A Paper Tomato

To celebrate the start of summer, I collaged together colored paper to make a tomato. (I hope to see a real one in 

my garden by the end of the summer.) I’ll be on vacation for 2 weeks drawing and watercoloring outside. 

Happy start to summer!

Organizing Digital Files for a Blog

Somehow when I start a project on the computer, I get a sudden case of amnesia about how to organize my files. 

Does this ever happen to you? I thought—maybe I should come up with a laundry list that will help me in the 

future when I get that sudden case of “organizational amnesia.”

Here’s one way to organize your files:

BLOG (FOLDER):

A) Photoshop (FOLDER)

          1) Current files (Examples: Image.psd, Image_Tall.psd, Image_XTall.psd)

          2) Working (FOLDER) I put the old versions here.

B) Illustrator 

         1) Current files

         2) Working (FOLDER)

C) Image (FOLDER)

          1) Scans (FOLDER) Could divide up further: watercolor folder, drawing folder, collage folder, etc.

          2) Photos (FOLDER)

D) Text (FOLDER)

          1) Current files

          2) Working (FOLDER)

E) Ads (FOLDER)

          1) Current files

          2) Working (FOLDER)

          3) Final Art (FOLDER) Contains all of the final art jpg, png and text

F) Posts (FOLDER)

          1) Month_Day_Year (FOLDER)

          2) 06_10_11 (FOLDER) Contains all of the final art jpg, png and text

G) Archive (FOLDER)

            1) 2010 (FOLDER)

         2) 2009 (FOLDER)

William Morris: Growing Patterns

William Morris (1834-1896), the father of the English Arts and Crafts Movement, had many talents—artist, designer, 
writer and poet. He created works in stained glass, textiles, wallpaper, floor coverings, embroidery, tapestry, books 
and calligraphy.

Nature was Morris’ inspiration. He believed that every element in his pattern compositions grew "visibly and necessarily from another.” William Morris also said, “You may be sure that any decoration is futile and fallen into at least the first stage of degradation, when it does not remind you of something beyond itself...”

It was surprising to read that Morris’ studio space was very simple and devoid of any patterns.

Do you use patterns in your work?

(Books: William Morris and Morris & Co. by Lucia van der Post, V & A Publications, London, 2003. Library call number 747.09 VAN or online. William Morris Textiles by Linda Parry, Viking Press, NY, 1983. Library call number 747.22 or online.)