illustration – Andrea Casals

Since November last year, I’ve been practicing calligraphy, reading about it, doing some online courses (here and here) and I also attended a short workshop with Bay Area calligrapher Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls

It’s been an interesting journey to use other media to express myself.

I specially like Modern Calligraphy since it gives me the freedom to develop my own style. I feel that it’s like drawing, but drawing letters 🙂

This year I decided to use this technique plus some watercolors to create a free downloadable art for Mother’s Day.

Motherhood is an amazing journey. It’s a rollercoaster, it has the scariest moments and the most fun moments all-together.

Sometimes it seems that a day lasts forever; just like when you’re going up in your cart and it seems it will never end climbing and then, suddenly, it goes so fast that you still feel like it was just a moment ago when everything started.

Hemingway wrote one of my favorites quotes and, now that I think about it, it can also be used to express how kids grow up: “Gradually, then suddenly“.

Motherhood is an amazing journey. You can do it alone, but it will take part of your sanity on the journey so it’s just much better if you have other(s) around to help.

For some moms, the help comes from their partners, for other it comes from amazing parents or in-laws, for others great relatives, good friends or even a kind neighbor or from the community close to you.

Motherhood is an amazing journey. So, take this gift and send it to a mom you know because we are all in this together and feeling that we’re not alone in this is… Oh boy, such a relief!

We’re all in this together. We’re changing our world raising the human beings of the future.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Love <3

-Andrea

cute animals: baby elephant

comics + illustrations

Andrea CasalsSeptember 28, 2015February 22, 2018

Hi friends,

I’ve been absent from this blog since I was in Argentina. I went for my brother’s wedding and stayed for a few more days to visit some friends and family. It was fun but I came back totally exhausted! Now, I’m glad to be back at home and returning to my routine.

Today I want to share one illustration I made for a friend of mine who lives in Brooklyn, NY.

This baby elephant, who is now part of my cute animals collection, will be adding its cuteness to a baby girl nursery.

View available products: baby elephant

cute animals: baby fox

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Andrea CasalsJuly 21, 2015

Today, I want to share some images of a little fox that I drew for a dear friend who is expecting a new baby.

I used the illustration as an art-print but also on a onesie.

Since I also enjoy sewing and creating things with my hands, I chose to use the same baby fox illustration as an embroidery.

I drew this little fox thinking in this new baby that’s coming to a dear family of friends of mine and all that love made it an extra special and enjoyable project!

introducing: summer deliciousness

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Andrea CasalsMay 7, 2015September 16, 2023

In the last weeks, I’ve been studying a little bit about creating patterns and today I want to share with you a new product that I have for sale: scarves! (a *must* for our Northern California weather!)

The illustration is a simple line drawing inspired in the summer deliciousness: cherries & strawberries.

It’s available for sale here.

Soon, it will also be available as a fabric, wall or gift paper here.

*I’d love to have your feedback on this! Feel free to leave your comment below!

DIY gift wrapping paper

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Andrea CasalsApril 16, 2015September 16, 2023One Comment

For this DIY gift-wrapping paper, you just need some markers -I use microns from Sakura and a calligraphy pen- and plain paper.

I had to prepare two very special gifts so for the first one, I chose a Beatles song lyric.

I started writing a phrase in the center of the paper and after that, I completed the empty spaces using different hand-styles and sizes of the lettering.

“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

Then, I just used it as a regular gift-wrapping paper.

Another option that I like to create a special paper from a plain white paper is to draw botanicals on it.

Finally, I added the name of the person who was going to receive the gift using a calligraphy pen.

Hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers.

Calligraphy pens and markers are always a good idea. They add a special touch to your everyday lettering even when you don’t know much about calligraphy. I encourage you to try it!

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Here’s another DIY gift wrapping paper idea.

#nowreading

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Andrea CasalsApril 7, 2015June 28, 20222 Comments

I always enjoy learning how other people bears with their own life, since there’s not exclusively one way to live, and that’s might be the main reason why I love reading autobiographic novels.

Last week, I finished reading “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed.

I enjoyed Cheryl’s adventure through the Pacific Coast Trail, all those thoughts and feelings she unravels with the challenges of every mile in the PCT.

Cheryl Strayed is a talented writer because, even though her life story is far from my own, she made me relate to hers and even feel like walking in her shoes.

Illustration inspired by Wild

I enjoyed this book and I’m certainly ready to watch the movie (huge fan of Reese Witherspoon here!).

Last, my #nowreading quote chosen from this book + design created for it:

Other memorable quotes from this book:

“I could only be who it seemed I had to be”

“What if I forgave myself? I thought. What if I forgave myself even though I’d done something I shouldn’t have? (…) What if what made me do all those things everyone thought I shouldn’t have done was what also had got me here? What if I was never redeemed? What if I already was?”

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Have you seen the movie or read this book?

#nowreading

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Andrea CasalsMarch 19, 2015September 16, 2023

During the lasts 2 months, I’ve been reading Sunset Park by Paul Auster.

It was my first book from this author. Unfortunately, this book become tough and sometimes even a little boring for me –sorry to disappoint you, definitely not a fan of Auster’s prose– but I liked that I could connect with the book through my dear Brooklyn.

