In the spirit of the season, throughout the month of December we will be showing you how Sharpie makes its mark on holiday gift-giving,  decorating, organizing and more!  Through all sorts of how-to videos and pictorals, we will take you through the step-by-step DIY process and show you the tools you’ll need to add a personal touch to the holidays!

Below you will find a list of 25 ways to utilize Sharpie markers to put a creative twist on all of your gift giving, decorating and organizational needs.  Come back and visit to see the how-to videos and pictorals all month long!  Happy Holidays!

1 Think Beyond a White (as well as Red and Green) Christmas – Holiday décors are getting a colorful makeover this December.  Mix it up this year with unique Sharpie marker color combos.  Re-vamp ornaments, paper goods, tree trim and more using Sharpie markers in Magenta and Lime, Turquoise and Red, Berry and Pomegranate.  Kick it up a notch with color and let Sharpie transform white to bright.

2 Tacky Times Two – Throw a tacky-themed holiday party, encouraging guests to come up with their most ridiculous holiday outfits.  Customize holiday sweaters, suspenders, ties, socks and more with Sharpie markers and create a look distinctly your own.  Get twice the tacky with Sharpie Twin Tip markers offering both fine and ultra-fine tips in one marker. 

3 Green-A-Ling – Create your very own flower pot bell ornament for the tree using Sharpie paint markers. Color small terra-cotta flowerpots (available at your local craft store) and let dry.  Personalize the pots with stars, bows, berries and other fun holiday designs.  Thread ribbon (or wire) through the drainage hole to make a loop for hanging.  Loop another ribbon inside the pot and attach a bell.

4 My Tube – Choose from among Sharpie’s 34 bold colors to decorate a roll of solid-colored wrapping paper (tissue, crepe, foil, vellum, craft paper – gift bags too).  Use a stencil or cookie cutter and trace a hand, shoe, leaf, key or other object to create a personalized motif.   Tip:  Use the wrapping paper tube as a gift box to hold kids’ artwork; wrap the tube using your new Sharpie “signature” gift wrap and ship to Grandma.

5 Sharp Cookie – Give the gift that won’t get lost – Sharpie personalized markers imprinted with the name and icon of your choice on the marker barrel.   Smart shoppers give personalized Sharpie markers to friends, family, teachers, postmen, milkmen, hairdressers, receptionists, babysitters, pet walkers, Girl Scout troops, Bunko groups, golf buddies, favorite baristas and more!  For a stocking stuffer with a personal touch, go to www.mysharpie.com to order. 

6 Sharp Bookie – Sharpie-created bookmarks are a good bet for gift-giving.  Make your mark by doodling the usual suspects – dogs, stars, hearts, swirls – or exercise your inner artist and take a stab at recreating art from one of the masters (go online to download inspirations).  Tip:  Use the Sharpie marker itself as the bookmark.  Just clip to the page! 

7 Keeper Cards – Design your own “keeper card.”  Use Sharpie markers to create personalized greeting cards, the kind that won’t wind up in the waste basket.   Kids can create personalized cards for classmates.  Kids tip:  Whip up a mod mosaic in minutes by holding a bundle of Sharpie markers in your hand and drawing circles on circles.

8 Card Jar – Keep track of cards in a holiday-themed box or jar decorated with Sharpie markers.  Use a glass or acrylic box/jar and decorate with these holiday-inspired themes in mind: candy canes, twinkly lights, mistletoe, silver bells.   *Make smaller containers for gift receipts and recipes.

9 Tree Hugger – Write your child’s name in Sharpie marker on a small silver or gold bell.  Help them find a spot on the tree and let them give the bell a ring each night before bedtime to make a holiday wish.  This will become a favorite holiday tradition.

10 Table That – The Stay-cation travel trend is continuing into the holidays.  Use time at home around the table to create one-of-a-kind holiday gifts with Sharpie markers.  Embellish socks, t-shirts, sneakers, headbands, belts, backpacks, aprons, picture frames and more.  Kids can make special keepsakes for mom; teens can get creative and add their favorite expressions.  Mom tip:  Create a family of matching tees or sweatshirts – one for everyone in the brood.    

