Category Archives: New @ Sharpie

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NEW Stainless Steel Pen is Your New Favorite Stocking Stuffer

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In 2009, Sharpie® debuted our Stainless Steel Marker, the grand daddy of the Sharpie marker world. Sleek and stylish, the Sharpie Stainless Steel marker is a thing of beauty, encased in brushed stainless steel and finished with an etched Sharpie logo on the barrel. 

Well, we have done it again for the 2011 holiday season, and are proud to introduce the Sharpie Stainless Steel PEN!! A deluxe pen version designed specifically for everyday writing and perfect for the Sharpie lover on your list (especially the eco-friendly one given its refillable cartridge).  Its ultra-fine point tip and no-bleed ink make it perfect for taking notes, journaling, and adding a personal touch to holiday cards, gift tags and more. It’s the gift that just keeps on giving!  

The new Sharpie Stainless Steel Pen lays out the same bold, smooth, high-quality writing experience you have come to expect from Sharpie.  It’s also fade-, water- and smear-resistant when dry.   

Be a good Santa and drop one of these under your tree, into a stocking — or smuggle one away for yourself. ‘Tis the season to shine!

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The President’s Harley

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Whether it’s the freedom of the open road or the precision and distinctive beauty of the bikes themselves, motorcycle enthusiasts are passionate about the ride.

Sharpie President Ben Gadbois
Ben Gadbois is passionate about a few things: His family, his health, his work…and motorcycles. As president of Sharpie, Ben recently found a way to combine his passion for Sharpie with his love of motorcycles.
Ben worked with renowned NASCAR artist Nick Pastura to customize his own Harley-Davidson motorcyle with Sharpie art. Before getting started, Ben talked at length with Nick about his vision — juxtaposing the hard edge and rugged persona of the Harley machine with images symbolizing beauty, peace and strength — images often associated with Japanese art. In the end, Nick presented Ben with a design that included traditional Japanese symbols — dragons, Koi fish and cherry blossoms.
“I gave Nick full creative license,” Ben said. “I told him to come up with something really bold, and he definitely delivered.”
Scroll through the pictures, then read an interview with artist Nick Pastura on the project:

The bike took NASCAR artist Nick Pastura more than 120 hours and 275 Sharpie markers to complete.

In Asian culture, dragons are considered symbols of good fortune and protection. In both Chinese and Japanese mythology, the dragon is closely associated with water and is often surrounded by water or clouds.

The Koi fish symbolizes energy and motion and is sometimes interpreted to mean non-conformity. Koi also means strength in time of adversity, persistence, and the ability to overcome resistance.

According to the Buddhist tradition, the breathtaking but brief beauty of the cherry blossom symbolizes the transient nature of life.

 

 

ARTIST NICK PASTURA SHARES HIS SHARPIE SECRETS

While Nick rarely shares the secrets of his trade, he agreed to give us this interview about his use of Sharpie markers on this classic motorcycle:

After you landed on the overall design concept, what were the next steps for contributing that vision to paper?

I started out doing a lot of research on traditional Japanese imagery and colors. I wanted to stick with the classic Sharpie colors as my main stay…after that, it was just a matter of what tip shapes and sizes would work well together on each motorcycle part.

How did you transfer the design onto the bike? Transfer paper.

What type of Sharpie marker did you use to:

Were there any special techniques you used to ensure the marker ink lay down properly or covered the area properly? I used small, tight, circular motions.

Did you blend any of the marker colors to create custom colors, and if so, how? Again using three similar colors to add to the main base color to complement it and blend.

Were there any other techniques or tips in the early stages to note? Yes. When blending colors, make sure the ink is still wet in order to blend easily.  You have to work quickly.

Once you completed the finished design, what did you do to seal it?  What type of sealant did you use? First, I applied three light mist coats of Dupont 622 Intercoat Adhesion Promotor.  Then I let it sit for four hours to dry thoroughly.  The final clear coat was Dupont g2 4500S Fast Activator.

Did you encounter any special challenges with the ink application and if so, how do you suggest managing them?  Make sure the colors are dry before moving on to the next color or they will bleed.

Do you recommend lay artists give this a try on their own bikes?  Any tips for a practice run? Yes, but try to practice on an old gas tank or fender if possible.

What do you like best about Sharpie markers for creating your designs?  What makes them unique? What do they bring to the design that other art tools, i.e. spray finishing, don’t? Sharpie markers give you the ability to blend three similar colors together.  In automotive painting, it is just not the norm to blend colors like that. Using Sharpie markers was both exciting and intimidating at first but I got the hang of it quickly after a few test runs. It was great to have the markers right at your reach…the color reference is so visual that way.

