Katie's Lil Purse

I made a purse for my friend Katie's birthday. Maybe you think it's tacky to have that plaid strap on the reverse of the floral side of the purse. My plan was that it not be seen when she's using that side. But uh... here you go! It's super simple design. Made smaller than I intended again. I thought she'd like both of these fabric designs and I didn't think it wasn't important that they be related in any way since they won't be showing at the same time.

I am curious to know if any of you find it bothersome when my reversible purses' reverse-side fabrics aren't related to each other. In my mind it's a GOOD thing they're not related so it's like having 2 totally different purses, and assuming that no one's going to look at the inside of your purse and judge you for clashing. I just know it drives my sister a little crazy that I make things like this. So- opinions: go.

Dog Plate #2

I did another dog plate- and this time got paid! haha. I never got to see the plate finished- my coworker took a picture of it with her phone when she opened the kiln, and then my friend I did it for came and picked it up that day (for her mom's birthday. Deadlines deadlines!). So, sorry (to you and me both!) that I don't have a better (and straight-on) picture of it- it's just that phone pic.

This one took me quite a bit longer. There was more pressure- maybe that's why. The other one took maybe an hour and this one probably took 5.

Freelance

Here are a few drawings I did for some buck$.

This drawing (the two photos above) is probably my fave. I later watercolored it and kind of hated it. Same with the next one. If I had done it on proper watercolor paper I probably would have liked the result better. Oh, also I'd like to throw out- I designed the font I drew there too!

WHY BLOGGER, WHYYYYYYYYYY!?????????? This was not sideways before I uploaded it. Somebody clue me in on how to tell this stupid site who's boss. Anyways this is the Sorensen family. Again, I like this better before I colored it.

Now, this I didn't get paid for because its was part of a gift because of the extreme generosity of these two people, Mama and Papa Velez. They are the wonderful people who let my niece Nathalie and I stay at their house in Mexico for TWO WEEKS. For free. See? Ever so kind.

Benji

Helaman

Samantha

And these are their kids/the friends I made there in Mexico. Drawing them was a twofer. I got practice and they got to feel like celebs getting portraits done :) So, to clarify- all the first portraits I show are drawn from photos, taking several hours, but these last three were drawn from life, in about 20 minutes each. Well, the pen ones took that long. Helaman's took a while so he got a bonus back/shoulder-rub for having to sit still for so long, haha. Did I mention I'm an amateur masseuse? ;)

for... SALE!!!!!!! I made them just for you!

Check out these reversible beauties. They could be YOURS!!

PURSE 1

front

asymmetrical pockets on the back

a peek to the inside/other outside!

a close up of this grey fabric is provided below

the back. Two more shallow pockets.

looking into the inside.

See? It's actually a little sparkly.

PURSE 2

one side (this has a magnetic closure)

the other way

Here's what it looks like hanging with stuff in it.

I've never sold any of my sewn goods before so I'm not sure exactly how to go about it. I think just for now, if I have people interested I will take "bids". I have a price in my head, and don't worry- it's fair- it won't cost an arm and a leg! Feel free to let me know what you think, even if you don't want to purchase these. I have more purses in the works! (In my head at least! And tons of fabric to make 'em happen!) I can make simple custom purses too, if you're interested!

Finally- some ILLUSTRATIONS!!

These are some illustrations I did in my last semester of school at BYU-Idaho- Advanced Illustration, instructor Dan Burr, Winter 2008.

These are actually in order of when I did them. You can see my journey to find my style. It peaks at the self portrait. That day I got applause from my teacher and classmates :) It was nice. They knew I was struggling and couldn't figure out what medium and technique I was most comfortable with- and everyone was just really pleased with the outcome of that self portrait. I could say a lot about the whole thing. I'll spare you... for now. So... here's my journey: (and I'm still trying to figure it out!)

A practice piece for the next picture (obviously). I really like it! I think the following piece lost personality because I just got too controlled and detailed. Oh, the concept is "you are what you eat".

I think this is good, but... meh. This is acrylic with Prismacolor colored pencils and outline in pen. I was so lost on what medium I wanted that I practically used them all!

