Graduated.

Had some promotional postcards made from one of my thesis illustrations.

Here are some shots of my thesis bachelor presentation in action as well as me and my work post completion. It's quite wonderful and strange to think that now I have graduated 4 years of college in a foreign country. It feels so good! Time flies. Or rather, as the Chinese would say: Time comes! I am thrilled to find what the future might bring. I wish you all a peaceful and joyful Holiday! God romjul!

Tradition: One inch

"Tradition: One Inch." Mixed media and collage. October 2012 The first thesis illustration I completed. More work from my final semester at PNCA will soon be up. Good night world!

Moodboard: the beginning of thesis

This is one of my early thesis "ideation" moodboards I did in October. Now that my thesis is coming towards an end, it is great to look back at this and see that I stayed true to my original ideas and goals, and discover how much I have learned in the process.

Magnolia Blossom

I made this illustrated recipe for http://www.theydrawandcook.com/ It is my favorite drink. Here's to hoping it will get published in their book. Enjoy!

HOME

This little place I like to call home.

$5 OFF on all products in my store!

Hurry up and get $5 OFF any product from my store! The offer expires at midnight on November 11th. PS: You need to enter through the link below to get the offer. I make the same profit if you buy my product using this offer as I would normally. http://society6.com/learebeccakarlsen?promo=8572ce

Captured summer memories of Sicily

I'm enjoying a good cup of coffee and appreciating my vivid and warm summer memories. Portland just went from fall to cold winter today. In busy days like these it is encouraging to look back at days of discovery, family and fun! These photos are from Cefalu, Sicily. I am not a photographer, I still wanted to share pieces of my amazing trip this past summer. Where ever you are, I hope you'll have a fabulous day!

Cefalu, Sicilia.

More photographs from Cefalu, Sicily.

Captured: a photo marathon!

During these days of wind, rain and darkness (as well as buckets and tons of work) I find great inspiration in looking at the photographs I took last summer. It brings sunshine into my day and makes me smile. Therefore, I have decided to share some of my own favorite photographs from the summer of 2012. I aim to post a few every day of this week. I will start of with the trip I took to Cefalu, Sicily, Italy. For more images of the beautiful Sicilian landscape, check in tomorrow. Let the marathon begin! Ready, set, go.

Grafic portrait. Monotype serving as sketches

These are monotype sketches I did recently. They serve as prep work for my thesis.

The sky above.

Sketchbook collage and painting.

From the edges of fear.

Thesis work in progress. I want to call this personal work, but it is also for my thesis book that will be done at the end of November this year. Tomorrow is midterm review where I will present my work for 4 illustrators/art directors/designers. Wish me luck. I am excited!

New Net Shop!

I recently created a net shop where my illustrations can be purchased as art prints, t-shirts, sweaters, laptop covers, iphone and ipod covers, totem bags, stationary cards and more. If you see something you like, feel free to leave me a message or share it with your friends. I would greatly appreciate it. Here is the link: http://society6.com/learebeccakarlsen

Monotype

This is a monotype I made last week.

Homesick

Here are some monotypes I did yesterday about comfort and feeling safe. It is based on a drawing I did of my sisters when they awkwardly fell asleep on top of each other with blankets, pillows and sweaters surrounding them. I wanted to play with line and surface, and see what would happen when I painted body and cloth from an unusual angle, abstracted it in parts by treating the body more as a landscape. There is something about a stack of sisters (or cousins) sleeping on top of each other (one probably drooling just a little bit on the other) that is just so familiar and humorous to me.

Adventure time

I finished this editorial illustration yesterday. My assignment was to go on a short adventure and bring something I saw into an illustration based on a photograph I took during the summer. It was a challenge. In this case, my audience are young girls and teens. I wonder what the world thinks?

Moodboards

These days I am really loving the look of moodboards, which allows me to play with overlapping images, objects and text. Since I just recently decided that my bachelor assignment (aka thesis) will be in the form of moodboards or magazine spreads, I thought I would demonstrate here what you will see a lot of in the future. So keep following ;) I made this one in March this year.

Hope will find them grey

These are the first two monotypes I have ever done. They are both original prints, one is a ghost of the other. I am so excited to learn more about printmaking! This semester I am taking a monotype class. Conclusion: You will find many more prints here in the future.

Autumn has arrived!

To be found in my sketchbook. Just finished the colors. Enjoy the beautiful autumn weather (Come sunshine, rain or wind)!

Pinoy

This drawing is form my sketchbook, the color was added digitally.

Duomo di Cefalu

This summer I went on a two week vacation to Sicily, Italy. I had such a wonderful time and found a lot of inspiration for future art projects. This is a drawing I did in my sketchbook of a mosaic inside the Duomo di Cefalu, while I was there. The color was added later.

A Moment of Freedom

...sketching.

En god sak

I made this two weeks ago for a book cover contest for Jan Mehlum's newest book. Since the turn around time was only 24 hours the text is more of a placeholder to show where it would be.

At night, the dark has a sound.

I just finished this 2 weeks ago. The illustration would be accompanying a poem written by Lisa Ciccarello for Tinhouse Magazine issue #53. Here is the poem: At night, the dark has a sound. The hands are another night. They make the stars a second time in the gloss of yr eyes. The night is small sounds & animals you cannot see. You lie to yourself about this & here is where you end: you cannot tell a bird from wind or wind from rain. The night unlatches everywhere. If there is a question you must ask it here. This is the wall & this is the bed. This is the mirror where you hold me from behind but we don’t see anything. I want to help you. Here I have torn down the paper & here I have torn down the wall. It is a small step but I feel justified. I am alone when I see you. Everyone has turned their backs. It is not tender. What have you said to them in that low voice? I am trying to love you when I cover your eyes. Listen: is that wood on wood or the bone toothed clean? Is that the spreading of wings or the neck bent in the heat? The night is the simple finger on the plank of wood. I am trying to save you when I press down: where the breath never goes the day never comes.