from idea to art...

Just for fun, I thought I would share a little of my process on the most recent art print that I completed for my shop.

I have often been asked where my ideas come from when creating my art. My ideas mostly come from life...just every day occurrences or thoughts or experiences. Every artist's process is unique but mine often starts with a sketch. This sketch is often done in my sketchbook and then other times it may occur on a napkin at lunch or sometimes it will even come about in the middle of the night and then I have to get up and write it down so I don't forget it before I wake the next morning.

Here is the rough sketch from my sketch book where the idea was born for the Giraffe print late one evening right before bedtime. As you see...it is VERY rough but from here I scanned in this rough and revised and revised using my Cintiq.

 

After I get the revisions to my liking, I then print out the revised sketch directly onto watercolor paper. After that I paint traditionally using Winsor & Newton paints and paper.

And voilà! :)

I am offering this art print in 3 sizes. The largest size is of course, my favorite. :)

A short break..possibly a new art print?

Even though I am busy, busy, busy working on painting my illustrations for a new children's book for Tyndale House publishers,(more on that later when it's ok to share) I just needed a short break just to paint something for fun. It helps keep me loose and motivated when working on a project.

It's not finished...still adding the giraffe's spots but I might end up offering this one for a new print in my shop. Should I? What do you all think?

Sign up for my newsletter!

I have decided to start a newsletter for my wonderful customers who want to stay updated any time I am having a new sale or adding new art to my shop.

Just sign up here and receive 25% off your next purchase!

My art has gone global! :)

As many of you know by now, I opened my Etsy shop in May 2012 where I am selling some of my art prints and once in awhile I will even sell an original, although those are very tough for me to let go of. My art is such a part of me, it's like losing a part of myslef...yikes! BUT, I know, eventually I will get the hang of it. ;)

I am SO excited about the fact that my artwork now hangs on walls all across the globe. My husband and I recently did something fun and marked all of the locations where my art now resides on a world map. Most of my sales have been to the US but I have also had some success in Australia and Europe, too and even one sale to Taipei City, Taiwan!

I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of those kind folks who have supported my shop!

Here's to a new year of many more map pins marking new homes for my art!

For the whole month of January I am offering 20 percent off on everything in the shop! Coupon code: JAN20

4 NEW stamps at Unity Stamp Co!

Happy New Year!!

What a year!! 2012 will go down as a year of awesomeness!! :)

• I turned 50 in March.
• I opened my Etsy Shop in May.
• Our daughter got married in late June.
• My husband retired in July.

That's only some of the awesomeness that took place but I want to keep this short so...

Happy 2013! May it be another year of wonderful blessings for everyone!

Merry Christmas!!

Coloring pages from some of my sweet readers

I recently did a book signing and passed out some coloring pages for the new release of ON CHRISTMAS DAY. Here are just a few of my talented readers pages! They did such a GREAT job!!!!

I won!!!!!!!!!!

My Etsy shop, Phyllis Harris Designs was recently awarded the 2012 Red Tricycle Award for Most Awesome Wonderful Wall Art & Accessories! So exciting!!!!

THANK YOU to ALL of you who voted!!! Here's what I won...
Winners will be:
*Announced in a dedicated email to Red Tricycle's entire mailing list, reaching out to 500K+ parents
*Promoted by Red Tricycle's partners
*Listed on Red Tricycle's website for a year

Did you know my shop has jewelry?

Did you know my Etsy shop has jewelry? I found a GREAT model to help me out with my photo shoot! What do you think?

NOTE: These necklaces are NOT intended to be worn by dogs but I couldn't resist and Cassie was a GREAT model. (And yes, she got a BIG treat for being so cooperative!) Cassie's not just another blonde supermodel. ;)

Book Signing

Made right here in the USA! - Making Unity Stamps

Here is a fun video of how the folks at Unity Stamp Company make their stamps. I have had the honor of creating designs for these fun folks for over a year now and they are simply the BEST!!

If you watch closely, you will see some of my very own Phyllis Harris stamps being shown! How fun is that?! :)

New Art and Book signings

I am constantly adding new art to my Etsy store so keep checking back. Here is a recent piece I added. Oh and btw, most of my art is customizable! If you see a piece you love but it has the wrong hair color for your personal preference...PLEASE convo me and most likely I can accommodate you. Or maybe you would like to add a name or text? Just ask...

Ok, now onto book signings info! :)

I have two book signing scheduled for the book I illustrated, ON CHRISTMAS DAY so if you are close by either one I would LOVE to see you! 

Thursday, November 8, 2012

J.E. Dickerson's at the Fairlawn Plaza Mall's

50th Anniversary Party

 5:30-8pm

5331 SW 22nd Pl. 

Topeka, KS 66614 

and

Saturday, December 1, 2012 

KD's BOOKS 

241 S.E. Main

Lees Summit, MO 64063

1-3 pm

Happy Halloween and hurry...free shipping!

Happy Halloween everyone!! There are less than 12 hours left to take advantage of FREE SHIPPING in my Etsy shop so hurry!

OOPS! Almost forgot to include the coupon code: (FBFREESHIP) domestic shipping only. Just enter the code at checkout. Offer good until midnight, Oct. 31, 2012 - CST.

A good mail day! :)

I worked on a wonderful book over the past year and I just got my copies in the mail. Yay!! I think it will be  a wonderful tool for grandparents. It is called THE GRAMMIE GUIDE. To get more info and ordering info check out their website.

I am a finalist!! Wahoooo!!

I am sooooo honored and excited!!

My Etsy shop, Phyllis Harris Designs has been selected as one of the finalists in the MostAwesome Wonderful Wall Art & Accessories category in the 2012 Red Tricycle’s Totally Awesome Awards. Over 15,000 nominations were cast by moms and dads over a two-week period and the results are in – and Phyllis Harris Designs is a finalist!


The voting period runs for the next seven weeks, from October 14 - November 30 and the business with the most votes in each category will be selected as the winner (Most Awesome!). All voters are entered to win some great prizes and the votes will be limited to one vote per user for each award, so be sure to tell your friends!

I would be honored if you would vote for Phyllis Harris Designs. Just click here and check Phyllis Harris Designs to vote. Votes are limited to one vote per user for each award so be sure to tell your friends!

Looking for a unique Christmas gift?

I had the great honor and privilege to recently illustrate the words of the late and amazing Margaret Wise Brown, the author of Goodnight Moon. This is a brand new Christmas book, ON CHRISTMAS DAY, just released for the upcoming 2012 holiday season. (since this is just newly released, this is the first edition)

I am now offering a fine art print of the original illustration of the cover of this book PLUS a signed copy of the book, ON CHRISTMAS DAY as a gift set. Perfect for that unique Christmas gift for a child OR adult!(I LOVE collecting kid's books, too!)

For more info go here.

It arrived!

My comp copies of On Christmas Day finally arrived!!  It is always such a rush to open that cardboard box whenever a new book that I have illustrated arrives. After many hours of labor and love and then LOTS of waiting...the UPS man drops it on the porch! Wahoo!

For the back story on this book check out this blog entry. To see some of the interiors look here and to order it, here! :)

Stay tuned for local book signings!!

 

Winner of the Halloween Giveaway is...

Thank you all who entered! :) We have a winner...Laura Jacobsen! Congrats, Laura! Please send your snail mail address to phyllis@phyllisharris.com so I can send it to you.

Brand New Unity Stamp release and 52% off!

Get all of the newly released stamps while they are 52% off! Lot's of the Phyllis Harris stamps are on sale but the new releases are 52% off! To check it out for yourself...just click on the banner. :)