How cool is this: A place for bloggers who love art, design, photography, illustration and lifestyle to come together, connect and share ideas and information about all things design.  Yippee! This will be a fantastic weekend to connect, network and get inspired.

And crazy folks: I am going to be speaking.

It’s a little intimidating (OK, a LOT) when the other speakers are bloggers whom I completely admire: Design sponge, Oh JOY, Simple Lovely, Steph Modo just to name a few.

It’s going to be a party!

So mark your calendars for January 21-23, 2010 at the Grand America in Salt Lake City.

But hurry, and sign up. The early bird registration ends tomorrow!

This is the first EVER blogging event for people like you and I who just really like the visual aspects of blogging…and well, the visual aspects of most things. It will be completely inspiring.

Register here.

See the full list of speakers here.

Thank you Kirtsy for putting all this together, and Design Mom for inviting me to participate. See in in January!

Does this happen to you?

Short pencils mean there is a lot going on around here. Mostly on my book scheduled to be set into print this summer. It won’t be in stores until Fall 2011, but deadlines are creeping up soon! I wish I could share more of what I am working on, but since nothing is in publication yet, I really can’t share too much. But I will say, pencils are getting shorter and shorter around here!

Keep watching the blog this week. I have A LOT of really fun new additions to the shop coming up! Christmas gifts, cards and stocking stuffers to mention a few!

In the mean time, check out this hot new list of the New York Times top illustrated children’s book list for 2009.  Aren’t they delightful? I’ve blogged about a couple of these artists before. Just gorgeous.

OK….back to drawing (and paper doll making with the kids…have  you tried these out yet? They’re a hit around here!)

Happy Monday!

You: Hello? Sarah? Yoohoo? What corner of the world did you escape to?

Me: Escape? Did I escape, you ask?

You: Yes. Those paper bats are still hanging at the top of your blog. Come on…get with it. Blog already.

Me: OK…you caught me. I escaped.

You: Where?

Me: To a far away land that I used to think only existed in my imagination: a place where quiet and noiselessness reign. A place where there is room to unwind and create with no distractions.

You: That place actually exists? Oh, please give me directions.

Me: Are you ready? It’s complicated. You need to go to my in-law’s wonderfully empty-nested house. It’s great. They cook too. And love babies. And have an abundant amount of watercolor brushes, down comforters and table space to just spread out and GTD (get things done). Oh, and they also take you out to sushi.

You: Oh take me take me!

Me: I plan on their being a next time. Many more next times. Don’t worry.

So yes…after 2 months of let’s-get-my-life-organized-enough-to-run-a-business-and-illustrate-a-book-while-only-getting-2-hours-of-sleep-at-a-time-at-night-and-raising-3 children kind of living, my husband took one look at the bags under my eyes and booked a flight for me the VERY next morning to California to spend 5 days with his parents while HE watched the other kids during his fall break. I know. My in-laws are awesome, but my husband? Amazing.

The trip was, may I say, incredible. I ate, slept, fed the baby, illustrated and story-boarded for my book I’m illustrating with Harper Collins right now. Getting away proved to be the perfect remedy for a mommy who’s brain hardly gets to enjoy the space of her own creative thinking due to the natural (and wonderful) chaos of the day with 3 small children.

But I am back. No more escaping for a while. As much as it is good to get away, I am a sucker for my family. Who wouldn’t be with faces as kissable as this?

Feel free to cuddle your screen…I know…she’s practically edible.

Cheers!

Two years ago today, I took a really, really big leap of faith: I started selling my art work. I had no idea my art would be accepted or interesting, but I did it anyways because I had to. Part of being an artist includes a need to share, give and express. Opening my ETSY shop 2 years ago filled that need.

And it’s been 2 years! What started from a corner computer desk in our small apartment bedroom has grown to a 4 person operation. I have met some incredible people, made valuable connections and have grown so much as an artist since that day. I am so glad I made big leap: it was scary, but oh so worth it. It’s been an incredible journey for myself as well as for my family, and I want to thank you for your support! It has meant so much!

