Papers at the ends

I am not sure who started the practice of maps on endpapers, although it was very clever and thoughtful of them. Some of the most charming ones I've found are in children's books. Having just looked at the endpapers in Winnie-The-Pooh, I was reminded of a reproduction I drew for a dear friend of mine. The drawing is my hand rendered copy of the endpapers that were found on the original Betsy-Tacy children's book series.

Here is my drawing as I worked on it at my desk. The map was about half done.

This is a scan of the map in it's entirety. It was done on handmade rag paper with my favorite mechanical pencil.

One day when I put out my own books I will be sure to have pretty endpapers with informative maps.

If you are interested in learning more about the Betsy-Tacy book series you can visit the Betsy-Tacy Society at www.betsy-tacysociety.org

You can also visit a previous post of mine to read a brief history of the Betsy-Tacy series and also read about my starting of a poster for the giftshop.   My Betsy-Tacy poster post link.

Finding Winnie

The other day I had the good fortune to find a vintage Winnie The-Pooh book in my library's used section. It is a charming book and this particular copy has some very loved pages that I adore. The binding is loose, the fabric edges are fraying and there are some worn patches of color. It still has it's library card envelope in back and I imagine all the children who read about Pooh's heffalump dreams or sitting with ten pots of honey as it rained and rained. As an adult the stories are as memorable as when I first read them and I see the reason for having favorites and classics.

My copy is a reprint from 1961

A small sketch I made, because Pooh is of course always thinking about honey.

The left side of the endpapers. I love the tradition of maps in endpapers.

The right side. It is so sweet to think that if I were to visit the 100 aker wood I would know exactly where to go. By the way as a "bad" speller, all of these carefully written words on the map seem to be very correct in  my mind.

Fall Crawl 2011 pictures!

I am finally getting to show you pictures of how our place was set up during the Saint Paul Art Crawl. Enjoy!

This is the main hallway sort of area after you have walked past our laundry closet and such. It's our first big wall to put art on.  The small table in the corner has my Ferlin book on it, all ready to be picked up and read. Above it are Joe's comic pages and my fairy inks from the Marscon 2010 promo.

This is showing more of the whole wall. Joe's new painting is featured between to his comic pages and the sculls he designed for a friends tattoo.

This is half of our living space transformed into an art gallery. On the round table we featured our magnet packs as well as drawings and business cards. Paintings, prints and books are displayed on the tables just beyond that. Behind our makeshift wall is our working studio space.

This is the other half of our "main gallery." More paintings, prints, and original work can be found on the tables, grids and walls. 

We were lucky enough to find a great display rack to hold all of our many prints. We sell epson, mat finish and lustre metallic prints of a variety of our work.

This is my favorite little corner where we have a print station set up as well as offering paypal. In the background the wall with lots of different posters and art all over it is our studio. It's a very cosy place to work.

So this is what our apartment looked like. I hope you enjoyed seeing our set up!

If you haven't seen my husbands work before, or even if you have, go visit the artwork of Joe Rheault at www.dirtyinks.com

Art Crawl Fall 2011!

My husband and I are opening our apartment once again for the Saint Paul Art Crawl. And as you can imajine this week has been full of making sighns, rearanging furniture, contacting our fellow artist, and as much etc. as possible. We love the experience of inviting people into our home and sharing all of our hard work. If you live in the twin cities of Minnesota there is still time to stop on over.

We are open today Saturday October 8th from 12-8pm and Sunday October 9th from 12-5pm!

This is the poster/handout that my husband Joe Rheault designed.  If there is a particular piece that stands out to you and you want to know more about leave a comment

We are located at 2285 University Ave West, Saint Paul, MN 55114

Come see us and say hi!
I will be posting pictures of the event a bit later. Watch for it!

Yesterdays desk

I am happily working on so many things rite now. Some drawings, paintings and crafty ideas. I'm very exited about it all. There will hopefully be some new items for the art crawl in October as well as my portfolio and a possible etsy shop. Here are some phone picts of what my desk looked like yesterday and a little bit of what I am working on.

This is how my Sunday started with a nice freshly painted canvas that I transferred one of my drawings to.  I  would also like to introduce you to my desk ta da! 