The quote that I chose for this #nowreading is this one:

“It was the best thing that could have happened to him, it was the worst thing that could have happened to him”

Paul Auster – Sunset Park

That’s how wishes work, right? When a wish comes true, it’s so amazing but then… you have to really deal with that! Sometimes we found ourservelves thinking that that was it…. The mere realization as a result but then we really discover that the wish that came true is only the beginning of a new path.

Best and worst… I liked that.

If you want to know about other quotes that I liked from this book, let’s be friends on Goodreads!

See you soon, folks!

fabric and paper for sale + promo link!

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Andrea CasalsMarch 5, 2015September 16, 2023

Hello friends,

I’m very happy to tell you that some of my designs are now available for sale as gift wrapping paper, wallpapers and fabric! You can buy it here.

Screen Shot 2015-03-03 at 10.06.23 AM

Some of the designs are from the “cute animals: mommy and me” collection and there’s also the “milkshakes, sundaes and floats” design.

show_image The cute animals collection makes me think of a nursery, sewing baby/toddler bed sheets with those fabrics and hang an art-print frame with a similar theme illustration on the wall. What do you think? In case you’re interested, I leave you this link so you can have FREE Worldwide Shipping on art-prints and more.

The sundaes, floats and milkshakes fabric inspire me to sew a blouse or a dress (this also reminds me that I need to improve my sewing skills! lol!).

I know that these are just the very few first steps, the beginning in fabric and gift wrapping paper design but I’m enjoying it so much and I just LOVE the idea of wearing what I draw. So, I know that I will do some more designs. I’ll keep you posted when I upload the new ones!

Thanks friends for the encouragement and the support. I really appreciate it <3

Love,

andreacomenta

botanical sketches

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Andrea CasalsJanuary 21, 2015September 16, 20232 Comments

This 2015, I’ve started a new sketchbook.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve already seen some of these botanical sketches but I wanted to gather all of them in a post and tell you which one is my favorite.

Carnations

Daisies

Hellebores

African Lilies (My mom’s garden has one of these beauties).

False Shamrocks (As a kid, I used to eat the roots of these shamrocks… I’ve always been special, ha!)

Hidrangea (One of my favorites flowers!)

Narcissus (I discovered the daffodils on a wintery afternoon in Brooklyn while I was wishing for the springtime to arrive!)

*I’d love to know, do you have a favorite flower? Which one is it?

carnations

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Andrea CasalsJanuary 3, 2015

first sketch of 2015: carnations.

playing with acrylics

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Andrea CasalsNovember 21, 2014

About 2 years ago, Victor gave me a set of acrylics and brushes for my birthday. I never ever used them until yesterday. Procrastination, I guess.

Even-though my first time painting with acrylics was a great experience in my life, this new approach was by myself, with no teacher, and that was great as well.

I must admit that I felt a little lost, so I search the web and got to this tutorial for the painting that I wanted to try.

I followed some steps from the tutorial but I didn’t use the charcoal so after the first step, I kind of followed my own path. I felt that it was more fun for me to explore and experience by my own.

Light didn’t help in this picture, but anyway, it’s just to show you some of the process.

Today was a foggy morning in San Bruno so I took a picture with natural light, now that the painting was finally dried.

It was a nice practice and I’ll try more often, I thought of using the same “sketchbook” so it gets kind of an art-journaling sketchbook.

Have a great weekend, folks!

hello fall, illustration and promo

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Andrea CasalsNovember 2, 2014September 16, 2023

Yes, you might already know it: I love fall.

I grew up in a city where autumn lasts only one or two weeks and I believe that might be the reason why I love fall so much: scarcity.

When I lived in Buenos Aires, I enjoyed those cool fall mornings that even when the sun is there, it’s barely warm.

Then I lived in Brooklyn, New York. I don’t have to say anything more about the season and the city because that might be “the” season to appreciate the stunningly beautiful city at its best.

Everything about fall is just so pretty: the colors, the clothes, the weather, the fruits and veggies… And fall has that smell that it’s been my favorite ever since: cinnamon.

I want to tell you also that to celebrate the season, there’s a promo available now at my online shop: FREE Worldwide Shipping*! (Promotion expires November 9, 2014 at Midnight Pacific Time. *Offer excludes Framed Art Prints, Stretched Canvases and Rugs)

Access to promo here.

I’d love to know, which is your favorite season?
“hello fall” on my coffee table Continue reading “hello fall, illustration and promo”

swimming

blog, recipes

Andrea CasalsOctober 8, 2014September 16, 2023

seriously, I still don’t get it.

have you heard the news?

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Andrea CasalsSeptember 26, 2014September 16, 2023

Dear friends,

I’m so happy to tell you that I’ve decided to offer a bigger variety of products on my online shop at Society6.

With the last art-print uploaded yesterday -“I love you fore-e-e-ver”- I’ve decided to also start offering mugs, tote bags, kids and adults t-shirts, throw pillows and yes… super cute onesies!

More designs are being created and uploaded in the upcoming weeks.

I want to say thank you in advance for sharing this post with your friends and family and thanks for shopping at my online shop! Your money becomes coffee giving this mom the boost to create more art! 😛

Thanks folks and happy shopping!

Cards.