Ben's sons, Helmut, 13, and Julius, 10, at the Fox River Harley-Davidson dealership in St. Charles, Illinois, just after the new Sharpie-drawn tins were installed.

This weekend, the bike will make its debut at the Irwin Tools Night Race in Bristol, Tenn., where Ben will take it for a lap around the track during pre-race ceremonies tonight.  Sharpie is a partial sponsor of the NASCAR race.  Irwin Tools and Sharpie are sister brands, both part of the Newell Rubbermaid family.  Here’s a sneak peak of Ben’s trial run Thursday night:

 

Start With Sharpie

The Sharpie Harley couldn’t have come at a better time as Sharpie launches its new Start with Sharpie campaign.

The campaign focuses on the legions of Sharpie fans (almost 2 million on Facebook alone) using Sharpie products in inspiring and creative ways, challenging them to start something with Sharpie.  To find out how you can submit your Sharpie creation to the Sharpie gallery and be part of Sharpie’s You Tube Takeover, visit www.sharpie.com.

If the president of Sharpie can start something this cool, what are you gonna start?

 

 

 

 

 

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Employees Start with Sharpie

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As you know, we, the Sharpie folk, have been kicking off our new Start with Sharpie campaign and we have seen some amazing things rolling in from our biggest Sharpie enthusiasts– including our own fabulous Newell employees.

We challenged our amazing Newell family to share what they are starting with Sharpie and now we are taking the opportunity to feature one of these internal Sharpie rock stars and what they (or in this case their daughter) has started with Sharpie.

Myra Lee, Director of Marketing Communications for sister brand, LENOX Industrial Products & Services in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, submitted this adorable photo of her 11-year-old daughter, Paige, who took creative liberties when writing her name on her new bag with Sharpie markers.

It’s amazing how something as simple as labeling your stuff can turn into an outlet for self-expression!

Now that you have seen what some of us are starting with Sharpie…what are you gonna start?

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SKATEBOARD ARTIST MARK RIVARD STARTS WITH SHARPIE

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Duuuuuuuuuuuuuude! So call me lame but that’s the first thing that pops into my mind when I think about skateboarding. I’m sure the skaters of the world would prefer I not refer to them as dudes, mostly because dude has a somewhat negative connotation, as in slacker, lazy, wandering, aimless – you know, The Big Lebowski kind of dude.

Dude or no dude, fact is there are more than 20 million skateboarders in the U.S., most of them under the age of 24. These dudes (which I mean only in the coolest way) ride their boards for lots of reasons, among them this one that I thought was particularly insightful extracted from the dclaim blog: Carving out creative lines under cloudless skies.

I get it. Like sky writing and more. Skateboarding IS an art. So is it any surprise that this daring form of self-expression should also find its way onto the skateboards themselves?

Sharpie has a dude (well, we are sort of just borrowing him) — an acclaimed skateboard artist who takes no offense at the term because his amazing art speaks for itself. Meet Mark Rivard. Mark currently appears in Sharpie’s new advertising campaign alongside one of his amazing skateboards and the Sharpie MINI Markers he used to create it.

Here’s Mark’s Sharpie ad, currently running in issues of TransWorld Skateboarding magazine:

Mark got his start designing skateboards after a serious skiing accident left him with time to ponder — and practice — his art.  In his own words, borrowed from Mark’s website:

Skateboards are the cornerstone of my work.  They are what sparked my re-interest in art.  We’ve all heard skaters say “Skateboarding saved my life.”, well in my situation it was a skateboard that literally altered the direction of the rest of my life.  I don’t think I would have died if I had never started skateboarding but I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for that first board and that first sketch.

Mark’s story is a good one, so we put together a video where Mark takes us behind-the-scenes and shares with us the details of how he came to discover his passion and the true mission of his life:

Something else you should know about Mark. We’ve been working with him for awhile now as part of his participation in the Sharpie Squad,  and he gets our vote for best-skateboard-artist-all-around-greatest-guy-ever!  It’s awesome to be able to point you to someone so deserving of all the praise.  Mark is one nice guy…he’s the duuuuuuuuude!

 Friend Mark on Facebook, then check out his appearance on FUEL TV:

 

Sharpie MINI markers are small enough to go anywhere. They offer:

 

  • A portable fine tip marker in half the size
  • A cap clip that easily attaches to key chains, golf bags, lanyards… and belt loops perfect for skateboarders on-the-go
  • 8 assorted colors, including Turquoise, Red, Blue, Lime Green, Green, Valley Girl Violet, Black, (and Magenta, not pictured).

