Gorgeous Doll - Customer Order

I have been working on a project for a customer over the last week.
I was sent an image of a doll that being used for a birthday cake. Looking at it, it looks like yummy icing. I was asked to draw her with some florals around her & making it very girly and pretty.

She asked me to create a personalised cushion with the image, & naturally I was very happy to help. The above left is the image sent to me & right my first drawing for the customer to approve. She was really happy & said please continue. I had to make sure her other favourite colours were incorporated into it, those being purple, yellow & green. On top of that it had to have all the typical girly loveliness of flowers, & butterflies, & my addition, love hearts.

There you have all completed & ready to be made into a cushion.
I think Chiara will be one happy little girl.

I get to paint! MATS assignment 4

This week on MATS it's all about wall art! yay I am feeling excited about this.
Think of the beautiful abstract art that is hanging on everyones living room walls. It's a great piece that doesn't really say much. It may have a bird, flower, anything at all, but overall it's generally colourful (in my mind) & abstract. We have had to collect items that would work in our art from the house. this fabric, buttons, trims, paper, paint what ever works basically.

This week we can do whatever we like....Scary as there are too many possibilities!! Clearly, Lilla has read all of our minds & made it easier but giving us colour depending on your star sign. Yay again!! I don't have to think I can just have fun. My colours are blue & yellow as I am a Sagittarius.

On my scavenger hunt around the house , this is what I have found.

We have to paint, have fun, get into it & use words, I can not wait.

Here I go.......

Golden Books

While doing my course, I have been looking at illustrations with such a different eye. Beside admitting I have been feeling completely overwhelmed with the brilliance of others, I have become kind of obsessed with my old golden books. Just looking at how old they are makes me smile, but the endless detail & expression on the faces of the characters is just so amazing. The added icon details, the colours that are mixed together, so many artistic styles makes my heart race with inspiration. I actually had to put them away at one stage as I was being so overloaded with inspiration & ideas I was feeling twitchy & anxious. Don't panic they are normal feelings for me when I get like that. I just get too consumed that's all.

It's also been a lovely little trip down memory lane looking at the inside covers where I have signed my name. In some cases I have had a go at signing my brothers too. Obviously the top one I could write. the bottom one makes me smile, as I believe I would be about 4 or 5yrs old, just learning the letters. I am assuming it's an attempt to spell Kylie?

Did you check out the print date?? I think I am considered vintage, it was the year I was born.

MATS - Assignment 3 - Children's Books

This week has been so much fun at MATS class, I found it really challenging thought.

Type of art - Children's Book Illustration

The focus was on drawing a snail & developing facial expressions. As we know an expression in a book can tell a thousand words. We were then asked to interpret a front cover of the book "The snail & the rose tree", by Hans Christian. We were given the story & our interpretation was to come from what we read. We also had to do some hand lettering for the book title which I believe I clearly need some work on.

I found the story a little dark & I didn't really like it to be honest, or the bad attitude of the snail. But regardless I had to take this on board like I would a client & develop an illustration to meet the demands.
I am not completely unhappy with the final result, & believe I could have done it again differently  but time was unfortunately against me this week.

Assignment 4 which I am being briefed about this week is all about wall art which really excites me.

Arrrrh Pirates

Some brand new artwork I have manage to complete over the weekend.
I have been working on this pirate design for a while, & I haven't been happy with it, so I popped him away about 8 weeks ago. It was great to reopen the work over the weekend with some fresh eyes as I immediately saw what wasn't working, & fixed it up, finally completing it.

There will be a cushion coming soon.
I am REALLY low on printing stock at the moment, & my next delivery is early July so I can't make any samples to show. Very annoying, let me tell you!
But this will give you an idea of what it will look like.

I hope you're keeping warm today as it's FREEZING in Melbourne brrrrrrrr.

Nautical patterns

It's been a busy week & to be very honest with you, I can not believe Friday is here already. What I would do to be able to make time stand still!! Between working incredibly hard behind the scenes to learn as much as possible from my course, maintaining customer orders, working on new designs for release, & my kids having sniffles this week, I have decided to add something else to the mix.

I need to start building my pattern repeat collection up if I am to every grab hold of my elusive surface design dream. I sat here doodling ideas of what to create & then it dawned on me. Yep right under my nose. I have hundreds of cushion designs, why not develop each one into a collection of pattern repeats. It will be a great way to present my work, & show how it coordinates with my current product. This doesn't mean I wont be working on new designs also!!

I can see this in a quilt for a little boy, it's bright & lots of fun. I love the yellow in it, it's so happy, & it co ordinates perfectly with products shown available which are available in my shop.

