2011: The conclusion

2011 is coming to its end and its time to look back at what was done this year.

Well, actually it is the conclusion of the last four months of activity since it was only in September that I was able to let go of everything that kept me busy from becoming an illustrator that I want to be.
Since then - it became a full speed ride.

This September I set up some goals for the end of the year and here's the result:

The do's:

1. I finished my Graphic Design course which I started in March.

2. I promised to draw at least 10 sketches per day – and I’m proud to say: Check!

3. I decided to blog every single week with reports of my progress - Done! Sometimes I even blog twice a week.

4. I've enlarged my Zazzle Graphiking giftshop from 800 items to almost 2000.

5. I promised to myself to add 20 illustrations to my ShutterStock gallery - And I did!!! 21, to be exact, and that's the one I'm really proud of!!!

6. I managed to enlarge my Adsense income - it's still a cent here and a cent there, but it's an EVERYDAY cent! Which is better than nothing!!

7. I am able to create a greeting card in an hour now - and this is a real achievement!

8. I work with my Keywords ALL THE TIME, I love this system and I really advise you to try it. It’s really helpful.

The Don'ts:

1. I don't do the 5, 10, 15 minute exercise and I should, at least once a week.

2. I abandoned my SEO education, so I must start reading more.

3. I didn't manage to enlarge my blog traffic but I did manage to stabilize, and I don't intend to stop there.

From the look on it, it seems that I did more than I didn't. Good for me!

New Year’s plan is on its way.

Have a great year!!!

Daynix Hanukkah card

A few days ago I've designed this Hanukkah card for  Daynix Computing Ltd.

Daynix is a software company I've been working with for some time now doing some general branding for them, including some occasional illustration like invitations and greeting cards.

Beside the fact that I really like this card I must admit that it's some kind of mile stone for me. This card is my fastest work ever; it was created in only 1 hour. I guess that I've been working really intensively lately if I was able to create something that quickly. Like my mom said: "You're gaining some experience".

I hope youre enjoining this holiday season.

I know I do.

Happy Hanukkah!!!

It is December 21st here in Israel and Hanukkah holidays have just began. The Sufganuyot and Hanukkah candles are being sold in shops for many days now, and the first candle was lit last night.

I wish you all a great and tasty Hanukkah, have fun with your kids and watch your diet.

Till the next time!

Hannuka items

As you well know, Hanukkah is not just about dreidel and lights, it’s about yummy food and giving presents. All kids expect some cash from their grand parents and for some yummy latkes and donuts. It’s about celebration miracles and joys.

From the illustrators point of view there are lots and lots of items to refer to and combine one with another.

And since it's impossible to ignore the fact that Hanukkah is so close to Christmas and New year celebrations, it would be too arrogant - i think - to separate the two and not to create some combination, at least via illustrations.

So there are mittens with dreidels, and money with candles, and donuts on snow.

Here are some of my sketches on these themes.

Have a great holiday season!!!

P.S. The higher resolution of the image above can be found in my ShutterStock gallery.

Candle sticks and holidays: Hanukkah menora.

Two of the most used objects of almost any indoors event are candles and candle stick. We use them everywhere, either it's a holiday like New Years Eve, birthday or Hanukkah or a special event like a birthday or a marriage proposal.
In this post I will deal with Hanukkiah, a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day of Hanukkah. One candle for each day of the holiday, while the ninth one - Shamash - is used to lit the other candles.

When creating/using a Hannukiya you should that it should be Kosher, which means all candles should be leveled to one straight line. Shamash is the only candle that sticks out; it should stand a bit higher than the others.

Although when you design, I guess there are no limits to it.

Here are some of my sketches.

Have a great and tasty holiday.

Sketching New Year frames

Just for the fun of it I've been playing with idea of creating some colorful Christmas frames. It was the first time in years that I've used colorful pencils and it was actually much easier to work with color when you know exactly what it’s going to be. But I guess it's just easy with New Year's colors: Green, red and white are the basics and the rest is just your imagination.

So here are some of my frames. These are not fancy sketches but you know, with the right software and other additions it can look simply gorgeous.

Have a great Holiday season!

P.S. Fineshed and high-res illustrations can be found in my ShutterStock galery or in my Graphiking Giftshop.

Festive Hanukkah Illustration

What I really like about working with keywords is that its simply generates brainstorming. So what happens is just some of the sketches just "happen". I mean, I know its not something that "just happens", but I guess it's not something that I personally would "just" think about! Ive been working lately on Hanukkah illustrations and used some traditional Jewish symbolics for that matter, combining with all the celebrations around.

This image is one of these "accsidental" illustartions that "happened" a few days ago, and I can honestly say that I'm pretty happy with it.

New Year candle with a scarf

It Is really cold outside now so there's no better time to start working on some winter illustrations.

A few days ago I took my New Year keyword plastic bag and pulled some notes out of it.

I got Candle and Earmuffs.
And immideately this punk was created.






I thought it was too agressive for New year illustration and drew anther one. I looked at it and realised that there was something missing. So I added a pair of mittens beside it.

And then I thought again and realised that if I have a candle with a pair of mittens, why not create a candle with a scarf? So this sketch was made.

Naturally - at least in this case- I've decided to create a whole series of candles with differentely tied scarfs. For a reference I used this cool 25 ways to wear a scarf video, so thanks, Wendy :)

It was a very fun exercise wich gave me a whole lot of ideas for illustration, I mean we do wear lots of different clothes during the year, so why not use it?

You can see this illustration in use in my Zazzle store and my ShutterStock gallery .

I hope you enjoyed this post.

Have a great holiday season,

D.