11 A+ in Gift Giving– Send your kids to school with a present teachers can really use – school supplies!  Place an assortment of Sharpie markers in a large soup can covered in plain white paper and decorated with Sharpie markers.  Wrap it up, top with a festive bow and take your seat at the head of the class.

12 Santa‘s Sharpie – Make a list and check it twice with the Sharpie Pen.  The newest addition to the Sharpie family, the Sharpie Pen doesn’t bleed through paper and is perfect for all your holiday writing needs – and it’s now available in a retractable version!  Use it for list-making, note-cards, gift tags, journal writing, work and school – and don’t forget that important letter to Santa!  Make your mark with the Sharpie Pen in black, blue, orange, red, green, or purple.

13 Stock Up – Instead of paying to have names embroidered on holiday stockings, this year buy some white felt and create your own colorful, unique version using Sharpie markers.   Stock the stocking with Sharpie markers to make a permanent impression.

14 Draw The Line – Pick up a copy of your favorite holiday classic at a used book store and carefully remove a page.  Sketch or trace an image right over the print to make a beautiful greeting card, wall decoration, or holiday embellishment.  Laminate or frame your page to preserve for next year. 

15 A Little Flakey – Create a cost-saving winter wonderland by making do-it-yourself snowflakes. Decorate paper with the colors of the season or stay monochromatic with Sharpie Metallic silver.  Color then fold and cut into snowflake shapes.

16 Made Not Manufactured – Show family and friends how thankful you are for their gifts with homemade, colorful thank-you cards. Design one card with Sharpie markers and make copies to save money on store-bought versions.

17 Tag You’re It – Let loved ones see how truly personal the gift they are receiving is with a one-of-a- kind gift tag.  Liven up your present by adding your own unique way of stating “To” and “From” on a square of card stock.  Tie a Sharpie MINI marker to your tag for the gift tag that keeps on giving.

18 Take A Shine – What better way to top off the perfect holiday gift than with a Stainless Steel Sharpie.  Add a little extra sophistication and shine to your gift by attaching the stainless steel Sharpie with its refillable cartridge and etched logo on the barrel to the top of the package — the perfect complement to your Sharpie Metallic silver custom-designed gift wrap. 

19 Ring in the Bling – Use a Sharpie Metallic silver marker to ring in the New Year.  Add some bling by creating a silver celebration of party ware – decorate glassware, placemats, votive holders, candlesticks, party hats, favors and more.  Tip:  Use a paper tablecloth and give guests a pack of Sharpie markers as table favors so they can write their resolutions as they count down the New Year. 

20 Wax Poetic – Thinking about throwing out those old candle sticks?  Why not bring new life to them with Sharpie markers.  Use a Sharpie marker and cover them with script writing of your favorite poetic verses.  Combine with Sharpie Metallic silver accents and display year-round. 

21 Holiday Calendar Countdown – With a ruler, cardstock and Sharpie markers, draw out a calendar.  Find small holiday ornaments and trinkets around the house (buttons, pins, last year’s holiday card cut-outs – any small embellishment) and stick magnets onto the back of each.  Hang your calendar on refrigerator and use your magnetic ornaments to count down the days of your holiday season!

22 Pen The Perfect Present – Assemble a gift box full of Sharpie Pens (in all six colors – black, blue, red, green, orange, purple).  Top the gift off with several sheets of pretty stationery, perfect for the art enthusiast with a penchant for the age-old art of letter writing. 

23 You’ve Been Framed – Bring life to a plain white picture frame by doodling inspiring words around the edges in black Sharpie marker.  Insert a black-and-white photo for an elegant holiday gift.  Attach a matching hand-made gift tag with a thoughtful message.  Write your note in red with a Sharpie marker to give the gift a little pop!

