Less is More: 10 Ways to Simplify Your Freelance Life

Less is More: 10 Ways to Simplify Your Freelance Life

Making An Impression: Henri Rousseau

Henri Rousseau, Sleeping Gypsy 1897

Did you know Henri Rousseau was not liked by his contemporaries and scoffed at for being an amateur? He was indeed self-taught, a man who worked as a toll collector and quit his job at age 41 to pursue painting against the criticism of many. He was so determined, in fact worked incessantly towards the improvement of his skill and style. It was his childish ambition and direct approach that allowed him to be free with his imagination and created vivid, primitive, fresh and enchanting perspectives on his subjects. His work was considered more poetry than it was technically aesthetic.

 As I sat and read about Rousseau yesterday, I was most struck by his passion and determination to continue against the biggest critics of his time. By not giving up, he now has become one of the cherished impressionist painters because of his style hailed, "painted poetry," by Jean Cocteau.

I would like to think I am like Rousseau, working every day with passion and determination to create fresh, new designs for my clients and be inspired to come up with work that is outside the norm not just for the furtherance of my client's business, but for the sake of my profession as an art, because deep inside, I am truly an artist.

How do others in your field inspire you? What makes you passionate about your work? Would you give up your career to follow a dream as Rosseau did?

Make an impression at work today!

Yours,
  the Cat

Latest Summer News from Fat Cat

Hi Everyone,

It's the perfect summer day in the studio! I am sitting at the beach watching my daughter play and I am catching up on some business reading and writing.... It's all about balance! The studio has been busy this summer with a wide variety of projects. Check out the list of some of the projects in this newsletter I have been working on. Maybe one of them was yours! Coming up this year is my 5-year mark in business! I am so excited to be able to celebrate with you. Watch for my first CATBLAST coming to you soon with a contest to win a $100 gift certificate to Best Buy! Send me an email, I'd love to hear from you. 

Warm Regards, Lisa

Can you believe we close to wrapping up another summer? I hope you 
have enjoyed it as much as I have. I started out my summer
in one of my all-time favorite places - Lutsen, Minnesota along the 

beautiful north shore of Lake Superior. We rode the alpine slide,
looked for rocks along the shore and took some great photographs 

to bring home.

In the studio, I have added a couple new tricks to my magic hat! I am
now an authorized promotions dealer with Kaeser and Blair. This means
I can help you with your additional marketing items as well as with
all your other regular print and design needs. I will be announcing
another new partnership soon offering a customized web solution.
Contact Lisa at 763-498-1282 or lisa@fatcatartstudio.com.

Work in the Studio....

• NORC: Retractable Banners

• NORC, EKP, AdSights: Logo design

• Waymouth Farms: Food Labels

• Wagners: Weekly newsprint ads

• Castle: Ads, Mini-Billboards

• EKP: Capabilities Brochure

• Johnson Consulting: Whitepaper

• Gateway Funding: Bus Cards, Promo item, Office design

• AdSights: Website creative design, Bus Cards

Go to www.kbwindjammer.com see the best prices on the planet 
for advertising specialties. 

Tel: (763) 498-1282 to reach the cat!
Email: lisa@fatcatartstudio.com - info@company.com

Top 10 Rules for Business Card Success

Sometimes screen size makes a difference

When proofing photos online, sometimes from a client's perspective, if the image is sized too large they are overwhelmed when they see their face so huge in front of them. So by simply reducing the image dimensions and size a bit, without changing anything about the image, it becomes more pleasing on their eye.

See a small tweek to the photo layout yesterday, the client says, oh that's much better now, no changes to image at all, just the preview size!

Photo Shoot on Location

T

Today I was out on location in Hopkins, MN shooting a portrait of an award-winning bead artist, Tammi Pederson. This post shows (in color) original shot and below the edited version that includes: conversion to black and white, duotone, facial touch-up, teeth whitening general clean up in the facial area. I also added the soft edges and drop shadow with whimsical light graphics in an antiqued but fresh design. I believe I have given her a softer, more youthful look.

Check out this shop on Etsy: She Sews Lovely

http://shesewslovely.blogspot.com/2010/01/she-sews-lovely-first-ever-crazy.html

Super-cute, uber earth friendly coffee mug wraps - check em out!!! Enter her first-ever contest and win your own mug wrap and or a certificate.

See you on Twitter. Follow shesewslovely and fatcatartstudio

How is your Brand Doing?

Is your brand getting you new customers or is it sort of stale and could use a little refreshing? I think everyone at the new year feels like the could use some refreshing!!! What can you do to improve your image without it costing a fortune?

A great way to jump start your business is refreshing your look for the new year. Just as much as a good hair cut improves a persons mood and feelings about themselves... a polished logo that keeps up with the current trends helps you feel like you can compete with NIKE.

As a thank you to my customers and potential new clients, I have decided to offer you a new lower hourly rate that will make you feel awesome when you get more for less. I hope you will decide to send me your graphics, your logos, your advertising and freshen it up this year.

Feel great with a fresh look! Watch for more posts that will show examples of "refreshed" logos and/or brands you may know.

Happy 2010 from Fat Cat Art Studio llc in Coon Rapids, MN. Lisa Marek 763-498-1282. Call today for a free design consultation.