The Anti-Adulting Coloring Book is HERE

Yes. It's finally here! Ready to ship!​

​Check it out here: 

​https://www.etsy.com/listing/474558807/adult-coloring-book-coloring-book-anti

The cover! 

Beauty with braids

Ocean scene

Order online now, $17 plus shipping

The Anti-Adulting coloring book

This listing is to Ready to Ship!

Will ship in 1-3 Business Days.

This book is packed with over 20 detailed and hand drawn original illustrations by me, Kierston Ghaznavi!

Enjoy hours of relaxation and coloring fun as you "anti-adult" your day away!

Color in fun scenes like Party, Beach, BBQ, or detailed pattern pages like Ice cream, Lingerie, Bike ride, and more!

You're free to use any coloring medium you're comfortable with: pens, crayons, colored pencils, markers, watercolors etc.

Have Fun!

I retain the rights to all artwork, cannot reproduce or redistribute without permission.

This book was hand drawn by me. I designed the cover art, created the layout and used Lulu printing services to create the physical books.

Check out individual downloadable coloring pages here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KeghazIllus?ref=l2-shopheader-name§ion_id=19731679

Take a look at the other cool stuff in my shop here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KeghazIllus?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Time for a Giveaway!

It's been a while since I've had a giveaway and I think it's long overdue!  

This past week I had a open poll, asking what would you choose to win as a free gift?

1. Mini custom paper doll

2. Mini coloring book

3. Original illustrations

4. Pair of earrings or a pin

The votes were calculated and the winner is.... 

Well, there's a tie! 

Mini custom paper doll or a pair of earrings or pin!!

yay! Whoot-whoot!! 

Ok so how do you win? 

CONTEST: 

1. Like my Page on Facebook:  Keghaznavi Illustration http://www.facebook.com/keghazillus

2. Sign up for my Newsletter: Curls & Markers

 http://keghaznavi.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c6a11c2bf4b803ed2144e3d1b&id=9b8b3d466f

3. Share my page with your Facebook friends.  

Thats it!!! 

Once I reach 750 likes on my Facebook page, the contest will be over, I will randomly select a winner!  The winner will be announced on my Facebook page and then contacted by email to begin the custom doll process or to select a pin or a pair of earrings!!

GOOD LUCK!!!  

Head over to Facebook now & get started!  

XO

-Kierston  

Music That Inspires Me Right Now

I need music. 

There is no way that I could go a day without listening to some kind of music, or singing to myself or even making up random songs. I love listening to music probably as much as I love to draw, maybe more. However I am not musically talented. I can sing, but not well. I have known how to play Heart and Soul and Lean on Me on the piano since elementary school, with one finger and very slowly. That’s been the extent of my musical training. I bet with some extensive training, I could learn the acoustic guitar and write some ballads someday. HA!! It could happen...

Those that can’t do, listen. Is that the saying? I listen to music while I’m driving, drawing, showering, doing laundry, cleaning. Sometimes I find myself watching tv and wondering what that noise is in the background. Oh. My phone is still playing music… It really is the soundtrack to my life.

I put together a Spotify Playlist of the songs that I'm currently obsessed with. I listen to a lot of different music while i'm drawing or painting or making earrings and dolls. The music inspires what i'm creating. It also keeps me going, I can create for hours with the right playlist or album playing. The music I'm obsessed with changes A LOT, as i discover new artists or even old ones I've never heard before. 

A few of the songs on this playlist

Here's a link to the playlist on Spotify, take a listen:

https://play.spotify.com/user/126663994/playlist/6LHN1thf8WcqYZSrI1KxBb

Do you listen to music when you're creating? Or do you need silence, or the TV or a Podcast? Tell me about it in the comments! If you've already subscribed to the newsletter, Curls & Markers, thanks for your support! If you've got your free coloring page, Color it in and share it to your social media accounts! Tag @keghazillus on IG and Twitter or Facebook: Keghaznavi Illustration. Use the Hashtag #antiadultingKG
I can't wait to see the colored pages!!

You can still get a free coloring page before the coloring book is published, just sign up for the Newsletter here and get a printable sheet!

http://keghaznavi.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c6a11c2bf4b803ed2144e3d1b&id=9b8b3d466f

XOXO
-Kierston

Mothers of Our Nations: In Progress

If you read this blog, you know that I am partnering with Pearls for Teen Girls in Milwaukee for my community art project in the From Here to Her 2016 show, Mothers of Our Nations.  The team at PEARLS is dedicated to empowering young girls in all aspects of their life, and preparing them with the tools they’ll need to be successful in the future. It’s not just about preparing for college, but really building character and mentoring relationships that last beyond college.

I will be creating work to honor the staff at PEARLS and I am also currently volunteering this summer to help the girls create paper dolls of their own.

We are in the second half of the summer program, and  this has been fun and challenging for myself and the girls. This has challenged me to think of the process in my doll making and try to express that in a manageable, step by step way, so that the girls can comfortably work at their own skill levels. There are some girls who dived right in, already love to draw and are moving along pretty quickly. And some girls aren’t too confident in their drawing skills. So I have been working a little more closely with them, trying to reassure them that they are better at drawing than they think they are. All of the dolls that the girls are working on are as unique as each girl and full of imagination.

I hope that after this, the girls find a new hobby, maybe start drawing more often and are proud that they challenged themselves to do something outside of their comfort zone.

PEARLS summer group. Girls busy drawing their dolls.  

Stopping to buy supplies

Some dolls are already pretty close to done.  

I'll continue to post updates before the shows this fall. Sign up for my newsletter for VIP access: 

 http://keghaznavi.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c6a11c2bf4b803ed2144e3d1b&id=9b8b3d466f

Curls & Markers Debut!

