Handmade Mart Vendor Profile Q&A

Curls Studio Vendor Profile Q&A is featured up on the Handmade Mart Blog. You can read all about it here or click the image above: http://handmade-mart.com/?p=559

We hope to see you this Sunday at Handmade Mart.

WHAT: 2010 Handmade Mart
WHEN: May 23, 2010 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
WHERE: Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring, Maryland (between Fenton and Georgia Avenue)
ADMISSION: FREE!

Use this handy map to locate Curls Studio's tent at booth #19.

2010 Handmade Mart

Curls Studio was accepted to be a vendor at Handmade Mart in downtown Silver Spring, MD! We hope to see you at booth #19 on Sunday, May 23, 2010. You can take a look at all the vendors here: http://handmade-mart.com/?page_id=10. Along with an awesome array of vendors, the Handmade Mart will also feature live music will starting around 11:00 AM with a great line up of local musicians including live Rockabilly bands. A high energy, kid-friendly rock set will go on in the early afternoon.

Hands-on workshops will be hosted at the ArtSpring Art Square, located in front of the ArtSpring store on the corner of Ellsworth and Georgia. The Pyramid Atlantic Art Center will be leading workshops in letterpress and screen printing, as well as creative activities for children all day long.

The first 500 shoppers will receive a free 2010 Handmade Mart tote bag!

WHAT: 2010 Handmade Mart
WHEN: May 23, 2010 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
WHERE: Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring, Maryland (between Fenton and Georgia Avenue)
ADMISSION: FREE!


Use this handy map to locate Curls Studio's tent at booth #19.

Recap: Inaugural DC Comicon

On Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 Curls Studio had a table at the Inaugural DC Comicon at George Mason University. It was a fun time and we had good sales. Plus, we got to meet a lot of new people that usually attend the Capicon shows, so it was great to reach out to them and expand our base. Many people found out about this show last minute and heck, we found out we had a table only two days earlier, but there was still a solid turn out. I hope the show continues to expand if they decide to do it again next year. There is great possibility with a Washington, DC convention, especially in the spring, as not to compete with Baltimore Comic-Con. Having Frank Cho there was also a bonus!


We got filmed for Washington Full Circle and that was exciting to have our banners in their show opening shot. We'll have to stay tuned for the footage.


Here is a sketch commission I did of Gwen LeGette from The Legettes.


I also got to meet Black Wolverine. He posed with Toast of the Town and I.

Appearing at Inaugural DC Comicon

Curls Studio will be appearing at this Sunday's inaugural DC Comicon! We hope you can join us.

When and Where:
The show will be held on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 from 10AM to 5PM in the Student Union Building II (SUB II) at George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, VA.

Admission:
Admission to the show is only $5! GMU students, faculty, and staff get in free! All active military personnel with current military IDs get in free! All dressed in full costume get in for free! Additionally, the first 500 attendees will receive a copy of the Overstreet Guide to Collecting Comics, Gemstone's 2010 Free Comic Book Day publication.

Guests:
Our guests for this premiere event include: Frank Cho (Mighty Avengers), Herb Trimpe (Incredible Hulk), JG Jones (52), the Fillbach Brothers (Clone Wars Adventures) sponsored by Laughing Ogre Comics, the Luna Brothers (The Sword) sponsored by Laughing Ogre Comics, Steve Conley (Star Trek Omnibus: The Original Series), John K. Snyder III (Doctor Mid-Nite) sponsored by the Hero Initiative, and Jo Chen (Runaways) sponsored by the Hero Initiative.

Surprise Artists and Exhibitors:
We are pleased to announce the following exhibitors will be displayed in the Washington, DC Comicon registration lobby to meet and greet attendees: Vampirella cover artist Louis Small, Jr., Dan Nokes of 21st Century Sandshark Studios, small press artist Josh Lyman, Carolyn Belefski from Curls Studio, Marvel Trading Cards artist Bill Meiggs, and the GMU Anime Club.

Directions and Parking:
The show will be held at the George Mason University campus at 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 in the Student Union Building II (SUB II). Free parking is available in Lot A (beside the Patriot Center), which is a short walk from SUB II.