Visit www.sharpie.com for more.
 

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Teen Pop Star Starts with Sharpie

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Marirose

She may be the youngest member of the Sharpie Squad, but at just 16-years-old, Marirose Weldon is already penning a name for herself in the music business with the recent release of her debut single, “I Want Love.”

Marirose uses Sharpie Liquid Pencils to write her lyrics, which is how we found her and why we decided to feature her in our new Start with Sharpie ad campaign.

Marirose joins three other Sharpie fans debuting in ads running in some of your favorite magazines, including, Seventeen, TEEN VOGUE, and Us Weekly.

Check out Marirose’s ad below:

Marirose has been hard at work establishing her music career and we hope her appearance in our ads helps her start something big.  She’s already meeting with agents and her song is getting lots of airplay on Chicago radio stations (Marirose lives in a Chicago suburb).  But fighting through adversity and meeting new challenges is nothing new to Marirose.  When she was 9-years-old, her mother passed away from a brain tumor.  The video below gives a peak inside Marirose’s life where she talks through some of those personal struggles, and her commitment to her music.

 

 

Below is an excerpt from a story that appeared about Marirose in My Suburban Life prior to a benefit concert she was throwing in her mother’s honor.

Why did you decide you wanted to be in show business?
I would always see people on TV. It would just be like a dream that I never thought would happen… I took acting classes for fun and it became something I started to take seriously. (Singing) was something if you got into you have a lot of opportunities.

What are your songs mostly about?
They’re really upbeat. They all have a really great message. There’s no swearing… they’re not about sex, guns or money. They’re songs you can jam out and dance to in your car. The songs are like Rihanna’s and Kelly Clarkson’s.

Do you still have plans to attend college, despite all your success?
Right now, I’m definitely planning on going to college. I’m not a big star right now, I’m just trying to be successful in the music industry. I’ve got to be smart. I’ll probably go to college for music to get experience.

Why did you decide to throw a benefit concert?
My mother passed away when I was 9 years old from a brain tumor. We literally had no idea. She was too afraid to go to the doctor… (She died) during a family vacation in Florida. It’s still shocking to me today… (The concert) is basically for her. Everything we do is in memory for her.

What’s your next big project?
I’m working on a deal with Sharpie, (an ad campaign) for their liquid pencil. They’re looking for brand new artists…to say that they started writing their songs with the pencil. (The ads) will appear in 17 magazines including US Weekly and on billboards.

This rising star not only has the pipes but the personality to make it big!  We are thrilled she is a part of the 2011 Start with Sharpie campaign!

Stay in tune with Marirose on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace .  Be sure to grab her single, “I Want Love” (also available on i-Tunes)!

Last but not least, check out Marirose’s writing instrument of choice – the new Sharpie Liquid Pencil.  It features a unique liquid graphite formulation that eliminates the age-old problem of broken pencil leads.  And it’s now available in four new barrel colors!

 

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Our Cup Runneth Over with Cheeming Boey

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Cheeming

Cheeming Boey is a California-based artist who has gained notarity for the AMAZING art he creates on coffee cups.  By combining two very simple things, paper cups and Sharpie Pens, he ceates museum-worthy masterpieces that continue to ignite interest around the globe.  In the same way that Warhol made soup cans famous, Boey is pushing the limits of pop culture with his coffee cups.

This veteran Sharpie Squad member uses Sharpie Pens to create his intricately designed Joe-holders and then sells the cups online at iamboey.com. Beyond being featured in the OC Register and on maxim.com, he is also the man behind the cups in Sharpie’s 2011 magazine ad for Sharpie Pen as part of the Start with Sharpie campaign.

Not only has Cheeming been busy busting out amazing new work and ad campaigns, he has also just returned from a nine-week stint driving around the U.S. and documenting his travels comic book-style– complete with video highlights– while also working on his literary debut, funded completely through Kickstarter.

 

 

Follow Boey’s adventures on Twitter & Facebook and IAmBoey.com. Trust me, your cup will runneth over.

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NEW! Sharpie Highlighter Gels with Students

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…No, not the kind of gel you see on the Jersey Shore. We’re talking the bright and colorful fluorescent gel that’s perfect for highlighting notes, text and more!

