essential qi

Watercolor and design … what a stellar combination for branding. Last fall, I was hired by Essential Qi to create an identity for their company as well as packaging for their line of Chinese Medicine Inspired Acupoint Aromatherapy. The company was started by two professional acupuncture therapists based here in Austin. They created three essential oil blends: Shielding, Restful, Soothing. Included within each roller bottle is a stone pertaining to the blend’s function. Each blend smells super yum.

Below you will find the logo I created as well as the finished packaging that I designed, illustrated and produced (using a local printer). The colors are pulled from the 5 elements in Chinese Medicine and the look is an ethereal, balanced and healing one. The packaging includes the box, roller bottle with label, and an informative insert complete with application illustration.

 

Full and Reverse Logos:

 

With Jenny Hoger and Phyllis Kung at the Essential Qi launch party held at BFree Yoga in Austin.

 

To learn more about this new line of traditional medicine inspired aromatherapy blends, created in Austin, click HERE.

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dear santa, …

very merry christmas from the loon & me.

boy howdy!

so it’s been some time since i last posted … i appreciate the pokes and prods for an update.

since my last post i have relocated myself to austin, tx. this is a change i’ve been wanting to make for about, oh, five years now. sometimes you just have to be patient when making big transitions. so here i am … in the texas oasis … willing and ready.

several of my wonderful arkansas clients, such as candy bouquet international, arkansas press association and office of health information technology, are keeping me on and having me work remotely. so excited about that. makes the financial transition a bit easier! plus, i’ll be working out of two “offices,” little rock & austin. lucky girl.

since my move a few weeks ago, i’ve joined the austin museum of art (the receptionist was from little rock!), attended a smart and unique wedding at the longhorn caverns, was barked at by a woman in a restroom and have attended two “terror tuesdays” (as well as sunday morning beetlejuice) at the alamo draft house theater. doing alright, i’d say.

this post is an announcement not only to proclaim the sowing of oats in a new city … but to say I NEED HELP SPREADING THE GALUSHA-NESS. i mean, seriously. how am i going to buy a little ranch and two horses?! you have connections in austin? send ’em my way. you know someone who needs art to decorate their office in downtown austin? send ’em my way. you know someone who needs design collateral for their new business in austin? send ’em my way. you know someone who needs large phallic shapes painted on the side of their drag racer? eh, i’ll pass. (gotta love craigslist).

commissioned artwork … the perfect gift.

a couple of weeks ago, i was contacted by two separate people needing commissioned pieces. one was for an award of appreciation and the other for a birthday.

the following is a not-so-high quality iphone image i took of the piece commissioned for ashley wimberley by the arkansas advertising federation. they left the subject matter pretty open, since i know ashley and have worked with her very closely in the past. i chose something liberating, natural and inspiring. she’s been a wonderful person to work with in many people’s eyes. the piece was presented in an awards ceremony that took place while i was away in peru. take a look:

the thoughtful andrew ashmore commissioned a fly illustration for his father, who’s an avid fly fisherman, on his birthday. the family has a great cabin on the little red river and andrew wanted him to have some more art on the walls. he sent an image of a beautiful fly for me to illustrate. here’s the process and the final:

initial sketch

adding pen & ink

before color

adding color with colored pencil

final illustration (sorry, again with the crappy photos)

in it's new home on the little red river

the illustration looked nice with this rustic frame. i mounted the drawing on a newspaper clipping from a publication distributed in the early 1900s that i have on hand from my great aunt. framing art is just as fun as making the art itself, so i always cater to the illustration – making it art as a collective. each one is unique.

pretty sweet, if i do say so myself. what? what was that? you need me to commission an illustration? painting? email me: doubleegee3@yahoo.com

… and taking names.

"personalized pistol"

for that “special someone.”

it’s for sale at gallery 26 in hillcrest.