What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from ideas to greeting cards.

I wanted to create a card for mothers to honour my own mother and to all the mother’s out there who make Christmas so special for us by tireless cooking, cleaning, organising presents etc.  For this card, I started with the typography and then worked on the illustration for the wreath.  I wanted a simple and modern card that would could be sent to all mothers. 

What sparked your interest in art? Did you start as a young child?

I love art as it allows me to express myself creatively.  I started when I was young with drawing horses and using graphite.  I stopped for a while to focus on my studies and career but picked it up again 5 years ago.    

Do you have formal training or are you self-taught?

I am self-taught.

Is your work done by hand and then scanned or do you work entirely on the computer?

I do a bit of both.  I love to experiment with different techniques and materials.  Sometimes I work with gouache/watercolor and then scan my work, other times I use Procreate and iPad/Adobe Photoshop/Adobe Illustrator to create my work.

Have you ever/do you currently have a job other than as an artist?

I currently work in IT Finance full time and am an artist on the side.  One day, I would love to be a full time artist.

What GCU artist(s) do you admire?

Carol Kearns – I love her whimsical and sweet illustrations especially the Christmas ones!

Ron Magnes –  I love how his cards are very original and modern

Mindy Pierce – I love diversity of her cards and her combination of typography and illustrations

Looking at your storefront, typography seems to be a vital element in your designs.  Can you share your thoughts on the importance of typography in your designs?

The balance of illustrations and typography is very important to me especially when creating cards.  To me, sending a card to someone is very personal.  I have learnt to create my own typography to compliment my card designs because I want to provide something extra special and personal to the person receiving the card.

What would we be surprised to learn about you?

My other passion is plants! I have an Instagram account @theoaksprout that documents my indoor plant growing passion.

1. If you had to be allergic to something, what would it be? 
   I’d be allergic to sweets, so I wouldn’t gain weight. lol

2. What makes a good friend?
   A good friend sticks by your side no matter what. They listen when you need someone to talk to, they pick you up when you are feeling down. And they tell you the truth even when it isn’t what you want to hear. They are someone you can count on and laugh with. They care about you and let you be yourself. They also let you be there for them.

3. Would you rather be a giant rodent or a tiny elephant?
   I would be a tiny elephant because I think baby elephants are adorable as can be.
    

4. Are you sunrise or sunset? Explain why. 
   Sunrise because I think each new day is a brand new beginning with new opportunities to do something new, different or better than before.

5. If you woke up as a flower one day, what flower would you be?
   I would be a daisy because they are the happiest flower. 

Liz Van Steenburgh of Starstock Greetings, Design Challenge Winner, May 2018 

What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from an idea to a greeting card.

When this challenge was announced, I knew I’d want to create something that I actually had some experience in myself.  “Back in the day”, they actually had sewing classes throughout high school and it was something I always enjoyed.  I also love graphics, especially vintage graphics, so I went through my extensive graphic arsenal and came up with the dress form as the base for the design.  When I found the needle and thread, I knew it would make a great tail for the Congratulations text and a place to hang a vintage wooden hanger to fill the negative space on the card.  Sewing classes may be a thing of the past, but hopefully this card will end up in the mailbox of a future fashion designer one day. 

Please list your 3 favorite cards in your storefront and why they are your favorites.

This card is one of my favorite designs.  I took both photos on a trip to Washington D.C.  The flag was taken at the NASA Space Museum and the eagle from the National Zoo.  I then combined them in Photoshop and added the border.  It seems a fitting way to thank our veterans by using images that are truly symbolic and also shot in our nation’s capital.

Since I use mostly licensed graphics for my card designs, whenever I can use one of my own photographs for a card, I love to do so.  This Mother’s Day card is simple image, toned in sepia with selective coloring on the flower.

I can’t draw a straight line, but I “drew” this Kwanzaa greeting, so I’m a little proud of that accomplishment 🙂

What sparked your interest in art? Did you start as a young child?

I have always had an interest in art, design and photography.  My Dad would dabble with oil painting and, while I had no real interest in that, it planted that creative seed in me.  I have been shooting, creating and crafting most of my adult life.

What would we be surprised to learn about you?

I have worked for Bigstock for the last 12 years.  I entered the stock photography craze as a contributor when it first began and continue to hone my photography skills, as well as my design skills.  I particularly enjoy food photography, but there aren’t too many greeting card categories that fit what I shoot.  I also try to take a yearly photography trip so I can shoot out in nature, plus see a bit of the world.

Thank you for choosing my design as the winner of the May challenge.  GCU has been a blessing to me in many ways, and I hope to hang my hat here for many years to come.

Julia Bryant of JJBDesigns, Design Challenge Winner,  April 2018

What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from an idea to a greeting card. 