24 For Keep Sake! – Start a holiday memories book.  As the holidays wind down, pass around a book of blank pages and have your family take turns writing a special holiday message.  What was your favorite moment or memory?  Best present? What are you thankful for?  Build a collection of wonderful memories and create a keepsake that can be shared for generations to come. 

25 Ahead of the Pack – Once the holidays are over, it is important to organize all of your decorations, ornaments, lights, etc. so things don’t get lost or forgotten.  Label boxes with Sharpie markers and store them away neatly.  Pack smart with Sharpie and spend time with family and friends instead!

Share your Holiday sharpie creations and tips with us too! What are your favorite ways to use your Sharpie markers during the Holidays?

Become a fan of Sharpie on Facebook!

Unwrap What’s Inside!

In a brave attempt to spice up my calendar this December, I skipped the usual Google search: “Downloadable/Printable Calendar” and decided to make my own.  It’s not much but definitely looks good and is a reminder that the holidays are quickly approaching. 

This is a VERY simple project and I bet that we can get through it in 5 easy steps!

Here’s what you’ll need:

A piece of cardboard/poster board, 31 small wooden ornaments, glue, a Sharpie Metallic, Sharpie Oil Based Paint markers in White (not shown below) and Metallic Gold (Metallic Silver is also available) and a Black Fine Point Sharpie.

(I used brown poster board, serving as the back of the calendar)

1st Step

Color your ornaments silver, gold and white with your Sharpie markers. 

2nd Step

After the ornaments are colored, skatter them around on the poster board to your liking and glue them down. 

3rd Step

Next, number each ornament 1 through 31 in numerical order with a Black Fine Point Sharpie.  Try using different font styles to give the calendar a little extra somethin’!

4th Step

With your Black Fine Point Sharpie, write “DECEMBER” along the left side of the calendar. 

…and VOILA!

There you have it, your very own custom made seasonal calender that can be used year after year!

This season, UNWRAP WHAT’S INSIDE and discover all the creative uses for Sharpie markers and pens!  Stay tuned for more pictorial How-Tos, Video How-Tos (plus outtakes!), gift ideas and more.

*Happy Holidays*

“Uncap What’s Inside” … We throw it around a lot but what exactly does it mean?

I’m not going to give you Webster’s version, instead, here’s my own… To Uncap What’s Inside means to let your true colors show; to express yourself, to let your personality and creativity out and embrace what makes you, YOU!  At Sharpie, we believe that these markers and pens can help people express themselves creatively, turning the everyday into one-of-a-kind works of art – something uniquely your own! 

Here is a perfect example of a 12 year old girl who has taken this phrase to heart and has done just that – she Uncapped What’s Inside of her!

12 year old Maddie Chaffer of Grand Rapids, Michigan is an avid Beatles fan and wanted to stand out from the crowd when entering 7th grade.  With an assortment of Sharpies, she “Yellow Submarined” her trombone and will certainly stand out from the crowd with her MaddieC. Original musical instrument! 

Thanks for sharing your idea with us Maddie! Way to Uncap!

Get out your Sharpie and see what you can do!  

Upload your pics to the Gallery at SharpieUncapped.com

Meet Character Designer and new favorite Sharpie artist, Marc Perry!  I hunted down this amazing artist and all around great guy through good ‘ol Google a while back.  When I came across his blog, I found that he draws TONS of Sharpie doodles and posts them write to his own site www.studio5.blogspot.com.  This immediatley sparked my interest and I had to know who was the character behind such creativity!

Marc’s passion for style in design and exploring new and different ideas keeps things new and fresh in terms of animation, personal art and personal projects.  You may recognize this artist’s work from several popular animated television series including Ren & Stimpy, Johnny Bravo and Tiny Toon Adventures. 

Get to know Marc Perry, the person and the artist, and take a closer look at a collection his Sharpie renderings, right here on the Sharpie blog!  Here’s some background info on MP to get things rollin’…

Born and raised in North Carolina, Marc Perry started drawing at a young age, right around 3 or 4. Influenced by many different artists and styles, very much so by cartoon and animation, Perry uprooted to Southern California to work as a Character Designer in animation. 