This is the canvas I worked on yesterday. My carbon paper transfer  made my lines a little bit dark, so I erased them before I painted. You can see how light the lines at the top of the canvas look compared to the bottom. 

Here is my canvas that I started with white paint.

Here is my desk at the end of the day. My blue canvas has all of it’s pretty swirls painted on it and I am prepping my fairy tail birds for my yellow canvas. 

I hope you enjoyed getting to see a glance of what I worked on yesterday. I think my desk is a pretty cool place to be and it has a lot of nifty things on it sometimes. Did you notice the jars in the first picture? I’ve got some ideas for my little collection of them.

gather round' the pond

To celebrate one of the last weekends before school, my parents hosted a small gathering of neighbors in their backyard. They made up a quick invitation and I was asked to lend a drawing. I wasn't able to attend, but was happy to contribute. Here is my little sketch that formed the header of the invite.

I drew this with pencil on a simple sheet of computer paper  and then went over my lines with a gel sort of ink pen.

I heard that everyone had a great time and loved the invite. Happy end of summer to all!

modely me

When I am drawing, I know it has helped so much to have reference, weather it's for the folds and details of a costume or the gesture of a pose. The more I have taken photos the more I find myself understanding the form of what I draw, and sometimes now I remember what something is really supposed to be rather then guessing how it might be. For a lot of my more recent work, I have taken photos or had my husband take them. Even if it's just on my phone it's still my own little study of form and shape.

So when recently I was asked to be a model for a day, by my friend the Abundant Empress, I was pleased to pose.  She wanted to "take pictures that would serve as inspiration for fairies, medieval princesses, and mythical beings." I was so happy to be found such an inspiration and thought of as a light spirited fairy.

 Photo copyright 2011 Abundant Empress, LLC

Photo copyright 2011 Abundant Empress LLC

 I really like my twirl. Capturing motion is always dynamic. In the second photo I really like the tilt of the head, the leg that is bent, and the way that my hand is against the tree. When I am collecting images for reference, it's some of these kind of details that Laurel was able to show that make a pose worth drawing. Thank you Laurel!

You can read Laurel's blog at............www.abundantempress.blogspot.com

new fairy!

A little while ago I finished another commissioned fairy sketch. I still love drawing fairies and I learn a little more about drawing everytime. When it comes to drawing, I always feel challenged. Cheers to more drawing and as always more fairies! There will be many more to come I am sure!

Copyright Megan Rheault 2011. This fairy is drawn on an off-white handmade rag paper .

Wear it!

Did you want a MarsCon 2011 t-shirt ?!! If you weren't there and you really want one....I don't have any, but a very few are available while they last at OffWorld Designs! They are a company based in Chicago that prints and embroiders all kinds of t-shirts. They do t-shirts for a lot of conventions, including MarsCon.

This is me wearing my size small shirt. The actual shirt color is light gray and the art is very vibrant.

This is what the illustration on the shirt looks like. Notice our signatures (Joe and mine) under our characters!

Please go to their site and send them an email or call if you are interested. The MarsCon 2011 shirts are Hanes, thick cotton. There is 1 small, 2 mediums, 9 larges, and 3 extra larges left, so hurry and get yours today before they are gone forever!

The direct page to buy the t-shirts is.....
http://www.offworlddesigns.com/p-654-marscon-2011-t-shirt.aspx
You can also call them up at 815-786-7080 and they will be happy to answer any question you may have. Happy purchasing!

Paperclay you say?

A while ago I was talking to my friends about possible ideas and projects they are working on. I got really exited about the topics of munny's (plastic customizable toys), etsy (the online shop of handmade goods), dollhouses, and the use of creative paperclay (an air drying sculpting clay.) My friend is making munny's and has them for sale on his etsy site. He is using sculpy to customize them, making them dimensional and adding details. There are so many ways you can customize your munny and the topic of munny's reminded me of the product Creative Paperclay. It's a product I haven't used yet but have heard great things about.

The paperclay site totes this message...

"Creative Paperclay  is a non-toxic modeling material that can be sculpted, molded or shaped, and air dries (no baking!) to a hard finish that can be carved, or sanded - perfect for artists and crafters of all kinds!"

