A Sneak Peak at My Latest Picture Book Commission.

Here is a peek at one of my most recent picture book commissions. 

Written by, Rachel A. Cedar. 

Holiday Season Wrap Up 2013

It has been a blessed and busy holiday season at Meant for a Moment. 

Check out some of the designs that were created. 

And have a Very Merry Christmas!

xox

Thank you all for your ongoing support!

See you in 2014! 

A Meant for a Moment Holiday!

It has been a fun and busy holiday season so far and we have only just begun!

Here is a highlights reel of this years favorites. Enjoy!

For more information on how to get a Custom Illustrated Holiday Print - 

please email me: meant4amoment@gmail.com

I would LOVE to hear from you! xo

A Sneak Peek at New Art

Its been a busy Spring here at Meant for a Moment... and I could not be more grateful. 

Here is a peek at some of the illustrations I am working on for a new book by 

Phil Sharper called, Santa was a Kid Once too. 

New Meant for a Moment Print

Available for purchase HERE

A Peek at Some Fall Work

Its been a busy Fall. Thanks for enduring all of my little self promos. 

Here is just another peek at what I have been up too!

All illustrations available for purchase in my Etsy Store {xox}

Autumn Discovery; Nursery Art

My Favorite Fall Project... available for purchase here.

ILLUSTRATION INSPIRATION: Denis Zilber

This week's illustration inspiration features Denis Zilber. Why do we love Denis's 

work? Attitude. Each of his characters just eep attitude. He uses, perspective and color 

to define the mood of each illustration creating an incredibly interesting eye catching 

piece of art. Thanks for the inspiration Denis. xox

Fresh Illustrations, hot off the press

Just workin' over here...

ILLUSTRATION INSPIRATION: Tara J. Hannon

This week's Illustration Inspiration features... Me. I have been so inspired by all of the 

amazing artists I have been discovering in my quest for the illustration inspiration post, 

that I got LOST in illustration yesterday. I sat down to create a 'master piece' with all 

of the inspiration that was swirling around in my head and hand.  And I allowed 

myself to try something new, 'Digital Painting. Its not a new concept to me but it is 

new to my work. And honestly, I loved it. It was so much fun, I didn't want to stop. 

Usually, I select the area I want color and fill it. Than dodge and burn that selection 

until it looks properly lit. Occasionally adding color with the paintbrush tool. But the

 new technique was so much more engaging. I painted every selection with transparent 

colors layering them until I was happy. I really like it and will be utilizing this 

method more and more. 

Illustration Inspiration: Isabelle Arsenault

This week's illustration inspiration comes from Isabelle Arsenault. Here unique color 

palette and use of soft color and earth tones makes her a very on-trend artist. I love the 

detail in that top illustration from, "Mr Gauguin's Heart" Look out the porthole - cute 

detail and great color use for contrast. I am also becoming a huge fan of illustrators 

who don't always follow the perspective rules. It creates a very stylized and loose 

image that I really enjoy. 

Project Post: Poster Size Illustrated Family Portrait

I had a blast illustrating this fun family portrait. There were lots of fun details which

 meant problem solving to make sure everyone fit into the composition properly. And 

the best part of it all, the final product was a 16x24 print! It turned out great!

A Candy Bar, Sugar Cookies and some Crazy Straws

Oh Man, are we lucky{!} This weekend our beautiful friends threw us an Engagement 

party! I had to take some photos of the amazing effort they put into making it absolutely 

wonderful. Look at those cookies (I mean, how awesome is that!?) I was secretly 

racing Dave, watching to see whose name would be eaten first... Dave won. At the end 

of the night he only had 'D's' left, while I was still holding strong with a bunch of 

'A's' and 'R's'. 

And check out that candy bar... oh my my my! All three of my favorite vices (these 

folks are too good to us!).  The food was amazing, I even went back for seconds around 

11pm (yikes). Myfitnesspal was not happy about that decision. Oh and the house was 

right on the water (Dave was ready to move in). We spent the night next to a pool that 

was glowing blue all through the evening. It was such a wonderful night. We are so 

blessed to have such kind people around us. 

* Thank You; Anne & Thom and Jenny & Chris! Words can not express!

Announcing the completion of...

Very Excited to announce the completion of my latest illustrated children's book: Ada 

Chewed Some Gum! What a FUN project! This book will be available to purchase 

via E-book coming soon. Stay tuned for details. 

ILLUSTRATION INSPIRATION: Michael Byers

Michael Byers actually blew my mind this morning, with pure talent. The illustration 

that led me to him was the father and son fishing. I was immediately drawn to his 

use of color and space. And the further I looked into his work the more impressed I got. 

He is a master of movement and perspective. Look at that bike wheel {!} The perspective 

on that is not only extremely creative but difficult. And that splash of hot pink is 

perfect. What a dramatic image. He is an Ontario based illustrator whose client list

 includes; Runners World, Family Circle, and The New York Times. 

For more on Michael Byers Illustration Check out his website

PROJECT PROGRESS: Ada Chewed Some Gum

My favorite part of my Job is when I am commissioned to illustrate a children's book.

 So when Thomas Knight approached me with his adorable book, 'Ada Chewed Some 

Gum' I was thrilled to par-take. This is just a snippet of what I have created for the

 book, to get everyone amped up for its release.

My Process is simple but it happens in a three stages. First I illustrate/sketch the 

characters and scene (sometimes together, sometimes separate). Than I ink the sketch 

over and scan the inked image. After its scanned, I touch up the inked lines and 

color it all in photoshop. It is a lengthy process but I have found this works best for me.

I can't wait to see it completed and formatted. How about you?

Ada Chewed Some Gum will be available soon here.

And don't forget about My Dad is My Hero Illustrated by me 

and written by Lauren Wade

ILLUSTRATION INSPIRATION: Julie Morstad

For this week's Illustration Inspiration feature I chose someone whose style is very 

different than my own. Actual it would almost be impossible for me to try to mimic 

this style. Thats why I LOVE it so much! It is so unique. Each of Julie Morstad's 

illustrations provide her own signature and every time you see one you can pick it 

out as one of her own. 

She uses colored pencil, ink, gouache and pencil and sometimes even collage to 

create her beautiful drawings. I really admire the mixture of rough pencil that she allows to 

shine through. Each of my pieces end up having to look very clean and smooth when 

they are finished (OCD?) But I always like them best at there sketch phase. Sounds 

kind of like an identity crisis right? She keeps her drawings looking very 'hip' this way.

And to balance the gray of the ink and pencil she throws in those brilliant punches 

of bright color. Its just makes my eyes swim across the page, I just adore her style! 

Hope you do too.

Illustration Inspiration: Matt Phelan

Matt Phelan ladies and gentlemen. (pause for applause) 

How could you not adore his loose whimsical style? 

This talented Philadelphia, illustrator/Author, uses a combination of pencil, watercolor 

and ink to capture these budding moments of real (sometimes desperate) emotion, 

(ie; look at that hamster eyeing up that sandwich, I could melt.) I love the loose lines 

and sketchy quality of his work. I also love the way he draws his children. Look at the 

large cheeks and tiny eyes. He manages so much emotion with so little drawn detail. 

Of his many illustrated books some include: The Seven Wonders of Sassafrass Springs 

(his first publication), The New Girl, and The Storm in the Barn (written and illustrated). 

The hugely talented Matt Phelan is surely an inspiration to my illustration. 

Many thanks to him for sharing his work with us.