boat on wheels

Valentine!

2012-02-14T16:30:00.001+02:00

Ok so I didn't manage to finish it in time to produce it.... But... I finished it! That counts for something... no? To all 'em love birds out there... enjoy ;)

Moustache Le Terrible!

2011-10-14T10:40:00.002+03:00

Would really love to hear your thoughts on this :) Whether positive or negative, hit me! (okay, so maybe be gentle though :)

Ratsputin!

2011-10-04T15:40:00.002+03:00

Sketchbook Rummaging p1

2011-09-17T21:27:00.001+03:00

Le Hunk!

2011-09-17T14:08:00.000+03:00

Just sharing a bit of fun I had with a plain cardboard box and a white pen! Been a while since I had been sketching or drawing or doing anything creative for that matter so this was pure pleasure! Hope you enjoy it!

more fun with photoshop

2011-06-20T07:30:00.000+03:00

any better?

2011-06-12T16:22:00.000+03:00

Tried adding more details to the illustration and fixing some lighting issues... what do you guys think?

Frankie!

2011-06-04T21:29:00.000+03:00

Still working on learning new tricks and approaches to illustration... Lots of 'em go un-posted... but this guy made me smile and I had to share!

Girl with purple eyes

2011-05-20T10:29:00.000+03:00

not sure I like the texture I used... think I'm gona have to generate my own textures... Anyone got a scanner they'd wanna lend me? :D

Bunny attitude

2011-04-14T15:28:00.000+03:00

Another round of wallpaper freebies for phones! Not usually adept at designing for an occasion and posting it in time, but this time I think I might even be a little early! (think being the key word... how soon should one post items for an occasion? is a week and a half ahead early? on time? or am i late once again!?) Anyhoo, I'll quit my rambling now :) Hope you enjoy them!

why hello there!

2011-04-11T19:50:00.000+03:00

Been setting up my little character for a short show reel animation I will be working on, and I thought I'd just upload one of the tests I did to check the workflow... it's basic and it's rudimentary, but it makes me smile! Hope she manages to brighten your day!!! Enjoy! ;)

pen, paper, action!

2011-02-15T14:08:00.000+02:00

Blogs, my newest love/hate relationship, I love seeing all the amazing things people have been creating out there but I hate all the productive time it leeches out of my day! I start off by telling myself I'll just catch up on my reading list and get to it.... yes, there never seems to be any getting to anything! So... I have cut down my net surfing time by 99.99%! I have gone cold turkey and will check my reader list once a week from now on (Saturdays will never be the same)! So as the cold shivers started to set in (could be due to the weather) I sat down in front of my screen, and once again used my computer for the reason for which I had bought it in the first place! (Minesweeper) I kid I kid! So this illustration is based on a song I absolutely adore, it's kinda romantic in a non-red heart kinda way ... have a listen here... I hope you enjoy it!

Colors galore!

2011-01-28T10:40:00.000+02:00

As far as authorities on color go, Pantone remains the uncontested leader in trends and palettes! Or so I discovered recently :) I've always known that a graphic designer's life was bleak without one of those highly expensive yet highly worthwhile swatch booklets, but I hadn't known that there was an official Pantone Fashion Color Report! Now that I know, it all seems elementary! I mean, why wouldn't they, no! From what I could gather, the inspiration for the spring report comes from "exotic destinations like Africa, India, Peru and Turkey," and with the boring grey weather we're having, daydreaming about all the wonderful combinations these colors would yield has been a wonderful pick me up! Now I don't know how much I'll be able to pull this off, but I'm promising myself that I'll find time to come up with an illustration using the colors in this palette :) Fancy joining in? If this tickles your creative bone, I'd love to see what you come up with! ps: aren't these the coolest cookies ever!

yarn tales!

