Re-designing and updating websites (or portfolios) is a bit like moving the furniture around, or throwing things in a suitcase and going for a drive in search of a new view … sometimes things get left behind or fall behind the couch.

When one of my web pages ends up behind the couch, moves, has gone on holiday or changed its name – you might see a ‘page not found’ message, which explains (apologetically) that this site is run by an artist who has a habit of moving things around…

cartoon, looking for page

The Joys of changing things around :)

Part and parcel of being a web-designer, is that I get bored with a look (quickly), which tends to lead to frequent changes. Pages get moved around, changed and even lost behind the couch…  The joys of changing things around is, for me, about being inspired and challenged to make an idea or layout ‘work’ – while discovering new things and developing skills along the way.

Abolina ArtAbolina Art home page

Sand-boxing from idea to a fresh new look …

I tend to use my own websites as sandboxes – a playground for trying out the ideas I have in my head… breaking and fixing page code and and exploring new things… I hope that you, my wonderful visitors enjoy the changes; despite the occasional ‘page not found’ message – or as I frequently tinker with ‘live’ pages – arriving on a page that looks like it got out on the wrong side of the bed … :)

Portfolio Updates

The last few weeks have seen a lot of changes to the website, and also quite a few new additions to the portfolio – below are examples of some recent designs.

Fan Art | Wearable Psy-Trance

Infected Mushroom are my all-time favourite Psy-Trance duo; I absolutely adore their psychedelic, melodious, fast-paced & visually inspiring music! The colourful portrait below is based on a pencil drawing I did some time ago.

colourful portrait of psytrance duo wearable psytrance - fan art

Butterfly Lady – t-shirt design

colourful t-shirt design Annette Abolins

These designs are now on my RedBubble portfolio, where you can choose to have your favourite printed on a t-shirt, tote-bag, pillow, phone case… even a travel mug … :)
link to RedBubble

Magazine and Book cover designs

Booklet layout

Creating with Clay is a short introduction to the different steps involved in making usable objects from clay. Eventually, I’d like to put together a series of guides, drawing on the years I spent working with clay… It’s all about finding time to manage many irons in the fire :)

design for a book I'd like to read
Cover design for Dark Water, inspired by the idea of: a book I’d like to read…

Thank you for visiting and take care!
Annette :)

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Diane

    I can relate to the ‘moving things around’ bit – new views and perspectives are what keep the wheel turning. I love both your covers: what thoughts did you have about Black Water when you designed the cover? Is it a thriller, a tragedy, a biography, a romance…? Perhaps it will be the only (?) book that was written on the basis of the cover design – a nice turnabout that surely has some connection with ‘moving things around’.

    1. Annette

      Thank you – I love the idea of a book being written on the basis of the cover design, though it’s probably a bit outlandish to think that that would happen :) – I see Dark Water as a Novel with suspenseful undertones. You follow the protagonist (a woman) on a multi-layered journey (the physical and emotional). At times, you – the reader, are more aware of what lies ahead than she is, at other times you are ‘at sea’ with her – at the mercy of the stormy weather…

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