Lisa Mertins' Life IllustratedLisa Mertins' Life Illustratedkinda quirky, sketchbookesque, average people won't get some of it! life as an illustrator, mom, chicken keeper, love-life attendant...i don't think you'll be bored. Articles
The Orphan Works Act of 2008
2008-04-23 07:20:00 A confession: I haven’t been an activist since the movie The China Syndrome came out. But my only real serious thought then while marching around San Onofre was how tan I’d get and would I maybe see some movie stars? This is different. Brad Holland will explain it to you in a webcast interview if you go to the Illustrator’s Partnership website. The bill isn’t meant to take away copyright protection from only illustrators. Lobbyists with big money behind them (Google for example) want the ability to use AND MAKE MONEY FROM any visual image ever produced into infinity. That means photos too! Go listen if you or anyone you care about makes their living creating visual art. More About: Works , Orphan , The Orphan , 2008
Hi, My Name Is Lisa And I’m A Prima Donna
2008-04-22 05:41:00 I’m also a Bad Person and a Baby and I Sure Feel Sorry For Myself a lot. What else can explain why my friend and editor Keith Sharon would have to smooth my prickly feathers from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm with the kicker comment, “I have to talk you through a great day” because of a story I wrote in today’s Register? Or how about me stooping so low that I said to him, “just tell me I’m more special than Suzanne” who is the sweetest, most wonderful person in the whole wide world and a FANTASTIC writer and blogger?(Cripes! I just went to her blog for this link and she has TWO of my illos up. SNIF! waaaaaaaaaa! I’m sorry Suz!!!) Any new relatives out there that are visiting that got fooled into thinking I’m really nice and friendly and loving and giving? Forget it! All I care about is ME ME ME (and I’m boring too). Ok. I’m done now. The story’s funny and Joe was a good sport about it. I know I have some good stories to ... More About: Lisa , Prima , Donna
My Pretty 909
2008-04-21 07:34:00 Les Arbres Estate Yup, these pictures were taken in good ol’ San Bernardino County. The Redlands Horticultural & Improvement Society began as a men’s club in 1889 and is one of the oldest garden clubs in California. I wondered how their 98th annual garden tour in Redlands would stack up to the one I enjoyed last year in Sonoma. Ha! Godzilla guards the estate (more…) More About: Pretty
Georgeann Hope Bourne
2008-04-20 06:26:00 This is a picture of my Grandmother Bourne and my dad Kyle Lawton. Today was her memorial service at Mt. Baldi where she and my Grandpa Bill loved to ski. The service was heavy-laden with things said and unsaid. And I saw my uncle Mike that I haven’t seen since the 60s. From left to right, my half-brother Sananda, me, my sister Leslie, Kyle and my brother Steve. This was the first time Leslie’s seen our dad in forty years. Today, however, was a new beginning for all of us and my grandmother’s memorial brought us together. More About: Hope
Unka Sammy!
2008-04-19 06:18:00 This is a cheater post, an illo that ran with a story this week about how the FHA has raised it’s money cap on loans. OO, does that help borrowers in the OC! Since I have big, BIG dramatic family biz this weekend, I can only squeeze out something quick. Y’all know what I mean, doncha? More About: Sammy
I Have Failed!
2008-04-18 06:25:00 Where have I been? Not an entry since Sunday? I’ve failed to blog every day this week. I’m sorry if you were looking for me. Here I am back again. You can’t get rid of me that easily. Illustration Friday’s word is fail. This poor girl has failed to keep her clothes, her convictions and, ooops! There goes her hair. Those damn black birds. They’ll get you every time. Even a hummingbird’s getting into the act!
Shed
2008-04-14 04:55:00 Old Joe built this beautiful shed from plans found in The Family Handyman magazine. This weekend, he put in the arch and we planted two climbing Colette roses, luckily found at our local nursery because we are both too impatient to wait for bare root season. To the right is our small herb garden and the pear tree I started from a cutting is growing in the terracotta pot, whoo hooo!
Big Ol’ Buster
2008-04-13 06:13:00 Daughter Jordan took this picture of our horse Buster . Right after he tried to bite me on the rear as I was weeding on the other side of the fence. Horses can be brats and Buster is goofy and playful. He’s got this little trick where he’ll act like he’s got no energy on a ride. Yet, when he gets to a hill, he’ll trot up like horses do, not going fast enough to make the rider anxious but he’ll get just enough speed to haul off and buck. He’s tricked me a couple of times with that. Bastard!