When did you first realize you were an artist? I guess the first time was back in early elementary school.  I was always drawing and creating characters, cars, jets, spaceships and creatures from my imagination or getting inspiration from magazines and books.  I even started selling some of my drawings to classmates and making special pieces for my friends.

Many years later, while working in retail before my animation career, I discovered that one of my coworkers, an old classmate, had bought one of my drawings and still had it after so many years! *Just a bit of trivia here, one of my tattoos is a character from a major influence of mine and is a tribute to him and the inspiration his work gave me.

When was your first big break?  My first big break, I think was an opportunity offered to me by Paul Strickland (which I will always appreciate and never forget).  Briefly, the story goes like this…Once Upon a Time… No really, it was like this –-  I was working in a completely unrelated field, yet had always been drawing and tried on numerous occasions to get into animation unsuccessfully.  I made a call to Warner Bros. looking for the animation department and was connected to Paul Strickland with whom I spoke about my dream of working in animation since I was a kid.  Paul was attached as a line producer to a new show called Tiny Toon Adventures and said a new director was coming on and in need of an assistant.  To make a long story short, I made the trip to LA on the possibility of this job, was hired started that very day, which looking back now was some 20 years ago.

I want to know all about how you started using Sharpie markers as one of your primary sketching and drawing mediums!  For many years now, Sharpie markers have been one of my primary drawing and sketching tools in character design, concept and development sketching.  The story of how I first started using Sharpie goes something like this…

When my daughter was born I found it difficult to use my usual medium, Prismacolor colored pencils or Tombo pencils, both of which require sharpening.  Since I wasn’t able to use my sharpener due to the noise, I needed to find a quiet replacement.  I found that a black Sharpie marker and heavy laser print quality paper were the ideal combination.  The Sharpie was great for line quality and the paper wouldn’t cause the ink to bleed (*Sounds like he could’ve used a Sharpie Pen, it doesn’t bleed through paper!).  The Sharpie helped me to improve my drawing technique as it’s lack of erasability made me plan ahead to what and how I was going to draw.  The permanent ink aspect was great because I was able to do colored marker comps. directly on the drawings without bleeding or smudging.

I also found that the use of a whiteout pen would allow me to make line corrections without changing the overall drawing, its look or its feel, which sometimes happens when cleaning up a drawing. 

What is your work environment like?  My work environment usually is at an animation desk, with an animation disc or at a large art table where I have access to paper, markers, paint and inspirational sources, such as books, art, and drawings.

3 things that must be within an arms length at work:

1. Paper (laser print quality or newsprint sketch paper).
2. Sharpie fine point markers, wide chisel tip markers, Tombo markers and my whiteout pen.
3. Basic colored markers and pencils for working up quick doodle colors or comp. ideas.

I read that you designed a character after your daughter.  Have you modeled any others after people in your life? How do you come up with them?

The best way I could describe how I come up with characters is by doodling with shapes, playing with different postures and adding features that help to represent the type, size, shape, attitude among other incidental features that give the character personality.  Most of the time, when I work on shows, it usually calls for creating characters for a special scene or episode based on a set style.  It is fun and challenging to create memorable characters that stand out.

With the new technology that’s out there today, what has been the most difficult part of keeping up with changes in animation?

Technology, software programs and new drawing mediums, such as the Wacom Tablet and Cintiq have changed how a great deal of production is done.  The addition of these tools and software has, for the most part, made things cleaner to work with and less wasteful, as far as materials go.  Changes and Effects, for instance, can be done very quickly and with fewer staff. 

On the other side, things have become more specialized or technical, especially with the creation of CG where people are experts of specific areas.  CG has been a boom to the entertainment industry and has allowed characters and worlds to take on a whole new reality.  With the advancement continuing and now the popularity of 3D in theaters, it appears that the old artistry of hand creation has been lost and the new generation will know nothing of traditional animation or that what they see now is only advancement do in thanks to computers and technological developments.

