michele rosenthal illustration + design

Guideposts Magazine

2012-01-29T08:50:00.000-08:00

Here are some spot illustrations of mine currently in Guideposts Magazine, a monthly publication with inspirational stories. This is the February issue, but I'll be contributing to the same section all year long. It's always nice to draw pictures of people being nice to each other!

See, Mmm, Why? Kay.

2012-01-19T12:16:00.000-08:00

Here's a little something I've been working on, a bit of word play with everyone's favorite subtractive color model.

Brand New Website

2012-01-04T14:22:00.001-08:00

My website was in dire need of a facelift, and a brand new year is an excellent excuse for a brand new portfolio. Clear your cache, and check it out!

michelerosenthal.com

The Songs I Was Obsessed With In 2011

2011-12-30T09:40:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to do an end-of-the-year music post. But I'm usually a few (or twenty, or thirty) years behind the curve. So instead of the top songs of 2011, here is a list of the songs that I happened to be obsessed with last year, in some sort of order. Dubious YouTube links provided.

1. The Waterboys—The Whole Of The Moon
2. Sufjan Stevens—I Want To Be Well
3. Cut Copy—Where I'm Going
4. Morrissey—I Am Hated For Loving
5. James—Laid
6. David Bowie—It's No Game
7. Chris Isaak—Wicked Game
8. The Smiths—Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
9. David Bowie—Ashes To Ashes
10. Cut Copy—Need You Now
11. M83—Midnight City
12. Furniture—Brilliant Mind
13. New Order—Elegia
14. David Bowie—Changes
15. The Dream Academy—Life In A Northern Town
16. Roxette—It Must Have Been Love
17. The Psychedelic Furs—Heartbreak Beat
18. Silver Jews—How Can I Love You If You Won't Lie Down
19. The Books Featuring Jose Gonzalez—Cello Song
20. Brian Eno—St. Elmo's Fire
21. Tony Perkins—Rocket To The Moon (Yes, that Anthony Perkins.)
22. Howard Jones—No One Is To Blame
23. Pavement—AT & T
24. Christopher Cross—Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)
25. M83—Claudia Lewis
26. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds—Red Right Hand
27. Geoffrey O'Connor—So Sorry

Shoot, I haven't done this in a while...

2011-12-27T12:48:00.000-08:00

I'm afraid I've been remiss in my blogging, so this is me playing catch-up with all of the things I've been working on lately. Sorry for posting so many images at once!

First, a number of swaps from the always enjoyable blog Ten Paces and Draw. I'm only posting my illustration finishes, but following the links will take you to the rest of the swapping process. I'll try to keep this simple as possible.

Halloween
Sketch by Andrew Kolb and final by me.
Sketch by me and final by Alyssa Nassner.

Master Copy (reinterpreting a famous work of art)
Sketch by Anna Bernal and final by me.
Sketch by me and final by Marloes de Vries.

What I Wore Today
Sketch by Lydia Nichols and final by me.
Sketch by me and final by John Lee.

And finally, here's my latest Criterion Affection illustration, for the 1956 drama BIGGER THAN LIFE:

Another Holiday Craftacular

2011-12-10T19:06:00.001-08:00

For the second year in a row, I'm going to be selling prints at the Bust Magazine Craftacular and Food Fair tomorrow, December 11th. It's from 11 am to 7 pm in Soho (82 Mercer St, NYC to be precise) and it's only $3 to come have a look around. There are always so many talented crafters and foodmakers there. If you need to do some holiday shopping, or if you need to do some shopping for yourself, or if you just want to say hello, I do hope you'll stop by! I'll be sharing my table with the lovely new stationery outfit French Braid Paper.

Hey look, here's a handy map so you can find us:

Four New Prints

2011-11-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

Here they are: four new prints available in my Etsy shop. If you're a fan of scooters, time travel, piles of books, or tea, or know someone who is, then perhaps you should go have a look.

And if you're a Twitterer, there's also a little contest I have running over here for a chance to win a free print of your choice. Any print at all? Yep, any print you like, new or old. I'm just generous like that.

Happy Birthday

2011-10-21T17:20:00.000-07:00

Today's Google doodle was an homage to Mary Blair, one of my all time favorite illustrators, who would have been 100 today. It was so lovely, it made me want to draw a little Mary Blair inspired birthday message of my own. Have a nice weekend, everyone.

Teapots and Cameras

2011-10-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

Finally, the last illustration that I'll be selling as a print in early November is complete! Do you like drinking tea? Because I sure do. Now I just need to send these bad boys off to the printer.

There's also a new drawing and review at Criterion Affection, for the sordid 1960 thriller, PEEPING TOM.

Melodrama and an Interview

2011-10-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

First up, a new illustration on Criterion Affection for the Hollywood melodrama, ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS.

