Introducing : Techno Folk 2012 Surface & Pattern Design Collection Technofolk Marta Spendowska Collection 2012 • Surface & pattern Design Technofolk Marta Spendowska Collection 2012 • Surface & pattern Design I've been a part of  The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design e-coure with Rachael Taylor since the Module 1. I'm currently taking classes from Module 2 and I'm already signed up for Module 3. Even though I don't need any technical advice per se (digital that is), because I've been working with Illustrator and Photoshop for many years and designing some patterns, I do need Rachael's and Beth's help regarding the business side of the pattern and surface design. It's a great group of talented folks. The newest collection is inspired by my recent trip to Poland, my home, my heart, my place. I wanted to give it a modern twist and I knew (laying in bed and thinking at 3am) that techno is the perfect name for this colorful, bright and psychedelic design. Please, share, pin, post on facebook/twitter, if you like it:) Thanks guys!    

I've ben always a fan of androgynous clothing. Flowered bubbly dresses are just not for me. Dear god, I've tried. Just this week I watched an episode of Fashion Star even though I've decided to keep my tv exposure to minimal. Besides Mentalist and Revenge I don't have any addictions. After Michael left Office, nothing is worth watching. Eventually I watched the whole thing, because I spotted this fun looking girl with short hair and wanted to see how and what she designs. It was Kara Laricks and I feel in love. Tuxedos, suits, vests, oh my. Kara went from being a fourth grade school teacher to fashion, created a line of unisex androgynous accessories called Collar, Stand + Tie and now she's competing with few other designers on Fashion Star show. The great part is that if her designs get bought by either Macy's, H&M or Saks Fifth Avenue, we're able to buy her stuff in one of the stores the very next day. I wish that last week winning jacket would be just a tid bit less expensive. Saks :) It's so fascinating to see her fulfilling her purpose and living da dream. How can't you love a designer who describes her style as : My style is a kind of a modern-day Annie Hall meets Japanese street style aesthetic. I love an avant-garde look. But at the same time, I know that not all of the masses are interested in something on the edge or avant-garde, so I guess that kind of pushes me, too. After Ellen What's funny is that in the interview with After Ellen she says she would love to dress Tilda Swinton. I'm working on series of women that I've always been drawn to. They all have some or strong androgynous side. I want to keep the rest of the portraits as secret, but I'd love to share with you my Tilda Swinton. Coincidence? In real life the painting is a bit lighter. Love to all!

I've talked a bit about my obsession with drawing perfumes already. The topic fascinates me so much, I've decided to write again. For those of you who paint, draw, illustrate, it might be a helpful insight. I don't know when exactly I started painting perfumes. I have old sketchbooks in Poland and I flipped through them last time I was there and I found many perfume bottles or beauty products drawings. The one thing that stikes me in those drawings is how quickly and almost not carefully they were drawn. None of them is trying to present a 3D bottle, all of them are flat drawings, quick and nonchalant. That got me thinking. I've just watched this incredible livestream video from Awesome Horse Studios. Four fantastic artists, March Scheff, Cynthia Sheppard, Aaron Miller and Noah Bradley, trained traditionally, paint the same women digitally. Well, at least three of them do. I loved watching it. I admire their skills of rendering the shape and perspective. It's a pure beauty and incredible knowledge. I loved what they've accomplished at the end and I think I learnt few valuable lessons. But, after watching it, I realized I don't even want to try to go this direction. All my pieces, small or larger, are much more flat and illustrative. I like to only suggest the shape and color. I think my most successful piece is the girl in black ink with badly rendered hand and no eye. I love this illustration so much. But this post supposed to talk about perfume bottles, I can hear you're saying. Well, it's all the same. Some of my perfume bottles are better than others. You might disagree, but I feel it in my gut, in the moment I paint it and a day after. Some are just simply overworked (Le Narcisse). Again, the most joy I get is from only suggesting the piece, even if it means reducing it to the flattest splash of color. Gimme black ink, pen, watercolors, few crayons and I'll be the happiest ever. Drawing perfumes allows me to merge my passion for somewhat representational work and abstract. I can work very fast and intuitively. With portraits, if I need to focus on the likeness of the person, I have to slow down and make some decissions beforeheand. With perfume, the tiny architectures, I can afford to enter a much more meditative state. Even though I admire each and everyone who paints like the 4 masters I linked to above, I still get the biggest emotional charge from the simplest, most intuitive art or illustration. I think it's great to learn from others and observe  how they work (I definitely advice you to watch their livestream next Saturday), but you have to find the voice within you that just feels right.    So, let's just end with this little story.   The most magical Natsuki Otani is awaiting my answers for her illustrator feature series on Illustration Rally. I have my answers ready, but not the requested 5 pieces that would really showcase my work. Well, I'm almost there. I even emailed Natsuki about that and she said it all feels like me. I knew it doesn't — for me at least. Thank you, Nat! When I was featured on the Trendhunter, I felt really excited. I still am. It feels great to see others recognizing your work on such an important website and Sophia did such a great job writing about the work I do. But I knew that the pieces that were posted were just not my best ones or— at least — not the ones I'd like to share over there. For the past 2 weeks I've been going through my portfolio, spreading out  some of my most recent drawings on the floor so I can see, what's the problem. I made notes about what I like, what I don't like and why. I've noticed patterns. I cried over some of the pieces. I could not eat for the rest of the day. I had some wine. Too much maybe. Yep, art is really demanding. But it helped. Now, remember and please understand that I loved working on every piece, but at some point I lost track of what is me, what is not. I advice you to do the same. Look though your work and get rid of anything that doesn't feel right. You know it, don't even ask me, what does it mena "feels right", you know it.  Sit. Down. Listen. Today I'm 80% satisfied with the choices I made. There are still few pieces I'm attached to and can't let go off. But soon. I started this post with perfumes, because those are my most minimal drawings and my most beloved ones. They were my starting point for sifting through my work. I want to let you know that there is room for bad art, useless art and flat art. Admire those who paint like Noah Bradley and do your own thing. It's really all about the energy you get from it. And it should recharge you every time you paint. Over to you! Tell me your story.

