Craftside

Wild lobster image and poster from the Marine Animals Book and CD

I thought I'd share some fun summer-themed clip art and a poster design today from the Marine Animals Book and CD: Make Thousands of Customized Graphics from 100 Image Templates.

Download these images of a lobster and lobster cracker to use in your art and design.

Here is a poster design that is included in the Marine Animals Book and CD that uses these two images:

If you like working with all sorts of different styles of marine themed clip art, you will love all the images in the book and CD:

Marine Animals Book and CD:

Make Thousands of Customized Graphics from 100 Image Templates

By

ricorico

This collection of usable artwork for designers and artists features 100 thematic illustrations in popular categories to use freely to enhance and supplement your own work. This book offers modern and unique illustrations in themes that are current for today’s artists. It's the perfect book for anyone wanting imagery for cards, t-shirts, journals arts, posters, advertisements, party decorations, and more.

ricorico is a Tokyo-based book packaging company established in 2009. They have been actively producing books in the areas of graphic design, photography, craft, pop culture, and manga.

 

The parts of type from the book Design Elements, Typography Fundamentals

Today's creative prompt comes from the book Design Elements, Typography Fundamentals: A Graphic Style Manual for Understanding How Typography Affects Design. It's no secret that I am a font junkie. I write a quote every day (or at least try to) based on a different lettering style or element. I used this page that explains and defines the different parts of type as my inspiration. Give it a try!

Click on this page from Design Elements, Typography Fundamentals to enlarge and learn all the terms for the different parts of type. (And try writing a quote or journal using one of the elements of the type in your hand lettering!)

I went a little over-the-top in the serif department for my quote, along with a rather extreme "bowl" of the lower case "a," and the spine of the "s" was my starting point for that letter.

I was using the uppercase "E" as my main prompt inspiration as far as the extreme serif action. I also like writing one letter backward. I just kinda like doing that. :)

More about the Rockport design book:

Design Elements, Typography Fundamentals
A Graphic Style Manual for Understanding How Typography Affects Design

by

Kristin Cullen

Explore the fundamentals of typography with this practical new guide. An instructional reader rather than historical survey, Design Elements, Typography Fundamentals uses well-founded, guiding principles to teach the language of type and how to use it capably. Designers are left with a solid ground on which to design with type. Limitless potential for meaningful and creative communication exists—this is the field guide for the journey!

Kristin Cullen is a graphic designer, author, and educator. Her work has appeared in national and international exhibitions, as well as publications, which include Graphis Poster Annual, Graphic Design USA, American Corporate Identity, and Print. She lives in Cincinnati, OH. Visit her online at http://www.kristincullen.com.

    

No "June Gloom" allowed with all the craftasticness goin' on around here

Here in SoCal, June days start off overcast and gloomy. For us sun lovers, it can be quite the downer. And what better way to combat the doldrums than to make something fun?! Here is a bunch of creativity that will surely turn that frown upside down!

RockPaperInk.com
This super cute video lends insight into English spelling!

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi and her readers received some very wise advice about being a full-time mixed media artist.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Learn how to use numbers as a collage topic in an altered book.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Yay! Eileen has her first Card Party submissions. Come see and join the fun.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy has a new and dangerous love: baby alpaca yarn.

Cherie Burbach
Cherie has new paintings that use lines of her poetry.

Carmi's Art/Life World
A "Frida in felt" purchase renews Carmi's faith in Etsy!

Aileen's Musings
Aileen continues her Junque Journal Journey, showing you how she created two more backgrounds in her journal.

About Family Crafts
Not only can you check out an assortment of shrink plastic crafts, you can also participate in a new craft challenge all about the beach!

    

Cow and flower vase by Jet Mous featured in the book The Design Entrepreneur

I just love, love, love this vase featured in the book The Design Entrepreneur: Turning Graphic Design Into Goods That Sell! Why? Because I think it's the epitome of combining unusual elements and making something new, which is pretty much my favorite thing. The designer Jet Mous took what looks like ceramic cows that look very close to the country-style creamers you see and popped them on the sides of a modern-shaped vase. Juxtaposing at its finest!

More about the super inspiring book:

The Design Entrepreneur: Turning Graphic Design Into Goods That Sell

by

Steven Heller

Lita Talarico

Whether personal or collective, drive is the common denominator of all entrepreneurial pursuit; of course, then comes the brilliant idea; and finally the fervent wherewithal to make and market the result. The Design Entrepreneur is the first book to survey this new field and showcase the innovators who are creating everything from books to furniture, clothes to magazines, plates to surfboards, and more. Through case studies with designers like Dave Eggers, Maira Kalman, Charles Spencer Anderson, Seymour Chwast, Jet Mous, Nicholas Callaway, Jordi Duró, and over 30 more from the United States and Europe, this book explores the whys, hows, and wherefores of the conception and production processes. The design entrepreneur must take the leap away from the safety of the traditional designer role into the precarious territory where the public decides what works and what doesn’t. This is the book that shows how that is accomplished.

   

CRAFTED in the port of Los Angeles: Call for Vendors

Happy Monday! Did you all enjoy playing "Irish" this past weekend and get your "green" on? I sure did.

In addition to some fab crafty links, I want to share with you info about this cool opportunity. (Plus, scroll down to see my spin on a classic saying!)

CRAFTED IN THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES CALL FOR VENDORS!

Are you artistic? Crafty? Entrepreneurial? Then they want you!

"CRAFTED AT THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES is an exciting new concept launching this summer in San Pedro, California.  Imagine all of the fun and excitement of an arts and crafts festival. Now imagine it as a PERMANENT showcase of vendors providing happy customers with 52 weekends a year of handmade happiness!  That's right... housed in two charming World War II-era wooden warehouses you will find the best artist, designers, and artisanal food makers that the US of A has to offer!

Right now we’re on the hunt for more craft-artists to get in on the ground floor of this amazing and unique opportunity.  If you make high quality handmade goods right here in America, then we want you!

Sounds like something you’d be into? HURRY! First five applicants to mention the Craftside blog will get a free pack of goodies from some of our amazing CRAFTED vendors who have already gotten on board.

Here are some links to help you answer burning questions:
http://www.craftedportla.com
http://craftedportla.com/FAQ.php
http://craftedportla.com/BRANDS_ON_BOARD.php 

Or you can contact [email protected] for more details."

Now onto crafty goodness:

Mixed Media Artist
Have you ever thought about joining in with the "Take A Stitch Tuesday" challenge?

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Learn how to sew a scrap fabric and recycled tank top dress.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Looking for spring and Easter craft projects? The Artful Crafter has something for everyone!

Aileen's Musings
It's citrus season here in California and Aileen has turned into the Bubba Gump of Lemons! Check out the easy recipe she found for making lemon marmalade and download her free printable label.

And at RockPaperInk there is the video of the story of the famous phrase "Keep Calm and Carry On."

My personal favorite augmentation is the phrase "Keep Calm and Cut On." So I thought I'd make it:

Hey if you like to cut too and haven't gotten yourself in the running for the two big prize packages of Westcott cutting tools and books, pop on back to last Tuesday's post and enter!