Now this is a back-to-school product worth highlighting. The Sharpie Gel Highlighter promises to last long, resist smearing, and never dry out, even if left uncapped (eliminates the oops factor). It’s perfect for use on all paper surfaces, including glossy and thin papers.  It also resists smearing on pen, marker and ink-jet printouts — and is equally as fun to write, doodle and draw with.  Give it a swipe!  Your highlighting life will never be the same ; )

Uncap and give the highlighter a twist to advance the gel stick and you’re set.  It even highlights glossy magazines…wait… magazines??? I’ve never highlighted a magazine before. Excuse me while I test this out…

[tick tock...tick tock...]

I’m back! IT WORKS! Take a look at what I did to the horoscope section of the Feb issue of Teen Vogue!

The Sharpie Gel Highlighter is available wherever office products are sold in orange, yellow, pink, blue and green.  Now the only problem is deciding which color to use, when, on what surface because I’m a color-coded kinda kid!! 

 So what do you think?!

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NEW Website and Start with Sharpie Campaign

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It’s a new, bolder day here at Sharpie. We are so excited to FINALLY share with you all the exciting details of our new back-to-school campaign!   

STARTING RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW…  

Today we are launching our new “Start with Sharpie” campaign.  It’s all about our passionate fans and the amazing things they have started with Sharpie.  This year we’re showcasing our fans in a way we’ve never done before, hoping that what others have started will inspire YOU to start something with Sharpie too.     

FAN SPOTLIGHT 

Our fans (and if you’re reading this blog, maybe you’re one of them) have done some pretty amazing things with Sharpie.  We have been so impressed — and so overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Sharpie projects out there – that we decided to show off some of them in our magazine ads this year. With nearly two-million incredible Facebook fans and our Sharpie Squad members, we didn’t have to look far to find the right candidates – but, the choice was definitely not easy. Ultimately, we selected three veteran Sharpie Squad members, along with a newcomer, teen singer and songwriter Marirose Weldon, who uses Sharpie Liquid Pencils to write her lyrics.  

LOOK WHAT THEY STARTED!  Please meet…  

DIY Domesek

 Erica Domesek– DIY expert, author and creator of P.S.- I Made This, Erica’s creations are inspired by some of the biggest names in fashion. She has been featured in top entertainment and fashion media, and both her website and her book feature several Sharpie DIY projects.  In her Sharpie ad, Erica breathes new life into a standard-issue pencil case using new Stained by Sharpie®  fabric markers to create a chic purse.  The good news is you can make too - just follow the steps listed in the D.I.Y. with Domesek blog post!

Here is Erica’s Ad:

Boey

 Cheeming Boey– Known as the “coffee cup artist,” Cheeming’s work has been displayed in galleries nationwide. In his ad, Cheeming demonstrates how a Sharpie Pen and a simple Styrofoam cup can be combined to create something truly inspiring. 

Here is Cheeming’s “Start with Sharpie” ad:  

 

 

 

 

 

   
 

Rivard

Mark Rivard– Using skateboards as his canvas, Mark’s designs have appeared in sports commercials and viewed in galleries worldwide.  Mark demonstrates how he uses Sharpie Mini markers to create coveted custom boards.

Here is Mark’s “Start with Sharpie”  Ad:

 

Marirose

Marirose Weldon– At just 15-years-old, Marirose is already penning a name for herself in the music business with the recent release of her debut single, “I Want Love.” Marirose uses Sharpie Liquid Pencils to write her lyrics and show the world what she is starting with Sharpie.   

And finally, Marirose’s “Start with Sharpie” Ad:

Keep an eye out for them in Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly and others, where not only can you see fellow Sharpie fans gracing the pages of your favorite publications, but you can also unlock EXCLUSIVE content and videos of each Sharpie project through the QR codes in the ads.    

GET INSPIRED…AND THEN GET STARTED: 

We like the print ads a lot because they show what’s possible with Sharpie and a little imagination.  But even better are the webisodes we created showing how each of our four Sharpie stars got started, not only with their projects but their careers and ultimatley their dreams: 

 

New Products, Packaging, Web Site and More

Not only are we shining the spotlight on some of our amazing fans and their work but we are also introducing three exciting new products.  You’ll want to be sure to add these to your back-to-school shopping list:  

  • Gel Highlighter™:  this year’s back-to-school must-have features gel stick technology that prevents smearing, bleed-through and drying out – and makes highlighting fun with its smooth gel formulation.
  • Stained by Sharpie™:  The first-ever Sharpie marker specifically developed for performance on most fabric surfaces. 
  • Sharpie® 80’s Glam: Vibrant, limited edition permanent markers perfect for creating hip, colorful masterpieces.  The collection turns back time with five new colors, chosen by Sharpie’s Facebook fans, including – Argyle Green, Leg Warmer Orange, Jellie Pink, Banana Clip Yellow and Valley Girl Violet.

