Hey, First name / friends!

Like many young artists, my first introduction to art was a simple one. As kids, we're given bright, vibrant art-making tools like markers, crayons, watercolors, and finger paints. Then we're set free to explore, create, and color! 

 

I started my art journey as a kid using Crayola products, and now over 30 years later, I'm thrilled to be collaborating with them on their new Artists Series Coloring Book! It feels like a true full-circle moment, and such a dream-come-true collaboration. 

 

You don't need anything fancy to fall in love with art. You just need to grab whatever art supplies you can find and make something! 

In honor of my recent collab with Crayola, this week's #CreateWithCatCoq challenge is to draw one of the motifs that is featured in the coloring book – a toucan! 

This toucan is a great example of how I repurpose existing illustrations to help me save time and use my portfolio to work smarter, not harder. 

 

I originally illustrated the toucan as part of this “Tropical Tree of Life” design along with other birds of paradise.

As I was designing this piece, I made sure to keep each bird on its own layer so that I could repurpose them into their own illustrations or a pattern later on. 

 

I pulled out the toucan and turned it into a spot illustration where it could shine all on its own. 

After seeing how well the one spot illustration turned out, I turned my “Tree of Life” into an entire collection! And lo and behold, the toucan was chosen as part of the coloring book collaboration!

That's the power of intentional design! Keep this in mind with your next illustration. You never know, you may be able to turn one piece into an entire collection without a lot of extra heavy lifting! 

 

I can't wait to see your toucan illustrations. Don't forget to share yours on Instagram with the hashtag #CreateWithCatCoq and tag me @catcoq in the post for a chance to be featured on my Instagram stories and in this newsletter!

Here are some of the incredible submissions from last week's challenge. I love that so many of you incorporated animals lounging in the pool! So fun!

 

Don't forget to tag me for a chance to be featured in this newsletter and on my Instagram stories!

Have a fabulous week!