2011-01-26T15:11:00.000+02:00

You know how sometimes you have a hobby that you're more or less embarrassed to own up to? no.......? ok... this is even more embarrassing! Well, for me it's knitting.... (awkward silence) Not only do I have an odd hobby, but I'm also really bad at it! I wish i could say I was one of those people who can knit up a storm... I can barely even finish a scarf! (seriously been working on one for almost two years now) The thing is that I find the activity soothing, plus eventually my dog will have an oddly shaped new blanket to sleep on and snore incessantly... he follows up on my progress daily, i think he views me as his personal and dedicated sweatshop laborer! But knitting can be cool too! Stop snickering and have a look at the work of some yarn wielding artists out there! Don't think i'll ever be able to follow in their footsteps, though the simple pole covers seem straightforward enough... hmm!

Life as they see it...

2011-01-25T14:06:00.000+02:00

I stumbled on this simple yet wonderful photo shoot for The Moschino AW 2011 Collection. I know the idea of taking pictures of people with frames is not new, but the play on proportions and the simple set up took it to a new level for me. I've always found photography and photo shoots quite interesting, and I think there is so much leeway for fun and inspiration. Be it on the set, or through photoshop, some photographers out there are really taking the conceptual aspect of their pictures to new extremes and I love it when the shoot ends up telling a story and not just showcasing the product. Even food photography nowadays is so fresh and beautifully styled that it all seems like bite-size pieces of art! I've compiled a few of my favorites from today's photo shoot rummaging... Hope they inspire you! :)

Monday morning blues.... (or turquoise)

2011-01-24T13:11:00.000+02:00

In spite of the fact that I don't really have a 9-5 job, and that I confuse my weekdays with my weekends and vice versa, I still tend to get the Monday morning blues (as baffling as that may be). On more than one occasion I catch myself hitting that snooze button over 4 times (that adds up to 20 additional minutes of sleep! time that I obviously don't have!) but then again I've used that snooze button so many times that even my dog gets it now and doesn't jump up at my bed before the 4th alarm... But I'm not here to complain! I decided that if I must be blue on Mondays, I might as well pick an inspiring shade! Now I've been following other blogs for quite a while, and they all tend to make mood boards and re-post inspirational images which I find quite wonderful so I went through Flickr and edited a simple yet hopefully mood lifting collage that I thought I'd share in hopes it'll catch your fancy and rid you of any dull shades of blue you're experiencing! I found the exercise a welcome change from my usual "combat the blues" recipe (chocolate/ice cream/ and procrastinating from work) I just love the rust on that boat! Happy new week to all, and tell me, how do you lift your spirits on an iffy day?

In other news, I've been working on a fun new stationary line and will be sharing previews with you very soon! Right now I'm half buried under a heap of paper, cardboard, stamps and thread! And obviously since I can't wait till they're done to share them with you, I will be posting pictures and illustrations here very soon, so hang around and let me know what you think!

And in case you'd rather combat the blues the old-fashioned way, here's a link to a yummy hot chocolate recipe: happiness in a cup

not so spring cleaning!

2011-01-23T19:49:00.000+02:00

As you may have noticed, I've gone and re-vamped my little corner of the web... If you're new here, what took you so long! Just kidding, allow me to welcome all of you to my new and improved (here's hoping) blog :) Wondering what the heck happened in this space? Well, I'm starting the new year with a bang! and a boat! Though pixie will always be the namesake that I hold dearest, I've decided to use a name that would reflect the quirky nature of what I do a little bit better.... Ladies and gentlemen, I give you "boat on wheels"! no, I don't actually equip boats with wheels, though that does sound like a fun project, but what I do is use elements of different media to sail across the various design fields (i promise, this is the only time I'll use silly sailing figures of speech... ah come on! I couldn't help it!) The truth of it is, I liked the idea of an identity which would hint at using odd combinations to come up with something new... Plus who doesn't like boats? and wheels for that matter? So to celebrate, I'm uploading smartphone background designs featuring my newest little character Saria and her pet kiwi, Kiwee (see how I did that?) Though kiwis in real life can't fly, Kiwee had a little mishap as a chick, and tends to float up in the air like a helium balloon which is why Saria always makes sure he's attached to something... wouldn't want him floating off into outer space now would we? (or would we?) Enjoy and don't forget to pass them along!