My weekly newsletter, Curls & Markers will be debuting tomorrow. I plan to give weekly updates on my current in-progress work, discounts for merchandise in my etsy shop, as well as first dibs on new items, sales and offers! Don't miss out! 

BONUS: if you sign up for the newsletter before it debuts on August 2nd, you will receive a FREE instant downloadable coloring page, from my upcoming coloring book!!!

Sign up below:

http://keghaznavi.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c6a11c2bf4b803ed2144e3d1b&id=9b8b3d466f

My Favorite Mediums: Let’s Talk About Markers.

I have spent a lot of time drawing my characters in pen, scanning them and coloring them in Adobe Illustrator. I started using markers this past winter to color my illustrations, and I fell in love. It took some time to get used to the technique. Learning how to blend and build up color, depth and texture; this took a lot of practice. Currently, I use Prismacolor markers, and I really like the quality of the Blick store brand markers. These markers have a fine tip and a broad tip which make it easy to fill in any odd shapes and curve that I may draw. 

I use markers for my illustrations. But also, I use them for my earrings and pins.  

What I love the most about using markers: creating variations in skin tone and color. I'm pretty good at blending markers now. I can't wait to have a 300+ color collection of professional grade markers. 

Collection of some of my favorite marker illustrations of 2016

Girl with locs. 2016

Graphic pattern dress. 2016

Paper dolls with marker.  

Hipster.  

This became a cute paper pin.  

Paper pins.  

I use markers when I make earrings.  

How do you feel about drawing with markers? Have you tried it? Share in the comments!!

Sign up now for my newsletter, Curls & Markers! Coming in August. Be the first to receive news, discounts, and sneak peaks at work in progress!

http://keghaznavi.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c6a11c2bf4b803ed2144e3d1b&id=9b8b3d466f

Upcoming Events: MOTHERS OF OUR NATIONS

I am proud to announce my participation as a guest artist with FROM HERE TO HER ‘s 2016 public art project, MOTHERS OF OUR NATIONS.

 “MOTHERS OF OUR NATIONS, a new take on a small pop-up show we did in 2014, shines a light on the unique role women play in creating social change and groups of women leading the way in our own communities. Each of our artists has partnered with a local women-led group taking action to improve the world around them. We're spending quality time getting to know them and are creating original work to honor them and inspire other women to be change agents in their own lives and communities.”

Source:

http://www.fromheretoher.com/#/2016-public-art-project-1/

I have partnered with Pearls for Teen Girls for my project,

“PEARLS is a unique leadership development program serving girls middle school through high school, and beyond, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We empower girls to live out the PEARLS values: Personal Responsibility, Empathy, Awareness, Respect, Leadership and Support.”

Source:

http://www.pearlsforteengirls.com/

I’m volunteering with the group this summer, teaching the girls how to make self-portrait paper dolls. As well as creating dolls for the PFTG staff.  I’ll be sharing the progress here on my blog and during my FROM HERE TO HER IG Takeover, July 24th-30th. Follow @fromheretoher on Instagram for updates from all of the artists.

 Save the dates below:

Milwaukee Public Opening:November 12th, The Magnet Factory
Madison Public Opening:December 3rd, Gallery Marƶeń

Sign up now for my newsletter, Curls & Markers! Coming in August. Be the first to receive news, discounts, and sneak peaks at work in progress!

http://keghaznavi.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c6a11c2bf4b803ed2144e3d1b&id=9b8b3d466f

My Favorite Mediums: Let's talk about Pen.

I switched to drawing with pens in my sketchbook instead of pencils a long time ago, probably high school. The pencil sketches would smudge and I hated that I couldn’t get the lines to stay crisp. Back then, I was trying to draw more realistically, and I’m not good at that, I knew that early on. I was more interested in the story and the characters in my artwork than perfecting the form. Plus, I really have the WORST handwriting/penmanship, so in school I needed a nice fine tip pen to even attempt to write anything legibly, well that’s if I wanted to actually take notes to study with. And since most of my notetaking in school primarily consisted of doodles and daydreams, drawing with pens became my favorite way to draw.

Ponytails Sketch.  

Brain drop Sketch.  

Geometrical fade Sketch.  

Sunday Hat sketch.  

Neatness was definitely not a priority when I drew, and it still isn’t when I’m freehand sketching. I loved the texture of the pen scrawling & scribbles, and building up the dimensions with varying my pen pressure on the paper.

Nowadays I work primarily in pen, but I try to be a little more clean with my strokes and more decisive with my pen marks. I use pencil lightly to sketch my ideas, placement, expressions etc. then I add in the permanent lines.

From here, I color in with my markers or I scan the image & add color in Adobe Illustrator.

Bree. marker illustration. 

Rosy  marker illustration. 

Garnerstyle. digital.  

When I draw in a freehand manner with my pen, its generally in these curvy and semi connected shapes. I can do this for hours, throw on some music, or a podcast (We Hate Movies, The Read, MmHmm Girl, 2 Dope Queens, This American Life—my go-to broadcasts) or I pull up Seinfeld reruns on Hulu and zone out. I draw them as just outlines, sometimes as part of a zentangle or I spend time coloring them in with fine point sharpies.

Freehand pattern.  

Freehand pattern.  

When I create, I use pen primarily and it's the medium I am most comfortable with.

What do you think about drawing with pen? Would you try it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Sign up now for my newsletter, Curls & Markers! Coming in August. Be the first to receive news, discounts, and sneak peaks at work in progress!

 http://keghaznavi.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c6a11c2bf4b803ed2144e3d1b&id=9b8b3d466f

XOXO

-Kierston