The movie is worth watching if only to see Rock Hudson feeding a deer in the snow. It's pretty magical. You can read my short synopsis and review here.

And in case you had some burning questions about my background or my process or my dislike of the word "whimsical," I have an interview up on the lovely blog Ten Paces and Draw. Go check it out.

Still Life with Telephone

2011-09-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

Here's another illustration for the holiday print line up. Again, it'll be available for purchase around late October/early November.

With the exception of the painting, those are all things from around my apartment. Yes, even the telephone! Although I don't use it for making calls. Have I mentioned I have a thing for rotary telephones?

Mod v. Rocker

2011-09-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday. Over the weekend I finished up an illustration that will eventually be a print for sale. In fact, I'll have a handful of new prints added to the shop around early November, just in time for some holiday shopping. (Not that you have to start thinking about holiday shopping yet.)

The subject this time around is that 60s British subculture rivalry between the Mods and the Rockers. It's been a while since I've seen The Who's QUADROPHENIA, but I'm sure a fair bit of inspiration came from it. Ah, the rebellious youth of the past!

I'm also thinking of adding another science-y print to the store, to go along with the water cycle. Any favorite textbook topics? Anything you'd like to see a print of in general?

Jigsaw Town

2011-09-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

An illustration of mine recently appeared in the START 2011 Research Review.

The journal, published annually by The University of Maryland, studies terrorism and response tactics, and this particular article talks about strategies for rebuilding a community. Which basically means I got to indulge my love of jigsaw puzzles and drawing little buildings.

And speaking of drawings with no people in them, there's a new illustration and review up on Criterion Affection for the film SUMMER HOURS. I really recommend this one if you've ever thought about the role of art, possessions, and family.

More Dabney Lee Patterns.

2011-08-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

A while ago I blogged some patterns that I had designed for Dabney Lee (which you can still see on my site). Dabney Lee is a stationery company that also sells customized lucite-and-paper products for the home. And since their signature is bright colors and fun patterns, I always have a good time adding to their repertoire.

The names of the patterns, starting from the top left going clockwise, are: Arcade, Wild Horses, Mia, Peekaboo, Bruno, and Harvey. I enjoyed the challenge of those animal patterns; the idea was to keep them abstract from a distance, so you can only tell they're animals from up close. If anything here strikes your fancy, the patterns should soon be available at dabneylee.com.

Frankenstein and giveaway contest!

2011-08-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

There's a short interview about my Etsy store over at the blog The Paper Plume. What's even better is that there's also a giveaway. The winner will receive a free set of my Wish I Was There postcards, perfect for the summertime when you need to convince your friends that you're on some exotic vacation at the beach or on the moon. Just visit The Paper Plume for instructions on entering.

So what does Frankenstein have to do with this? Absolutely nothing. But he does make a cameo in my latest Criterion Affection update for the Spanish film THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE. If you're curious about Frankenstein's involvement, you can read my short review here.

Web update...now with chemistry.

2011-07-31T20:37:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to updating my website with some new work. If you follow this blog, you've seen most of it already. But you may not have seen the illustrations I completed for another children's book from Sullivan Learning Systems.

This time, the topic was third grade chemistry. The top two drawings feature Molly the Molecule, in case you couldn't tell. And apparently sugar molecules look a lot like balloon animals. Who knew?

Belmont University.

2011-07-25T08:43:00.000-07:00

Back when I was a mere high schooler trying to make a decision about colleges, I always liked to judge schools based on the design of their promotional materials. What can I say? I'm a graphic artist. I believe strongly in judging a book by its cover. So I was excited to be contacted by Belmont University to do an illustration of their gorgeous campus for a brochure being sent to prospective students. If those students are anything like me, I think it'll go over well.

Ten Paces and Draw.

2011-07-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Today I have some work up on the wonderful illustration blog Ten Paces and Draw, where artists create sketches around a theme, and then swap with other artists to complete them. The theme for this week was Dream Date. This was my time traveling sketch:

And this is the cotton candy colored illustration I completed based on a sketch from Alyssa Nassner:

Visit the blog to see what my sketch turned into, and what my illustration started out as, and of course to see other great dream dates from other great artists.

Puppets and earrings.

2011-07-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

I think it's been a while since I shared the latest updates from my ongoing, never-ending film blog, Criterion Affection. (If you're new here, that's the blog where I'm illustrating my way through the wonderful Criterion Collection.) I haven't been able to post as frequently as I'd like, but I did manage to illustrate Ingmar Bergman's FANNY AND ALEXANDER, as well as Max Ophuls' THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE... I'm particularly happy with the latter.

There are short reviews of each film on the blog. Hopefully I can start doing these more often again, and make up for some lost time.

Navigating the seas of freelance.

2011-06-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

Things are busy, busy, busy here at Michele Enterprises. One of the companies I've had the pleasure of working for recently is Sullivan Learning Systems, a tutoring group based out of California that publishes their own children's books for reading comprehension. Below are just a few of the illustrations I completed for a book on the history of navigation.