Promises, promises....

2011-01-14T12:20:00.000+02:00

I had promised myself that the first blog entry for 2011 would be my completed portfolio and show reel.... However! yes, you guessed it, that's one promise I won't be keeping... not that the progress on that front isn't substantial, but I stumbled upon this link Should I work for free, and I tried really hard not to go against my promise and blog about it, but obviously the urge was too strong! I've found myself in many if these situations more times than I would like to admit, and sadly I'm sure that I will cave in and do many more projects for free even when I know I shouldn't, but I find courage in this schematic and I've gone and placed it as a desktop background as a reminder that NO is a word that I for one should learn to use more often... If you're like me and you've found yourself dragged into one too many pro-bono projects, I hope this link will inspire you to take a stance and say "Make it RAIN!"

Oh and I may be 14 days late but HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! How's it going on keeping all those new year resolutions? ;)

2011 Calendar - Lebneneez now revealed!

2010-10-28T14:05:00.000+03:00

This project was one of the highlights of my year! To some this might sound exaggerated, but this is the first illustration that actually goes through to final production! As a designer, I've printed loads of stuff, but as an illustrator... this is the first drawing of mine that is actually produced!!! So, have a look, let me know what you think, and don't forget: November 4 - 8:00pm - Salon du Livre - Virgin Stand.... We'll all be there, calendar in tow for some fun, laughs and scribbles! If you're still unfamiliar with the Lebneneez world (shame, shame, shame...;) hop on over to Luanatic's blog (click me!) and get up to date!!!! Oh! and before I forget, there's an interview that goes with the whole thing! Will keep you posted on the airing date! Wouldn't want you to miss a chance to see me fumble around ridiculously in front of a camera!

late night scribbling!

2010-10-08T14:45:00.000+03:00

So, yeah, I have a pretty large amount of time on my hands... Guess this is what happens when I zone out in front of the tv with my sketch book... I blame my friends for this though... Thanks for traveling and leaving me behind! In all fairness though, I really enjoyed tracing the sketch and shading it! I think Jay Leno makes for a pretty fun subject matter, no? There's no escaping that chin! Hope it gives you a good laugh at the end of a long week!

Lebneneez 2011 Calendar!

2010-10-04T15:13:00.000+03:00

Can't believe the year is almost over!!!! For all of you who have already started booking appointments in the new year, here's a sneak peak at the latest Lebneneez cool release! It's a compilation of illustrations by 12 Lebanese artists tackling traditional and sometimes highly comic Lebanese sayings! Have a look!

Fish sticks...

2010-09-28T18:56:00.000+03:00

yes, a wall.... why not!

2010-09-26T11:27:00.000+03:00

Okay, so far i've posted about designs, characters, videos, and crafts I've worked on... Next on the list: A WALL!!! Thanks to close friends (you know who you are...) I have had the chance to test out my wall painting skills... and collaboration skills!, the tally till now is a character on a wall in Hamra, and now this beautiful wall in N-site in Raouche... A collective art movement space! Obviously the wall is a co-created artwork, and the process that got us there was AMAZING!!!! (finally a space to come together and co-create... It is really heart-warming to see people working towards something as positive and promising as this!) so here's the link: n-site in process
I think i'll be spending a lot of time there, before and after the wall is done!

Bloody cute!

2010-09-13T15:05:00.000+03:00

LaFraise which is an online t-shirt design community is hosting a contest under the header "Bloody Cute"...So I find out about this contest like 2 weeks ago and set my mind to making sure i submit a design... Well, obviously i get side tracked and caught up with working on other things (aka researching sharks and underwater photography...) , plus though the theme is a whole lot of fun, i realized i could get the cute part down but was struggling with the bloody... and then, this morning (ie: last minute) lo and behold! inspiration!!! and that is how this voodoo doll came to be... had a blast designing it, and though it didn't make the voting, i'm still pretty happy with it... I will probably take the time to tweak it a little bit, considering i had under 2 hours to play around with the position and the shading so there's a whole lot to fix, but it got a chuckle out of me (on a Monday morning!), so here's hoping the chuckle's contagious!

