Summer Flavors

I spend a lot of time surrounded by beautiful countryside in central France. Always inspiring and I almost want to write poetry it is all so lovely. Colors are something I enjoy mixing and using in my photography. Most of the time the true artist is Mother Nature. We just appropriate. Today the pinks and fresh peaches all blended together to create a palette for your eyes and nose. What better way to preserve this moment in time but to photography it. Happy Summer!

Winter School 2018 Surface Pattern Design

I like deadlines and structure. That's why I find participating in something offered by Make it in Design ( www.makeitindesign.com/winter-school) Winter School 2018 is my structure I need to create and finish something. This week's brief was Blooms-colorful bold, and go wild. I thought immediately of the artist Peter Max. And I love color so for me, this week's brief was perfect. Here is my result. I still find the moving and overlap and how a pattern works a little intimidating. How did one do this without Adobe?

Marie Antoinette at the Ball

Always trying to learn something new and Adobe CC Animate was the recent hurdle. I learned Flash about 7 years ago but a lot has changed but the general premise came back. A little off on the timing on the music but will work on that the next time. These are drawings I have done in my notebook and thought they'd make a silly animation. It is Marie Antoinette inspired of course!

Stop Motion Animation with Paper People

Just a quick little experiment using my paper people illustrations that are going into a children's book about diversity. I admit quirky but for my first time trying stop motion, I kind of like it!

All white tutu framed in a Paris window

All white tutu with 9 layers of tulle, crystals, feathers, and all other kinds of frou frou and fluff! It takes me about a week working all day. Some of this of course is errors that need to be ripped out and redone. Sewing is one of these things that I am determined to succeed at! One day I started counting my errors in the first part of the morning. I hit 18. Not a good day. But when the results turn out how I imagined, it makes it all worth it!

Marie Antoinette Lives

My dolls from the last post were recreated from my sketches. I also decided to try them out for an illustrated recipe thanks to They Draw and Cook books. So Marie and her friends are baking a cake called Let Them Eat Cake Cake. Although, according to confirmed historical accounts, she never said this but it makes for a good story...and recipe!

My Sketches Come Alive with Dolls!

I love creating dolls. It is creating a character from scratch, Patterning the clothing for these dolls helps me learn for large scale fashion design. My inspiration came from sketching every evening in my notebook ballerinas or 18th century dresses with my love of Marie Antoinette as a theme. I thought that my drawings could come alive in the form of cloth dolls and moving joints. And so 4 recent doll creations were born. They measure about 18" but add that hair and she may be taller than that! The hair starts with the wool wound up in a coil to get the framework then curly mohair is added giving that exact Marie-look. One of the dolls has a Venetian mask. I loved my time in Venice over the holidays and fell in love again with this 18th century style.

Tutu Success!

I managed to complete a tutu this past week and probably more proud then I should be. The details, terminology and desire to create something as beautiful as those I've seen seemed insurmountable. But I am ready for another. Of course my favorite part was creating the design of the embellishments.

Tutu Obsession!

I recently participated in a class on how to make a tutu. It is much much harder than I thought. I took the course in London at www.theshoemakingschool.co.uk In two days we were able to construct a tutu and leave with all its ruffles in place. I for one was always behind and needed a lot of help. The layers and sewing and construction just needed more thinking on my part and 2 days wasn't enough for me. I am continuing on my tutu making education by finding other instructions and few and far between Youtube videos. My goal is to create beautiful one of a kind ballet costumes here in France.

Creative Visionary

OOAK Miniature Teddy Bear -

Recently I've decided to pull together all my creative endeavors...well, not all that would be impossible for a Scanner as myself. I created a sort of portfolio demonstrating my doll making and illustrations to costume design and styling of photo shoots. How does one take a melting pot of creativity and meld it together as a marketable skill and a cleanly designed resume? If anyone reading this has the answer, I'm open to suggestions. It is frustrating knowing that you could contribute to a company but unable to focus what you want to say. Too many employers seek creative people with a title already established. How about a company that says, find me some creative people and then find them the job. This is what I was told Google does but I have yet to be solicited by Google!