart.threadless.com !

It’s called TREAT HOUSE and is an expression of some of what i love about Halloween.  Pictures to follow in the next post!

Also made a celebratory lil animation to ring in the season with (a minored version of ‘The Wassail Song/ Here We Come A-Caroling’) ‘Here We Come A-Scaroling’ hummed over top, and a Who-Dey gif to celebrate the first win of the season and promote the COOL CAT design!

OLLIE POPS

This is it!  This design for DECKED is my submission printed on a 8 1/4" popsicle deck and currently on display as of TODAY through the 1st of October at Hamilton, Ohio's The Strauss Gallery.  This work is a riff off skate terminology, specifically the popsicle board shape and ollie trick. Its title, OLLIE POPS, is the punch line to the joke on the popsicle's stick. Very straightforward. The concept and outcome just appeal to me.

Do You Like Skate Arts?

 Here it is!  The deets for DECKED- The Strauss Gallery's largest show to date!  It's an art exhibition centered around skate culture in which I have the pleasure to participate with SO MANY talented artists, showing my specially designed board inspired by skate lingo.

I'll share more on the board next post, but for now please feel free to check out The Strauss Gallery's Facebook Page for all up-to-date show information!