New Blog

This is an old blog of mine. If you'd like to see  my more recent work, including a lot more traditional media art, head to my new blog, Sixth Floor Studio. Thanks. :)

Dalmatian

Back to animal portraits after my stint in sewing. Just a flatcolour this time, but I don't mind that on patterned animals. Today, a purple dalmatian.

"Dalmatian", Digital, February 2013

I used to draw a lot of dogs, since I wanted to get artwork accepted into the image bank on a website called Furry Paws (an online game where you show and train virtual dogs). I was mostly on there to look at the art forum, trying to sell character sheets and such for game cash. Strange, looking back at it, how motivated I was by something which had no real value. I didn't really want to spend it on anything. I just wanted to know that somebody wanted to pay for it, however insubstantial the currency was. Every sale was very validating.

I still probably couldn't get an image accepted into the Furry Paws image bank (the site's juried gallery of portraits which you can attach to your dog). They maintained a very high standard of anatomy, realistic patterning and technical artistic skill. But the fact that my work wouldn't be accepted doesn't bother me as much now as it did then. I don't really feel interested in heading down that particular path. I like to focus on colour and pattern, simple yet recognisable images. I like to work quickly and spontaneously, and have something to show for it when I'm done.

Maybe one day, I'll be spending hours on meticulous shading of an artwork, or carefully recreating the exact shape and proportions and textures of a poodle's nose. But not today. Today, I'm just creating fun, happy images that I enjoy looking at. That's good enough for me.

Printed Clutch Plans

I've been wanting to make myself a clutch purse lately. I like my purse, but it's bright yellow so it doesn't match most of the dresses I wear when I go out. If I made my own from the scrap fabrics I have laying around I could have one in every colour and not have to break the bank buying them.

I'd like to make one with a zip, but I think it would be better to start simple. I tend to ragequit at sewing machines. They always break as soon as I start using them and do odd things for no reason (They're secretly printers).

So while I've been looking at pictures for inspiration, I started to wonder if I could make one out of a sample swatch from Spoonflower and have my own design printed on my clutch. This is the first one I've come up with. Doesn't really solve my easy-to-match accessories problem, but I like it. Would go well with a black dress and colourful jewellery.

"Multi-Clutch Pattern", Digital, February 2013

Next job is to make up a sample or two in scrap fabric to practice. Fingers crossed.

Caramel the Orange Cat

Another cat portrait today. I tried a softer shading style with this one. I was feeling a little lazy so I was hoping to come up with a quicker, sloppier shading style that didn't compromise on the finished look. Still prefer the crisp shading, but that's what experiments are for, I guess.

"Caramel", Digital, February 2013

There's a gift shop in town with decorative items like paper mache cats and painted wooden giraffes. I always liked that they gave each piece a name on the price tag. You weren't just buying a mosaic penguin, you were buying a mosaic penguin named "Larry". I think that's adorable. So I'm thinking about naming the critters I draw. This handsome fellow I'm calling Caramel (most likely because My Kitchen Rules was playing in the background while I was drawing him).

Loving the gradient backgrounds too.

Altered Clothes: Black T-Shirt Dress

*Picture to be added. This post is a little late coming due to changing internet plans and other adventures, but it has been done. Once photos are available I'll update this post.

Well, I gave it a go. The XXL black t-shirt is now...a slightly thinner black t-shirt. I feel a bit ballsy calling it a dress. Will need some tights or something underneath to wear it out of the house. Or a herd of paparazzi photographing me getting out of cars, either way. Even so, I'm pretty pleased with my efforts and will try to find some suitable thrift shop fodder soon.




"Black T-Shirt Dress", February 2013


I wasn't planning to keep the sleeves that long (I wasn't expecting the sleeves to actually work) but I found I quite liked them at that length after taking in the sides. I'm still considering changing the neck to either a scoop neck, a lower v neck or a sweetheart neckline. Think I'll live with it for a while before I make a decision.

Things I've learned:
- Think about the way pins are facing when putting them in, so you aren't pulling them out backwards when sewing.
- Use stretch cotton when sewing stretchy fabric. Otherwise it goes a bit gathered (which is fine if you want that to happen).
- Drapey skirts need a lot more fabric than a XXL mens t-shirt can provide. The best you're going to get is a little point on either side of the dress.

 Hoping to find a light blue shirt/dress I can alter to I can wear it with my new blue wedges. Though I could wear them with this one and some turquoise jewellery and purse. Making your own clothes really does open up things that might not otherwise be available or affordable, as well as keeping unwanted clothes out of landfill. I'm just glad I have simple tastes.

Altered Clothes

When I was a kid I remember my mum telling me not to tell anyone about my plans before I'd finished, because if I didn't end up doing it or it didn't work people would know and I'd look silly. Well-meaning advice to be sure, but not entirely encouraging. I've certainly inherited some of her self-conscious caution and it stops me from doing a lot of things. I can be afraid to start a project because it might fail and I can't look forward to doing it anymore. And even if I haven't told a single person about it, I still know about it. I witnessed the discouraging failure. That alone can be bad enough.

But even so, I'm starting to push through this rather destructive mindset. Recently I've been reading through the blog of a talented seamstress called Jillian at Refashionista. She takes frumpy, ripped, discoloured or unwanted thrift store finds and alters them so they look like new. I've always liked fabrics - especially the quirky prints you can find in thrift shops. I'm not much of a sewer myself, so I never really considered doing a revamp of something I wouldn't otherwise wear until I saw the projects on her website. Sometimes just taking up the hem and shortening the sleeves is enough to entirely change the look of a dress. 

Here is one of my favourite Refashionista dresses, the Swagger Dress. Go and check out her blog, it's fantastic.

"Swagger Dress" by Refashionista, December 2011, www.refashionista.net

Now that I've seen these kind of alterations, I know it can be done. And if it can be done, then I can do it. I'm going to try making my own clothes. My brother has kindly donated a couple of his old shirts (one black and one purple). I even own a sewing machine. No more excuses. And I'm telling someone (even as vaguely as telling 'The Internet') because I know if I try to back out of it I'll look silly. Maybe that's the point my mum was trying to get across.

If you're going to do something, do it. Don't get lazy. Don't talk yourself out of trying. Don't give up until you've done what you set out to do.

The Forgotten Cow

I'm actually really excited right now. I'm finally biting the bullet and putting scrapbooking papers and clipart into my Etsy store. While going through my art folders (which are extensive and messy) I came across this little gem which I'd entirely forgotten about.

"The Forgotten Cow", Digital, September 2011

Over a whole year ago I drew this cow and a brown compatriot. I'll have to draw another to make a nice set of three. I really love finding old art that you still like. It's encouraging to think you won't shudder to look at your current work 12 months from now (maybe 10 years from now, if my early stuff is anything to go by, but I dunno).

I'd like to print this one out to use as wallart. Would look great with an emerald green scrapbook pattern behind her. My previous interior design efforts have been propped up against my desk since the stick-on-wall-hook debarcle (read: those crappy stick on hooks fell off and dropped my artwork on the floor). Who knew a company famous for sticky notes might use glues that aren't really suitable for holding things on walls long term? Maybe I should get some real hooks on the wall above my bed so I can be sure my new decorative pieces won't fall on my head while I'm sleeping. Just a thought.

Anyway, pleased with my cow, and will hopefully have a link to my newly restocked Etsy shop soon.