need help, having a illustration dilemma

option 1

option 2

I currently working on this week's illustration friday and i have found myself in a illustration dilemma.
I'm doing a little bird and I can figue out which eye fits best
Would you help me and tell me what you think?
I think option 2 fits more with the felling of happiness that i want my bird to have
but I think the bird in option 1 has more character and i like how the black line meets the eye
Any advice?
I'll keep working on it and keep you posted on the results

PaperWings podcast

I have a lots of professional goals... a lot! And when I'm at work as a graphic designer, I often feel that I'm not doing enough to achieve those goals even if I work in a very creative and fun workplace. So to do more and feel inspired to do more, I listen to podcasts while a work. A lot of podcasts. They are not enough podcasts out there about illustration to fill my work week but the new PaperWings podcast is a great addition to the bunch. Created by Chris Oatley ( he also has another great podcast called The Chris Oatley Artcast, check it out) and by Lora Innes, this podcast focuses on helping visual storyteller reach their dreams. It's very well structured and gives great tips on how to organize your time and on what to focus. I really enjoy their list format where they explain the 10 things to keep in mind. They shows on Tips for achieving your dreams and Tips on time management that give out really good advice.

IF: gesture

This week's theme is gesture. I created a while ago a pattern and I thaught it fited the theme perfectly. It deals with hand gesture in a different way. I use this pattern to make envellopes that fited my branding.
You can download them and use them if you wish. Here the link for the pdf version

ps: don't be scared by the google docs preview, the pattern is definetly there when you download and open the enveloppe on your computer

Squid longboard process

I wanted to share with you the creative process behind the squid longboard I created for Amnesia.

I know I love seeing the process behind other illustrator's work, so I taught I would share mine.

This illustration started a simple and quick sketch. I drew the hole thing true to size and trying the place the different elements taking in consideration the chucks placement and the size of the longboard.

Then the sketch was scanned in multiple shots and reworked a bit in photoshop to check that everything was lined up correctly. I then retrace everything in illustrator. I know there's a vectorize command in Illustrator but I don't really trust it for my artwork. It makes to many points. So I retraced everything with the pen tool and added some photo references for elements that the clients ask me to make the background more full.

Then it was time to add the color. Lots of color!

And the final product was done

I'm really happy with the result. It was just so fun to make something real! I hope you like it!

New longboard

I just created a longboard for the compagny Amnesia. They wanted a naval themed longboards for girls. When I saw the shape of the longboard, I just got this idea of a giant squid and immediatly stated drawing it. It turned out really great. It's so fun to work on an actual object.

I know this is a different illustration style from what I usually show on this blog. But I felt that this project needed something different.

For those of you that live in the province of Quebec, the longboard will be available in Amnesia stores really soon at a great prize

Here are some close up of the artwork. The client wanted lot of little details to make the board more fun. It was fun to create the different little faces of the mean fishes

I hope you like it!

Party invitation for my baby girl

I know this isn't really related to illustration but I'm just so happy at the final result of my baby girl birthday invitation.
I create this invitation for her first birthday... can't believe she's already turning one.

This invite just makes me happy, it was so fun to do

Hope you like it

Just won the Art here contest

HI everyone

I just wanted to mention that I am one of the winners of the Art Here contest organized by Newad.
You can check out the other winners at http://www.artici.ca/
There is some amazing art in there.
Thanks Newad for selecting me

Moly x 68

The other day I just wanted to create something. No thinking, no preparing... just draw and create something. So I grab a moly and did an entry. Here is the result. It was really relaxing to just sit and draw without thinking about the piece to much. I have a tendency to over think my project and sometime you just need to do it and stop thinking about it.

ps: You might have notice that karo design is Caro's design. The name change was demanded by a design company based in Vancouver. They have the canadian trademark of the word Karo and by using I was in violation of this trademark... so I have to remove all the karo everywhere. I think at some point I will have to migrate to another domain name too. This is very frustrating but I think trademark laws are important and they are often there to protect creators. Any advice on this whole matter?

Call for submissions

For the past years, my main career as been as a Art director. When I needed to find an illustrator, I always search art reps websites It's ideal for me because I can find many quality illustrators with various styles in one place. Now that I want to become a full time illustrator, I find that promoting myself is the hardest part. A illustrators agency with a rep feels like the perfect solution. But why wait for a rep to come and save me? why not start our own illustrator agency, a sort of collective that aims to promote and help each other in our guest to the perfect illustrator career ? Let's be our own reps!

There will be many pros to this association
- As a group, we can have one website that promotes all our different styles. It will attract more clients looking for illustrators.
- The group would be easier to promote. We could do group mailers and share all our mailing list. Cheaper prices for printing and bigger mailing list
- We could help each other with all the legal stuff and create contracts that fit our needs
- We could do advertising on website together, one agency to push but many illustrators to sell.
- We could help and give each other advices and critiques

What do you think? Interested?
I love this idea and I really want to realize it with an amazing group of illustrators
If you want to join this collective, contact me.
We are currently searching for great illustrators that feel the same way.

Illustration Friday: Chicken

This week illustration friday theme is Chicken
Here is my illustration on the theme... an angry scary rooster!
This creature is based on the french proverb When chickens will have teeth. It's the french equivalent to when pigs fly.
Hope you like it!

Zodiac serie - Aries

Another zodiac sign: Aries
Simple but effectif
Only one more left, Capricorn.... and I'm a little bit stuck with this one. The capricorn is a sea goat. I'm not feeling to inspired by a sea goat. Whatever it's supposed to be. Well let's hope for the best. Sometimes the biggest challenge give the best illustration.

Ape on the moon interview

Happy New Year to everyone!!!
What a year 2010 has been! For me, this past year has been really full of really big ups (like the birth of my daughter) and really big downs. Let's hope that 2011 will fix all my troubles and will be great for you and me.

I wanted to let you know that I have featured on the website Ape on the Moon.
Check out the interview here

thanks Katriona for interviewing me and thanks to Ape on the Moon!

My work space

Recently, Joanna Fallon asked me for a small interview and a photo of my work space.

I taught it would be nice to share the photo of my work space with you. I always enjoy looking at other artist workspace. Makes me feel like a fly on the wall of their studio.

My workspace has been reduce since the arrival of the baby. My office has been transformed into the nursery. In the future, we are suppose to build a mega fantastic studio space in the basement but for now, I have installed my desk in a corner of the baby's room. And it actually works really well for me. Because I can work while the baby plays in her crib. The only problem is that when the baby sleeps, I have no more access to my desk..snif, snif. Well, I guess there are some sacrifice to be made for my beautiful baby girl. I guess I'll keep dreaming of my super basement studio.

Collage images

The other day at the art store I found these amazing collage images and I wanted to shared them with you. Have fun creating some amazing art!

ps: for those living in Quebec, I found these images at Deserres the art store.

zodiac: aquarius

Here is the latest of the zodiac series: Aquarius

2 versions, tell me which one you prefer

only 2 signs left to do... Libra and Capricorn

you can see the rest of the series here

illustration friday: savour

Here is my illustration for this week Illustration Friday. The topic is Savour.
With the holiday season upon us, I was reminded of a traditional Chilean christmas drink: Cola de Mono.
My family is Chilean and every christmas, my aunt makes her traditional Cola de Mono. Mmmm... can't wait to savour this year's ration!
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:

1- Bring to a boil 6 cups of milk, 1 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
2- Dissolve 1/4 cup of instant coffee in the mix
3- Put in the fridge and let it cool down
4- Once cold, add 2 cups of aguardiente
5- serve very cold and enjoy!

By the way, Cola de mono means Monkey tail... I guess it explains the illustration