I think it't time to reveal my Polish illustrator crushes. The most important person has been Agata Nowicka aka Endo. The first website that introduced me to her drawings was her old comics blog, but I'm not sure if she still updates that one. Agata is really sweet and helpful, she now works with New Yorker and most of the Polish magazines. It's such a pleasure to see her grow and create such an extensive portfolio. Loving her pixels. Yeah, have you noticed ? That digital artwork has a very distinguished look.   Another illustrator, cartoonist and graphic designer whom I admire so much is Ada Buchholc. She works with most of the prominent magazines in Poland and draws her super funny comics Dzienniki Kryzysowe. She definitelly has a love.hate relationship with herself, but deals with it in a cynical hilarious way. Strong line, mature, definite style and bold colors. Like her Facebook page. Last but not least, Marta Ignerska. Totally different way of drawing than mine, Ada's or Agata's, but captivating and charming. I see this type of childlike style a lot in US, although I would definitely recognize her piece from miles away. And, we share a name. When I was in Poland I picked up her amazing book Wielkie Marzenia (Big Dreams). I hope you enjoy meeting these fantastic people. Until!

It's all about ladies this month. Singers, crafters, painters, artist of any bread. I've been working on some illustrations for RedRock Fashion, UK brand. Just yesterday they were published on Illustration Rally. I saw some nice submissions and I was happy to participate. I truly love their clothes; it's a combo of feminine punk and flower sweetness. Like black + pink — all you need. Also — thank you Illustration Lounge for publishing my work! I truly adore their picks. Lastly, if you love seeing space of artists, designers, visionaries, you must check out Angelika's Taschen on Selby (four). One—My new RedRock project / Two / Three / Four /

So, I love Eddy, her boyishness, her short hair and her So Worth Loving mission. And since I've been asked to work digitally lately, I've decided to draw this gorgeous beau. She is such a cutie! The illustration is from her cover Eddy remix. Sorry, I don't know, who did this picture, so I can't credit. Let me know, if you're out there!  

It's been busy and I'm a one happy dudette. I've been drawing a bit more for Amelia's Magazine, creating some more handmade patterns and got contacted by a big, impressive magazine. My fingers are crossed — I hope to illustrate for them. I also signed up for the awesome painting e-course, Get Your Paint On. I'm not a beginner, but I hoped to meet people, who love painting, bright colors and learn some tricks from Lisa and Matti. My goal for 2012 is to collaborate more and licence some of my work. Etsy was out there...calling my name. So I joined again. Few days after setting up my own store, I've decided to give it  a try. We'll see, how it goes. I just started exhibitting with papernstitch, da fantabolous diy website curated by Brittni. You can find some of my work in her gallery. So, that's for the updates. Lot's of good vibes, watercolors, inks and overall joy from creating. Also, yesterday I started listening to Pema Chödrön Getting Unstuck audiobook. Some of you don't know, but I took a buddhist refuge few years ago. I've been to few events and workshops with Lama Ole. Buddhist teachings are helpful even if you're  a Christian or Agnostic, or whatever you decided to believe in or not. If you have those tendencies of getting stuck/hooked/obsessed, this audiobook can help. She's funny and clever. Recommended. I hope your week is going well and the sun keeps shining!