PS: For those interested in underwater photography ;)

Brian Skerry reveals ocean's glory and horror

Thanks Will for the link!

fun under the sun! (oh gosh! it rhymes!)

2010-09-04T15:52:00.009+03:00

So here I am back from vacation with a sketchbook overflowing with small renditions of fish, turtles, geckos, and everything in between! As I dust off my keyboard and settle back into my favorite seat (in front of my screen) I vow to maintain a glimmer of the fun I had under the mexican sun as the days inch slowly but surely towards winter gloom.... (melodramatic, I know... couldn't help it) So with that in mind, I turned one of my sketches into this fun surfboard design! Here's hoping that next time, I will get a chance to flex my surfing muscles (if I have any that is...!) Another thing; I am trying to wrap my head around the use of social media (such as blogs;) to reach out and connect to friends (new and old), family, potential customers, and work opportunities.... So i'd love to get your thoughts and feedback about the blog, the art, and the ways I can make this a working means of communication! Get in touch people! I look forward to hearing from you and getting to know you!
Oh, and one more thing, to complete the surf-style mood, here's my suggestion for soothing music which is sure to brighten your day
http://jackjohnsonmusic.com/music/detail/inbetweendreams
and a link to get you in the mood
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10643-perfect-margarita
(PS: if you don't like your margarita sweet, disregard what they say and use triple sec instead ;)
live it up! and cheers ;)

Sushi Sensei-tion

2010-07-20T08:13:00.004+03:00

Dig the shirts? Head on down to Luanatic! It's a hub of funky cool stuff!!!

shirts, shirts, and more shirts!

2010-07-19T21:40:00.003+03:00

Spring is in the air!

2010-04-06T11:52:00.003+03:00

what cat?

2010-03-31T21:46:00.002+03:00

Little girl orange

2010-03-30T11:37:00.002+03:00

Octomom!

2010-03-17T16:56:00.006+02:00

My theory on how moms manage to do all they do, be it in the kitchen orin any other situation!!! Happy Mother's Day to all you beautiful moms out there!

business card holders and small notepads

2010-03-01T14:09:00.003+02:00

fabric face!

2010-02-26T13:00:00.003+02:00

Here's some of the fun I've been having this past week! This dude actually got lost around Tari2 el Jdide for like 1 hour while I went around with my friend on an excursion for her work! Oh, and after I figured out he was missing and picked him up, I got lost for over 30 min (I can't even begin to figure out where)! So finally, safe and sound and pinned down on a sketchbook!
Note the beautiful green background! Courtesy of Luanatic's new T-shirt bar!

customized valentine :)

2010-02-15T10:05:00.002+02:00

So now that valentines day has passed, I can finally post this sketchbook without ruining the surprise! Custom made this booklet on behalf of M as a gift for L! (isn't that just cute;) Ah! L'amour! :)

pixie crafts and fun!

2010-02-06T09:06:00.005+02:00

Funny that my time away from the computer ends up digitized... ;) but i just couldn't stop myself from sharing these fun arts and crafts designs that I've been working on... And what's really cool is that some designs can now be found for sale at Luanatic stamped with the fun "pixie design" logo! The beauty of these items is that each piece is completely unique! Hope you join in the fun and enjoy this as much as I am!

Little black dress!

2010-01-24T22:03:00.002+02:00

Cupcake

2009-12-17T15:06:00.002+02:00

Cockroach!

2009-12-17T14:53:00.003+02:00

firefly

2009-12-14T11:05:00.003+02:00

Monster Christmas!

2009-12-12T09:56:00.001+02:00

fun with colors!

2009-12-10T22:14:00.002+02:00

Snowmen!

2009-12-10T17:05:00.001+02:00

Plug in to the new year!

2009-12-08T13:57:00.001+02:00

snow light!

2009-12-08T13:24:00.000+02:00

Funky oriental tear

2009-12-07T23:50:00.002+02:00

Fireflies in winter!