Right Brain Rules!
2008-04-11 07:55:00 I am so pooped, and can’t think of a single thing to blog about except I read over the weekend in the New York Times, a story about how valuable creativity has become in this automated world. So, here’s a lovely quote to that effect: “It is in the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and in creative action, that man finds his supreme joys.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery More About: Rules , Brain
Teensy Misstep
2008-04-10 05:13:00 This image ran in the Register today. Well, not EXACTLY this image, the actual one, after the jump. See, the assignment to illustrate a story about people upside down in their mortgages was so simple to me. No need to over think it. An upside down house right? (more…)
Unpredictible* Lisa
2008-04-08 06:35:00 You don’t really know me, do you? For example, I draw maps too! Here’s one of my recent examples one of my favorites. Every month my friend Chantal Lamers features a shopping area in Orange County, Land o’ Malls for The Register’s Home magazine. She does a really great job and I’m trying to boss her into starting a design blog, she’d be good at it! This map is of Crystal Cove near Corona del Mar. I remember the area when it was full of real things of value. Like an view of the Pacific, unmarred by overpriced homes and places to buy stuff…sigh. *How’s this for anybody out there that thinks I might do a “good” illo tonight? More About: Lisa
He Loves Her!
2008-04-07 04:26:00 In spite of all the torture, this light graffiti is proof Ethan loves his sister Hannah, right?
Painted Lady
2008-04-06 05:59:00 MARIPOSA Mariposa del aire, qué hermosa eres, mariposa del aire dorada y verde. mariposa del aire, ¡quédate ahí, ahí, ahí!… No te quieres parar, pararte no quieres. Mariposa del aire dorada y verde. Luz de candil, mariposa del aire, ¡quédate ahí, ahí, ahí!… ¡Quédate ahí! Mariposa, ¿estás ahí? Federico García Lorca Butterflies are migrating through Southern California now. I’ve only seen a few live ones. A few years ago, while riding in Bogart Park, there were thousands coming through. It was enchanting. My family knows I collect good, dead bugs for inspiration and art pieces. Jordan brought me this Painted Lady . The wings could be in better shape but the antennae and thorax are perfect. She memorized the poem above in grammar school.
Tommy Lee Goodness
2008-04-05 04:59:00 I’ve wanted to draw Tommy Lee Jones since I saw No Country For Old Men. What an amazing face. This is sad Tommy. But I think we can all picture when he breaks into his million lined smile. I’ll do that image one day too. We recently watched In The Valley of Elah. Another where senseless inhumanity is embodied in Jone’s face. I know it’s only acting but his artistry is in the stratospheric realm. I’d cover that mug with kisses if given half a chance… More About: Goodness
Horned Lizard Spart
2008-04-04 04:46:00 Once, when I was a kid here in Southern California my dad brought home a horned lizard — we called it a “hornytoad” and it was kept in a terrarium made from a Sparklett’s bottle. Even then, I think I was aware that we weren’t supposed to have it but I think back then, they were plentiful and easy to find near our house in Walnut. I haven’t seen one in the wild since. But when I thought of something spiny, this lizard came to mind. What a funny spam line, “make yourself look really spiny” is. Not one of the porn spams, I don’t think. Of course, “wipe that smirk off her face” is. Putting the two lines together was really inspiring for this illustration cooked up completely from my over-active imagination (I write that without smirking. Kind of.) More About: Lizard
Odalisque Homage
2008-04-03 03:09:00 Modigliani was the artist I wanted to paint an homage to, then I saw l’Odalisque attributed to him, then I looked up Odalisque and thought, “perfect!” Why anime? Oh, just ’cause I thought it would look freaky. Homage is Illustration Friday’s word this week.
Happy Belated!
2008-04-02 19:53:00 Last night, too unhinged to post. Happy Birthday MySisterHeidi!!! And Happy Birthday Trina Agle!!!