Have a great Friday.

Finally my NEW website that I LOVE!!

I am so excited this morning as I have completed my new website.

In the past I have tried a few web hosts & havent been happy. For about 12 months now I have left my home page either directed at my blog or etsy store. After searching around I gave up. The other night in the private MATS FB group, someone asked the question, "Does anyone know of a great DIY web host site?" After many comments, there was a common thread Squarespace. I had never heard of them, so I checked them out & was thrilled. I love the clean simple layout, it's perfect for what I need right now. I also checked out the girls website who had recommended them & was very impressed.

After lots of fiddling around, contacting their very efficient 24/7 help support a few times, I have completed it. There is so much more to add to it, it's only the beginning.

I am feeling pretty good about my new home.

New Ballet Artwork - trio prints

I have finally finished my ballet prints & really happy with them. I have used all of my inspiration that I have collected. I really enjoyed working with such pretty images, making them very pink, girly, elegant, & really fluffy.

My first set of trio prints, I haven't made anything in sets yet, but have had a few requests.

Now the print have been created I need to get on to the decor coordinates.

Have a lovely weekend.

MATS - Week 2 assignment - Flower Pods

Oh dear my course is consuming me at the moment, which is a worry as I have a tonne of other work to have completed. BUT I LOVE IT!! I just can't stop or get enough of it.

Trying to use my time management successfully, I manage to finish my second assignment early. My eldest has been home for the last 2 days with a cold, so I have kept him inside, warm & entertained on the couch with DVD's, a some new ipad games. After 2 days of antibiotics he is well & truly on them mend. Where I was heading with that was, that fortunately for me it has allowed me solid drawing time & I managed to get quite a bit done.

My assignment was to draw flower pods & design them on a plate for the home decor category. I loved this assignment as I love flowers, & best part I could incorporate some other favourite icons being birds & butterflies. This week didn't feel as challenging like last weeks did, I was my closer to my comfort zone. I did however utilise a different colour palette  It's a combination I wouldn't normally consider when design for children's accessories.

I am still yet to decide which plate I would like to submit for the assignment  My gut is telling me the bottom left.

Not sure yet, what do you think?

MATS - Week one assignment

I have finished week one of my MATS course with Lilla Rogers. This week I was pushed a bit out of my comfort zone from an icon design perspective. We were given a brief & had to use the vintage Pyrex dishes & mushroom we had sketched a few days before. A retro kitchen theme is subject matter I would not ordinarily decide to draw.

It was fun, I enjoyed creating something new, & I am happy with the final result. Looking back however after submitting it, I would certainly make some changes. This is normal behaviour for me & many creative types, always wanting to tweak. Instead of going into what I think is wrong I want to move on to my new challenge that's has been release.

This week I am drawing flowers pods, & I know I am going to enjoy it.

Ballet Mood Board Inspiration

I am starting to plan new designs, I find this stage really exciting thinking about what I haven't created before. Working out what new ideas that make my heart race. I have learnt to really listen to my body when I create, or when I am sourcing new ideas. I always know I am on to something, if I am excited & smiling from the inside out.

I am wanting to create a dance ballet range. I have never danced in my life, I was always into sport, so  was my mum, hence me never entering a dance studio. However Charlotte has taken to it, (like many 3yr old girls), so last year I enrolled her in a kindy dance program, & ever since it's been the highlight of her week. Her enthusiasm has drawn me to the dance & ballet world, still not knowing anything about it technically, I am drawn to it's beauty. It is so feminine. So pretty. So graceful. So elegant. So gracious. It has a soft romantic & even vintage feel. When I think of ballet, I think about fluid movements, soft pink satin, tulle, ribbons, slippers, dusky pink & creme, lace, and two tone roses.

I have put together a mood board to create inspiration, & keep me on path with my ballet design vision.

I have thought of a colour palette, it's soft & very ballet. I want to keep the colours a little cleaner, & not as murky as what is perceived a little more traditional.

With ideas down, its time to get some art drawn.

Pinterest image references as follows - 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11

It's Friday

It's been a busy week & I am glad it's Friday. It's the Queens birthday this weekend so we all have a lovely long weekend, Monday is a public holiday...Yippee!!

I started drawing this wandering little chicken & her mouse friend.
Maybe they are off to a party?
A picnic?
The gardens?
I am not really sure where they are going, a bit like me, not sure what I will be doing over my long weekend.

I guess I will have to let you know.

Have a great weekend friends.

Food & Fitness Love

The journey of losing some weight & feeling fitter, is still a very motivated challenge I am on. My hunger pangs have settled down, so I finally believe my stomach has shrunk a little. Thanks goodness!

