Inspiration Post: EYE Spy!

Hey everyone!! October is the perfect time to think kooky and spooky projects so in the spirit of Halloween, I figured it was a good time to crank out a creatively creepy “Inspiration Post." The "Inspiration Post," is a monthly themed collection of pieces I dig up for you from around to web to inspire your creativity!! I started this blog segment back in August of 2012 making it officially 2 years old!! My first chosen theme was simply "Cats." This month's theme is "EYE Spy!"

How thankful I am for my set of eyes! They let me see so many different things each and everyday. Whether it be a beautiful rainbow stretching across the sky or a stinky, overflowing garbage can sitting on someone's curb. Not only that, but they turn everyday objects into an instant pal. Boring still life? Add some eyes and they'll take that bowl of fruit from average to the friendliest bowl of produce you'll ever encounter! So scroll down to see what EYE Spy as inspiration!

Cat Got Your Eyeballs T-shirt - DarkMattersClothing Etsy Shop

First up we have just a couple of cute kittens playing with some . . . uh are those real eyeballs? This disturbing hand-painted t-shirt design features two curious kittens batting around a bunch of blue eyes freshly harvested from their sockets. Painted on a sparkling pink background this is one eye-catching piece of apparel. The contrast between cute and creepy is what makes me appreciate this fun concept! It’s amazing how switching out even ONE element to something MORE out of the ordinary can bring a piece to an entirely new level of creativity.

Raquel Reed Photoshoot - MISKA NYC 

If my numerous Marie Antoinette related post haven't quite tipped you off, I'm always inspired by an over-the-top hairdos. And this towering trio of eyeballs is no exception!! Raquel Reed is styled up to her eyes in well. . .eyes in this photoshoot for  “МИШКА,” a NYC clothing company. Their mission statement is to “destroy everything boring and the mundane!” The use of contrasting colors and consistency in graphic eyeball imagery is anything but boring! The creeping red tendrils securing the eyes into the wig is super spooky. Mission accomplished! 

Alice in Wonderland Eyeball Necklace - Rui Nishioka tumblr

This necklace was the original inspiration for my "Eye Spy,” October theme. It reminded me a lot of myself if I were a giant floating eyeball!! With a little research, I found out it’s a piece in a collection of “Alice in Wonderland,” inspired jewelry created by Rui Nishioka. This artist uniquely utilizes insects and artificial eyes to create one striking line of jewelry. This particular necklace is obviously Alice, with her signature black ribbon and blond hair. Being that she’s only an eyeball I imagine she’s ever alert for all the dangers Wonderland throws her way!

Kreepsville 666 Eyeball Handbag - Dolls Kill Boutique

So we have a necklace, a shirt, why not grab an eye-mazing bag to go with? There are plenty of round purses and bags in the world but this one is a literal eyeful! Not overly complicated and relying on the iconic eyeball to do all the talking, I had to add the Kreepsville 666 Eyeball Handbag to this post!! The bright colors of the design (both the red and the green versions) really pop against the clear material! Vector illustrations always remind me of plastic so I can see the clear PVC being the best material to create this real eye-opening accessory!!

Look Before You Speak Poster - Sab Sesay

Last is a poster print of a logo design by "Sab Sesay" or Sab Rena. This artist has more than a few more eerie eye pieces in her portfolio I found inspiring! It was almost hard to narrow it down to just one. I like the muddy, saturated colors for this straight forward design. The logo featured is composed of really simple shapes; a burst, hearts, circles, etc. while still making a statement! And the repeating color-changing eyeball and lips icon is quite Warhol-esque. On a sidenote, one of her early inspirations to create art was the “Sailor Moon,” series which I also adore!!

(image via SAB Sesay Behance)

Care to spy some more inspiration?? Check out my Pinterest board titled "Inspiration" for all the pieces that didn't quite make the post and any extra things I store away for future inspiration. Follow http://www.pinterest.com/nerdycupcakes/inspirations/ to digest a healthy dose of creative inspiration.  Have a super week and a safe Halloween!!

Cake Bake Penny - Logo Design + Frosting Brushes!!

Hey everyone! Recently I’ve been challenging myself to break out of my artistic comfort zones to better round out my portfolio. Adobe Illustrator is still remains my go-to program to transform my ideas into works of art! With the latest version of "CC" booted up, I decided to work up a logo design just for fun. I'm still obsessed with everything baking so yes, it's a bakery logo!!

For the logo I created my own set of bakery brushes. Creating brushes has intimidated me in the past but I KNEW it would  speed up my design process by like a billiondy. So I buckled down and created my first set of original brushes!!

The new fangled Illustrator updates make stuff like brush creation, so much easier!! I left the logo as a circle design and I'm eager to throw it on some bakery product mock ups to show off the tasty little emblem in action!

And I'm STILL interested in sharing my most polished ideas, thoughts and projects for you guys!! I can't make many promises as to how often I will be posting in the future though, so hang in there and keep checking back!! I hope you enjoy your weekend!!