 I imagine there are hundreds, if not thousands of elements that go into TV/Film. What specifics are you involved in? As a Character Designer, I am responsible for the creation of characters, both main and incidental, that will be used in the animation.  Sometimes the Character Designer will create the props that will be used in the animation as well.

In my last few productions, I have been involved with Visual and Concept Development, and following that through into Art Direction.

What are the best/worst parts about your job? I would honestly say that there really isn’t a worst part, it’s more the nature of the Television and Film Entertainment industry.  Those in “The Industry” know first hand that it isn’t your usual steady 9-5 job.  There are those lucky times where you can get connected with a show/series that has a long run with little to no down time, but that’s usually not the standard.  More often than not, you work on a show or series for a specified number of episodes; once those are completed there’s usually some down time or a hopefully brief layoff period until there is a decision regarding additional pickup. 

Sometimes, when multiple shows are in production you can be reassigned to another series if needed and could fit the style.  Most of the time, however, towards the end of a series you begin scrambling and searching for a new a new show to be a part of.  So, I suppose the feeling of instability, then, would be the “worst” part of my job, or the industry as a whole. 

Now, the best part of my job – It’s a lot of fun and satisfying to be able to use specific talents and abilities and to have a career in entertaining yourself and others.  Whatever parts of the industry you work in, I think there is a certain pride you take in your work, both as an individuals and part of a collaborative team, bringing fun and entertainment to an audience.

 As a Character Designer, I have fun creating new and different characters all the time from my imagination and seeing them come to life.  As a Visual Concept Designer and Art Director, the enjoyment is creating new and imaginative characters and environments and then overseeing the visual creative process through to completion.

Can you tell me about what you’re working on now?  Currently, I am working on personal projects and development for my own show and series ideas.  I’m also working on ways to branch off into areas where I can produce and sell my non-animation art commercially through products, merchandise, books, or through selected galleries.

Do you have any goals that you’re working toward? I think the biggest goal for most of us in animation or as artists, for that matter, is just working and making a living.  You always have goals; it’s part of human nature, yet for artists it is usually not easy to obtain many of the ones you dream of unless everything just happens to fall into place.  I have always had big dreams and the desire to work at obtaining them, many, I can happily say, have come true and are not even art related. 

Looking back, knowing what you know now, what would you want to 10 yr old Marc Perry to know?  This may come as a surprise, but….I would probably tell him to choose another career path other than art!  Being an athlete my whole life, I would probably suggest picking a sport where I could become a professional or at least use that talent to get a scholarship to a University for something in the medical field, such as becoming a surgeon, where I could use my hands and eyes for something greater!

Favorite Sharpie: The one I wrote the draft to answer these questions, a black Sharpie Fine Point Permanent Marker.  I have used these for so many character designs and concept designs, I can’t even recall.

Favorite Characters: Good question, hard to answer.  My style influence is classically based on the designers of the ’50s (stylistic and disgnee) and Retro, as it is referred to as now (flat and stylistic).  So, I would say my favorites are characters, yes, but more importantly are my favorite designers of character design.  Most of these people have been and continue to be my inspiration for many and different reasons.  Here are a few:

• Ed Benedict
• Tom Oreb
• Ward Kimball
• Mary Blair
• Hawley Pratt
• Bill Hurt
• John Hubley
• Gene Deitch
• Jack Cole
• Eric Sokol
• Eldon Dedini
• Miroslav Sasek
• Aurelius Battaglia
• Ed “Big Daddy” Roth

The last thing I’d Like to share is… To be able to do what I do, turning something you love and would do for free into a career is great!  To bring that fun and entertainment to others is something I think a lot of people in the industry enjoy.  I’d also like to add a word of thanks to the people who have enjoyed some of the work I’ve done and hopefully will continue doing for a long time.  I thank you all.  It’s all appreciated.  A special Thanks to Whitney Kelly who found my work and invited me to share. Best! MPerry.

***

Thank YOU Marc, for this incredible interview and all the great art you produce!  Be sure to visit Mr. MP at his very own site for more of his work and info!  www.studio5.blogspot.com.