Exiting! I am thinking of of all the possible applications for it. I have seen people make hand sculpted ball jointed dolls - who have full range of motion and posing capabilities. I have also seen it used as an additive, such as on munny's, where you can attach it to an object to make details. On the side of a dollhouse you can use it to sculpt and carve brick, stone or other patterns. From what I have read you can sculpt it, let it air dry, and then add more to your sculpture if need be. You can go on to carve it, drill holes in it, sand it to smoothness, paint it intricately, and seal it for protection. In my mind it sounds like the best highly conceived mix between paper mache and wood that has ever been invented. I'll be sure to let you know if it lives up to my grand assumptions when I give it a try here in the future.

Anyways here is my someday idea I have proposed to myself.

This is a little sketch I did for my future paperclay sculpture. I imagine that she has poseable arms and that she can move her head. In her heart there is a cut out area that has a little bird inside, because her heart is aflutter.

To find out more about munny, the "do it yourself toy" visit...........

www.kidrobot.com/Toys/DoItYourselfToys/

You can learn all about different artists, events, contests, and inspirations to create your very own munny.

To learn all about the wonders of paperclay visit www.paperclay.com.
And be sure to look them up on facebook to discover new ways people are using their paperclay everyday.

Lake Mills

For my sweet cousin Nikki's graduation, my family and I visited Lake Mills Wisconsin. My husband and I drew a card for her and I made a sign for the card box and wrapped it. While we were there we also had a great rainy day walking about. I am so very inspired. Oh how I love little towns....see what I mean.

This is the card that Joe and I drew. Joe drew Nikki first looking at one of her grad picts for reference. It looks so much like her. After he drew her I added in all of the scrolls, border, words, and stars. We had to snap a quick picture cause we don't travel with scanners and it needed to go in the box asap.

This is the card box that I wrapped and then made a sign for. I just drew it up super quick and taped it down. I like drawing borders especially when they are swirly.

On our rainy walk I saw this beautiful garden and I had to take a closer look.

This Venus statue is hidden in a garden just to the side of a driveway belonging to an old church building. The church is currently a residential building that is up for sale.

I went even closer and took her from a different side. She stands in the very middle of a maze-like walking path around her made up of short hedges.

These are peonies along the border of the driveway. There were many, many bushes of these beautiful dew filled flowers.

You can see how large and full the blooms are. So pretty. These were just outside of the little Venus maze garden.

Across the driveway there was a small little alcove that I was so curios about.

So I walked closer.

And there was a charming seated area under a trellis full of vines. I really wish I could buy this place. I can see me being so very happy here.

Here is the church building from across the street. Notice all the details like the tower, the stained glass window, and the stairway.

Walking a bit closer. 

This is one of the side doors. The roof and vines are so charming.

This is the largest window. Everything looked a bit gray that day. I can only imagine how stunningly magical it must look in the sun.

Another way to get in. I found three, but I am sure there are more.

I so wish could buy this lovely property, but alas it doesn't live where I do and it's price is only in my fantasy range.

Although I found myself very taken with the Church, continuing on our walk there was still more to be seen. This building is the towns library. Architecturally I am so drawn to the brick, the roof line, the little steeple, and the gingerbread doorway. It's located along the main street, that borders a central park.

This house is just one example of the charming buildings that make up the neighborhoods of this little town. There are so many pretty houses including many built in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

While walking along the main streets there were plenty of artistic stops to be found. I found this vintage store called Calamity Jane, which was not open that day, but it had a great entryway to look at threw the window. I pressed my camera/phone up to the glass to get a pict of this amazing and useful cabinet. I was so drawn to the colors of it and it’s staged really well with all those accessories. I challenge any girly girl to not like this piece.

If you want to buy the featured church building or just to see the spectacular pictures of the inside visit this site. www.cynthiaweston.com As amazing and fairy tale as the outside looks the inside is truly enchanting! If you do buy it please let me visit you! As an update they seem to have taken down the pictures or maybe the site is just not working for me today, either way it’s worth a try.