I wanted the card to be funny. I searched for ‘funny parrot’ in the Big Stock images and this one caught my attention because I thought it would be cute to have him ‘squawking’ about a birthday. It really did just come together.

We’ve talked before about how choosing the perfect stock image is challenging due to so many choices.  What about this image did it for you?

I thought he was hilarious and there are several images from this artist with this particular bird and they are all funny. I chose this one because I thought of a cute text to go with the image.

Any tips on choosing the best font color for your designs? 

I choose font color by finding the most vibrant or dark color in my image and then choosing 2 or 3 shades darker for the font color. If it still doesn’t look nice, I then choose black or white based on the image background. I find that if you keep the color of the font in the same color family, it enhances the card’s cohesiveness.

What’s on the drawing board for new card designs?  Anything you’re really excited about?

With work and travel right now, I find I don’t have much time for design. I am excited for the Christmas cards I hope to get out in the next month.

Your Happy Birthday retro ladies are adorable.  Tell us more about the making and inspiration of these gals.

I do enjoy doing women themed cards. I wanted these ladies to represent the diverse types of women and styles. I gave them sassy outfits and hair to really give them an eccentric flair.  

Do you tend to design collections of cards leveraging the same or similar design or onsies?

I do. I have different backgrounds I use over again and change the color to match the card design I’m trying to achieve. I want to spend more time creating better main images.

On GCU artists set the default finish on cards.  Are you a glossy or matte fan or does it depend on the design?

I’m a matte girl.

Ok, now for the fast five, fun questions …  

1.     What was the first concert you ever went to? When I was stationed on Guam, a rock band called Winger came to the island. Looking back, it was one of the best I ever attended.

2.     If you were a vegetable, what vegetable would you be? Rhubarb – I want to be one that people don’t like to eat.

3.     What Disney/cartoon character were you inexplicably afraid of as a kid? When I was a kid, the Disney character that freaked me out was Medusa from The Rescuers. She was intense and so mean to Penny. However, this question does show my age.

4.     What sport would you compete in if you were in the Olympics? Curling, because it doesn’t look like it has a lot of physical excursion. I’m sure that’s wrong though.

5.     Are you a traveler or a homebody? Homebody… I traveled a lot when I was younger. I’m more about staying home now.

Note: other interviews of Julia Bryant here and here.

Design Challenge Winner, January 2018, Ultra Violet – Tammy Moody 

What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from an idea to a greeting card. 

I hate to admit it, but the inspiration for this design began when I was flipping through TV channels and heard a girl say, “He was totally checking me out”.  At the time, I was sitting there petting my cat, Meeko. Anyhow, I kept flipping through the channels and what that girl said stuck in my head for some reason Then, I looked down at my cat and he was staring at me, so I jokingly asked him, “Meeko, are you checking me out?” Then, as the words left my mouth, the light switch flipped on, and I made the connection between “Checking me out, and checkin’ meoowwwt. Then, as much as I hate to admit it, I repeated it to Meeko like a cat would say it. I laughed, and I could just see this little cartoon cat saying, “Oh yeah, baby, I saw you checkin’ meoowwwt,” and strutting around like he was totally hot. Then I thought of Peppy Le Pew and how he tried to be such a lady killer with that poor little cat. LOL Valentine’s Day was already on my mind anyhow because it was the next big card buying holiday and I thought I could create kind of a Peppy Le Pew type cat character and do a card for Valentine’s day for guys to give to their wives and girlfriends. I set about working on the cat and then realized I didn’t really have an inside verse that was fitting. The idea for the inside came much later when my husband and I were watching TV and he was petting Meeko and when Meeko started purring and my husband asked him if his motor was running. Then I knew I finally had the purrfect inside for my card.

Your winning card perfectly captures a cat’s sassy attitude. What cat experience did you draw from?

I have had cats for the last twenty years. Cats pretty much have a high opinion of themselves anyhow and anyone who has ever owned cats know they sort of have that attitude about them. I currently have five outside cats and two inside cats. One of my inside cats is a male (Meeko) and he frequently goes out to visit the females outside and he has that little strut about him that he uses when he goes outside- like he owns the place and like he thinks he is the greatest thing in the world. I think that is sort why it was so easy for me to envision that little cartoon cat with that, “Oh yeah baby,” attitude. Between that and the thought of Peppy Le Pew, it was pretty easy to envision my sassy little cat character.

You’ve won a prior GCU Design Challenge, what advice would you give to other artists who are hesitant to enter?