And here she is. I actually did a full on rendering of myself from a picture... and it was just so overworked and didn't "say" anything, it was just gray and white... so after all that work I just transfered some of it over on watercolor paper, did some sketching on it, and just tried to apply some beautiful colors. In part, this "works" so well because of the photo it's based on. As you'll see, I never quite successfully translated this technique to my future work... as much as I meant to :(

See how controlled? I just turned into a watercolorist, and it wasn't my intention. This is for the concept "The Happiest Man (or Woman) Alive."

I think this is actually really cute, except that I screwed it up with some colored fine-tip Sharpies. Losing control of my technique again...

haha. This was a big hit with the class. I got mad props on my buoy (boo-ey). And I deserved it!! :) I looked at tons of pictures of buoys and had to invent one of my own. Anyways, here our concept was "global warming".

I like this one. It wasn't totally what I was going for, but I like it for being less controlled. It's not as much like a coloring book, where i just fill the inside of my lines with color, like the "Happiest Woman Alive" one.

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These are all illustrations from my "media experimentation" class- instructor Wade Huntsman, Winter 2007. Descriptions are under each picture.

This is a sand-off technique- just acrylic on board and you sand where you want, and add more paint where you want it more defined or detailed.

This was actually just a practice piece for my first time using gouache (pronounced "gwash" as in "i need to [g]wash my car") paint. The technique we did was you do an ink drawing, pile on a lot of paint that you want for your base colors, then you rinse it off (taping the edges really good). Then you add paint where you need it more bright or defined- it's similar to the sand off technique above- where you combine subtractive and additive.

This is an acrylic "photo rendering". I remember how hopeless i felt about it as I was starting- but I think it came out pretty well!

This is "oil lift-off". I don't really want to explain it. I don't think I really did it right. It's an awesome technique though, that I hope to use in the future. I'm glad I remembered that just now :)

This is a crazy technique using acrylic, gloss or matte medium, and wet sand paper. As you paint and it dries, you dip your sand paper in water and sand through different layers of paint to have under-layers emerge- it's pretty cool! A lot of work though. The lips were definitely where I put in the most work, and also the chin and jaw I think, because I was having a hard time getting them right!

Side Notes/Requests

In case you viewers don't know, you can always click on a picture to see it bigger. It shows up pretty huge, but you can see the details that way, that otherwise you might not have noticed.

Also, please feel free to COMMENT! I always appreciate what people tell me in person or on my facebook or where ever- but you can also leave a comment on the posts. If you comment then I have an idea of who I'm reaching and and how many people are looking at this. Unfortunately I don't totally know how blogger works so I don't know if you have to have a blog or a profile on this site in order to make a comment, or if you can just leave one without those requirements.
(Please feel free to "follow" me, or whatever it is, to automatically recieve my updates. Like I said... I don't really "get" this website.)

I hesitate to say this... but I welcome criticism :) CONSTRUCTIVE criticism! If you have an idea of how I could improve upon my next similar project let me know what you think (just so long as it's not something I already mentioned I knew I did poorly).

If you'll remember from my earliest posts, I'm doing this blog so that I can become encouraged and inspired by MYSELF and OTHERS to do more artwork. I have about a million and one hang-ups with doing art, and I seek positive reactions so that I can be reminded I have a gift that I SHOULD SHARE by making more art! And on that note, I would be happy to hear if you have ideas on something you could see me painting and think I should do or a way to expand my talent into a business. That would be great :)

But uh... no pressure. :D You could always just keep looking at this blog and remain a mystery- but at the very least, I hope you enjoy!

The Latest Commission!

My brother Jesse and sister-in-law Kelli commissioned me to make 3 illustrations for their daughter (my niece). They were definitely inspired by the amazing Barbie illustrations by Robert Best. I wish I wish I wish I could let loose and get my illustrations to look like his. I LOVE that style. I'm just not confident enough with anatomy, or my drawing skills for that matter, to just go at a "canvas" with a pen and expect a decent outcome. I should really practice!! (Don't get me started...). But it's not right to completely rip off someone's style or illustrations anyway, so it's probably better they came out this way :) I wish they were a little more whispy and loose.