To see more about the shop Calamity Jane visit their Facebook at www.facebook.com/calamityjaneswi?sk=wall And be sure to stop by if you find yourself in lake mills.

fairy sketch love

For the spring art crawl I had hoped to draw many fairies. I wanted to have framed sketches of pretty fairies filling a whole wall, lots and lots and lots and lots of them. Although I still hope to do that, this fairy was the very special only one I had a chance to draw. She was so sweet in her expression, so hopeful, so understanding, and compassionate. She was so well received that I was commissioned to draw her again for a very special gift. This fairy has found a wonderful home, twice, and I was so honored to know that a seemingly simple drawing can mean so much to so many. Sometimes it's not about how many fairies I could have drawn, it's the one that I did draw and got to hang up on the wall.

I am really loving drawing on this particular paper. It is a rag paper that I drew my previous fairy from"i want to draw another fairy" post.  I can easily erase with my kneaded eraser and it doesn't leave a lot of marks because of the texture in the paper. I also really like the creamy color that makes all the drawings have a warm glow.

The Betsy-Tacy Society

Over the past few weeks I have been working for the Betsy-Tacy Society on a poster featuring the first four books of the classic children's series Betsy-Tacy. The books by local author Maude Hart Lovelace are about growing up, in the early 1900's in the small town of Mankato, Minnesota. Better know to readers as the fictionalized Deep Valley. She based the books on her own childhood memories, included her cherished friendships and the special places that she so loved to visit. The series begins with the book Betsy-Tacy. It introduces us to a five year old Betsy, who we are to fallow, threw the ten book series all the way downtown, to college, over to Europe and in the very last book, her wedding.

I read the first four books as a child and bonded with my dear friend Renata over the fact that we had both read and loved the books. As an adult Renata got involved with the Betsy-Tacy Society and started going to Mankato to volunteer. She invited me to go with her, introducing me to the real houses and settings of these charming story book characters. The BTS was able to purchased and restore the childhood houses of Maud and her friend Frances Kenney, also known as Tacy. With the help of volunteers the houses are open to the public to visit on Saturdays, March-December. Betsy's house is restored as a furnished museum to resemble when Maud (Betsy) lived there from 1892-1906. Tacy's house is open as a gift shop and is also used for presentations and special events. Both houses have artifacts on display including books, scrapbooks, photographs, manuscripts, as well as other items readers will recognize from the books.


Now that you know a little bit about the books and the Betsy-Tacy Society, I can tell you about the poster that I am working on. The poster features the four main books that start the series, taking place when the characters are between the ages of 5-12. The poster is aimed at young readers, hopefully inspiring a lifelong love of reading. I have been drawing designs for the society to choose from and from my sketches they have narrowed it down to three samples. They are currently featuring my posters on their facebook page and are asking fans to come and vote. So please visit and pick which option you like best!

option 1

option 2

option 3

For more information on the Betsy-Tacy books, society, and houses visit the BTS official page at www.betsy-tacysociety.org


To give your vote join in the fun at the BTS facebook page at
www.facebook.com/BetsyTacy

little lessons

 I was talking with my friend the other day about getting ready for shows and art events. We were talking about the marketing and business aspects of art that are necessary for success. I find myself lost in the creative aspect of art, because that is what really interests me. I understand more and more though with each event I participate in, how important it is to take the time to allocate towards business. Not just a little time at the end, not rushed, but actual planned time to.............

1. Write blogs, posts on facebook, post on any other type of social media.
Write a post before the event to show a preview, maybe of a piece of artwork that will be there. Talk about the when and where, the days times and hours of the event. Keep updating as needed leading up to the days of the show. Talk about what you are doing to set up maybe even taking pictures of little aspects. Being sure not to give to much away. Anything before the show is to build up anticipation so people will be exited about what you are doing and will want to be there.

2. Postcards
Postcards, although not necessary are a really good idea for a big event, and a good way to go out on foot and create notice. I think they are best when you have a lot of time before your show. After you design them make sure that you will receive them a month or more before your event so that you have a lot of time to give them out. I always like when they have room to write an address on or directions or any other notes that you may want to give somebody. You can give them out to family, friends, co-workers. They are bigger and less easy to loose than business cards.