*You must indulge me for a second while I take a couple lines to thank the person who is responsible for why I am still here: my incredible side-kick and better half. My husband has been so generous with his efforts: countless dinners made, laundry done, floors vacuumed and children tended to so that I could squeeze in “just one more hour” of time to my passion. Without him, I would have burned out long ago. But he believes in me and has encouraged me the whole way. When I have wanted to just give up (and there have been a few sleep-deprived moments of “why am I doing this” kind of talk) he has been my cheerleader. And somehow through it all, we have had time still to be together as a family, run a small business, have a third baby and manage normal (and magical) family living. We have been truly blessed. He is my best friend.

Ok! Now for the fun stuff:

Every Party needs party favors…and this is a good one!

The Giveaway includes:

Gifts from my shop as well as Warm Biscuit Bedding Company: a wonderful online store…one of the first in the market to offer personalized and custom gifts and decor for children. My products have been in their online retail store for a while now and I have just loved their company. You are just going to love these:

A set of Matruoshka dolls

and 3 darling suitcases. You can’t pass this up!

a Personalized Family Tree and

and a set of 10 Halloween Cards from Yours Truly.

• All you need to do is enter a comment below (just say “Hi”, smile and wave…offer a suggestion…or just say “Happy Birthday”)
• Thursday, I will present the winner here on the blog. Make sure to include your email address in your comment.
• Entries are valid through Wednesday at Midnight (EST)

But of course, we can’t all win this one. So….

THIS WEEK ONLY:

FREE shipping at Warm Biscuit Bedding Company when you make a purchase and mention: Sarah Jane as your coupon code

and…

BUY 2 GET 1 FREE in my shop!

• Purchase TWO items in my shop.
• At the time of purchase, MENTION the FREE item you would like in the message to seller box.
• FREE items can only be equal to or LESS than the other items purchased.
• There is a cap of TWO free items for the entire order.

But remember: every good party comes to an end: Wednesday October 7th at midnight (EST) is your last chance!

Have fun everyone. And thanks so much for all your wonderful support and e-friendship (is that a word? well, it is now…and it’s meant so much to me!)

Spread the word, and have fun at the party!

xo

sarah jane

Still here! Barely. I’m feeling rather like a swollen tomato ready to pop at any moment. I go to bed every night wondering if tonight is the night…but no baby yet. Funny how she nearly came 3 weeks ago, and yet we’re still here!

This week I have been able to attend the fantastic BYU illustrators and writers for young readers conference. WOW. It has been a week long (8am-5pm) intensive workshop/seminar that has given me so much inspiration and motivation to go more into children’s books. I have been able to meet with editors from Random House, Bloomsbury and Harper Collins who been great mentors and teachers this week. Not to mention the fantastic authors and illustrators who are motivating me to get more involved in the world of children’s literature and art.

The best part has been the workshop I have been able to be a part of every morning for 4 hours with instructor Will Terry. Will is a very accomplished illustrator for children’s books, and he has really helped me to get a better understanding of how art is applied to children’s books; a very different world then in design or gallery art. And most of that 4 hours has been used to draw and create…a very nice present before baby comes when I will need to take a break for a while!

So, I am still here….with posts lacking due to my body being very focussed right now on other things besides me. Baby is taking most of my energy, and I can’t wait to meet this little person who gets all the attention at the grocery store and in long lines. She’s a big one she is!

Maybe next post will be an announcement??? Stay tuned.

I have been wanting to start a discussion here for some time, but have been deliberating how to post about it as it seems to be a subject that isn’t talked about much: Protecting your artwork from being copied or closely replicated. Unfortunately, this is happening a lot in the online art world. How close it too close?

So, Question of the day: How do you protect your art?

First, let’s chat about what you can do to protect your art from being out-right stolen. This should be your first concern.