My best advice would be don’t worry about winning, just look at the theme and see what you can come up with. I like to participate because I like to see what so many different people do with the same theme. I have been in online art groups before though and we always had monthly themes, so I’ve always enjoyed participating in the theme events. Even if you don’t win, you still have a design that you would not have had otherwise. The rest of my advice would be whatever you design, put a lot of thought into it. Make sure the outside and the inside make sense. If it doesn’t then keep brainstorming. Sometimes, I write a word out and then see how many different words or things I can associate to that main word. And then I can usually find something to get my creative ideas flowing. Each one of us has a different personality – that little inner voice as well as our own sense of humor, etc. Just tap into your brain and ask what can I design that stays true to my voice, my sense of humor, etc.

You often feature animals in your designs.  Which is your favorite animal to design and why?

I love animals. My Mom was an animal person and it rubbed off. I like designing animals because most people can relate to them. I mean I personally have seven cats, three dogs, and thirty cows out in my field. Plus, I live in the country, so I see lots of wildlife as well. I like designing any kind of animal really, but cartoon animals are my favorite because I can give them human characteristics and features. I like to animate things and give them their own personality.

With the new year in full swing, did you make any resolutions?  If so, how are you doing with them so far? 

I did make a few resolutions, one was to dedicate more time to making greeting cards and trying to be a little wittier while designing. I want my cards to be a little more focused on a specific occasion and I want to create an inside verse that speaks to the occasion as well as match the front of the design. So I am trying to put lots of thought into the cards and verses I am creating before I design and upload anything. Competition is tough, so you really need to do your homework and put a lot of thought into it to stand out, be noticed, and speak to consumers. Sometimes it may take twenty tries, but when you get it right, it is exciting, and it usually pays off. I think it is off to a great start so far because my goofy little cat design has gotten a great response.

Ok, now for the fast five, fun questions …

Fun Facts / Ice Breaker Questions:

What is one thing you miss about being a kid?

One thing I miss about being a kid is that that unlimited sense of adventure and fearlessness that comes with being a carefree kid.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

My favorite ice cream is Bunny Tracks by Breyers.

If you had to eat a worm, how would you cook it?

If I had to eat a worm, forget cooking- I’d buy gummies.

Would you rather have 3 wishes in 10 years or 1 wish today?

I would go for 3 wishes in 10 years.

What is your favorite scent / smell?

Wild Honeysuckle.

Congratulations to Julia Bryant, Design Challenge Winner, October 2017

What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from an idea to a greeting card. 

When I was thinking of what to do for this challenge, I wanted it to be humorous and capture a cat’s attitude. I enjoy cat memes and other stories about cats and their attitudes. I wanted the cat to express his displeasure with its owner for making him wait. I think the frown on the cat says it all.

Your winning card perfectly captures a cat’s sassy attitude.  What cat experience did you draw from?

My friend posts about her cat on Facebook. He’s really feisty and I think it’s so funny. Honestly, I’m a dog person but I do enjoy reading and watching videos about cats and their attitudes.

You’ve won many GCU’s Design Challenges, what advice would you give to other artists who are hesitant to enter?

Get out of your comfort zone for the challenges. I think they are great for drawing out one’s creativity and making you think outside the box. Really assess what the challenge is about and then add your flare to it. The more challenging the better, in my opinion.

You have created quite a few cards using GCU’s Stock Card Creations. There are so many images to choose from.  Can you share how you go about choosing an image?

I usually look for something very specific when I start my searches on BigStock. I always add adjectives to the searches, so instead of ‘Santa’, I add ‘funny Santa or humor Santa’. And, I always choose the type of image I’m looking for like ‘Photo’, ‘Illustration’, or ‘Vector Art’. This gives you more results in that medium.

Which card is your favorite of your Stock Card Creations cards and why?

Bailey the Dog Balancing a Cake on her Nose for Birthday card is so funny to me. The other dog looks he’s waiting for the cake to drop really sums up that whole image.

The holidays are coming!  Tell the truth, do you send holiday cards and if so do you send one of your own cards or send a design by a different artist?

I do send them and usually choose from my own collection. When I design cards, I have my friends and family in mind, so it usually pertains to them and something they can enjoy.

Ok, now for the fast five, fun questions …

Fun Facts / Ice Breaker Questions:

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Rocky Road. Having all those textures and flavors in one ice cream is heaven.

Whom would you call for bail money? Nobody, most people I know would leave me in jail.

What is your hidden talent? I can watch two TV shows at the same time and not miss a beat.

If you had to eat a worm, how would you cook it? Grill it for a good flavor.

What is your favorite scent / smell? Vanilla. I love vanilla for everything.

May Challenge Winner by PamJArts

Congratulations to our May Design Challenge winner, Pamela Jorgensen from PamJArts. Her winning card appears above.

Please list any awards or contests you’ve won outside of GCU.

I did win best victoria sandwich cake at a village flower show in England when I was 12 years old. That was a worthy accomplishment in my small village, unrelated to my artistic leanings but totally worth a mention. I previously belonged to a local art society and earned some minor awards for oil paintings and pencil drawings but generally I have not participated in contests.