We have also been listening to you over the past year and are adding new colors to Sharpie Mini (Magenta, Valley Girl Violet, Turquoise), Sharpie Pen fine tip (Turquoise, Coral, Clover, Hot Pink), and Sharpie Liquid Pencil (new barrel colors — Turquoise, Orange, Lime, Purple). You asked for it and now we have delivered!  

Sharpie’s Fresh Face

After 10 years we have taken a hint from Hollywood and given our packaging a facelift.  But don’t worry, the iconic Sharpie logo remains unchanged! The key differences include brighter, whiter packaging, a larger and angled Sharpie logo, and help with product features and benefits that makes shopping for Sharpie — in its multitude of colors, tip sizes and varieties — easier than ever.  Check it out in stores and let us know what you think!  

Another part of Sharpie’s refreshed look for 2011 is a re-designed  website – which can still found at www.sharpie.com.   

 

The site features a new, more user-friendly community experience that takes the best of what we had and makes it even better! Now, you can:  

  • Create your very own Sharpie profile so you can connect to your friends and other fans who love Sharpie, and the profiles have also been enhanced so they have a cleaner, more ‘Facebook-like’ feel to them.
  • Navigate Sharpie products in every color and tip size imaginable via an interactive color wheel (it even lets you shop for Sharpie by color – so you can see all the possibilities in, say, the color red.)
  • Check out how-to videos and Sharpie fan galleries.
  • See everything Sharpie  is up to on all our social sites, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the Sharpie Blog!
  •  Create detailed multi-step how-to’s that combine your own user-created videos, images, and text. You can even show which products you used to create it.
  •  Issue a Challenge to the community to start something with Sharpie using certain products or tools. For example, who can create the best set of Sharpie shoes, or the best project using only Sharpie Metallic markers.
  • Share all the great user submissions and blog entries through an improved Share functionality.
  • Greater ability to sort and search for user submissions, how-to’s, challenges, and videos by time submitted, popularity, etc.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GALLERY! 

Be sure to upload images of your Sharpie creations and share with the world via our interactive gallery.  More than 10,000 have already been submitted – we just need YOURS! 

START SOMETHING ON YOUTUBE

This back-to-school season, Sharpie will take its gallery of fan submissions to new heights when for one day, on August 27th, Sharpie stages a takeover of the YouTube homepage, where thousands of images of Sharpie creations will combine to create an interactive mosaic.  For all the details, check out the official blog post here.  

NOW, puuuuulease head on over  to  www.sharpie.com to see it all for yourself! What are you gonna start?! Upload something to the gallery today.

 

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Say Hello to the 2011 Sharpie Squad!

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 As we celebrate our third year with our AMAZING and talented Squad- we want to introduce our newest addition to the Squad, Marirose Weldon, and check in with our other 20 superstars, four of which are featured in this year’s ”Start with Sharpie” magazine ads!   

Get to know the newest Sharpie Squad member!

Our youngest and newest member of the Squad, this up- and-coming musician is the talent featured in our Sharpie Liquid Pencil magazine ad and we are thrilled to have her has our 2011 addition to the Squad. 

Marirose Weldon–At 15-years-old, this Chicago native is already penning a name for herself in the music business with the recent release of her debut single, “I Want Love.” Marirose uses Sharpie Liquid Pencils to write her lyrics and share what she is starting with Sharpie.

Rock out with Marirose on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Myspace.

 

Check in with Our Veterans!

Moving into veteran status on the Sharpie Squad this year, you may recognize this next member as the D.I.Y-er featured in our 2011 magazine ad for Stained by Sharpie fabric markers!  

Erica Domesek is a distinguished lifestyle, design and style expert, living and creating in New York City.  She is also the founder of the innovative DIY brand “PS-I Made This…” With a keen eye and ability to make everything from fashion accessories, home décor accents and provide a vision for creative soirees, Erica’s work has been featured in publications such as Teen Vogue, Glamour, Vogue Nippon, Domino, GQ, among others.   She has styled and designed campaigns for international brands such as Kate Spade, Tumi, J.Crew, Anthropologie, Roxy, Sigerson Morrison, and True Religion, Helmut Lang, and has hosted Alloy Entertainment’s Teen.com TV’s Craft Club. 