It was a fun challenge to visually interpret some of the abstract concepts involved. And I have to admit, I learned a thing or two about navigation in the process. Did you know you can tell your latitude by measuring the angle of the north star over the horizon?

Oh, and thanks to everyone who came out to the Renegade Craft Fair this year! I had a blast, met some great people, and saw tons of inspiring work. I can't wait until the next one.

Summer crafts part two.

2011-06-09T16:06:00.000-07:00

My lack of blogging lately isn't because I have nothing to share. If anything, it's because I've been too busy working on new things to have time to share it. Soon, friends. New work will be revealed soon.

In the meantime, come out this weekend to McCarren Park in Brooklyn for the Renegade Craft Fair. I'll be at booth 153, come rain or shine, or some lethal combination of the two. Weather aside, it's really going to be a wonderful show, full of talented folk and crafted goodies to purchase. It's also my first time at Renegade, and I couldn't be more excited!

Summer crafts part one.

2011-05-19T20:25:00.000-07:00

If you're in a spending mood, then you're in luck. Four new prints are available in my store, including a retro technology robot and a portrait of my lovely neighborhood.

And if you prefer buying your artwork in person, I'll be selling at the Bust Magazine Craftacular and Food Fair this Saturday. It's the perfect opportunity to buy some beautiful crafts while eating some delectable foods. It's at 82 Mercer Street from 11 am to 8 pm, so please stop by my booth and say hello!

Art for Japan.

2011-05-03T21:54:00.000-07:00

Something better than buying nice art is buying nice art for a good cause. The amazingly talented illustrator Meg Hunt has organized a huge charity auction, all proceeds benefiting the relief effort in Japan. Details can be found at the Art For Japan blog, and many of the auctions themselves are already up on eBay.

I've contributed a few things myself—a perpetual calendar and two digital prints, to be precise. It's still early in the auction, but just look at those low prices. What a steal! You better head over and start bidding before they're snatched up. Or bid on some of the other wonderful art that's available.

On a related note, you may have noticed that my Breakfast Club prints have been out of stock for a while. Well, I'm happy to announced that they're back in my shop and ready to ship. So if you missed out before, now is your chance to bring home some '80s nostalgia.

And if you prefer to buy your prints in person, I'm going to be taking part in two upcoming craft shows. More info to come!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

2011-04-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to reveal the latest project I've been secretly working away on! There's no purpose to this at all other than my own personal enjoyment. I present to you, David Bowie:

(Clicking should give you the full size.) Although I'm sure it's been done before, I really wanted to draw all of Bowie's assorted eras, while listening to his music on loop, of course. And it was a lot of fun doing the research. Here is a helpful guide if you're unfamiliar with any of the Bowies above, going from left to right:

1967: Mod Bowie with the self-titled debut that didn't catch on
1969: Space Oddity psychedelic folk Bowie
1970: Man Who Sold The World Bowie with long golden locks and a dress
1972: Ziggy Stardust
1975: Young Americans soul funk Bowie
1976: The Thin White Duke
1977: Bowie in Berlin recovering from all that cocaine
1980: Clown Bowie from the video Ashes to Ashes
1983: Let's Dance pop success Bowie
1986: Jareth the Goblin King
1990: Bowie in his hard rock band Tin Machine
1995: Super crazy Earthling era Bowie
1999: Chill millennium Bowie
2002: Reality era just about to retire Bowie

Bushwick Review number two.

2011-04-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

Looking for something to read? My friend Kristen has finally released The Bushwick Review #2, a collaborative zine full of short stories, drawings, poems, and other random things like a guide to micronations. I can tell you firsthand that this is a great entertaining publication, brought to life by a slew of talented contributors, and I'm not at all biased by having a short comic featured. (Here's a page from said comic, completely out of context:)

You can purchase your own copy for a mere $5 online, or visit these fine NYC booksellers: St. Mark’s Bookshop, Bluestockings, Desert Island Comics, and Spoonbill & Sugartown.

Interview time, plus bookmarks.

2011-04-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

If you follow this little blog at all, you're probably familiar with Criterion Affection, the site where I illustrate my life's goal of watching every film in the Criterion Collection. Well, last week I had the great pleasure of being interviewed on the Criterion Cast website by David Blakeslee, someone who shares my ridiculous goal and has his own wonderful blog about it, Criterion Reflections. The interview covers everything from my background, to my process, to my personal favorite illustrations. You can read the whole thing right here.

On an unrelated note, I just received the above photo from someone who had to reorder one of my Breakfast Club prints after his first one developed a mysterious stain. Not only does the new one look wonderful framed on his wall, but he also found a use for the damaged print: bookmarks! Aren't they great? I may have to steal this idea. (If you've noticed that my Breakfast Club prints are currently sold out, never fear; I'll be restocking them soon.)

