Inspiration: Antique Toys

It's always great for me to go back to Germany and visit. This time I visited three separate antique toy exhibitions. There is something about great toys that is so beautiful and magical even to this day for me. I can't quite describe the feeling but in a nutshell I don't think it's changed much since when I was just a wee one. Still the same awe, the desire to own them and the cheer satisfactory feeling to look at them in all their beauty. Of course not all toys, only the most beautiful ones, which are those with the most character I find. So full of personality, they come to life.  

Of course I always bring my sketchbook and sneak my camera in on those visits. Here are a few pictures of some toys that already brought joy to kids and adults alike hundreds of years ago and a drawing of a doll in all of her fancy that I made while there. Drawing some of these toys of course  inspired me onto other projects... but then I don't think that this is specific to the subject matter. I do think it specific to the process of drawing. Draw something and it will turn into something else... and inspire you to draw more... that's the beauty of drawing. Why don't you try drawing a favorite toy sometime and see what happens? Send us a picture of it! We'd love it! 

Then and Now...

On my recent trip to Germany where I grew up, I visited a friend of mine who I hadn't seen since we were both about 12 years old. It was a really great experience and even though we only had a few hours together we got along as if I hadn't left at all. Funny how friendships can be that way, frozen in time until you pick them back up somewhere someplace. She now has the sweetest little two year old boy.  I of course brought a few presents along one of them being this Colouring Postcard Booklet. She laughed when she saw it and showed me a friendship book of hers from way back when, where I had drawn a couple of horses for her. 'You still draw exactly like you used to!" she said and laughed. I really could almost not believe how much the same the drawings were. Down to the love of putting dots on horses. Still in tact.  I guess some things never change. That made me really happy.

Away on Holiday & Valentines!

I will be taking a short creative refueling leave from the shop, and so any orders you place online between Jan.31st-Feb.13th will be shipped promptly after the 14th of February. There might even be a little extra surprise in your order :)
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Speaking of the 14th of February... here is a sneak peak at our selection of Valentines this year around. They won't be available online, however if you're here in Vancouver they are already ready for you to pick up at some of our awesome retailers such as The Window Community Shop, Dilly Dally Kids, Bird on A Wire as well as our brand new retailers Brick & Mortar in New Westminster and Proper Topper in Washington DC for all of our US friends! Go and pick one up for that special someone!...you know who:)

Winter Time & What's A Good Drawing?

It's winter time here at Draw Me A Lion headquarters and I mostly sit in my studio with my trusty and fuzzy studio assistant thinking up new projects and ideas for the upcoming year.

One thing I always make sure of with all of the things I design for my line is that they can't be too perfect if you know what I mean. I always pay attention to keep that handmade feel, especially in my drawings. It's important for me that someone can look at a drawing and have it be fun to look at, in a way that makes them go..."Oh, maybe I could do that..." and then take it from there. When a drawing is too complicated and detailed this doesn't happen as easily.

I think the thing that stops so many people, especially adults from drawing, is this whole idea of the drawing needing to be 'good', ... and usually what they really mean by that is that their drawing needs to look as realistic as possible. For example, if you draw a chair and it looks exactly like a chair then it's a 'good' drawing. I however think just the opposite. To me what makes a drawing of a chair good is if it looks totally different than any old chair that I could just snap a quick picture of with my phone. Who needs a drawing of a chair that actually looks like a chair? Boring I say!  Give me a drawing of a chair that has wings, or a chair that can move and run around with a person, or a drawing of a chair with a hat, or a face, or with wheels, or with totally crazy wild colours or anything else you can imagine. Because I think THAT'S really what drawing is all about.. Imagination. Try is sometime won't you?

Here is a photo of me, of my studio assistant taking a nap and a drawing I did of me in my studio. If you want to  see more of me in my studio you can watch this short movie here that was made in warmer times not that long ago.  

Creativity Can Help

A Word About The Recent Elementary School Shooting in Connecticut

I have been wondering how best to address the recent shooting at the Elementary School in Connecticut. It is such a great tragedy and at first glance seems so out of place to talk about on this blog and yet I don't think it is our of place, because it deals with children and with sorrow.  My heart goes out to all the innocent children and teachers who lost their life's that day, as well as to all the surviving children and teachers who are still with us. What do we do in times like these? How do we cope with all the emotions and thoughts we have? I am a strong believer that art and creative projects can play a big role in helping us make it through hard patches in life and help us recover from traumatic experiences.

With so much tragedy in the world I have made Draw Me A Lion my mission to focus on the positive things in life. And even though many problems are permanent and can't be solved Creativity can be of help in overcoming the harder obstacles in life. Even sorrow.


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The Crayon & Watercolour Repel Technique

Here is a drawing I made between ages 6-8. Me and my mom did lots of crafts together. This was one of my favs. The crayon & Watercolour repel technique. For a nice wintery scene like this one, draw with a white crayon a winter wonderland. Then go over everything with with blue watercolour. The crayon will repel your watercolour and your picture will look great! After the watercolour dries you can add some extra touches like these houses here with coloured pencil.

Print Mix Up!

OUR MISTAKE! :( 
WE MIXED UP SOME PRINTS & WE'RE SORRY! 

Did you buy either of these two long format prints this Friday and Saturday at TOQUE or this Saturday at GOT CRAFT? 
If so, please check to make sure that you received the right one! 

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A few accidentally got put in the wrong tubes in the hustle and bustle and we big time apologize for that. If you have received the wrong print please get in touch via phone or email. 

We'll be sure to mail you the correct print immediately and of course you get to keep the one you already have.

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Thanks so much for understanding! 
So sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you. 
All my best,

Lisa

We Made A Video!

Thanks to the amazing talents of filmmaker Anna Mac Donald I am happy to present to you this brand new video about my little shop. I think it turned out so great. And just when it couldn't get any cooler my good friends Jared Schinosky and Choo Kien made the nicest song for it. I am so lucky to have so many talented people as friends and have no idea what I'd do without all of your help! So I'd like to thank everyone who contributed to making this video and also everyone who will take the time to watch it and help pass it along. 

I feel like Anna portrayed what my shop is all about really well and in a fun way. 

I hope you will like it! 

Here is the link to it on Vimeo again.