Feel free to click on them to see them closer up.

Sorry the color is so wacky. It was sunset when I finished and I had to deliver them ASAP so it was the only time I could get pictures of them.

We call this one "Garden Girl."

She is based on the last picture you'll see in a second.

This is a Barbie that Kelli actually owns and will pass on to her daughter. She has blonde hair and green eyes just like Kelli :)

"Barbie Violette" by Robert Best.

uuggghh- I loooooovee itttt!!!!

I strive to be able to do stuff like this. It will take a lot of de-stressing myself out.

Woof.

I work at Color Me Mine in Moorpark. I hosted a birthday party a few weeks ago, and part of the party package is the birthday child gets a plate made for them. As it was a dog theme, I went ahead and agreed to paint a dog on her plate- from a picture of her dog which they gave me to look at. First of all- I didn't mean to go "all out"- but I can't even help it! I didn't want to get so detailed for a free little plate, but I know no other way... (it's actually quite annoying, and I don't think I could ever fully explain how or why, to where anyone would either understand or pity me.) Anyways- you should know what the underglaze paints are a slightly different hue and dry a lot lighter than they will look after they are fired in the kiln. So here's what the dog looked like as the paint was drying...

And here's what it looks like after the finishing touches and when it's all baked and out of the kiln!
Now, some of you may be thinking "I like it better before it was fired." And I would basically agree. But, not to make excuses, it's hard to know exactly how it will come out in the end, depending on the amount of coats you use of a certain color, etc.
But I like both. I have to say though, that the non-fired one looks more realistic and jumps out at you more. Ah well! I still feel pretty proud of myself :)

So I'm thinking about getting myself into a little business of making these for people. If I did other animals or babies or flowers (you know- "that" kind of stuff), on plates or bowls or whatever... do you think people would buy it? I'd charge around $50 and on top of that they'd have to pay for the plate and paint through my work.

What do you think?

Potential Heirloom (Or So I'd Like to Think!)

I made these pillowcases a couple weeks ago for my dear dear good friend Jamie's wedding that I attended in Denver. I made them pretty fast, and I'm rather pleased with the outcome! I hope she and her husband Mr. Brimhall are too :)

I love these lovebirds. I'll make them pillowcases any day ;)

Stuff I Sewed a While Ago

I made this dress after I saw a similar dress at a store. I thought, "That's so easy, I could make it without a pattern!" So I did! I already had this crazy clown fabric so I just bought some lining and a the fabric for the tie. I finished this in one day I believe. Here we have a belted look and a free-flowing look.

One purse- two looks! I intend to make and sell more reversible purses. They will be different styles- not just plain totes. The cat was fun and annoying to make, so I don't know if I'll be doing many things like that again. I made this for my friend Jaela for her birthday.

A closer look. And apparently a plug for Neff clothing :)

This pillow is my baby. I love it. I especially love the back (which I consider to be the part with the flap- the top picture). I designed this myself (from the assymetrical flap to the contrasting stitching to the mock-box structure) for an assignment in my Home Decor class 2 years ago. I got 100%!! I started cutting fabric for a coordinating quilt... and I haven't touched it many many months :( It's on the ever-growing to-do list.

I wish this wasn't sideways :(

In my children's clothing class last year our last project was to make coats. This is basically an Ashley Original because I modified the pattern to make it A-line, invented the little flap for over the zipper (and search every now and then for the perfect giant buttons to sew on there), picked the pocket style, and tried my darnedest to make a rounded collar :) It wasn't a complete success, but I know it's pretty cute! I love picking out fabrics and putting them together- did I mention that? So great.

That's all for now! Just thought it was time for ya'll to see some of my sewing handiwork! Until next time...

Dress That's Been a Long Time Coming

I found this pattern at Joann's last year... and after lots of stalling- it's all done!

Cover girl #1
and #2

And me modeling, having fun! I hope this gives you a good enough idea of my "execution."