Politicians and musicians.

2011-03-29T14:18:00.001-07:00

Here are the two latest updates from my illustrated film blog Criterion Affection. The first is for the 1984 documentary THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK (not to be confused with the 2008 biopic), and the second is Preston Sturges' 1948 dark comedy UNFAITHFULLY YOURS. Enjoy!

Parenting Magazine

2011-03-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

I recently did some illustrating for the April issue of Parenting Magazine. The article draws an analogy between preschool friendships and particular celebrity friendships. Naturally, I got to draw a bunch of famous people as kids.

Aren't they precocious? To celebrate, I've finally updated my website with this and other new illustrations I've been working on, most of which have already graced this fine blog.

Some internet stalking.

2011-03-19T06:52:00.000-07:00

Firstly, the sweet, friendly crafters at Fortune Cookie Crafts had a little write-up about the greeting card collaboration I did with King Popcorn a while back. Read some of the flattering things they had to say about us.

Secondly, I've joined the site Dribbble, a place where a lot of talented, creative folk share what they're working on. Come connect with me. Or just pop by now and then to see some in-progress work that won't necessarily make it on the blog.

And now I'm off to enjoy some warm(ish) weather!

Neighborhood love.

2011-03-14T12:49:00.000-07:00

It's official! Joi, Alison, and I will be sharing a booth at this summer's Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn. This is my first time at Renegade, and I can't wait. I'm already planning new ways to make my corner of the table look eye-searingly wonderful, and I have a slew of new prints I'm planning, including this one:

If you're not familiar with the area, that would be Brooklyn's northern tip Greenpoint, also known as my home sweet home. If you do know the neighborhood, see how many buildings and businesses you can name. I tried to include as much as I could, but if you think I left out something essential, leave me a comment.

I'll have more info about the event and what I'll be selling as it draws closer. Hope to see you there!

Hello, Renegade.

2011-03-02T17:06:00.000-08:00

Dear Brooklyn Renegade,

Hello. This is us. From left to right we have Joi of Stereoette, Michele of Dial M for Michele, and Alison of King Popcorn.

Michele Rosenthal—Dial M for Michele
An illustrator and graphic designer by trade, Michele has a love affair with all things retro, colorful, and graphic. She turns this love into a variety of vibrant prints, postcards, stickers, etc. Items range from $1 to $40, with most items between $6 and $20. This would be her first time at Renegade but not her first craft fair, and she can't wait to take part!

Alison Shanik—King Popcorn
Alison creates hand-embroidered cards and wall pieces that are meant to be absurdly decadent keepsakes. Most of her cards range from $2-$10. She has been a Renegade Brooklyn vendor since 2008, and is looking forward to returning in 2011!

Joi Lakes—Stereoette
Stereoette is a line of vibrant colored comic book-inspired jewelry with fused glass, acrylic, and etched metals. This year also introduces Stereoette Home—a line of spirited housewares for those with her taste in splashy-colored cartoon goodies! Jewelry ranges from $10-$50, and housewares range from $20-$100. Joi has been a vendor at Renegade Brooklyn since 2007, and is excited at the chance to return!

(If you're just a fan and not a Renegade judge, you can always comment below and say how awesome you think we are. We won't mind.)

King of limbs.

2011-02-25T10:04:00.001-08:00

Since everyone's been talking about the new Radiohead album, and I've been enjoying it myself, I decided to illustrate accordingly.

Get it?! Because, you know, everything Thom Yorke sings is meant to be taken literally.

A musical ghost and a thorny devil.

2011-02-23T12:32:00.000-08:00

It's fun to be doing a lot of illustrating for myself recently. (Not to say I haven't been working on things for other people; stay tuned!) Since I'm applying to the Renegade Craft Fair this summer, a lot of these drawings may end up as shiny new prints. Like this one, about being musically seduced, or something like that.

Also, blah blah blah...Criterion Affection...still at it, etc...the Australian film WALKABOUT...and by the way, crazy desert creatures are fun to draw.

Cameras and candelabra.

2011-02-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

Today I have two illustrations for your viewing pleasure. The first is for no particular project; I basically combined a lot of things in my "inspiration" folder and came up with this:

The next illustration is for a very specific project, and that would be my ongoing and never-ending monster of a project known as Criterion Affection:

If you like a good dreamy fantasy and you've never seen Jean Cocteau’s 1946 adaptation of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, then stop looking at blogs and go watch it now.

Chai, with milk and sugar.

2011-02-04T14:30:00.000-08:00

Yup. That's me, drinking my usual cup o' tea, in one of my favorite mustard yellow sweaters. It seemed high time I did a self portrait, and this one now graces the contact page of my website.

I've also joined a new place on the internet, Hire An Illustrator. You can head over to see my portfolio, and also browse the portfolios of a lot of other talented folk.