3. Business cards
Business cards are always a must. There was a man I met at a convention who made really cool leather steampunk wings but I am never going to contact him. Why? Because he threw me a stunner, that he did not have a website, email or business cards that he could offer me. I didn’t know how I was supposed to remember him or get a hold of him if I ever wanted to buy his wings. Be memorable and be sure that there is always something people can take away with them. Business cards are smaller than their postcard counterparts, but can always be pocketed. And as with postcard I always like to leave a space preferably on the back to write notes if needed.

4. Signage
For shows like the art crawl, we always need signs up directing people to our door. These signs always seem to end up being last minute for us (not good). If you leave a good amount of time, you can get all creative with them and make them go along with your whole marketing scheme, which is ideal.  Posters should’t be a last minute afterthought because they represent you and as in the case of the art crawl they draw people to your door, so represent! Make sure they are simple and only give necessary information (arrows, names, apt number), but still look cool.

5. Display
Clean, simple, uncluttered.? There can be so much said for displaying and I learn something new every time I put my work out. This past art crawl I learned four new display tips for myself. During an art crawl.....
A. Move things around.- If you are displaying something you’ve put up before, put it in a new place. Things look new in a different spot.
B. Put things in the hallway or entry space.- Invite people in with your art. Let them feel welcome with an intro to the main gallery space.
C. Sort by size.- When things are a certain size like bracelets that I made, make sure they are labeled and sorted by size. People will know what they are getting when they pick up the item. Display them in a way people will fell comfortable picking them up, not to high, not to low. Putting them in a tree looks pretty but makes people scared to touch them, (I know I tried.)
D. Put out two books.- I have a moc up of a children's book that I am writing and have found that putting two copies of it out made it more approachable. Although it is a one of a kind item, it seamed really fragile and untouchable when there was only one. Having another copy was inviting to people. Children and adults readily picked the book up and flipped threw it. Exactly the goal!

6. Price points
Have different price points starting at a very affordable level. People want to buy your work, so make sure they can. When my husband and I show our work, we have prints of our more expensive paintings as well as magnets. We are always making new things to sell to give a wider range as well as adding to the verity of our products.

7. Business card with prints
Be sure to tuck a business card in with your prints. Some of my work isn’t signed and anyhow who can always read a signature. Be sure that people are leaving with a way of contacting you. Maybe they will want to buy a print in the future or will want to contact you about an original piece!

8. Packaging
Put your prints in individual clear plastic bags with a backing so that prints don’t get smudgy or bent. Comic book bags and backing are really nice.  If you make any tags or packaging for your work be sure that it has all of you contact info printed on it. Your work is a professional product, present it that way, and again people should remember you and have a way to contact you.

9. Smile and say hi
Be friendly and say hi. Acknowledge everyone that approaches your work. Let people know that you are the artist and to ask you if they have any questions. For the most part leave it to them to start a conversation, so that they don't feel that you are being overly friendly. Always thank people for stopping as they leave. You are nice, friendly, and approachable and you wanna let people know it.

10. Blog again-hit up all that social media
Now that the event is over. Give thanks. Show pictures. Tell everyone how it went. Let people know how much you sincerely appreciate their support. Be thankful.


I guess I had a lot say! This post isn't just tips for whoever might be reading though, it's a list for myself too. Some of the things on here I am already doing, but there are others like blogging and signage that I need to work on. But it's never too late to start something or to try. I'll definitely be looking back at this list as I continue and try to achieve everything that's on it. If I don't, the exiting thing is that there is always a next time.

The big lesson

In preparation for the art crawl two weekends ago, I had so many ideas. Ideas about things to make and sell, how to decorate, and how to display all my new creations I was gonna make. I made a list in my last blog post about all that I hoped to achieve, fully realizing that time was my only limitation. Certainly my imagination couldn't be bothered, as if it ever was or is, with the concept of time. In instances of shows and conventions I am always thinking of something new, something special, and I can't help believing that I can do it all.
The lesson that I always learn is that I can't do it all. But this "can't" isn't a bad kind of can't, at least I never see it that way. Because I need to think of what I CAN do to make all my ideas more possible.
If I want to be able to make pretty handmade bracelets or decorated boxes or wings or paintings or drawings or whatever; I need to create small times throughout the weeks and months to make those special creations possible. Not just the few weeks leading up to an event.

