Designer’s Comment:

The idea behind all three of my cards, and really the idea behind all of my design work, is creating and achieving beautiful design in a simple, elegant way. The goal for each design was to take an image associated with the holidays and highlight them in a classic way. These cards were made as a project for an illustration class I am currently enrolled in and these were my first solely illustrated designs. I am very pleased with the outcome of each card, especially the reindeer card as that was more of a test of skill (I think I passed!).

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Designer’s Comment:

The inspiration for the submitted designs was to create holiday cards that were intended to simply convey positive messages of good tidings. The message this year was one of hope, unity and peace.

By mixing traditional phrases from the holiday season, trailing from the very iconic “wish” image of a falling star, we are united by our desire for a time of celebration regardless of our differences.

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Joey Mendoza | New York, NY

web.me.com/jmdesignny

Designer’s Comment:

This year is the year of hope, and this design is inspired by Shepard Fairey’s iconic “Hope” poster. My artwork deconstructed this iconic piece and fashioned it into a holiday image with a symbol that is also iconic and recognized by all. Hope is the message of the holidays.

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Designer’s Comment:

I created this card to convey the feeling of peace that I have when I walk on snow on a winter’s evening. Especially when snow is falling, the silence and beauty of this experience permeates my being with such deep inner peace that I felt inspired to create this image.

This piece has many, many layers of grids and snowflakes so that there is a feeling of depth and dimension. I chose the blue and purple tones as I feel that they create a peaceful feeling and also because it reminds me of the colors of snow falling in the evening. The spark of light above the word “peace” represents the light that is within everything if we can be still enough to notice it.

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Designer’s Comment:

“Peace on Earth” is my piece. This illustration was created for a personal Christmas card and as a client card. The illustration was hand drawn with pen and ink and then colorized with watercolor. I enjoy using a lot of color and patterns.

Cindy Couling has worked as a professional artist, illustrator and designer since 1992. She expresses her whimsical, colorful style in a variety of media, including pencil crayon, block prints, ceramics, watercolor, pen and ink and whatever medium strikes her fancy. Collage and artist trading cards are recent passions. Cindy enjoys observing people and incorporating their unique expressions and personalities. She also owns LunaGraphica Inc., a graphic design and web company located in the South Bay.

©2010 PsPrint Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Designer’s Comment:

I do a weekly, music-themed comic strip featuring two recurring characters called Buddy and Hopkins. I’ve been doing it since 2003, and it appears on websites and in print publications around the world. I decided to feature one of the characters, Buddy, in a typical holiday setting. I liked the irony of having annoying people in line contrasted with the phrase, “Enjoy the Sounds of the Season.” Even if you’re not a reader of the comic strip, I think the illustration is still effective. It pokes fun at the commercialization of the holidays.

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