And finally, here's the latest Criterion Affection update for the 1936 comedy MY MAN GODFREY:

Covered.

2011-01-22T18:33:00.000-08:00

Last week, I had the pleasure of contributing to the great blog Covered. If you're unfamiliar, it's a website where artists can reinterpret some of their favorite comic covers. I picked Adrian Tomine's Optic Nerve #3:

You can see it posted on Covered here.

Quick related story: last year I went to the MoCCA Festival with a friend, and naturally made a stop at the Drawn and Quarterly table. While we stood there browsing the titles, I want on and on about how great Adrian Tomine was, and how she should read some of his work. That's when my friend said, "Is that him standing right there?" Because of course he just happened to be a foot away from me signing autographs. I was so flustered and star-struck that I nearly walked away with an autographed collection of his early comics without actually paying for them. Oops.

There will be a new Criterion Affection post in the next couple of days. In the meantime, look at this amazing stamp my friend Tim designed for me!

Various updates.

2011-01-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

Hello, and welcome to 2011. How is it treating you so far?

Today there is a brand new item in the shop. My "Friendly City" and "Water Cycle" prints have been made into a set of four postcards. Send them to your city/country friends, or keep them for yourself.

I also posted a new illustration and short review at Criterion Affection. This time it's for the Dutch thriller THE VANISHING.

What's the deal with the golden eggs? You'll have to watch the film to find out.

2011

2010-12-31T14:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Thanks for making 2010 swell.

Visit me at the Craftacular today!

2010-12-12T05:06:00.000-08:00

This post is just a quick reminder that I'm going to be at the Bust Holiday Craftacular today, vending my wares. It's at the Metropolitan Pavilion at 125 W. 18th Street, between 6th and 7th Ave. It will be running from 10 am to 8 pm, and it's only $2 to get it. So if you're brave enough go out in this horrid rain, please stop by and say hello! I'll be on the second floor at booth 50 with the wonderful Stereoette.

I can't go for that.

2010-12-03T18:08:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I mentioned a brand new product in the works that I'll be selling at the Bust Holiday Craftacular this year. I know you've been on the edge of your seat, so here it is:

UPDATE: This item is no longer available for sale. Sorry!

Pin the Mustache on Hall and Oates. You heard me. This will be an actual game that you can play, and it will include everything from hairy magnetic mustaches to a "private eyes" blindfold. Basically, I saw a gap in the market for 80s pop culture party games, and I filled it. They're not completed yet, but they're in the works, and I cannot wait to show them off at the Craftacular!

By the way, the patterns and monograms I designed for dabney lee AT HOME are now available on their website. It's not too late to order some custom trays and notepads. Just keep in mind that Monday is the deadline to have it ship in time for Christmas.

(Oh, and in case you were wondering, I failed to write a novel during the month of November. Next year, next year.)

Holiday crafting and literary classics.

2010-11-28T14:47:00.000-08:00

Let's start with some good news: I've been accepted as a vendor at the 2010 Bust Holiday Craftacular, which will be held at the Metropolitan Pavilion on December 12th. Hurrah! I'll be sharing a booth with Stereoette, and you should definitely stop by for some crafty holiday shopping. I'm adding something exciting and new to my wares; I'll post it within the next week or so.

In the meantime, here is another Criterion Affection update, this time for the 1963 adaptation of LORD OF THE FLIES.

There was so much good imagery to choose from that I had a hard time narrowing it down to the pig head and the broken glasses. (The conch, I'm afraid, didn't make the cut.) The color scheme came together pretty easily this time around. From the start I wanted it to have a limited color 1950s children's book feel, and I'm pretty happy with the result. Does the pig seem creepy enough to you? Because it definitely was in the film.

Two completely unrelated movies.

2010-11-18T05:42:00.000-08:00

A new illustration went up on Criterion Affection a few days ago, for the silent classic The Passion of Joan of Arc. The film was gorgeous and the acting was incredible, so I'm not sure I could do justice to the imagery. Instead, I put a bit more focus on drawing my own Gothic typeface to give it a personal touch.

In other news, I have the capacity to be a huge dork. So naturally I went to see the midnight showing of Harry Potter 7.1 last night. Huzzah! In honor of that event, here's an illustration I did a long while ago of two of my favorite characters.

Discussion of either film in the comments below is highly encouraged.

Designing for Dabney Lee.

2010-11-11T19:13:00.000-08:00

Dabney Lee is a stationery company whose mission statement proclaims, "snappy is a lifestyle." In addition to their cute invitations and stickers, they also have an entire AT HOME line of products that ranges from lucite trays to notebooks to playing cards, and everything is customizable. I've been working with Dabney Lee for some time now, which is a natural fit considering our shared love of bright colors and geometric patterns. And now I'm quite excited to show off my contributions for their big AT HOME update.