Follow Erica on Twitter. Fan her on Facebook. See all the DIY inspirations from P.S. – I made this… 

 

Erin Moore of Things Moms Like, a popular review and giveaway blog, is the mother of two (7 and 14).  A 2009 Sharpie Squad veteran, she is back again for her third year on the Squad, Erin has worked as an event planner as well as a promoter.  She frequently speaks at parenting conferences all over the country and loves to travel!  Erin enjoys offering fun contests and honest reviews to parents everywhere with her blog.  And Hello?!! Of course she uses Sharpie markers on a daily basis! 

Erin is on Twitter and Facebook!  ThingsMomsLike.com  

               

Alex Poli, better known as Man One,is a leading urban muralist and artist.  Involved with the Graffiti Art movement since 1987, Man One began his artistic journey in the streets of Los Angeles tagging and leaving his trademark of bold, colorful aerosol strokes, in search of his artistic purpose. He may have been new to the Sharpie Squad in 2010, but his artwork has already been showcased in over 40 group exhibitions domestically and internationally, 10 solo exhibits, and displayed at several museums and high profile galleries, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, The Getty, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Ana, and Parco Museum in Tokyo.  

Commercially, Man One’s commissions include murals, designs and concepts for MTV, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Sony, Ubisoft to name a few, as well as scenic visuals for feature films, music videos and TV commercials and ads for Microsoft, Target and Ford. His artwork has been profiled and featured in a number of international magazines, newspapers and books including the Washington Post and New York Magazine. He also owns and runs Crewest, the only L.A.-based gallery dedicated to the upliftment of Graffiti Art. 

Man One is on Twitter and Facebook.  Get more Man!  

 

Kristin Lesney is the mother to Kai, 6, and Brooklin, 2.  She’s a busy full-time college student living in Oregon and a veteran Sharpie Squad member, returning for her third year!  Kristin chronicles the daily life of just another Ordinary Mom.  Kristin is the owner of Our Ordinary Life, a blog where she talks about her journey through life as a mom and college student. She enjoys keeping it real and always has an opinion about something!  Kristin shares what her family finds useful and if she doesn’t seem busy enough, she also involves herself in several projects around the blogpshere. She’s one of Frito Lay’s Fab 15 moms as well as a Frigidare Test Drive Mom. 

Catch up with Kristin on Twitter & Facebook and take a peak at her extraordinary website, Our Ordinary Life. 

 

Linda Ellett is a professional artist who specializes in decorating pottery with Sharpie markers!  Residing in upstate New York, this new Sharpie Squad member is celebrating 32 years of extraordinary tile-making with her shop, L’esperance Tile Works found on Etsy.   Every one of Ellett’s tiles is handmade and hand-glazed in her upstate New York studios. 

Find out more about Linda through Twitter, Facebook and visit the amazing L’esperance Tile Works. 

 

Brand new in 2010 to the Sharpie Squad, Corine Ingrassia  is back for more in 2011. Corine is a suburban stay-at-home mom of two — a boy, 5, and a girl, 2.  Corine blogs from Central New Jersey where she talks with an audience of other “Complicated Mama’s” who are seeking balance in their full-time, permanent stay-at-home mom jobs. Corine is also a contributing writer for the NYMetropolista blog and NJ.com/parenting. 

Find out what’s so complicated by chatting with this mama on Twitter, Facebook, and on ComplicatedMama.com. 

 

         

Welcome back Jon E. Nimetz, third year Sharpie Squad member!  Based out of Venice, California, Jon is a producer, marketer, advertising producer, and the talent behind SuperFineArt.com.  He is known for his loud personality and passionate style, which he emphasizes through his art. Jon uses a combination of acrylic paint and Sharpie paint markers to create nature-inspired paintings that are both unique and self-expressive. 

This Squad member is Super Fine! Find him on Facebook and Twitter too. 

 

Linsey Knerl, the endearing voice behind Lille’ Punkin Reviews , is always on the lookout for the next best thing when it comes to making her life easier.   Who isn’t, right?! As a free resource for parents and friends of parents, Knerl offers regular, unbiased opinions on a variety of family-friendly items.  This is Linsey’s third year on the Sharpie Squad!  This punkin is a must-have resource when it comes to parenting! 

Check out Linsey on Twitter, Facebook and her website: Lille’Punkin 

 

 

               

Lauri Harrison is founder of MomToBeDepot.com and is a blogger for several media sites including Working Mothermagazine and Examiner.com. Not only is Lauri back for thirds as a Sharpie Squad member, she is also the mom of a tot (no, not tater-tots, silly) and a teenager, informing parents about great new products (as well as the classics, eh hem… Sharpie)! 