*Uploaded your favorite Sharpie pics onto the Sharpie Uncapped Gallery.

*Become a Fan of Sharpie on Facebook!

via wwwstudio5.blogspot.com

Coming soon to the Sharpie Blog!

Posted via web from Sharpie Permanent Markers

Back away from the cheese.  Favre, stay put in Minnesota.  I’ve got something better for you…

Sharpie Accent Highlighters!

Alex Koeppler, Leader, Brand Marketing Sharpie, ( @sharpie_AplusK ) sent this picture of some friends dressed up for Halloween in Wisconsin.  These lovely ladies were defintely the HIGHLIGHT of the party

Which got me thinking…

How do YOU use your Sharpie Accent Highlighters?   

• To Highlight important sentences while reading? 
• To Emphasize notes from class?
• To Check items off a list?
• To Stress important dates?
• To Create new art work?

Maybe you use several colors in different ways/for different things? 

The possibilities are endless – Share your favorite ways to use Sharpie Accent Highlighters!

Find the entire Sharpie Accent collection at www.Sharpie.com

Looking At North Forty One West Eighty Seven Milky Way Galaxy Solar System Earth Northern Hemi America United States of America Illinois Chicago Six One Six North Rush Street Six Zero Six One One Exact Point You Are Looking At North Forty One West Eighty Seven Milky Way Galaxy Solar System Earth Northern Hemi North America The Lovely United States of America Illinois The Corrupt City of Chicago Six One Six North Rush Street Six Zero Six One

No, this is not gibberish and don’t worry, we haven’t lost our minds over here at Sharpie either.  These words are in fact a work of Sharpie art and the newest permanent fixture at Jbar, a well-known Chicago hotspot neighboring The James Hotel. 

“Everything inspires me.  Some artists paint pictures and shapes, I paint using words.  Words create images in my head, but I like the way words look when they are placed next to and on top of each other, taking on a form of its own.”  “My technique allows the viewer to think simple letters form complex words, serving to create language as a form of art.”

-Brian Graves

Local Chicago artist, Brian Graves made his Sharpie mark on the bar’s walls with Jgrooves I & II and Jposition I & II, installations from the Jbar Project.  For this project, Graves drew inspiration from different areas, including famous one-liners from popular club songs that have been fixated into his own mind.  The words above are from a portion of the installation, stating the precise location of Jbar itself; beginning with outer space progressing to its exact coordinates on Earth.

*I would like to take this moment to thank you, Mr. Graves, for cursing me with the musical mash-up that is repeating in my head, consisting of Madonna’s Hey Mr Dj, U2’s She Moves in Mysterious Ways, Tina Turner’s Proud Mary and P!nk’s intellectually stimulating, Get this Party Started.*

Graves focuses on the development of self-taught expression of both feeling and emotion in his own form of abstract painting. Letters, words, everyday expressions and emotion combine and collide with color and texture through layers of acrylics, oils, pastels and yes, Sharpie markers!

Artist Brian Graves (second from left) and friends at Jbar

Trust me when I say that you need to see more of Brian Graves’ artwork. Absolutely incredible!  BigArtChicago <— Check it out

Hey, why not see his work up close and personal?!  Grab a cab and jet on over to the JBar at The James.

*A BIG thanks goes out to Raul Ruiz, Sharpie Highlighters Brand Manager for suggesting Brian’s Jbar project for the Sharpie Blog.  Follow Raul on Twitter! (He has a great profile pic)

I received an email from a co-worker today that was absolutely beautiful.  I’m so thankful to have recieved this, as it is something that needs to be shared.  I hope by posting and sharing with you that I am able to make even a tiny difference in someone’s life, just as Elena, the miracle behind this message, has done herself. 

The following is the email that was sent by Jeff Wheaton, Manufacturing Engineer, Newell Rubbermaid (pictured below).  Thank you for sending this, Jeff.  Sometimes, it can be so easy to lose sight of what the important things in life truly are.