Here are two sets of monograms that I designed. That's right—we're talking drawn from scratch. Typography isn't necessarily my forte, so I'm pretty happy with how these turned out.

And here are just some of the patterns that I created. The one in the middle is called Moustache (my favorite of the bunch), and then going clockwise from the top left we have Stardust, Poppy, Clementine, Chrysler, New Order, and Dumbo. The new monograms and patterns will be available online pretty soon; until then, you can take a look at all of the (snappy) new options here at the Dabney Lee blog.

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

2010-10-31T16:27:00.000-07:00

Here's another Criterion Affection illustration, for the 1943 French film, Le Corbeau. (Click to see the post.)

I know I'm not the first person to combine a pen nib and a bird's beak, but it works so perfectly for this film. The lettering was stolen directly from the movie—isn't it great?

In other news, if you don't hear from me much this month, it's because I've signed up for the ridiculous National Novel Writing Month. That's right. My brother and friends have convinced me to write a novel during the month of November. I think it's going to be about two different people with different ambitions coming together...and it might also involve the end of the world. Yeah, I'm not really sure; it's still a bit sketchy. Wish me luck!

Ch-ch-check it out.

2010-10-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest Criterion Affection post for the Beastie Boys Video Anthology. Yes, it is actually in the Criterion Collection.

This was a whole lot of fun, both the watching and the drawing. At first I didn't how to approach the illustration since it was hard to pick out just one video to work from, but I think I came to a happy solution. You can read my short review here.

Monstrous fun at Fred Flare.

2010-10-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

Recently I've had the extremely good fortune to work with the awesome people at Fred Flare. If you're not familiar with them, fredflare.com is an online store for all things kitschy, cute, and stylish. And lucky me -- their physical store is mere blocks from me here in Greenpoint! So I jumped at the opportunity to come in and do some designing.

Here's the "monster sale" theme I helped develop for the month of October. I especially enjoyed drawing all the monsters you see below, which currently make up the backdrop on their twitter page.

By the way, if it's not obvious, Fred Flare is having a huge sale right now that I recommend checking out. And if you're ever in my neck of the woods, the store is definitely worth a visit.

3 short comics.

2010-10-14T23:10:00.000-07:00

A quick reminder...

if you happen to be in the Pittsburgh area this weekend, you might want to stop by the Pittsburgh Indy Comics Expo. And once you're there, make sure to say hello to my talented friend Katie Skelly and my talented brother Mike. At Mike's table you'll even find some of my own comics for sale -- oh boy!

That's three comics for the price of one. I'm hoping to sell this little compilation here in New York at some point, but for now it's only available in Pittsburgh. Just to whet your appetite, here's a sneak peak at the first story, soon to be printed in The Bushwick Review:

Big website overhaul.

2010-10-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

Phew. I've done a big website update, cleaning up a few technical things, and updating with lots of shiny new work. Here are a few highlights (clicking will magically transport you to the site):

There are also exciting things happening on the comics front. I have a new one set to be published in The Bushwick Review, and my brother over at VectorBelly will be selling my stuff at the Pittsburgh Indy Comics Expo next weekend. More info to come!

New things to buy on Etsy!

2010-10-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

As promised, I finally added all of those goodies from Maker Faire to the online store for your purchasing pleasure. I'm really pleased with how everything turned out, especially the perpetual intergalactic desk calendar. I won't lie; that thing entertains me to no end.

You can buy your robots, skyscrapers, and space adventures here!

Maker Faire wrap-up.

2010-09-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

The Maker Faire has come and gone, and it was so much fun. I saw chariots and fish bikes, a life-sized Mouse Trap being deployed, and a high-tech fashion show from Diana Eng. Unfortunately I don't have photos of all these magical things, but I can show you my not-as-magical booth display:

That's me on the left with one of my lovely craft-mates, Alison of King Popcorn. The "Robot Party" print was the most popular by far; one of the highlights for me was selling one to a real life roboticist. Everything you see here will be added to the store in the coming week, so stay tuned!

The Maker Faire is nearly upon us!

2010-09-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

There's less than a week to go until the Maker Faire, so don't forget to buy your tickets. (And send me an email if you want a discount.) Everything of mine is off to the printer, I've worked out my display, and I can't wait! Here's one last illustration that will be available as a print:

So stop by to say hello. I'll be sharing a tent with the talented King Popcorn and Stereoette.

More new art than I know what to do with.

2010-09-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend I've been an art-making powerhouse, thanks to right combination of motivation and free time. The motivation comes courtesy of Maker Faire,a two day festival of arts and science that's coming to New York City. My good friends Alison of King Popcorn and Joi of Stereoette, being the talented crafty people they are, have been accepted to the craft portion of the fair. And they've asked me to share their booth! Which is thrilling and intimidating, and it's whipped me into a illustrating fury so I can have brand new prints to sell.