Connect with Lauri on Twitter and Facebook. Also be sure to head to the Depot! 

 

 

Cheeming Boey is a California-based artist using paper cups as his chosen canvas.  With artistic creations that seem to go viral on a weekly basis, this returning Squad member uses Sharpie markers to create intricate designs on cups, selling them online at iamboey.com. Boey has attracted tons of attention with his mini masterpieces and has  been featured in the OC Register and maxim.com and now as the man behind the cups in Sharpie’s 2011 magazine ad for Sharpie pen!

Flip some cups with Boey on Twitter & Facebook  You’ve gotta check out IAmBoey.com. 

 

 

Laura Kelly is an official Sharpie guru and one of the original Squad members.  Using Sharpie markers, Laura creates bright, bold and simple designs that uplift the human spirit.  Surrounded by people who share her aspirations to generate joy, happiness and empowerment in a vibrant, organized environment, she fills notebooks with playful Sharpie drawings inspired by everyday images when suddenly, a new collection is born.   Laura currently licenses her work to companies in a variety of industries including gift, stationery, gourmet food and home décor as well as bank products.  She also owns her own wholesale company, Laura Kelly Designs, which manufactures stationery products for stores around the country. When she isn’t working on her licensable portfolio, you will find her painting, baking, gardening, playing with clay or making stuff out of recycled products.  She is also a active member of the Greeting Card Association, Craft and Hobby Association where she serves on the Trend Team and as a delegate to the National Stationery Show. 

Laura’s Facebook and Website. Shop Laura Kelly! 

 

His third year on the Sharpie Squad, Travis Todd creates Sharpie art on everyday objects from lunch boxes to automobiles.  He even carries a Sharpie on his key chain just in case he is overcome with an urge to create “instant art!”  Travis has built a great name for himself – he is especially renowned in online automotive forums for his amazing Sharpie Art Car creations, one of which was recently featured on womansday.com.  He has developed his own blend of elegant scroll work and graffiti-style art and claims that  people tend to see what they want to see in his artwork.  You can find some of his works on his Flickr page @ www.flickr.com/spdu4ia. 

Click HERE to see what Travis’ Sharpie Art is all about. 

 

 

             Say hello to Alli Whitmore, the brains and beauty behind One Pearl Button.  This Sharpie Squad veteran  is an archaeologist and crafter, striving to do something creative everyday!  She blogs about fashion, design, crafts and photography and has had work featured all over the internet as well as in print.  As an archaeologist, Alli is naturally drawn to the history of objects and has a feminine, slightly quirky style which is strongly influenced by the past.  Some of her current loves are crocheted afghans, clothes that are way too big, and Polaroid photography.  And of course, Sharpie markers are considered invaluable tools in her creative arsenal!  

Tweet with Alli and then check out her website OnePearlButton.com. 

 

Derek Benson of San Diego, CA takes lunch time to a new level using Sharpie markers.  A third year Sharpie Squad member, Benson uses Sharpie markers to add intricate drawings of cartoons, super heroes, characters and more to his childrens’ brown paper lunch bags – and he does it every day!  During his lunch breaks, Benson conjures up his unique designs, all which can be seen on his website lunchbagart.tumblr.com.  His drawings have been featured in Parents magazine and can be seen on his Tumblr or via his twitter account. 

Have lunch with Benson on Twitter and Tumblr! 

 

Returning to the Sharpie Squad for her second year, Debbie Bookstaber is editor of Mamanista.com, a site dedicated to pointing out the fabulously chic and irresistibly practical–shopping, making it easy for the hip mama on a budget to compare products.  Debbie is currently the Director of Strategy at The JAR Group, holds a position on her local school board as well as gives her time to serving serveal charitable boards.  

Follow Mamanista on Twitter, join Debbie on Facebook.  take a look around Mamanista.com & see what fab finds are out there! 

 

 

Mark Rivardis a well-known skateboard artist, covering a wide variety of genres and designs. Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Rivard is a returning 2009 & 2010 Sharpie Squad member, whose work has been seen in exhibitions around the world, including shows in Belgium, Denver, Detroit, Seattle and New York City. Rivard takes his Sharpies with him worldwide, teaching and inspiring through art and is the man with the minis in the 2011 “Start with Sharpie” magazine ads!

Connect with Mark on Twitter & Facebook.  Ride on down to Mark’s website MarkRivardSkateboardArt.com. 

