Adobe Illustrator Homework

This semester, I decided to take an Adobe Illustrator eCourse through a local college in Sacramento.  So glad I did, here are a couple of samples of my homework projects.

First project was to take a TV or video remote and recreate it to be as realistic as possible.  I did show it early in the semester, but I like what I created:

rasterized AI file for class

Next project was to take an interior image from a magazine and recreate it using certain color pathways and lighting.  Here is what I turned in:

class project by Carla Barrett

The most recent project is a package redesign- where we had to search for a grocery store product in need of a design overhaul.  Here is my label for this beef product:

Personally, I like the white/blue ribbon in the product logo I made.  The cow art is also mine; here is a close up of this white-faced hereford:

AI art by Carla Barrett

Taking a class like this is great!  It stretches your skills, challenges you to try something new, plus I love to design.

Of course, if it were up to me, I love the first cow I drew for this project  (see below), then decided it was too un-sophisicated for a product design.  Still, it would make a terrific Carla quilting design:

Copyright design by Carla Barrett

Can you say Moo?

 

Cartoon Caption Contest

I do have to say, it was a very hard decision to pick a winner as there were some great captions.  To refresh your memory, I drew a rough cartoon sketch, and had Blog and Facebook friends suggest funny captions.

The winner gets a cartoon ready to frame, once I redraw my final version with their caption.  Here is the cartoon:

cartoon by Carla Barrett

And the winner is…….

Karen Griska from The Selvage Blog!!!  Her winning caption was very quirky, just like my humor:  “Fired from her job as a one-armed paper-hanger, Mary gives rotary cutting a try.”   Well done, Karen!!

I confess to laughing when I read that one!  I even ran it by my local quilt store owner- who has an even quirkier sense of humor than I do.  He laughed, too!  He did edit Karen’s winning caption by taking off the “wall” before the “paper-hanger” as it does flow better.

Karen, will contact you for your address.  I may even have a little fun when I redraw the cartoon and personalize it for you. 

New Cartoon

Have been in a drawing mood of late- and I decided that I had to draw up this cartoon to express the feeling behind why quilters quilt:

cartoon by Carla Barrett

Does anyone relate to this sentiment? 

Hugs from Carla

Stash Cartoon

I decided to redraw my preliminary cartoon, titled “Fabric Stash.”  I will often do a rough sketch, then later come back and draw it again until I am happy with it.   The inspiration for this cartoon is pretty obvious- poking fun at the notion of quilters having “large stashes” of fabric.

Cartoon by Carla Barrett

Lots of drawing lately, and quilting away.  I just finished piecing together my selvage quilt.  I plan to load it next and quilt it.

Take care!  Carla

Ho Ho HO Merry Christmas!

My Christmas card for 2011 is “rebus” style.  The above digital art gives a nod to Suzette from my old paper arts and rubber stamp days.

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas, or Happy Hanukkah, depending on your faith.   I do hope you will take the time to share one thing you are grateful for this holiday season.  I am off to wrap presents for my darling grandchildren, Jack, Kate and Ethan.  I am so blessed by them, they bring so much joy to Joe and I’s lives!  Peace and Love to you and your families!

Carla’s Free Blog Giveaway!

Having reached the first 1 Million visitors to Feathered Fibers earlier this year, I wanted to offer a free blog  giveaway.  Not only a giveaway, but a custom giveaway!  The winner will have their choice of one of the following, created just for them by me!

Prize Option 1: Peyote Bracelet- you pick the main color!  Here is an example:

or, Prize Option 2: Freeform scarf or bowl- again, you pick the main color!  See examples below:

        

or, Prize Option 3: Custom cartoon- created for you, matted and ready for a 8×10 frame!

or, Prize Option 4: Freeform Beaded Necklace- you choose the main color!  Below are examples of a freeform necklace and a freeform beaded pendant.

 

Entering this Free Giveaway is easy as 1-2-3 :

1. Post a comment under this blog post if you are entering (so I may keep track of  your entry) Share what prize you would want if you win?  If you want, you can copy any photos of the prizes if you would like to share them on your blog. Be sure to leave me your blog address, so I may verify that you followed my 1-2-3 rules.

2. Post a link back to my blog at either http://featheredfibers.wordpress.com or http://www.carlabarrett.com using my birdie art (below):

  (to copy, just right click and save as)

3. Last step- Post on your blog that Carla Barrett is having a free blog giveaway  and that Carla is holding another Quilt Whisperer Class on January 9, 2012, a creative class on quilting design for all levels of quilters.

That’s all you need to do to enter!  I get some exposure for my blog and class- and you may win a custom prize!  Contest ends on noon (PST) January 7, 2012, and the winner will be decided by a random number generator and immediately notified.  I will also announce the winner on my blog here, too.

Please note that the winning item selected will be made custom, so obviously, it will take me time to create. I do promise to be as timely as possible.

Good luck to you all!

Happy Holidays from Carla

Another Cartoon

A non-chicken cartoon- this cartoon was inspired when I drove by a tattoo place in a local town.  I started thinking about what if a young quilter (yes, they do exist!) got a quilting motif tattoo, then you were to fast forward to 40 years later.  LOL!

Any thoughts?  Cheers, Carla

Happy Halloween

Time of the year to share a Halloween cartoon.  This one was drawn a few years ago, maybe I will draw a new one this year.   Look Ma- no copyright watermark on this cartoon either.  Feel free to share it on your blog, just provide a link back to my blog in exchange:

I am happy to report that I finished my freeform beaded pendant yesterday, and now I am beading a strap to match.  I like how it is turning out.

Enjoy your day!  Carla

Embroidered Cartoon

Good Day!  I thought I would share an embroidered cartoon that Vicki Freeman completed.  Vicki has a website called Sassypacks.com and a blog of the same name.

What makes this embroidery special?  I will let you see for yourself:

Anyone notice my cartoon in the above picture? The name of this cartoon is “Slimy Machine Quilting Pickup Lines.”  LOL

Vicki wanted to do this embroidery and so she contacted me to obtain my permission.  I thought her project sounded fun, so I said yes.  Thanks, Vicki, for sending me a picture!  Fun project!  LOL

Hugs, Carla

Sketches and Dresses

Thanks for all the comments regarding my last post about copyright and people who help themselves to my art work  This does tell me that people like my work, perhaps I should offer them for sale as cards, framed art, calendar, etc.?

Here is a quick sketch that I do not mind anyone “borrowing.”  LOL

Some days, I just have to draw, you know?

Creative wise, I think I will design a dress for my granddaughter, Kate.  My dear daughter-in-law showed me a pillowcase dress she was thinking of making, but I think I can improve on the pattern and make my own variation.  Here is my sketch:

So that means I need some new fabric.  I have a huge fabric stash, but I can’t bring myself to use fabric from the stash.  After all, what if I need them for something else- like a quilt?  LOL  Does anyone else think this way?

If my Kate dress comes out cute, I will write a tutorial.  I haven’t written a tutorial in awhile, so I guess it is time.  Off to the fabric store now!