Below is the science-inspired result: a famous robot party, and a new take on the water cycle.

(Thanks to Candace for the elementary school science inspiration.) I've also been working on a perpetual calendar, which (if all goes according to plan) will be bound into a mix-and-match book. Here's a sneak preview of some possible combinations:

Any feedback will be a huge help. Would you spend your hard earned cash on these lovely items? What else would you like to see turned into a print (or tee shirt, or tote bag, etc.)?

Squids, sharks, cats, and racoons.

2010-09-03T14:06:00.000-07:00

I've been shamefully quiet on the blog front, but not for lack of things to post. I'll use my busy schedule as my excuse. But before I share new art, let me share this nice writeup of The Bushwick Review over at L Magazine. My talented friend Kristen is the creator and editor of the zine, which features a short comic of mine. Let's hear it for collaboration!

And now time for art. Since my last post, there have been not one but two additions to my other blog space, Criterion Affection. Clicking on the pictures will take you to the corresponding reviews.

I have some other illustrations in the works that I'm very, very excited about, but I'll save that for a future post. Oh the anticipation! If you want sneak peaks, you can always follow me @dialmformichele.

Kids these days.

2010-08-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

Apparently the kids are really into technology these days. There's some website called Twitter? Have you heard of it? Well, it's taken me long enough but I'm finally tweeting with the rest of humanity. I'm at dialmformichele if you'd care to follow me. I'll even follow you back, no questions asked. Basically it will house all my various updates in one place, and maybe some things you didn't need to know, like what I'm currently watching on television or something.

I also heard that iPhones are pretty popular. While I sadly don't have one myself -- I'm afraid that if I'm given portable internet I'll never be able to hold a conversation again -- here's a little gift for those of you who do. iPhone wallpapers!

If there's another illustration of mine you'd like turned into a wallpaper, just ask!

EYES WITHOUT A FACE AND FACES WITHOUT EYES

2010-08-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

I was in the lovely state of Vermont over the weekend, and let me tell you, I'm going to miss seeing so many stars at night. Still, I'm happy to be back in the city, starless though it may be.

In case you missed it, I updated Criterion Affection last week with the classic horror, Eyes Without A Face.

This might be one of my favorite illustrations on the blog to date, although I can't take all the credit. It's easy to illustrate a film that already has such memorable and creepy imagery.

I also had the chance to finish another project I've been mulling over for a while: an illustration inspired by one of my absolute favorite music videos, Radiohead's Just.

The best part is that it's a repeating pattern! Although I'm not sure yet what I'll be using it for. Any suggestions?

And on a final note, congratulations to the Californians who can once again marry! You can check out my update on StatesThatAllowGayMarriage.com. It's good to see some hot pink on the west coast.

STATES THAT ALLOW GAY MARRIAGE SITE LAUNCH

2010-07-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

A little while back, I had the opportunity to work on a map for a new website, StatesThatAllowGayMarriage.com. As the name implies, the site provides information about same-sex marriage in the United States, and the map I designed is meant to be an easy visual guide. Well, I'm happy to announce that the website has officially launched!

And it's oh-so-much more than a pretty map. If you click on each state, you'll get a list of the members of congress and whether they support or oppose marriage equality. It's a great resource, and I'm proud to be a part of it.

You can read a short article about it here on The Advocate.

Soon to come...another Criterion Affection update, and eventually a thrilling giveaway.

PANDORA'S BOX AND FREE MUSIC

2010-07-26T21:56:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week, what with freelancing and playing host to one of my brothers from out of town. But I still managed to update Criterion Affection, my illustrated movie blog.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I don't know if I quite managed the art deco feel I was going for, but the final piece ended up fairly close to my original concept and I'm digging the colors. You can read my brief and unqualified thoughts on the film here.

And speaking of my brother, he authors the webcomics over at VectorBelly.com. Since two of his characters are in a band, he's decided to bring the band to life, and he requested yours truly on vocals. The band is called Bitmap Bombardier and the first two singles are available here for free download. If you ever wanted to hear me singing silly words over chiptune beats, now is your chance!

Soon to come...new design work, and still possibly that giveaway.

I LIKE U, AND NEW ADVENTURES IN BLOGGING

2010-07-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

In the past, the sole purpose of this blog has been to say, "I have new work. Go look." But as of today, what was once my little update blog will be oh so much more. That means work-in-progress, pretty pictures, sources of inspiration, and weekly updates. Just for you!

And I'm going to kick off this mid-year resolution by sharing some of the design work I've been doing for the super cute company, i like u.

No, I didn't design those adorable puffy hearts. But I have been doing some of the material to go with them, such as hang tags and promotional postcards. It's been a fun project, because I think the product is great. Not only do they make for a simple, sweet gift, but they also come with a code that you can enter online to leave a message for your giftee.

