It’s another month, which means that Brown Paper Bag has a shiny new header. Illustrator and letterer Kelly Lasserre has lent her fine pictorial skills and depicted a block of business in her neighborhood in Queens, New York. I love all of her hand lettering and tiny details on the signs and buildings. Makes me want to take a walk down this street!
As always, the work is for sale in the Brown Paper Bag shop as a 4″ x 6″ print — perfect for framing! Grab one before they’re all gone.
Here’s the scoop on Kelly, who I’ve had the pleasure of knowing since our undergraduate illustration days:
Name: kelly lasserre
Location: queens, new york
Website: kellylasserre.com / kellylasserre.tumblr.com
What was your dream job when you were 7 years old? a professional female rock climber
Your profession now: a semi professional illustrator and maker of things
What’s your favorite thing to draw? objects of sentimental value and subjects otherwise overlooked in our daily lives. and food.
What was the inspiration for this piece?
my neighborhood is really interesting and i love it, it is extremely ethnically diverse and predominately filled with small businesses like this. i’ve always wanted to paint the places i walk by every day, to record their unique facades in an image.
How did you create your illustration? Was it any different than your regular process?
it was only different in that i very rarely work from photographs but i did here. the rest of the process was how i typically work. i simplified the details, like the writing on the papers in the windows. and omitted any background or sidewalk, because that’s not meant to be a focus. then i just worked in layers of colors- i use holbein acryla gouache and tiny brushes.
Have you ever tried the Fiesta Grill? If so, how is it? yes several times! you can get a combo with rice and one side for $3.95 or two sides for $6.95. you just point to what you want and they have a ton of options. great for quick tasty filipino food and all the folks working there are really kind.