Inspiration Post: Ice Cream Cones!

Hey everyone! February is always one of those months that completely passes me by. Here it is already the last day of February!! Which means it's time for another "Inspiration Post," a once a month themed post filled with all sorts of stuff that keeps me inspired. February's theme is, "Ice Cream Cones!" showing off all sorts of creative interpretations of everyone's favorite frozen treat piled high in a crunchy sugar cones!

Ice cream cones are the easiest way to eat ice cream on the go; no spoon or bowl involved for this treat! I'm no stranger to embracing the cold confection in my artwork. Joy Cups are my favorite brand of cone and are made right here in my home state of Pennsylvania. Cones even have their own Holiday that celebrates the day it was patented back in 1903! I'm a big fan of desserts and just food in general so it was REALLY tough narrowing my choices down to a top 5 for this post. Scroll down to check them all out!!

Ice Cream Skateboard sold by Raskulls

I first caught a glimpse of this skateboard at Toys R Us and I'm pretty jealous that I didn't think of it! The concept is extremely clever. 3 scoops of adorable ice cream are about the same shape as the deck of a skateboard so why not just make them INTO a skateboard?? I have no idea how to skateboard but I would buy this in a heartbeat. I like Raskullz choices in eye catching sports equipment and I even doodled up an  illustration just for fun featuring their helmets once. You can purchase this board for yourself off their website: http://raskullz.com.

Ice Cream Social Logo by The Mahoney Design Team

This logo makes it's way around Pinterest quite often. It's a great example of typography as well as logo design AND is an actual ice cream cone so I had to include it. The design is so simple yet so brilliant!! The logo itself was designed by "The Mahoney," am online design portfolio for Patrick Mahoney. The other designs included on "The Mahoney" website are just as impressive as the logo so I urge all you design nerds to check it out at http://themahoney.com.

Unicone Print by Dea Vectorink on Etsy

Ice cream cones, unicorns and rainbow sprinkles all in one print?? An ode to the waffle cone and to one of my most favorite animals of all, this print has it all! I love the artistic style, the strawberry soft serve mane and the little details such as the teeny tiny little hairs on the unicorn's muzzle. Created by Dea, a tattoo artist from Germany, it is currently available on Etsy for purchase in the Dea Vectorink shop! If you like this print the shop also carries a few other pieces featuring cupcakes, cookies and other sweets!

"scary ice cream boy" by Annette Ellis on Flickr

I have no idea what the origins of this sculpture / statue is but you can photos of it all over Flickr by searching "Ice Cream Boy." And while many contributors and commenters describe the little guy as scary, terrifying and even disturbing I like him!! If you think about it the statue did it's job, it got people's attention!! It's just too bizarre to pass up for my "Ice Cream Cone" themed inspiration post.

Michael Miller LLC Ice Cream Fabric sold by JeanMariesFabric on Etsy

And finally we have a patterned piece textile from Michael Miller LLC and sold by the yard by JeanMariesFabrics on Etsy. The print is just an entire repeating pattern of ice cream cones. The vintage looking illustrative quality of the cones with a retro geometric pattern really appeals to me. Not only that it features different types of cones like strawberry and chocolate soft-serve, scoops of vanilla with sprinkles and even mint chocolate chip!

Are those gears in your brain turning now?? I hope this post inspired you to go out and create something wonderful. . . . or maybe it just made you want to eat ice cream!! Either way I hope you enjoyed this month's "Inspiration" post!! Hungry for more? I have a Pinterest board dedicated to "Inspiration" which always features pieces that I love but didn't make the cut. Just head over to http://pinterest.com/nerdycupcakes/inspirations/ to check it out!! Hope everyone has a great week!

Cakalicious in California is OPEN!!

Hey everyone!! I just wanted to take some time out to update you all on one of my client's exciting ventures that took my art to new territories!! As you may or may not know, I created the one-of-a-kind logo for "Cakalicious," a custom cake company back in 2011. Last year it went through some slight revisions and I got some exciting news!!

The owner informed me that business was booming so much she got the opportunity to open her FIRST bakery!! In fact, just last month they did a soft opening but on the 9th they are having their GRAND OPENING. In the meantime, Cakalicious is cranking out flavored baked goods of all kinds.

I am so excited for Heather and her business!! I cannot describe to you guys how great it makes me feel to transform a client's big idea to a reality. The coolest part?? My art work is now a permanent fixture of her business, it's on her sign!! Check it out:

My art has taken me to great places and given me the opportunity to meet bright and creative individuals whose passion for their craft is equal to mine!! I cannot imagine doing any other career!! So if you or someone you know has a business or a vision for an illustration or visual design, be sure to check out my website and hit up the contact section!!

Snazzy Face Painting has a FACEBOOK!!

Hey everyone! Remember when I created a logo for Alyssa of SNAZZY Face Painting * Las Vegas back in March??