Please list the URLs of your 3 favorite cards in your storefront and why they are your favorites.

Cold Get Well Soon Trapped Bug in Medicine Cups Humor card

I chose this card because it was fun to imagine and create a nasty little bug. I made various versions for a few of the common illnesses, and this series was inspired by a co-worker who came down with a case of laryngitis. At the time our own household had seen a round of colds and it seemed the little medicine cups were constantly out in the bathroom. I am very picky about cleaning them out well and that led to the idea of a nasty bug trapped in two medicine cups. I also had fun with the verse because I feel laughter is the best medicine.

Quirky Hipster Retro Gal Valentine’s Day for Husband card

This is a very recent card inspired by playing with simple emojis that I call my hipster girl. She kept evolving as I added more details and took on a retro feel. I was very happy with how she turned out and I hope to adapt her for various other occasions. I did make her into a bride on a recent version, who knows what she will become next. I am not the most disciplined designer. I love the journey and seeing where it takes me.

Braces On Congratulations – Peace Sign Smile Enjoy Braces Girl card

Another card inspired by real life. We went through two rounds of braces on our two girls and it was braces, braces, braces for a long time. This was another design that kept evolving. I created one initial brace and wire and then went on to create various versions, making different colors, different presentation shapes, the possibilities were endless once I had done the groundwork. Thankfully, the braces days are behind us but I still remember the fun I had creating the braces for this design. My family thought I was a little obsessed.

Please list any of your professional social media sites.

I am not very active on social media but you can find PamJArts at PamJArts (pamjarts) on Pinterest

What were your inspirations for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from idea to greeting card.

The moment that the challenge was posted it was instant inspiration. I have been living gluten free for around 6 years now. Additionally, one of my daughters has the same gluten sensitivity with the addition of dairy sensitivity. This severely limits our options for eating out and at birthday parties we usually just watch everyone else eat the cake. When I found this cat with its sassy expression I knew this was the image to use and the “ Do I look like I eat gluten?” question just popped into my head. I will add that we are not as sassy as this cat and more than happy to skip the cake. 🙂

What sparked your interest in art? Did you start as a young child?

I was always drawing or making things. Growing up in the English countryside, I loved drawing mice in imaginary poses, mushrooms and toadstools, the horses that roamed free, the flowers and fauna. At school I used illustration in my schoolwork as much as possible, my notebooks had many colored drawings in between the pages of writing. As a child I was inspired by the art of Beatrix Potter and John Constable and in later years the Hudson River School artists. I have played with most mediums and my creativity was never limited to painting on conventional canvas or paper. I have painted on rocks, furniture, walls, fabric, etched in glass and now create digital art. Wherever the muse takes me, I create.

Do you have formal training or are you self-taught?

I have not had any formal training, I am self-taught but it has always been and remains simply something I love to do. I did take a couple of photography courses back in the days of film that included learning the darkroom process when I was in my early photography phase. Then came digital cameras and Photoshop and that opened up a whole new exciting process to master.

Is your work done by hand and then scanned or do you work entirely on the computer?

The work I have on GCU is created entirely in Photoshop.

Have you ever/do you currently have a job other than as an artist?

I have never formally worked as an artist aside from a second job when I was a teenager fixing typos or errors on advertising posters for a local advertising representative. I have had many different jobs through the years and I have always enjoyed learning new skills. After moving to America I worked as an aircraft parts broker servicing worldwide accounts before marrying and settling into being a stay at home mom. Currently, I am chief operations officer of home and work on my PamJArts ventures.

What GCU artist(s) do you admire?

There are so many artists here who I admire and appreciate for many reasons. The artist community at GCU is like no other.

Doreen Erhardt for her professionalism across the board in creating and marketing her cards and for her generous and supportive work for the artists on GCU. Since we both joined GCU pretty early I was fortunate to get to know Doreen and she never ceases to inspire. I love Betsy Bush’s sense of humor and love the fresh look she brings to her cards and the artwork of Barbara Schreiber, she has so many classic and pretty cards with great sentiments. I have a soft spot for Bad Poetry Cards because I like the style of humor, Penny Cork always has great designs and Sue Nollmeyer of Sueshine Studio, and Gail Pepin, are the most thoughtful motivators for their kind card reviews.

Looking at your storefront, you feature some adorable little critters.  Are they part of your menagerie?

We have been pet free for a numbers of years now but in the past we did have hamsters. I have a love of rodents. My daughter just recently got a baby Dalmatian tortoise.

What would we be surprised to learn about you?

I love working on mechanical things and fix my own home appliances. I made the Barbie cake once with an actual Barbie in there. It is legendary at our house and one of my proudest achievements of domestic glory.

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