Pattern Bliss

Vote! It’s more important than ever. Make a voting plan and go VOTE! Many states allow voter registration on Election Day. For information on how to vote in your state visit www.vote.org.

The lettering art for this graphic created in Photoshop. Animation created in XD.

Adjusting distracting elements is a common request for photo retouching—especially in outdoor images. Here I adjusted the image so the distracting shadows in the grass on the left side are gone. I also adjusted the intensity of the lighting so the details were not lost in the bright sunlight. This adjustment also helped to bring back the richness of the colors in their clothing and in the green grass and trees, as well as the blue sky. One additional fix was to match the skin tones to hide the bra strap that was visible in the original.

Summer evenings outside are magical. Here’s a snippet of a new botanical print. Visit my Instagram post to check out three more color ways I created in Photoshop. Do you have a favorite?

Be smart. Be kind. Wear a mask. I know the mask is a bit uncomfortable, but I am guessing that having a loved one —or yourself—die is far worse.

Wearing a mask is NOT political. Wearing a mask is an act of love. It is not an act of fear, not oppression, not conformity—wearing a mask saves lives. If we all do this together we will get back to that “normal life” we love sooner.

Wearing a mask is a choice to keep our freedom of living life. #wearamask #maskssavelives #wearadamnmask

Art created by Chris Olson in Procreate. Visit my post on Instagram to see the art process video and get a sneak peek at the number of earrings I tested out before I finished the drawing.

Watch the short video tutorial for an effective technique for removing jewelry in fashion photography using Photoshop.

I created this animated graphic novel page using the Procreate app and Photoshop. I created each panel individually in Procreate and then combined them in photoshop. I used the timeline function in Photoshop to create the animated gif.

When you are doing what you love, life is beautiful: “Let the beauty of what you do love be what you do.”

An inspiring quote by Rumi about making the most of each day by doing what inspires and engages you passionately. It is another interpretation of the idea: Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.

Art, hand lettering and animation by Chris Olson.

Is your pet better at keeping track of the time than you are? One spot illustration in a series for an new editorial project.

Starting out the week with a hopeful image. So many things can push me to feeling down during these quarantine pandemic days. Thank goodness there are butterflies in backyards with gardens, or decks with potted plants, or open spaces with wild flowers. I am quick to notice the butterfly flying from plant to plant, but it takes a very careful eye to find the caterpillar. And the beauty that emerges from that solitary caterpillar is a wonderful part of the journey--even if it isn't as eye-catching. I think I need to draw more caterpillars!

I love the quote by Maya Angelou, "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the beauty it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

Hello, brand new month! To feel a bit more positive during this very weird time I love to gather flowers for a bouquet—or even paint a bouquet.