Art is tough. Art is sweat and daubt. I'm reading Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles, Ted Orland. I'm reading it slowly, because it's so so good, I don't want to finish it. They say : Making art now means working in the face of uncertainty ; it means living with doubt and contradiction, doing something no one much cares whether you do, and for which there may be neither audience nor reward. and : But if making art gives substance to your sense of self, the corresponding fear is that you’re not up to the task — that you can’t do it, or can’t do it well, or can’t do it again; or that you’re not a real artist, or not a good artist, or have no talent, or have nothing to say. The line between the artist and his / her work is a fine one at best, and for the artist it feels (quite naturally) like there is no such line. I can relate. Every artist can. Wnenever I go to the museum or gallery with my dearest hubby, I hear him saying I could do this too. I could draw it. Big deal. Now stop. Maybe he could recreate it, but could he create it ? Could he imagine it ? Could he translate this imagination into the paper? Could he risk using this vibrant orange I overuse without destroying the painting? Could he decide about the layout? Does he know what composition is? If you show me, how to sew a dress, I could probably do it sooner or later. But, would it be my dress design? Art is tough. If I decide to use my other vibrant pigment — pink — and it won't work, I probably have to forget about the painting and start all over. The writer can delete. With few keystrokes. The copyist has the map prepared for him, so he doesn't need to take risks. I need to destroy and move forward. It's scary. Next time you think that you could do it too, do it. Risk it all. Put on the line the best Arches paper that costs lottsa money, the precious inks that cost even more. What separates artists from ex-artists is that those who challenge their fears, continue; those who don’t, quit. (...) Vision is always ahead of execution, knowledge of materials is your contact with reality, and uncertainty is a virtue.

She is gorgeous. I have tendencies to love androgyny and harsh voice. She is purple for me. Her voice is purple + satin.

My favorite author by far. Obscure. Violent. Nobel Prize in Literature in 2004. Did you see The Piano Teacher with melancholic Isabelle Huppert? Jelinek wrote it. NP For her musical flow of voices and counter-voices in novels and plays that, with extraordinary linguistic zeal, reveal the absurdity of society's clichés and their subjugating power Nobel Lecture, Dec. 7, 2004 This dog, language, which is supposed to protect me, that’s why I have him, after all, is now snapping at my heels. My protector wants to bite me. My only protector against being described, language, which, conversely, exists to describe something else, that I am not -- that is why I cover so much paper -- my only protector is turning against me.

Cat Power. Singing kitty. Strong, bold, edgy. Exhibitionist. She's like a power of 100 AA+ batteries. Jumpy and laud.

Skinny, but runs like wolf. No barriers, she will get ya, sooner or later. Small body. Small body, very. Sometimes bare lips, like she's thirsty. Sometimes red. Man shirts and high heels. Straightforward and sad. Eyes wet like she just cried. Not like we that cry to get something or into our hubby's sleeve. More like violet cry in the cold bathroom with the cigarette and cuts. She scares me and I flirts with me. You once said a person defines themselves by what they are willing to die for. I will die for a belief and you will die because you have none.  — Nikita 

FIRST : Watercolor I did recently. SECOND : SrcUnknown | My Stylist Says | Monk3y | Four. Black comes back to me every so often. For the last two years I've been wearing mostly black. It was an intimate, introvert time. Earlier, you could spot me in electric pink and orange. Yes, orange is my favorite color, for sure. And yellow. And turquoise. So, you see, it's hard to say no to colors. Black is powerful. It adds so much character to everything. I almost never leave the house without my precious black eyeliner. Black Associations :   Chinese — Black was associated with water, north, and winter. One old wives' tale claims that if a woman is buried wearing the color black, she'll come back to haunt the family. Johnny Cash — was referred to as “the man in black." Black tulips and black roses appear to originate from a fairytale world. Licorice (black) — mysterious, spicy-sharp, almost louche — as scents go, licorice is notoriously polarizing. Saturn, but Scorpio (astrology).   There's something about black. You feel hidden away in it. — Georgia O'Keeffe   Black : Pearl Jam (every time I hear it, I shad a tear or two). Alina, remember?

MAC, the trouble. The trouble with MAC is that it's not organic, not healthy, not pure, not natural. The trouble with MAC is that it's so damn gorgeous. Everything. Sparkling powders like silver dust, highlighters-beams, reds, violets. Blue perfume.    

Rihanna is easy to draw. Very symmetrical, big features. Still needs some work, but I've decided to share. I'm actually working on my fear of sharing the unfinished work. Any work, that is not perfect, scares me.