The Dotty Blog
Finding Colour Inspiration for Memorial Templates in Unexpected Places
Two Creative Pals colour walks through Officeworks and Bunnings led to an unexpected colour palette for my Celebration of Life memorial template collection.
From iPad to print: finishing my illustrated 2027 calendar
Twelve illustrated pages and a cover are finished, but there’s still work between the last brushstroke and a calendar you can hang on your wall. I’m sharing what happens next for Far North Queensland Adventures, including assembling the pages in Canva and ordering my first printed copy.
Before you trace that image: choosing references for artwork you want to sell
An ad showing someone tracing a shoe from Google made me stop scrolling. If your drawing is going to become a product, there’s more to consider than getting the shape right. Here’s why I think checking your references belongs at the beginning of the creative process.
Always go the Pretty Way
My dad always chose the scenic route, even when it involved an unexpected ferry trip! Here's how his favourite saying became part of my life and creative adventures.
When did you last spring clean your digital artwork?
How many of your Procreate files are called Untitled Artwork? After spending Sunday and Monday morning tidying my creative files, I’m sharing what made me rethink how I name and store my artwork, with a detour through some missing rock wallaby photos.
Not Every Idea That Visits You Is Yours to Keep
Some ideas visit because we are meant to create them. Others may come through us because we are the person who can help them find their way to somebody else.
What Are You Side Questing?
My main quest is a Far North Queensland calendar. This week, I somehow side-quested two Christmas cards and four Halloween patterns. What are you creating instead of the thing you planned?
Finish the Frog First
One creative idea can quickly become five possible products, but none of them will exist if the original project never gets finished. Sometimes you need to finish the frog first.
Don’t Wait Until Your Work Is Finished to Talk About It
You don’t need to wait until your artwork, course or product is finished before talking about it. Sharing the story early gives people time to become interested in what you are creating.
How big should the font be on an A4 wall calendar?
How large does the month need to be on an illustrated A4 calendar? I’m weighing up visibility against artwork and space for people to write.
The Layers You Delete Still Get You There
Building a creative business rarely follows a straight line. The tools, ideas and old versions we leave behind still help us find our own pretty way.
What To Do When Your Artwork Isn't Working
After almost two weeks of trying to make the trees and water work in my January calendar illustration, the answer arrived at 3am: the cassowary didn't need them. Sometimes the solution is taking something away.
You’re not boring - you’re too close to your own life
Most people who think they have nothing to share are not boring. They are living too close to their own lives to see what is already there. When everything feels familiar, the moments with meaning often disappear first. This reflection looks at why ordinary weeks are rarely empty, and how noticing creates the distance needed for stories to emerge.