Most people want to feel that their work is making a difference in the world.  That it is not just about making money to pay the bills.  Well how does making/selling Sharpies make the world better? 

The below story beautifully illustrates how Sharpie markers make a difference in the world.  They are all about enabling people to share feelings with each other.  To give each other “hugs” when least expected and most needed.  I don’t know if Elena used Sharpies for her notes, but I would like to think she did; that my job helped enable her beautiful expression of love for her family.

- J.Wheaton, Newell Rubbermaid.

When 6-year-old Elena Desserich was diagnosed with brain cancer, she began hiding hundreds of little love notes around the house for her parents to find after she was gone.  Here’s the story:

Just before her sixth birthday, Elena Desserich (pictured) was diagnosed with brain cancer and given 135 days to live. She lived 255 days, passing away in 2007. After her death, Elena’s parents, Brooke and Keith, found hundreds of notes from Elena hidden around the house — in between CD cases, between bookshelves, in dresser drawers, in backpacks….

“It just felt like a little hug from her, like she was telling us she was looking over us”

Elena left hundreds of notes like these:

See more of Elena’s notes

 Elena’s parents, Brooke and Keith Desserich, have now published these notes in a book called Notes Left Behind to fund a non-profit organization The Cure Starts Now dedicated to fighting pediatric brain cancer.

Purchase your copy of Notes Left Behind.

Urbane Apartments celebrated the grand opening of their new Michigan location in a unique way.  On October 22^nd, owner Eric Brown hosted the Sharpie “Draw on the Walls” contest by opening up the space to the public and inviting 12 local artists to create innovative and eccentric designs on the walls of the building’s Co-Work space’s meeting rooms.

*The Co-Work space is designed for small to medium sized companies needing a trendy office space, as well as for Urbane residents’ use of office machines and desk space.

 The winner of the Sharpie “Draw On the Walls” contest and $750 was Urbane resident, Ryan Gardner.  I think that the best way to describe Gardner’s creation (this pun just happens to fit perfectly) would be this:  Uncapping What’s Inside of an imaginative mind. Now, I know that you think I’m just plugging the Sharpie campaign, but seriously, look at the pics and tell me that’s not a pretty accurate description!

1st place Winner, Ryan Gardner

Gardner, Writing on the Walls with Sharpie!

Spotlight on the Winner!

With about 100 attendees, the event was a success.  Taking place in the Co-Work space, the 12 artists drew live on the walls with an assortment of Sharpie markers.  The outcomes are pretty amazing! (See pictures below.) I don’t know about you but I get nervous writing my name on a nametag with 1 person watching, let alone 99 people watching me draw on a wall –Talk about pressure.  I have to give big props to the artists.  Great work guys; you’ve made Sharpie proud!

In addition to live art, Urbane Apts. also provided drinks & appetizers, gave property tours, hosted a live raffle, all the while, moving to the beats of DJ Terry Hall, with photographer Rachel Wade capturing every Sharpie moment!

Here are some pics of the artists drawing at the Urbane Apt. event!

For more on the event check out Urbane on Facebook and their blog.  Of course get the scoop about Urbane Aprtments at www.urbaneapts.com

Sharpie? Yes, please! www.sharpie.com

Designer: Donna Karan

Meet Donna Karan, American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels.  Growing up in NY, Donna Karan was influenced by fashion from a young age by her step-father, a tailor and her mother who was a model.  After attending Parson’s School of Design for two years, she began designing for Anne Klein and eventually head of the Anne Klein design-team.  In 1985 she left to start her own company that quickly became known for her Essentials line, which offered 7 easy pieces every woman should own.  Three years later, in ‘88 the DKNY collection was introduced,  as a modern, moderately-priced young collection, drawing from the spirit of big city life.

Karan’s clothing is designed to enhance and look good on every woman, not just coming down the runway.  Donna Karan is known to support the needs of modern women with her clothing. The saying goes, that before the production of a piece of clothes is approved by Karan, it has to look good on her! 

Find Donna Karan’s fashions at Donna Karan New York.  This desinger’s information was acquired at Fashion Infomat. 