2009-11-10T20:45:00.004+02:00

Magic knows no season....

Oriental bird pattern

2009-11-09T13:12:00.003+02:00

A fun, oriental-inspired design i worked on over the weekend...

More rummaging...

2009-11-04T18:44:00.002+02:00

Blast from the past!

2009-11-04T18:22:00.003+02:00

Ok so obviously I'm having fun rummaging through my hard disk and finding little designs and characters to share...

uninhibited doodling!

2009-10-31T11:47:00.006+02:00

Ok, so here's another kind of post! I've recently rediscovered the joys of designing for the beauty of design, so here I am sharing the latest to come from carefree days, and uninhibited doodling!

MTS - 3G - 45s

2009-09-30T18:08:00.000+03:00

description:

45s - Armenian

2D and 3D animation / footage - CGI and compositing

tasks: green screen keying / rotoscoping / compositing / art direction / task distribution and follow up

Raid - War Museum

2009-09-10T19:14:00.002+03:00

Description:

traditional cell animation - 2D & 3D elements

tasks: scanning - processing - coloring - xsheet management - creation of lipsync reference - art directiont - 3D pack - compositing - distribution of tasks

Raid - Laughs 'n Tears

2009-09-08T22:08:00.003+03:00

Description:

traditional cell animation - real footage - 2D & 3D elements

tasks: scanning - processing - coloring - xsheet management - creation of lipsync reference - green screen replacement - 3D pack - compositing - distribution of tasks

Herbal Essences - pack replacement

2009-08-25T19:02:00.000+03:00

Description:

2D compositing

tasks: replacement of packs in an already existing edit

Commerce Du Levant - 25s

2009-07-31T19:12:00.000+03:00

description:

25 sec animation involving 3D and 2.5D elements

tasks: creation of ad - concept and implementation

Noun - 35s

2009-07-04T21:12:00.000+03:00

description:

35 sec animation involving 3D elements

tasks: creation of ad - concept and implementation

Bonux Casio - pack shot

2009-05-20T18:52:00.000+03:00

description:

pack shot involving 2.5 D workflow

tasks: coordinating with the 3D team, setting up the texture material for the transformation, animating, and compositing

Max Factor - promotion

2009-04-14T09:09:00.000+03:00

description:

demo animation using 2D images and 3D elements

tasks: collaborating with the 3D team / compositing / animation

Koleston - demos, supers & pack shots

2009-01-22T19:37:00.000+02:00

description:

various super animation, pack animation and 2D compositing and animation for different versions

tasks: compositing / animation / prepping of files

Women's Rights - campaign

2008-10-01T10:41:00.000+03:00

description:

2D animation

tasks: write on animation / panel animation

Silvikrin - Henna Demo

2008-09-20T19:26:00.000+03:00

description:

curve animation

tasks: designing the layout / animation

Oil & Gas - identity development

2008-09-03T21:19:00.001+03:00

description:

full identity creation for a television show

tasks: concept and implementation using 3D and 2D animation

City Furniture 30s

2008-08-30T17:50:00.000+03:00

description:

30s - English/Arabic

2D animation - still photography and compositing

task: art direction / compositing / animation

Blendax - demo

2008-08-26T09:43:00.000+03:00

description:

label placement and compositing

tasks: tracking bottles /placing labels / enhancing foam / supers / animation

Pert - pack shot

2008-07-24T09:57:00.000+03:00

description:

integration of 3D curve animation onto pack shot

tasks: creation and animation of curves / compositing

Tootya - promotion

2008-05-11T10:11:00.000+03:00

description:

2.5D animation overlaid on footage

tasks: concept & art direction / prepping files / animation / compositing

Areeba Guinea 45s

2008-01-30T17:51:00.000+02:00

description:

45s - French

3D and 2D animation - CGI and compositing

task: art direction / 3D animation / compositing / 2D animation

William Lawson's - promotion

2007-11-09T10:23:00.000+02:00

description:

3D animation & simulation

tasks: modeling the bottles and chains / simulation for chain animation