The big Zazzle store overhaul

Yesterday I got a form letter from the people at Zazzle that basically said they reviewed my store and they liked my art. But I need to work on my metadata and descriptions.

I try not to read too much into this, as it is a form letter. I think the problem with my store on zazzle is not the metadata, but that the store lacks a cohesive focus. The designs look like they belong together. I need to design banners for the different categories of the store. Because this is a pretty sad looking page:



It needs more products too. (I actually sold this folk art bear mask though!)

This has been on my to-do list for quite a while. Time is marching on, and I need to finish my Christmas card designs.

One of my issues is that I really like designing things rather than using those things in a design.

For example, the cherry blossom icon in this card:



I loved making it, but it is hard to get excited about making things with it. This business card is something that will be leaving my store due to the awkward design.  I am going to make some better products that feature the image closer up.

The Angry Elves

I've been really into fantasy role-playing games lately, both in my art and my personal life.

A couple of years ago, I was going to play Dungeons and Dragons with people at my old Minecraft server. I didn't end up playing with them because the time was much too late for me. But there was a woman there who could draw/paint people's characters. I really wanted to be able to do that! I didn't think I would ever be able to draw fantasy art or RPG characters, and it is a good feeling to be able to do it.



These are the children in the angry elf family. Well, the twins are not children any longer - they just graduated from the local academy and are off to the Mage College. They are now allowed to wear the insignia around their necks that identifies them as beginning fire mages.

Why are they angry? They just discovered a family secret that will change their lives, but not in the way they think it will.