Happy Holidays 2010!

Season's Greetings, everyone!
Here is the 2010 version of my annual Holiday Card..

This year, I attempted another Art Deco motif; based on a few vintage cards that I've managed to collect off of eBay over the years..  Overall I'm happy with most of it. But in hindsight, it's probably a bit too close in overall design, to the Holiday Card that I did back in 2007..
The coloring was done digitally.. For the most part, it was applied color-to-color, without any holding lines. I cheated a bit here and there, though. The Birch Trees actually looked better with the remnants of linework, I thought..
Unfortunately, while the series of Gradient Fills I applied with Photoshop, looked pretty decent in the original file on my monitor.. The subtleties got a bit muddied in the actual printouts I received back from Kinko's.. Skewing everything, slightly darker. Parts of the Deer got lost on the Night Sky. As did some of the Pine Trees, etc.. 

The experience of making/sending out the Cards this year too, was somewhat bittersweet. As this was the type of project that I would traditionally do with my Mom; who passed away just last year. In fact, looking back.. I think I did it more for her, than for myself. She would nag me about getting the Cards done. And for whatever reason, I would always wait 'til the last-possible-minute, before actually finishing them. It was a real Dannys Christmas tradition! bwa-hah

As mentioned in my previous Blog posts,-- any Christmas Card done BEFORE my Birthday, is a raving success story.. So, I did alright this year! But I'm a man of limited financial resources, so I wasn't able to printout quite as many copies as I once did. But if you're on my Card List, expect a hard copy in your mailbox soon.. For the rest of my friends, I hope that this "digital" -version of the Card will suffice? Y'know, they say it's the thought that counts, in the end..

Anyways, I hope that everyone has a terrific Holiday Season.. Best Wishes to everyone at Christmastime!.. And hoping you have a fantastic 2011!

Season's Greetings!

Hello Blogosphere.. Welcome to my 1st-ever Post!

Here is the 2006 version of my annual family Holiday Card..
The Design was inspired by a number of old-timey 'Art Deco' Christmas Cards that I'd purchased off of eBay, about a year ago..
I tried to create a more elegant -looking Image, this time 'round. I'm not sure it was entirely successful. But I've sometimes had family & relatives take issue with the more "cartoony" ones, I've done in the past. It's hard to please everybody.. Which is why this is always one of my most stressful assignments, each year!

I hope everyone had a terrific Holiday Season.. And Best Wishes to all of you, for 2007!