I am starting to feel the benefits of eating good clean whole foods, & my body is becoming very thankful. In hindsight starting this program in winter was maybe a little more challenging. I would much rather eat steaming hot veggies than salad, so I have switched those over, otherwise I would have gone insane. Right or wrong I don't care, it's cold & I need warm comfort!

image by Kylie Loy on Flickr

The exercise has been a bit off this week, I am feeling a little run down & under the weather & I refuse to push myself. Michelle Bridges is very strict in exercising 6 days a week for an hour, the only reason you shouldn't exercise, she says is if you physically can't move. I smile at what she says, as I know where she is coming from, & what message she is sending, however I don't have a company of assistants & she isn't a mother. Nevertheless she does mean well I believe.

After all of that positivity I have to let you know I still falter. I fell a bit off the wagon on the weekend as I went to the movies with my husband (to see the Great Gatsby which I LOVED), & couldn't resist a few choc coated raspberries & bullets. It's funny you know as I was eating them, it was like that voice came in to my head, no no nooooo that's naughty!!!!! But as I started to feel guilty, I shifted it to how much fun I was having. It was like a 'date night', with my husband, & it's not often we get to do that. Prior to the movie, we ate at a restaurant & I ordered really sensibly, grilled salmon & vegies. The following day I was back to normal so no guilt.

The 2 of us at the cinema.

Life is about moderation I have to always remember that!

Water colour mushrooms

My first exercise for MATS, was to draw some little mushrooms.

So I sketched furiously as you can see above, drawing several styles. I didn't want typical mushrooms I had to have my style come through. Once done I thought COLOUR time, so for the first time in years I pulled out my water colours & had an absolute ball playing with them.

I am quite happy with the end result to be honest :)

My next challenge will be to use the acrylics I bought Sunday.

This is so much fun.

My new acrylic adventure

An exciting day today, I start my course with Lilla Rogers, "Make Art That Sells", I mentioned it yesterday. Everything will start in New York time, so I just have to sit & wait until their day begins there....Aahhhhh feeling impatient!

Yesterday I went & did something very exciting....I bought myself a set of beautiful, juicy acrylic paints. I've purchased them with the ambition of extending myself in this course, by trying a new medium. I have always liked acrylics, from a far, & admired many the work of many artists who use them. Currently all of my work is created in Adobe Illustrator, or vector work, as the trained graphic designers call it. I love to draw on the computer, it's quick, fast & I get what I needed done, no drying time or anything like that.

When I studied fashion design my focus wasn't on the art as much as learning to draft patterns, or dreaming of drawing technical specs in the computer. I drew, don't get my wrong, lots & lots. I took illustration, but I always preferred pencils & fine tipped ink pens. I do admit playing around with watercolours, but I have a lot to learn there also.

So back to yesterday.... I felt so anxious as I went up & asked the sales assistant what to buy. She was so helpful & as I expressed how I was a newbie to the painting world. She explained that she had years of painting experience, but new nothing in the computer world, so she sensed exactly how I was feeling, as it would have been her if she was using a CAD system. I bought a palette of acrylic colours, some new brushes, & some spongy bits & bobs, & feel ready for experimenting to hit me.

Feeling nervous, lets see what evolves.

Off to school with Lilla Rogers

As of Monday June 3rd, I will be starting a 5 week course with Lilla Rogers. It is called "Make Art That Sells", & I simply could be more excited. If you don't know Lilla Rogers is one of the best agencies that represent artists all around the world. Sooooooo exciting!!!!!

I have been wanting to do this course for a while, now but was a bit tight on the old purse, so once I knew I was selling Quirky and Quaint, I knew straight away this was a gift for myself. A gift that will make me happy, push my limits, & something that will finally put me on the right path regarding this surface industry I am so in love with.

I have been looking at all of the other students work, who are also taking part & I am in absolute awe. Gob smacking awe!! One artist in particular is Josephine Kimberling, who I have been a fan of for a while, I can't believe I will be in the same class as her. Her work is incredible.

Lilla has been very clear that this is a self development course, not a competition in any form but a road of discovery, & learning so many things. Phew!! But I have to admit I am feeling quite anxious, as naturally you compare yourself to others, & I am having those inner demons & doubts about what I do. I don't have an amazing website yet with folders dedicated to a folio yet, I have the work but not online anywhere, so that's something I must get on to. Just need to find a DIY package that has the fundamentals I think I need.

Today my mind is swimming with excitement, nerves,  & silly self doubts that I have to make sure don't cripple me. Here I go, wish me luck, & I will be excited to share my work as I chug along.

Have a lovely weekend.