The biggest lesson ever for me - I can't do it all and that's ok!
So here's to being more creative all year round, sporadically of course, but more creative just the same.

more and more

I didn't realize I had forty posts, yay for me, congrats me! But what I wanted to say was about some of the exiting things I am working on. Like a list....so here it goes.

-new fairy sketches - like the one I showed in the last post. I got one more done to sell at the art crawl, but am aiming for two to three more.

-fairy wings - testing out making some new models! I am making them in canvas just like the ones I made in one of my posts from last year. I am aiming to have four to five pairs to sell.

-fairy knot bracelets - I got some very pretty specialty ribbon and special sailors rope and am adding "found things"for decoration. I hope to have a whole pile to sell at the art crawl. Each one sweet and different in it's own way.

-inks - I have just finished filling in blacks for four of my husbands comic pages. I'm a good helper!

-poster - I don't want to say to much as of yet, since the project has just begun, but I am going to design poster/posters?/postcards for a classic children's series of historical fiction. It's for a very special society and will promote reading. More on this in the future, to be sure!

So as you can read I am a very busy girl, however, very happily busy. A lot of these projects are ones I am doing for the upcoming art crawl that my husband and I are going to be opening our doors for. I hope to sell some of the items I had mentioned and perhaps make an etsy account after the crawl.

For more information on my wings I made in the past please visit two earlier posts of mine and read all about them! the shape of wings to come  and the shape of wings to come..there done

For more information about the Saint Paul art crawl don't hesitate to email me for specifics on my building at www.megarts17@yahoo.com or for more general questions visit http://www.stpaulartcrawl.org/

I want to draw another fairy princess

Among other projects I have been working on lately, I was pleased to be commissioned for a sketch. It took me back to the grade school days where my girl classmates would ask me to draw princesses for them. One of my favorite subjects!yay!  I was asked for just that kind of drawing once again. My client asked that it be a fairy or a princess drawn in a sketchy way. And so I tried to be sketchy about it. She really liked a tiny drawing I posted when I had first started my blog.
What I realized however is that I can't be sketchy, in the frenzied exited lines full of energy way unless I have a particular idea that I am trying to get out of my head to express. If I am sitting to do a new sketch that I haven't thought of before, the process is slower and more thoughtful. Each idea from the outfit to the hair and the position of the hands is considered drawn and redrawn....... Anyhow this is how my thoughtful sketch turned out. It is a favorite that I was happy to send on it's way to an inspired recipient.

Fairy princess 5x7 done in pencil on handmade rag paper.

 Copyright 2011 Megan Rheault.

 Laurel of Abundant Empress LLC, who now owns the sketch, said the picture inspired her and I hope it will inspire me as well to keep drawing great and wonderful things to share.

fairytale trees in the breeze

I would like to re-introduce my lovely fairy tale silhouette trees. They are from the background of the MarsCon t-shirt/convention booklet cover. The trees started out with just branches and no pretty foliage. They were looking kind of scary, like when snow white is running threw the forest and the trees are clawing at her dress. The feeling of the poster was supposed to be cheerful and magical so I did a little bit of research to figure out how to begin drawing in the leaves. With the rite reference shot for inspiration I drew more and more more leaves and branches. The trees started to look so pretty and very spring like, not so menacing any more.

This tree was used in the front. I think this may have been the first tree I drew from the series. The branches make such nice patterns. I am trying to think of what other applications I could use them for.

This tree was also used in the front. By layering the trees in photoshop and slightly changing the color it creates depth in the image.

These three trees were used behind the other two. They are a little less detailed because of how I had planned to layer them. All images as always on this blog are copyright Megan Rheault 2011.

All the trees were drawn on tracing paper, which is a favorite drawing surface of mine. They were first sketched in pencil and finished with ink pens. The very fine lines were done in point 2 or point 1. I hope to draw more of these enchanted forest trees. Maybe I will make up some patterns with branches or do another layered forest scene.