 

As the creator of If it’s Hip, It’s Here, Laura Sweet has always had an admiration for art, design and craftsmanship.  Her blog is an outlet to share what she admires as “hip” with her 130,000+ readers every month.  Currently residing in Beverly Hills, Laura has lived and worked in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Detroit and Seattle. Living in these assorted locations has exposed her to a variety of diverse attitudes, styles and values. For more than 20 years, Laura has been on the creative side of the TV and print advertising business. She has produced work on several major accounts from luxury cars to IKEA. Laura holds degrees in both Fine Art and Art History from UC Berkeley. She also has a degree in Advertising from Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design, where she was an instructor for eight years.  This is Laura’s second year as a Sharpie Squad member! 

Get a quick hip from Laura on Twitter and Facebook.  Satisfy your Sweet tooth at If It’s Hip It’s Here 

 

Hanna Agar is a young photographer from rural Wisconsin trying to find her fortune in NYC.  For the past year she has been interning for celebrity and fashion photographers while using her scarce moments of free time to develop her own abilities.  Hanna  uses Sharpies to record the thoughts, hopes, prayers, and memories of her friends and family onto recycled paper, old material, clothing, etc.  She then photographs people interacting with or creating these items.  

Hanna’s photography and Sharpie work can be viewed at www.hannaagar.com

 

                   Tali Buchlar, new in 2010 to the Sharpie Squad, is a stay-at-home mom, raising her kids in the most creative way she can.  A mother of two girls and blogger of  www.growingupcreative.com, Tali shares her experiences and research about raising her girls to be innovative and imaginative.  Upon graduating from Massachusetts College of Art from the Department of Architecture, she gained four years of training at an innovative architecture firm. Since then, she has opened her own firm with Kristen Giannattasio in Watertown, Massachusetts.  Tali recently moved back to Israel from Santa Monica, CA. 

Learn more about Tali & Growing Up Creative.  Tweet with her and check her out on Facebook. 

 

Welcome Heather Batts back to the Sharpie Squad!  Heather is a mom of two boys who writes about her journey as a diva on a budget at thedomesticdiva.org. for.  Her blog has been recognized as one of the “142 Resources that will Save you Cash” in 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budgetby the writers of Wise Bread, for being a part of one of the “Best Personal Finance Blogs.”  With such a successful blog, Heather has even been able to has interview celebrities including daytime talk show host Kelly Ripa and Animal Planet’s Jeff Corwin. 

This Diva can be found on Twitter & Facebook! Be sure to browse around on her DomesticeDiva.org too! 

   

To follow the entire Sharpie Squad’s tweets follow the Sharpie Squad Twitter List.   

Don’t forget to Tweet with the #SharpieSquad hashtag on Twitter!

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DIY with Domesek: From Pencil Case to Chic Clutch

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DIY Queen: Erica Domesek

Sharpie fan and fashion fanatic, Erica Domesek, has made a career of transforming expensive fashion trends into doable DIY projects. She sees it, she likes it, she makes it, is her motto.  

Is it any surprise, then, that Sharpie is one of her favorite DIY staples? Sharpie discovered her three years ago and invited her to join the Sharpie Squad, a group of some of Sharpie’s most passionate fans. 

This year, Erica will be featured in Sharpie’s new print ad campaign, along with the standard-issue pencil case she transformed with Sharpie into a ready-for-recess — or the runway — purse using brand new Stained by Sharpie fabric markers. Stained markers are formulated for use on most fabrics and include a brush tip for expressive strokes. 

Erica's print ad featuring her plain jane pencil case turned chic clutch.

                                       

This bag may look like something off a New York runway but you can make it your own in a few simple steps, with a few simple items and Sharpie, of course!    

1- Draw the outline details 

  

 2- Begin shading in top flap  

  

 3- Continue to fill in, varying the pressure with the markers to create a lighter shades in the bottom corners. 

 

 4- Use a ruler to create a quilted effect.  Outline with black and begin adding studs. 

 

5- Place studs where lines intersect, and add stitching detail with dotted straight lines around the interior border.    

 

6- Mark where the grommets will be inserted.   

  

7- Cut slits for grommets.  

  

 8- Insert grommet top and bottom and align together. 

  

   

9- Hammer grommets together. 

10- Insert chain through all four grommets. 

   

11- Use a safety pin to join ends of chain.    

    

 12-  Add the last touches… a fun tassel on the chain and use Stained markers to create faux hardware that mimics a real clutch.  P.S. Glue a gem to finish it off! 

  

Et Voila! You’re ready for a night out on the town or a day in class; either way you’ll be stylin’ with Stained by Sharpie fabric markers! Check out more amazing D.I.Y. creations from Erica on her blog, P.S. I Made This… , follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook!