15 minutes as Disney artists
09/10/2018
In my early days, I often wondered what it would be like to work for Disney. I toured the illustration studio at Disney World in Orlando with wide eyes and big dreams. I loved the simple shapes that came to life and transformed into their beloved characters.
Unfortunately, when we went back in January with my daughters, I was disappointed to find that they no longer offered the tour. My girls love to draw, and I had hoped to share in their artist tour experience.
While we had a wonderful visit with many memories to cherish, I still felt a little sad about the fact that they were unable to see Disney artists in action.
The life of an editor doesn’t stop when we leave the office. We leave work only to find our job follows us everywhere. From missing punctuation on a street sign to a “then” that should be a “than” in a friend’s Facebook post, the words and phrases we see in everyday life constantly remind us that nothing is ever perfect (and editors are not used as often as they should be).
Here are some common mistakes we catch out in the wild on a daily basis.
1. Plural vs. possessive
I often see this mistake on social media posts, handwritten cards, and even printed signs at restaurants or stores. Most recently, I saw this grammatical blunder on homemade T-shirts worn by a family of eight at Walt Disney World. Their T-shirts said: “Family Vacation”; then there was a picture of Cinderella’s castle, followed by their last name—we’ll call them the Smiths. Except the shirts said, “The Smith’s.” Adding that apostrophe between the “h” and the “s” made their name possessive, not plural, which is most likely what was intended. So… the Smith’s what? The Smith’s castle? They wish. If the Smiths (plural) wanted the Smith’s (possessive) shirts to be correct, they should have either dropped the apostrophe or changed the arrangement of the words to: “The Smith’s Family Vacation.”
2. Your vs. you’re
This is probably my biggest pet peeve of grammar mistakes. It completely changes the meaning of the sentence when these words get mixed up. “Your” is possessive (even though it doesn’t have an apostrophe) while “you’re” is a contraction of “you are.” I see people writing, “your the best friend I could ever have,” or “you’re hard work is really appreciated.” No! I won’t have it. Pay attention to what you’re writing and your audience will thank you.
Years ago, I went on a study abroad trip where two of the stops were Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan. While there, I was able to venture through numerous gardens: some inside castle walls, some outside of shrines and famous monuments, and some just on the side of a neighborhood street. Needless to say, I was extremely excited to discover and visit the Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, Il. I’m happy to say, I was not disappointed.
Getting to Know the Locals: Tia Richardson
08/13/2018
Tia Richardson is a Milwaukee Mural artist. She works with commmunities around Milwaukee bringing people together to create works of art that adorn their neighborhoods. Tia’s fine art is soft with amazing light.
Q: Please give a short description of yourself and your work.
A: I am a community muralist who works with specific groups of people to help them express themselves through murals. Usually the murals end up in public spaces that are part of that specific community, like a school or community center, and are funded by non-profit youth-based organizations or grants that aim to beautify and create some kind of community engagement.
Twist’n Teal and Olive
07/12/2018
As visual arts professionals, we draw inspiration from the world around us.
Along those lines, I’d like to tell you a little story …
MKE’s Street Art, Gallery Night
07/09/2018
Looking for art inspiration without spending a dime? Brew City holds an incredible art scene on the streets, and the amount of open artwork has been growing within the last few years. Here are some of my favorite MKE Street Art examples:
Black Cat Alley
This gallery walkway is a must-see. Milwaukee’s East Side is home to over 30,000 square feet of large murals in an open walkway located between Kenilworth Place and Ivanhoe Place. Considered one of Milwaukee’s newest tourist destinations, it has already attracted visitors from all over the world.
Favorite Things: Drawing Tablets
06/28/2018
THE BENEFITS OF USING A DRAWING TABLET
Drawing tablets become increasingly more popular as time goes by, especially for those of us in the wonderful world of design. If you are unfamiliar with what a drawing tablet (or graphics tablet) is, have no fear! A drawing tablet is technically a “computer input device that enables a user to hand-draw images, animations and graphics, with a special pen-like stylus, similar to the way a person draws images with a pencil and paper.” They are very helpful to designers for many reasons and we will explain them all!
Getting to Know the Locals: Susan Tolonen
06/08/2018
Susan is a local Milwaukee illustrator who works in advertising, editorial, and children’s book publishing. Her bold, bright creations are full of whimsy, using shape in a way that makes her pieces lightly flow together with beautiful movement. Here is what she had to say about her work…