The website, ilikeu.com, is still only a splash page, but I'll let you know when it's up and running.

In other news, I have finally joined LinkedIn, or what my father refers to as "Facebook for grownups." If you'd like to do me the honor of connecting, you can find my profile at linkedin.com/in/dialmformichele.

Soon to come...a Criterion Affection update and possibly a very exciting giveaway!

2010-06-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

I finally updated the art section with the paintings that I did for the Spare Room Gallery show a few months back. The series is called "Portraits of Strangers," and they're all based on photos I picked up at thrift stores. The frames came from second-hand stores, as well; I'm particularly fond of the extra ornate ones.

Also, I'm in the process of expanding this little update blog into more of a real blog, so stay tuned!

2010-06-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

Wish you were traveling more this summer? Now you can pretend to, with a set of Wish I Was There postcards, new at the store. Send them to your friends, or frame them on your wall! There's also a new painting available for purchase.

2010-05-15T17:41:00.000-07:00

New illustration, inspired by book genres and subway cars, as well as a custom portrait that was a lot of fun to work on. There will be many more updates in the coming weeks; in the meanwhile, take a look at the Spare Room Gallery blog for photos of our successful art opening!

2010-04-30T21:07:00.000-07:00

If you happen to be in Brooklyn tomorrow there is some wonderful art to be seen. Together/Apart is the second show put together by The Spare Room Gallery, an art space that travels throughout Brooklyn. I have a few small paintings on display, and the entire show looks pretty stellar. Details can be found at the Spare Room Gallery blog.

2010-03-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Updates all around. First, in illustration, there is a new postcard design that will soon be printed and sold as a set. Design work has been added for Citizen Design Studio and SUSHISAMBA, and a pair of paintings have appeared in the art section. Finally, my cinephile blog Criterion Affection has been going strong and steady; a sampling of that work can be viewed here and here.

2010-03-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

It's fun new design time: first, an interactive map that will soon appear on StatesThatAllowGayMarriage.com, followed by an album cover for Brooklyn musician Anne Kadet.

2010-02-10T16:22:00.000-08:00

A number of paintings and prints have been added to the store, and now there's a new way to buy some art. Click your way to The Must Stash, where you'll find my work alongside great looking items for your home and your life.

2010-01-15T08:26:00.000-08:00

Exciting news! My good friend Kristen recently compiled the talents of some fantastic writers and artists into her new zine, The Bushwick Review. And buried among the goodness is my very own graphic short story, "Palindrome." It's available at a number of bookstores if you live in the NYC area, or you can purchase it online for a mere five bucks.

2010-01-09T15:05:00.000-08:00

New year's always seems like a good time to give my website a face lift. It may not look very different, but trust me. This site is equipped for the modern era! The news section is now being powered by my very own blog, which will make it easier than ever to stay up to date on all of my ambitious undertakings for 2010. What's that, you say? One blog isn't enough? Well, for those of you who enjoy a good film, I invite you to come visit Criterion Affection. It's where I'll be chronicling my lifelong goal of watching every available Criterion film, through reviews, illustrations, and whatever else comes to mind.

2009-12-10T13:57:00.000-08:00

Click this way for two new illustrations, new design, and the collaborative card series with King Popcorn. As though that weren't exciting enough, new paintings have been added to the online store.

2009-11-14T13:56:00.000-08:00

Finally! The online store, Dial M for Michele, is up and running. Now you, too, can have your very own original Michele painting. In further exciting news, the first three greeting cards are available for purchase from a new collaborative project with King Popcorn, with more to come in the near future.

2009-09-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

I believe an update is long overdue. There is a new series of spot illustrations that will be appearing in AirTran's Go Magazine. There is also new design, including the branding for my very-soon-to-launch (I swear!) online store.

2009-08-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

The online store is still a work in progress, but there is other internet goodness to be had in the meanwhile. My work was recently featured on Where the Lovely Things Are and designworklife, and I've also added my portfolio to the freelance illustration site, theispot.com.

2009-06-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

Two new illustrations now grace the website, and look - I even spruced up the header. Keep an eye out next month for a chance to buy your own original Michele art!

2009-05-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

New candy for your eyes! Two works have been added to the fine art section as well as a new Breakfast At Tiffany's inspired illustration.

2009-04-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

I've added a whole new section for fine art. Some of it is work that was previously categorized as illustration, with one new piece as well as a few older ones. New work can also be found in illustration and design.

2009-03-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

New design work can be found here and here.

2009-02-17T13:41:00.000-08:00

There are two spanking new illustrations, one of which is currently featured on the dating website GetSteady.com.

2009-01-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

In honor of the new year, I bring you a new website. Simpler. Cleaner. Hypoallergenic. You may also notice that there is now a section for updates, where once there was none. As you browse the new layout (which is exactly the same as the old layout) don't miss the four added illustrations as well as some new design.