NEW DESIGNER/VENDORS AT JAGUARWOMAN DESIGNS . . .

Clohie Watkins

I was born in Brazil some time ago ( I forgot the number of years, please don’t ask...lol) and now I live in Padstow, Cornwall in the UK with my husband Bob and my youngest son. I have 3 sons and 2 beautiful grandaughters.

Coming from a family of artists I have always been interested in all things related to Art. I used to make a living from my paintings for some time using a variety of media: watercolour, oil and acrylic. About 3 years ago I was introduced to digital scrapbook and led by a very good friend I started to sell what I was creating.

When not at the computer (which is rare, LOL) I am either embroidering, quilting, painting or any other craft or reading. I love to read and will grab any book, but my favourite author among others is Barbara Erskine. I also love to travel visiting all the wonderful heritage places around the UK especially the ancient stones monuments where you can feel so much energy.

Davor Planinec (the artist known as dp) is someone I've collaborated with artistically in the past, on the "Morana's Grimoire" 3d Book Textures. We have shared a digital metalworking, Liquid Metal, and a taste for the artful complexity. I always said that when I started a graphics brokerage, he would be one of the artists I would have to invite to join me. When he said yes, I was clicking my heels in the air!

I was born 38 years ago in one small town in Croatia. Then, 10 years ago I moved to the capital, Zagreb. In between I spent 2 years living in London and 6 months in San Diego. In my life I have changed many professions – I started as a Chief Accountant for one private company (which helped me realise I hate accounting and numbers), worked as a salesman and a tourist guide (which enabled me to travel), than moved on to be a care assistant to a disabled person (which helped me realise how a healthy person should not be grumpy all the time), have taught English language (which helped me to write this Vendor Profile J), worked as an Image Designer for one company (which got me addicted to Photoshop) to end up as a Chief Story Editor in one private production company (which is paying my monthly expenses).

I simply and honestly adore graphic design and Photoshop. To think that I’ve created something that other people admire is the feeling I cannot describe. Setting the creativity spark to the fire of a finished product is the most fulfilling experience in the world. I have many other interests besides Photoshop, but the most interesting one is my thirst for symbols and the impact they have on the collective consciousness. I love astrology, tarot, numbers, colours, and even logo design (which is the modern way of playing with one’s sub consciousness).

In this store I was given the opportunity to combine two of my greatest passions through the products you see under my name or created in collaboration with other designers, and share them with you.

Tamara Donohoe . . .ZaibyDesign, is the most recent addition to our small group of artists here. I've known Tamara for some time and I always knew that if I could have a group of creative people around me, I would definitely invite Tamara over for tea and crumpets because . . .whatever she does, I would put it on and wear it. Tamara has a store at Renderosity and has her own shop at ZaibyDesign.com.

I live high in the California desert, surrounded by my 2 boys, 2 German Sheperds, a husband and more computers and electronics than I can count. I grew up in the publishing world, with a writer for a father and very artistic mother. I did my time in the corporate world working at several major magazines, newspapers, and even a high end 7- color press. Eventually I left to start my own agency and never looked back. My husband joined me and helped me build it into a thriving business with enough clients to necessitate a waiting list for projects. 10 years later, I'm still going strong.

I started out in graphics before Photoshop even existed (OK so..before Adobe even existed, but I'm showing my age there!). As an old-school typesetter, I cut my teeth on Photoshop. Most of my products are high- resolution and very large sizes, since you can always size them down. I want to be sure my customers can use them wherever they want. I look at developing products from a designer's standpoint mainly, as well as from an artist's standpoint and try to cater to both. The other thing I try to do is take something historical and bring the beauty of it into a modern usage or make it usable for both modern and historical styles. I love products that do double duty and mix and match well. I have to stop myself once I really get going though, because I'd cram every possible variation into a pack if they'd let me! I tend to be attracted to all things historical, so that has a lot of influence on my work. Ancient Rome, the Victorian age, SteamPunk, Art Nouveau, Japanese styles, ancient India, you name it. If I've got color to play with, I'm happy!