Just Beyond My Reach
2008-04-01 06:56:00 Sometimes, my friend Amy and I talk about drawing the perfect character, selling out and becoming millionaires. I have dibs on the hedgehog*. They’re adorable and they can be potty trained! Maybe I’ll start a list of coveted items that would be impossible to have. Not a long list, five things max. World peace not included of course, just things that would make my little life perfect. African hedgehogs would not be at the top of the list but definitely on it. Ok, scratch that. One list for animals, one for other stuff. *If I’m banned from talking about chickens… More About: Reach
Sketchbook
2008-03-31 07:59:00 This is the first page of my almost-filled-up sketchbook. I was self-conscious then, never having kept one in earnest and boy, it shows. Pretentious and ill-conceived, I rambled about with random drawings and occasional conceptualizations for assignments. This ochre colored, leather-bound, Italian made book that I found for $5.00 gave me a great feeling when I carried it around. How bizarre is it that after so many years making a living as an illustrator, this little book makes me fee like a real artist? More About: Sketchbook
Suzanne The Adorable*
2008-03-28 20:55:00 My friend Suzanne Broughton who’s an expert blogger and Funny Girl has started a Register column called Alive In Wonderland for the Orange County Register. Suz has great takes on living in the upside down reality of the country’s nuttiest county, is a genuine OC Housewife and reading her work makes me nostalgic for my own Orange County upbringing. Go read her here and here (and lots of other places, I can’t keep up!)… I promise, you won’t be sorry. *Please excuse having to look at this image about 3x. Suzanne and I have this mutual admiration thing going! More About: Adorable
“Kissing A Chicken Is Just Like Kissing A Dog”
2008-03-28 05:11:00 Lazy tonight, but I love this picture of Hannah and the chick that follows her all around the yard…don’t worry, I stopped her before she kissed the chick. Pre-teen Hannah is hiding the child in her more and more. I have these pictures for proof that she’s still in there, however! And I’ll carry them around as reminders when she’s can’t help being awful. More About: Kissing , Chicken
Pet Peeve
2008-03-27 05:24:00 Now, I’m the first person to use cuss words, particularly one that starts with f — IN context. But it bugs like heck when those words are used to fill quiet spaces or as punctuation. Lazy and unimaginative is my opinion of cuss words out of context. oops! Just found out only one entry per week. But I felt yesterday’s entry was cheating. So this is bonus Illustration Friday day.
Caution, Rated R (Nudity and Language)*
2008-03-25 06:15:00 Conquering A Cock; The Primer (?) *Just read Illustration Friday’s word(s) for this week “pet peeve.” Although I did this yesterday, (and I’ll come up with another peeve tomorrow) it REALLY peeves me when people question my decision to keep chickens. They are calming, practical and sweet (except roosters!) so there! It’s hard to believe, but some people just can’t get enough of my chicken stories! For example, a friend sent me a link today and I just know it was a prompt for me to do yet another fowl entry, this one about our rooster who thinks he can push his weight around. He’s the rooster we kept. He didn’t have the nicest comb and he wasn’t the biggest. But I thought that maybe a beta rooster wouldn’t be so aggressive. He’s named Max because his cockadoodledoo sounds like the first notes of the Get Smart theme. We were working a two-person operation to retrieve the eggs once the hens started laying. That’... More About: Language , Nudity
Daisy Mertins, Queen Of The Dog World
2008-03-23 06:46:00 Although senile and feeble, she still has happy moments as our beloved dog. Duncan only wrassles with her occasionally now, he knows she can’t handle her rough housing. We forgive her for not recognizing us sometimes and she’ll be sorely missed when she’s gone. What a sweet face! This is the only photo of NJ’s surgery scar (barely seen right by her neck) I’m allowed to show. More About: World , Queen , Daisy
Springalicious!
2008-03-22 06:44:00 Oh what a day… In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. ~Margaret Atwood
For A Change, Not So Heavy (Sheesh!)
2008-03-21 05:13:00 Ok already! Enough of the mystifying illos. Here’s a picture of The Barbie Dream Horse. The last shot of her winter coat, which is as perfect as silk velvet (did I mention she’s the most beautiful horse in the whole wide world?). More About: Change , Heavy
Somthin’s Burnin’
2008-03-20 06:11:00 Outnumbered, three to one. Quick! To the bedroom. Lock the door! (Thank goodness the kids have lost interest in reading this blog)
Dedicated To Those That Hold Onto A Belief
More articles from this author:2008-03-19 06:38:00 Illustration Friday’s word is heavy. I loved the movie The Piano, but I hated the ending. So my Ada goes down with her piano! More About: Hold , Belief , Dedicated 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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