Design Army donates to AIGA DC Continuum Fund

Owners of Design Army, Pum and Jake Lefebure, have donated 100% of their speaking and judging fees to the AIGA DC Continuum Fund Scholarship in 2009 and 2010. Some of these events include speaking at Design Madison, AIGA Blue Ridge, AIGA West Michigan, AIGA Baltimore, and Columbus Society of Communicating Arts. HOW International, ADDY New Mexico, ADDY Akron, and NORI Awards are all judging events where the money earned was applied to the AIGA DC Continuum Fund Scholarship.

AIGA DC recently connected with Design Army to find out what makes them tick and why they donate to our scholarship fund.

What compelled you to donate your speaking engagement earnings to the AIGA DC Continuum Fund?
Being in DC and seeing the potential of design community and student talents we have I hope that it will better programs and elevate DC even furthter as a creative hub. And we like to give back - AIGA DC Continuum Fund is great place to give.

Why do you enjoy about being a donor to the AIGA DC Continuum Fund?
Seeing a talented designer have the opportunity to be even better - it's a tough market these days and every/any advantage will be needed to make it.

What would you say to someone thinking about donating to the fund? Why should someone donate?
Why not? If you are going to give why not give to a good cause you are passionate about. We get called on by all sorts of organizations and while we do give to some, we will really look each one and how it will or will not impact our daily lives. Design is our life here at Design Army.


The AIGA DC community looks up to Design Army because of their involvement with causes and the opportunities they achieve in the design industry. To know that they care enough to donate 100% of their speaking and judging fees to the AIGA DC Continuum Fund means a lot to the future of design.

If you would like more information about AIGA DC's Continuum Fund Scholarship or have questions about donating to AIGA DC's Continuum Fund, please email continuum@aigadc.org or visit www.aigadc.org/continuum.

--
Carolyn Belefski
Continuum Chair, AIGA DC

March is Women's History Month

The above image is my Sketch Before Sleep entry (March 20, 2010) of Jackie Ormes, first female African American cartoonist.

Since March is Women's History Month, I want to know what female artists people are inspired by. On Twitter, my personal Facebook page, and the Curls Studio Facebook Fan Page I posted:

"March is Women's History Month - What female artists/comic artists are some of YOUR inspirations?" (Some female illustrators I enjoy are Elizabeth Watasin, Amanda Conner, Lauren Faust, and Raina Telgemeier.)

Some of the responses I have received included:

- "Jill Thompson and Amanda Conner."

- "Georgia O'Keeffe is the first artist I can remember "knowing": her history her art her life. But to this day when I need inspiration I turn to Cassatt's (japanese-esq) prints....."

- "Always loved Julie Doucet-very eye opening for a teen in the sticks."

- "Wendy Pini. Back in the 70's and early 80's her strips for Elfquest were awesome. She was the first female comic artist I knew of."

- "Kiki Smith, Annette Messager, Eva Hesse and the Louises Nevelson and Bourgeois!"

- "julie klausner, linda barry, cristy road just to name a few!"

Please comment below if you have any female artists you are influenced by and spread the word of Women's History Month.

Thanks,
Carolyn

Results: Curls Twitter Contest

We announced the winner of the first ever Curls Twitter Contest is @rosscott. When I asked him what type of sketch he'd like he replied:

"@curlsstudio Hey thanks for the Twitter Contest! How about a sketch for a fellow graphic designer? Nerdy as you can!"


Well, I did some thinking about it and decided to do a full-on comic strip instead of a sketch. The nerdiest thing I could think of was having Curls throw a Designer's Halloween Party. As you can see, she is a Photoshop Wizard bossing, oh, I mean "art directing" Pitter Patter the penguin as he adjusts the banner to her liking. Some of the guests came as CMYK and a "bleeding" man. Maybe that's Steve Jobs in the background? Yeah, think it would be pretty dorky to dress up in honor of design for Halloween, but designers are dorky anyway, so it's all good.


@rosscott wins the original inked art (which I photographed for you all above) and a print of the color version of the comic. I hope he enjoys his win! Thanks and congrats!