With the introduction of so many less expensive alternatives to full Photoshop, more people are getting into design and I think that's fabulous! I used to be a Photoshop teacher, so seeing people embrace it, or any other postwork program, gives me true joy and I'm never prouder than when someone uses one of my products and says "Look what I did!" and then starts exploring on their own because they now have the confidence to just get in there and try. You can't break it...there's always undo!

Of course I choose what "I" like to work on artistically or whatever seems missing from the market, as well as taking requests. I have a lot of people who ask for certain themes or "packs". Then I set about figuring out how someone WITHOUT a lot of Photoshop experience would want to use the product. I try to have some variation of raw materials and finished pre-done parts, so the product has ease of use for many skill levels. Advanced users may want raw textures. People just starting out may want things that they can just layer together quickly and easily and have them look great. Pros may want something that just saves them work. I try to hit all 3 requirements through my product line. I find that I use a lot of my own products in my magazine layouts and websites for clients as well.

Diane Rooney . . . .I'm thrilled to have one of my closest online friends, Diane Rooney, join me as the first designer/vendor I've added at Jaguarwoman Designs. Diane and I have been artistic colleagues for almost 10 years now and have supported each other's creative growth through many changes in our business and personal lives. She brings lots of valuable experience in digital scrapbooking, as well a wealth of knowledge as 2d and 3d graphics world. Do visit her store at DAZ 3d some time. I know I'm going to benefit from her store of knowledge and talent as we build a whole new market division for Jaguarwoman Designs. My doggies and I are dancin'!!!!!

I've been creating digital art in some form or another for just over 14 yrs, having started out by creating my own graphics for my website. I spent many years teaching myself Photoshop, Painter and Corel Draw through lots of trial and error, books and magazines. I later studied multi-media art and design at the University of Kent where I also studied art history and creative advertising.

As well as being passionate about my work, computer and digital art, I love drawing, painting and crafting. And have done some form of it ever since my beloved grandmother taught me to crochet when I was a little girl. I'm from an arty family with both my parents being artists and so it wasn't a surprise to me to have such a passion for art and the need to do it full time once my four children had all grown up and left the nest!

I live with my artist husband in the south east corner of England. My days are filled with working on new products for this website as well as looking after my home, crafting, going out for walks, reading and listening to music.

Lucie Grenier . . . my other designer/vendor addition at Jaguarwoman Designs, is also one of my longest online friends and artistic colleagues and collaborators. In fact, Lucie and I have learned together and taught one another how to do digital painting over the years, especially how to paint animals, flowers, and clothing. I'd say we've "eaten the proverbial pound of salt" together in the painstaking tasks of learning how to paint with the digital pen and tablet. She's also a fabulous landscape and nature photographer and has stores at Renderosity.com, at DAZ3d, as well as her own store at Finfond.net.

I studied to become a graphic designer for three years at the college of Ahuntsic in Montreal very many years ago, it was so long ago that computers weren't even used for that purpose back then. It's only in 1996 that I started creating digital graphics with the help of photoshop. I first started out doing web design graphics then turned to 3D illustration and finally the creation of digital graphic resources. I've slowly but with determination taught myself the use of photoshop and after several years of practice I can now say that I'm mostly comfortable with it. I still have a lot to learn though, photoshop is such a complex program, I know I still have many other possibilities to explore and maybe this is why my passion for this medium is never fading.

When I'm not photoshopping, I enjoy spending time with my husband Marc, our 3 children, Vincent, Kim and Alain and our dog Loki. I love photography and pretty mcuh everywhere I go my camera follows, I am a huge nature lover, enjoy hiking and in the summer kayaking with hubby has become a must whenever working schedule and weather cooperate. (Lucie lives in Newfoundland, Canada)