No, not a serious pose.

This however- very serious ;)

Figures and Faces

These are all assignments from 4 different classes: Figure Drawing, Head Drawing, Oil Painting II, and Life Painting. And these are all from 2006-2007. Man I need to get my butt in gear and do more stuff like this!

This is on "chip board"- basically the same as the cardboardy back of the large drawing pads. Instead of white charcoal we used white oil paint for our lights.

Just black and white charcoal on colored Cason paper.

This is Alexis. She was a good drawing subject in class and a nice girl all around :) This drawing is a good example of how I DON'T intend for my drawings to come out, but how they often do anyway. I didn't get my darks dark enough so I scratched some charcoal over them- and it makes the drawing realistic and flat and sketchy at the same time. I might like the result.

This isn't the best drawing. But whatev. In figure drawing class I don't spend a lot of time on the faces, as you can see. He's kind of a blur. The next drawing is a stellar example of what I just said though, haha.

haha- Faceless. I really like this drawing though. I think I got my values right on and that's why it looks this good. And maybe my edges too. For the non-artist, the "value" is how light or dark something is. Getting correct values in your work is one of the best keys to getting your work to look accurate or realistic.

This was a fun assignment. No darks/shadows, just lights.

Jamie! I painted her for extra credit I think. I felt bad making her sit there for so long so after 2 sessions I just took pictures and finished this from photo reference.

This girl was nice. She would always keep a little smile on her face! That's hard work- for 2.5 hours with only a few little breaks! I painted her in class like 3 times and this is the 1st or 2nd. I sort of got "progressively" worse through this semester I think :/

This girl was from Africa and she loved to listen to Enya. So she was awesome. I took pictures of these paintings and not scans- so I think the color/value is off a little :(

Oh man. This guy. Well anyway, I kinda like how this came out.

For this, my teacher set up lights with different colored "gels" or colored cellophane to give us a new idea of how to color people. To make us think outside the peach box. Or whatever skin color.

These last 3 were done for my life painting class, and I think I got worse as this semester went on too. Because I was pretty happy with this when I was done (I think the drawing is a little skewed though) and I think my teacher thought it was kind of mediocre. I was always frustrating him. For several reasons but one being that he thought I had a more potential but wasn't using it :( I wish I could see what he did in me. I wonder.

Sketchbook 2008

Well everybody, let's get caught up! I already showed you my first sketches... so here are some of my last :)
I drew these to fill a sketchbook required by my advanced illustration teacher. Got some good stuff out of it :)

A roughly 20 minute sketch of my niece Nathalie in her dorm.
A bird I drew from a calendar I had. I though this came out really cool!

My niece Daisy! I realized later her eyes were not on the same level, but it still looks like her so, oh well :)

Haha, for whatever reason I just love this drawing/concept. It is feuling idea and desire to make some oil paintings like this to go in people's kitchens and such.

I did this quick pen drawing from a photo I took at Nathalie's karate competition in Phoenix.

This is Declan, my friend's cat. I drew this from my phone screen! Cute cat.

This is Kirsten. I drew her while she was paying attention in class. Her head is drawn too big. But I LOVE pregnancy as you know, so this is a good one. Best for last ;D

"Poise" -Illustration Friday

I HAD to illustrate for this topic.

It's not perfect but that's what happens when you refuse to use reference :/ Well I did use reference but not for every detail.

"Intricate" IF

I didn't finish this by (what I assume to be the deadline) Friday- but this is what I am going to submit to http://www.illustrationfriday.com/ as my illustration for the topic "intricate." This is not indicative of my usual style, it's just that I've been wanting to figure out how to create a weaved pattern for a while now, and my patternmaking teacher is making us paint on muslin for a project- so I thought I'd kill 3 birds with one stone! Goal reached, muslin painted, illustration done!

I'm actually not sure if I can submit something for an old topic so I'm trying to figure that out.