PROTECTING YOUR IMAGES:

1) Watermark your images.

So many people treat the internet as an image gallery for free use. With a WATERMARK over your potentially downloadable image, you are telling people that the image is yours should not be used for personal or commercial use. You will also prevent people from stealing the image and selling it elsewhere.

2) Post your images as small as you can without losing resolution. As long as your art is not vector art, you should never be saving your images to the web in a size that could be reproduced or used by another person/party.

3) Register your image(s) with the U.S. Copyright office (if you are in the U.S of course). Here is the link to get started.It is easier then ever, and less expensive than it used to be. http://www.copyright.gov/eco/index.html

4)Educate yourself on intellectual property: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property

5) Disable Downloads: if you can, disable your images from being downloaded on the internet. On ETSY, there isn’t control over that, thus the vital importance for your image to be watermarked and protected with a copyright notification.

These steps should be taken First. But what about the fuzzy lines that surround borrowing, adapting and copying? Let’s chat.

PROTECTING YOUR ART, IDEAS, COMPOSITIONS AND STYLE:

1) Doesn’t copyright protect my idea and composition? No. Art and craft is so subjective, and ideas really can’t be copyrighted. Here is what the US copyright office has to say:

“Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim copyright in your description, but be aware that copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work.” http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-protect.html

2) What can I do when I see someone else coming up with creations obviously similar to mine?

I would love to here your reaction to this, but here is mine. Contact the artist if necessary telling them you are noticing some copying going on. If they still persist, contact them again if you feel you need to. But for me, this is where I stop. You are an ARTIST! You are not a huge million dollar company protecting your branded and patented products. You are just one person with a ba-jillion creative ideas constantly going through your brain. To waste your creative energy by going after a copycat is a waste of that creative energy.

Why?

You are the original creative idea, and have power to always rise above the competition. Competition is good and will most always be there. You can spend your time getting angry, or you can spend your time staying ahead of the game by keeping your art fresh, lively and cutting edge. Most likely if someone is copying you, it isn’t going to be as good as yours nor will it have the LIFE of the BREATH of your creative-from-your-own-gut creation. So leave them alone, and focus on how you can make your creations new and fresh and always ahead of the market.

This leads me to another point:

Keep your own sources fresh and honest. Never let yourself copy another artist’s style unless of course you are using that as a way to learn new techniques and educate yourself. Copying is a good thing for learning how to verse your hand in various art forms and styles. But your work should then take what you learn to a new level, always allowing your own voice to come through. When you choose to copy art as your primary resource, it will be FLAT and will lack the LIFE that really great images require. Don’t let yourself fall into that trap! The moment you are trying to make your creations look like someone else’s, your art will most likely be easy to copy itself. Remember, there was only ONE Rembrandt. He had MANY students, and to this day, experts can’t tell which was a true Rembrandt and which is a student’s hand on a select few paintings. But regardless, there was only one Rembrandt. Do people remember the copycat? No. They never will. Be fresh and mark your own path. Don’t let yourself be a follower.

I love this quote below. It hangs in my studio always reminding me to stick to my own instincts and not be tempted to ride on the coat tails of others:

“You must give birth to your images. They are the future waiting to be born.” - Rainer Maria Rilke

So, there you have it!

My experience is very limited however, and I would love to hear your take on this topic.

What have you done in these situations? What have you done to protect your artwork?

Do tell.

In the mean time, happy art making!

For more GREAT articles on this subject, read here, here , here and here

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have little feet again. What would the world look like if my head was as high as my hips are now. I guess that is why I can’t stop drawing for children…I am constantly curious what they think about when they walk around with those little feet in that magical world of their’s. Sometime’s I remember what it is like, and other times…I have just as much fun imagining. But that’s it: Little feet imagine.

I have kept a little secret for a bit here. I have been doing a lot of illustrating…but instead of for the shop, it has been for my first book! I just got word yesterday that it has been sent to the printers, so it is official!