Well, I wanted to announce to you all that they have recently gotten a Facebook Fanpage!! You can visit and like the page by going to http://www.facebook.com/SnazzyLV. There you can view all of the amazing work that they do. These are just a few of my favorite facepaints:

 

Look at all those happy faces!! The Hello Kitty is just TOO cute!! Alyssa is truly an artist. If you are from the Las Vegas area, I strongly urge you to contact her and book her for your next indoor or outdoor celebration. All of the contact information is up on the Facebook page. I'll also be adding the page to the recognition portion of my website at http://www.violet-ink.com. Hope everyone has a good weekend!!

Snazzy Face Painting Logo!

Hey everyone!! Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I got a new job recently and it's actually in my field :D but it's full time so my free time has been mostly helping my friend move and blah blah blah it doesn't even matter because I'm BACK!

I wanted to share a logo I did for an up-and-coming business called "Snazzy Face Painting" located in Las Vegas. The girl who owns it is named Alyssa and she wanted to incorporate a cute cartoon of herself in her logo.

Here is what I came up with:

Not only is it completely personalized to represent the woman behind the business but we also incorporated the look of the bright lights of the nationally famous LAS VEGAS sign where she's located!!

Image by Vegas Buzz

So cute!! She loved it!! Don't forget to contact Violet Ink Design on our website at http://www.violet-ink.com/contact for any and all of your graphic design and illustration needs!! I hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

Cakalicious Custom Cakes Logo!

Hey everyone I got to create a really fun logo this year for a custom cake making business called Cakalicious!! What a dream come true!! I love cupcakes and I love graphic design so this was a perfect fit for me.






Cakalicious is run by Heather and located in California. The cakes she create are very beautiful here are some of my favorites I found:



Barbie of course!!




An excellent Baby Shower cake!! So unique!



A hot pink cake fit for a queen completely surrounded by cupcakes!

For more information about her business check out her official website at http://www.cakalicious.com/or just "like" her Facebook fanpage at http://www.facebook.com/cakalicious.customcakesbyheather!! And don't forget to contact me, Laura at VioletInkDesign@Gmail.com for all your Graphic Design and Illustration needs.

EveryoneLovesRobots - Spring Youtube Layout

Hey everyone!



Just wanted to post about a big change to the EveryoneLovesRobot, the solo music project of James Long.

His youtube layout I recently created was due for an overhaul. Who better to redo it than Violet Ink Design? The new scheme is hues of blue and a nice white in the mix for contrast.

This was the before if you do not remember...


and now the after!



Perfect for spring! Just some simple color changes to freshen things up a bit! See if for yourself by clicking on http://www.youtube.com/user/EveryoneLovesRobots

The channel has risen to 118 subscribers. So while you're there, if you haven't subscribed do it today!!

Youtube Layout, Zazzle, and more JERSEYLICIOUS!

Well I finally finished creating the "Youtube Layout" for the EveryoneLovesRobot's channel. Making a youtube layout is something I have never done before. Not sure if I mentioned this already though but I slaved over this epic masterpiece only to find out that the customization options I wanted were for Youtube Partner's only. Live and learn!!

But we managed to tweek the background around enough so that it still looks awesome with what little options that were available. Here is a screenshot of the layout:

(click it to see the larger version)

To view the full thing, check out the channel @youtube.com/user/EveryoneLovesRobots. Don't forget to subscribe.

Also the logo I created is now available on merch such as shirts, pins, and hoodies at the Zazzle Store: http://www.zazzle.co.uk/everyonelovesrobots

The best thing about Zazzle is you don't have to have your shirt white, or your hat black, you can pick nearly ANY color you want with no extra cost. I ordered two of the small pins and cannot wait for them to arrive.

ALSO I cannot wait for my Artrade with the awesome Nicky to arrive either. I re-sent out the envelope containing mine and hopefully it arrives VERY soon. I will take a picture and finally reveal the secret print I created for her.

Third thing, Tracy DiMarco from Jerseylicious on the Style Network has requested I create her a new avatar!! She's gone much darker with her hair right now. She informed me she FINALLY got the prints I sent her, signed them, and shipped them off to me!! Yippee!

One more thing worth mentioning, tonight I decided to do some photoshopping:

That is it for today!!

Logo, Video, and Pictures!

Hey everyone just wanted to update you guys with what's been going on here at home base.

I got to hang out with my friends from college, who are my closest and most favorite buddies on the planet. We had a fun time out and then played with make up like we were 8 again!

Second, the logo I made for EveryoneLovesRobots has finally be unveiled:

Pretty spiffy huh??

THIRD James also posted a new video. I strongly urge you to check out his channel and subscribe! Not only because he is one of my most favorite peeps in the UK because he will make it in the big leagues soon and then you can say, oh yeah, James, I subscribed to his channel when he just had 2 videos! Or something... yeah!



Right now I'm working on his Youtube layout which became a HUGE pain, when I realized you need to be a Youtube Partner to access the full capabilities of customization on Youtube layouts.

So make sure you subscribe so I can use the REAL layout super soon! Have a great weekend everyone!