Julie Olson Books - Author/Illustrator

Free Printable Valentines 2023

Putting out a new valentine in case you've used all the other free ones I've offered in the past and want another option.

Print them and use them for yourself or your kiddos. All you need is cardstock, the ability to print double-sided, and a pair of scissors or a paper cutter. Click the link below for the various PDF printables or go to my PRINTABLES tab in the menu for more free designs.

Happy Valentines Day!

4 cards per page PDF

8 cards per page PDF

Groundhog Day 2023

Really, Phil? Six more weeks of winter. I am NOT looking forward to that. But, I know how we can pass the time...

READING BOOKS like...

Tickle, Tickle! Itch, Twitch!
(click the title above for a link to the book)

It's perfect for Groundhog Day and for teaching little ones not to judge others by their outward appearance. Enjoy!

General Conference October 2022

Once again, I have made a pdf download of all of my personal sketched notes from the October 2022 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. You are welcome to use these without cost for personal, family, or classroom use as long as you give attribution to me. Please do not sell these in any format or try to pass them off as your own. You are welcome to print them and use them for your own study in whatever way you wish of course. As long as everyone plays by these rules, I can still offer them for free for all. Of course, I would really really love it if you’d follow me on Instagram or even Facebook if you have an account. Here’s the link for both platforms…

http://www.instagram.com/julieolsonbooks/

https://www.facebook.com/julieolsonbooks

Now for the pdf file of my notes. Please note, any mistakes are my own and these are my own interpretations of the talks given. I draw/create them in real time as the speakers speak, so these are not refined in any way. Click on the link below to download.

http://www.jujubeeillustrations.com/uploads/GeneralConference/generalconfoct2022.pdf

I don't ask for any payment, but some people have requested a link to donate to. If you would LIKE to donate to my artistic endeavors, you can do so via Venmo @Julie-Olson-1 or click here https://account.venmo.com/u/Julie-Olson-1 but it is not required.

ENJOY!

Download HERE

Fighting Food Insecurity: An Artist's Contribution

Children go hungry in America every day, particularly in rural communities, where statistics show food insecurity to be as
high as 25%. This means up to one in four children in rural communities lacks nutritionally adequate food or the ability to acquire it on a daily basis. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, this appalling statistic is unacceptable. But how do we mitigate food insecurity for children and its resulting effects on a child’s physical, mental, and social development? This project proposes to educate, raise awareness, and inspire and/or enable action by all stakeholders to reduce food insecurity, specifically for the children of rural America, through research-based charitable event signage and a children’s illustrated book. The expected result of these materials is that those who have resources to give will be inspired to do so and those who suffer from food insecurity will better understand where and how to get assistance, no matter their age.

To effectively accomplish this goal, I conducted research into the following: the definition and factors of food insecurity, food insecurity in rural America, the effects of food insecurity on children, reducing food insecurity for children, psychological factors for charitable giving, and designing with the intent to influence an audience.

Unfortunately, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the situation due to supply chain issues, rising unemployment rates, and inflation. Therefore, we cannot delay in raising awareness and providing aid to the food insecure. My thesis project aims to do just that through illustrated story and printed signage.

Here are a few of the initial drawings for my graphic novel entitled, "Hunger," which will be completed for my final MFA thesis project. I am currently looking for donors or partners willing to help publish this book and get it into the hands of children and adults nationwide in an attempt to raise awareness and encourage change in a faltering system. Please let me know if you can help.

General Conference April 2022

Once again, I have made a pdf download of all of my personal sketched notes from the April 2022 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. You are welcome to use these without cost for personal, family, or classroom use as long as you give attribution to me. Please do not sell these in any format or try to pass them off as your own. You are welcome to print them and use them for your own study in whatever way you wish of course. As long as everyone plays by these rules, I can still offer them for free for all. Of course, I would really really love it if you’d follow me on Instagram if you can. Here’s the link…

https://www.instagram.com/julieolsonbooks/

https://www.jujubeeillustrations.com/uploads/GeneralConference/GeneralConferenceApril2022.pdf

ENJOY!

Working on my MFA degree

Wow, life has been cram-packed busy. In the summer of 2020, I felt prompted to go back to school to earn a Masters of Fine Art degree in Design. So I researched programs, applied, and started at Liberty University (online) in September of 2020. Since then, I've gone every semester and have completed over half of the credits/classes required to graduate. As I finish up this current term, I sigh with exhaustion and an overwhelming feeling of surprise at the sheer amount of knowledge I've gained and artwork I've completed.

So, just as a small taste of what I've been doing, I decided to share my final presentation for the project I've been working on for the last 7 weeks in my Interactive Design class. We had to come up with a completely new concept for an app and execute the entire design and prototype over a single term. It sure would be fun to see this app actually come to life someday, but for now, here's a glimpse into what it could be.

If you're interested in more of what I've been doing in the programe, check out my portfolio at https://julieolson.myportfolio.com and click on GRAPHIC DESIGN or UI DESIGN. These include just a few of the projects (not nearly all though) I've worked on over the last year.