Here it is!

Full of Life: Mom-to-Mom tips I wish someone had told me when I was pregnant

Written by Nancy O’Dell

illustrated by Sarah Jane Wright

Published by Simon & Schuster

On shelves April 09, 2009

I have goosebumps all over. I haven’t been able to say anything for so long, and it feels so great to finally get this out in the open! Nancy Singer contacted me a while back about working on a pregnancy book, and by December it was official. Nancy O’Dell, the ever popular celebrity icon of Access Hollywood had her first baby over a year ago, and decided to write a book about pregnancy including all the bits no one seems to be writing about. Mom-to-Mom tips she calls it. She has done a great job!

I was committed to illustrating this book long before I knew the author. And then to find out that the author was a huge celebrity…and that I needed to make the illustrations look like her…I knew I was in for a fun adventure. The editors needed black and white chapter headings with a few icons along the way and I had a great time working together with them on the project. I will say, that illustrating a REAL person forced me out of my own personal style a bit (no generic vintage faces here!) But I am glad. I learned a lot a long the way!

I am sold on the author/illustration business. I love designing new products, but book illustration is so amazing…especially when working with a fantastic group of people…all passionate about what they do. I can’t tell you how invigorating it was to get emails first thing in the morning from NYC with tips and corrections that would steer the ultimate vision for the layout. Soon I hope to get more into illustrating children’s books, but until then, I feel really grateful to put my name on a fantastic publication. Thank you Simon and Schuster for giving me my first chance in the industry!

I feel a huge sense of relief that this is all over with. It was a fantastic experience to be illustrating this pregnant woman while I myself was feeling my own baby kick in side me. I had a huge connection to the material which was so magical! (although, depressing at times to think that there are people in the world that DO look that beautiful when 9 months pregnant!)

It sure wasn’t easy, but it was a wonderful challenge! Note to self: DO NOT…and I repeat…DO NOT illustrate a book while throwing up and pregnant, packing up and moving your home, catching walking-pneumonia, taking care of sick children, moving into a new home or over the Christmas holiday. Oh boy. I think I will try and avoid that next time! In this case, miracles happened and now a life long dream of mine has come true….

I am a published illustrator!

(You can see the book online here.)

Yesterday I came across these pictures and just melted. Aren’t they so charming? Who doesn’t love Audrey, and who doesn’t wish they had a pet baby deer?

I was COMPLETELY inspired, and had the spontaneous need to get some sweet Valentine cards in the shop of a much younger Audrey (or whom ever you will) and her dear pet (no pun intended.) So, between packing, shipping, cleaning and errands, I managed to get some new Valentines cards made up. I realize it is a bit late, but I have been rather busy with some other projects I can’t mention just yet.

They will be in the shop tomorrow, with a couple other things I hope. Happy Valentines!!!

We are in the middle of it all at the moment…moving I mean…and though I love the idea of being out, I am not loving the idea of living with boxes and junk everywhere. I do love that I have been able to uncover some things that I have had to put away for a while. My oil paints. After Addie started walking, I realized that I would have to find another way of making merry…thus my present photoshop addiction. But it is in oils that I first started my painting adventures. Sure, drawing is always first. But I was lucky enough to start private art lessons at the age of 10, and after one painting in acrylic, my teacher let me switch over to oils, and I have been hooked ever since. The smell, the feel, the sheen…oil paint is honestly sacred to me:)

I haven’t painted since 3 years ago today when I finished my first and last portrait painting. It was a Christmas present for my husband. I can still remember Addie crawling at my feet while I painted this!

I think that this other painting was also done that same month, my last landscape painting since the day I put my paints away.

And today, when I pulled out my paints from storage, I was wishing I could get my hands dirty again. Messy and DIRTY. Someday! Small space living allows room for the most important things…and someday, this will be important again. But right now, I would rather have my babies crawling at my feet…but oh, the smell of these tubes did give my heart a flutter!