6.26.2012

Creative Tuesday: Blog Icon/Button (#63)

This weeks Creative Tuesday challenge was to create a blog button.  *cricket, cricket*

I admit this is something I've tried a bunch of times and I don't feel like I'm very good at it.  But, in the spirit of the challenge I decided to give this another chance. 


You see, I can't work small.  I've tried.  Even in my quilting I've tried.  So, to help me through that, I started with very small paper.  I created hand doodles in pencil, and then traced over the designs in pen and marker.



I'm not sure where I originally got the idea that happiness is a mushroom, but there is something very whimsical and mysterious about mushrooms and so it's stuck.  I also decided that the mushroom spots, should be paw prints to represent my pups.  Happy stuff and dogs.  That about sums up what I ramble about these days.

Once the line drawing was complete.  I scanned it in and loaded into GIMP to crop, add color, and scale the drawings.


This is a picture of the computer screen showing the first round of coloring I tried. 
 


Here is an idea of how the button looked.  Something was off with it, right?  The letters were too muddy and the top of the mushroom popped in the wrong way.  But, this is why I like using a digital editor so much.  It's a few clicks to change the color around. 


As you can see I went through a few iterations until I realized that my blog name just wasn't big enough to be legible once I shrunk the icon down to actual size.  Nothing a quick re-draw couldn't fix.  I also highlighted the paw spots in a yellow to bring them out better.


And after much playing here is the button I decided on.  I still see little things that I would or could change, but we'll call it done for now.  This was a really fun experiment in visual branding and I also welcomed the GIMP practice!


You can find out about the next weekly challenge and see what the other artists put together at the co-op blog.  I can't wait to see what Mr. T has in store for his own button re-do!
Wishing you puppy licks and sunshine!

10 comments:

Betsy Brock said...

haha...a cheery paw-printed mushroom! :) Oh, that is SO you. It's really cute and the perfect blog button for you!

Michael said...

TOTALLY brilliant write up and rendition, Christie! I love reading the process and your end result is absolutely perfect!

And yes, as you can tell from my MMm avatar I think the same about mushrooms, even though, in real life I can;t stand them for food. Ew. My sons will laugh that I must be some 'shrooooom head with my love for drawing them--so not me. LOL.

"So, to help me through that, I started with very small paper."
--that cracked me up! you are too funny. All you have to do is, like i did, start large (Even high res so you can print it out) THEN re-size down once finished. LOL.

The paw prints were a very claver idea--def suggest happiness and so refelcts your blog too.

Great job. I'm sure you glad you took the challenge. I think I'm gogn to add these to the side bar down teh road on C.T. for our regualr co-oppers. :) that is....if you can stick around! :) TY for doing this challenge.

I hope you like my mug of soup looking icon. I was thrilled with it.

Wanda said...

That is just as Mmm said.."Brilliant" and two see your process...what a talented artist you are...I just love it..and it's so absolutely perfect for your blog...Love it, love it, love it!!!!

Wanda said...

BTW, I'm such a novice when it comes to the computer art... I had no idea there were programs like this that you used...I need to expand my envelope it seems.

Christine said...

Wow Christie, this is really nice, bright and happy like you!

linda (dots n doodles) said...

I just so adore this! It is beautifully whimsical and stands out.

I loved reading how you did it as well, using Gimp. I keep meaning to download this software and try it. Now I will probably give it a go, thank to you.

Michael said...

christie, you realise that the scissors in my icon could work for fabric/quilt art too you know! :)

Unknown said...

really nice. i love how you illustrated the whole process. Really think the paw prints are a great touch atop the mushroom too.

Megan said...

It looks great! I think the paw prints on the mushroom make it particularly very you :) I need to download and learn to use GIMP, I tried on my last computer but just couldn't quite work it out.

Seaweed and Raine said...

Cute little paw prints for the spots - that was a stroke of cleverness. :)

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