Designer: Jill Stuart

Designer Jill Stuart was deep into the fashino industry since birth, as her parents owned a popular ’60s Manhattan clothing store called Mister Pants, dressing stars including Natalie Wood and Lucille Ball.  Leveraging those connections, Stuart was able to  jump-start her own career.  At 15, this Manhattan native designer had jewelery and handbags displayed in the windows of high end stores including Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel and Neiman Marcus.  

The Jill Stuart label became well known for innovative ad campaigns with top fashion photographers.  While other designers were going grunge in the early 90’s Stuart turned to preppy and plaids, which became notoriously linked to the popular teen movie, Clueless.  Stuart’s feminine, sometimes frilly collections can be found in her Soho flagship, as well as in higher-end department stores, and has come to include handbags, shoes, and perfume. In 2007, Stuart launched a secondary line called Jill by Jill Stuart featuring ready-to-wear pieces at lower prices.

You can find Jill Stuarts beautiful collections at JillStuart.com.

All designer information was found from an article featured in New York Magazine. 

Designer: Tia Ciabani, Ports 1961

Designer: Rachel Roy

Originally from California, Rachel graduated from Washington DC then moved to New York to pursue her passion for design, working freelance – styling magazine shoots and music videos ultimately landing an internship at Rocawear where she was able to master her craft and build several influential relationships.  In Fall 2004, Roy introduced her own collection, RACHEL ROY, which debuted in department and specialty stores for Spring 2005. Using her sophisticated aesthetic to her own collection, incorporated with striking silhouettes, a sophisticated color palette and day-to-night pieces, Roy has attracted editorial acclaim in publications such as Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, W and Vanity Fair.

Dressing icons and starlettes including the likes of Michelle Obama, Kate Hudson, Lucy Liu and Penelope Cruz, also featured on The Oprah Winfrey show, RACHEL ROY is making a prominent and influential mark on fashion.  

RACHEL ROY NEW YORK has grown to include four full collections each year and recently created a joint venture with Jones Apparel Group Inc. in the hopes of expanding the wholesale business globally, introduce new product categories and open stand-alone stores in the United States and abroad.  To date, the RACHEL ROY collections are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and top specialty stores worldwide.

Click HERE to find stunning RACHEL ROY collections.

All of this designer’s information was found at RachelRoy.com

City of Hope:

Hundreds of fundraising events are held for City of Hope across the nation each year. Every dollar raised advances our mission to transform innovative research into treatments that save lives here and around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people share your desire to make a difference by driving us to work even harder to conquer cancer and other serious diseases. On behalf of patients and their loved ones, we invite you to join the effort.

Such Events include: Walk For Hope, Eggleston Desert Gold Classic , Fight For Life and the Sierra Madre Wine and Jazz Walk.  

Breast Cancer Facts:

The seriousness of invasive breast cancer is strongly influenced by the stage of the disease; that is, the extent or spread of the cancer when it is first diagnosed. There are two main staging systems for cancer. The American Joint Committee on Cancer classification of tumors uses information on tumor size and how far it has spread within the breast and nearby organs (T), lymph node involvement (N), and the presence or absence of distant metastases (spread to distant organs) (M). II, III, or IV is assigned, with stage I being an early stage and stage IV being the most advanced. The AJCC staging system is commonly used in clinical settings.

 A simpler system used for staging of cancers is known as the SEER Summary Stage system and is more commonly used in reporting to cancer registries and for public health research and planning.  According to this system:

– Local-stage tumors are cancers confined to the breast.

– Regional-stage tumors have spread to surrounding tissue or nearby lymph nodes.

– Distant-stage cancers have metastasized (spread) to distant organs.

This information was provided by the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2009-2010.  Find the PDF version HERE.

Auction Details:

Visit www.sharpieuncapped.com to participate in the auction and bid on designers’ Sharpie art work  and be sure to read Works of Art From the Heart for more info on the auction and Know the Facts 1 & 2.

Sharpie, Uncap What’s Inside!