My Earliest Gems

My mom used to bind up stacks of scratch paper with these neat metal clip things, and make doodle pads for me. By some miracle- they still remain! You won't find more than 2 baby pictures of me, but we have like 70 of my childhood drawings. I don't know when to estimate the date or year that these were done. If the movie that I mention in a moment came out in 1988 and was out on VHS for me to watch in 1989 or 90 then I'll estimate I was approximately 6 when I drew these. I'd like to see drawings of other 6 year olds and see how these compare. I'll be shamed if they're way better, haha. I sure talked myself up in the first post and I'll have to take my foot out of my mouth!

Apparently I'd been watching a lot of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." Jessica Rabbit was such a babe, and I knew it. Her sex appeal isn't really coming through here ... haha.

A mama bird warming up a whole bunch of eggs.

When I saw this for the first time in a while, I was pretty impressed with myself for dealing with that whole background. Nowadays you could never get my lazy butt to willingly draw a ton of spectators in the back. Look how that one girls braid is so long it almost touchs the ice, haha :)

I think this is a cute little drawing. I wonder if I was confusing mermaids with ballerinas because of her tiny little bustier top there ;) This drawing pretty much proves I've loved ballet since weeelll before I ever went and tried it (for the first time in COLLEGE!). Love it love it.

This is another impressive drawing because I went all out and developed the background(/foreground) like I would barely be willing to do today. I get paralyzed by the thought of and need for reference, reference, reference. Blech.

Anyways, my faaavorite part of this drawing is that I had to EXTEND THE GROUND up on the right side, to fit a chair! haha! Nothing can stop me from what I want, huh?

Also, is that a sewing machine on the desk/dresser? Foreshadowing. ;)

I'm not even sure if this is by me because it just seems a little different. But I remember thinking that "obviously" the sky had a beginning and an end- thus the line up top, separating the sky from everything else, with the stars moon and... space shuttle!? Awesome.

I also love my spelling, if it is indeed mine.

This drawing is just hilarious when I think, "Maybe at a very young age I was already aware of how I would be constrained to POLITICAL CORRECTness in my future illustration career..." Hahah. I mean, neither of these girls are Asian or black or anything, but I was getting there, I'm sure. ;) Anyways, as a side note- when I was little I was obsessed with pregnancy and "baby bumps" and I'm surprised if I didn't draw more pregnant ladies somewhere.

The First Post: An Introduction and Brief History

Growing up, I was always drawing. I remember as far back as kindergarten when I'd draw pretty ladies with puffy dresses with puffy sleeves, with puffy bows in their hair... that I had something. I had talent. Drawing was something I was good at. I remember in 2nd grade when we'd have to illustrate our own stories, my friend, and maybe even another friend, would ask me to do their crayon drawings for them. I was honored to do so. We all knew I had talent.

Although I had a talent, for the most part I haven't been "driven." Driven to create things in my spare time, to be super creative, to learn new techniques. I don't know why. Maybe it was because when I was younger I didn't win the one or two art contests I entered in, or because Highlights didn't choose the drawing I sent them to put in their magazine. But still, I kept up with my talent by almost constantly having art as an elective all the way through high school. Because all my life, ever since Kindergarten, I wanted to be an artist. Nothing else. Even when my friends in high school and at church saw my many doodles of variously dressed women and asked, "Are you going to be a fashion designer?!" the answer was, "...No." Hm...

And so, I ended up in college- declaring my major as art. And I never changed it. Once, I thought about it. I was in a graphic design class and all the Mac computer and Adobe Creative Suite commands and everything were way over my head. So I thought about majoring in Spanish and minoring in art. But... I never changed it. All that happened was that I declared my emphasis as Illustration. But I didn't go for the BFA in Illustration because I wasn't driven. A Bachelor of Fine Arts is an entire college degree (you don't have a minor) and it is focused on one kind of art (graphic design, illustration, painting, ceramics...), and you work on a massive project in your last semester or year of school. That was too much work. I didn't feel up to it. I didn't feel capable.

I went to Moorpark College for 5 semesters and BYU-Idaho for the remaining dozen or 2. It was one of my last semesters at BYU-Idaho that I decided to take a Clothing Construction- sewing- class. Basically it changed my life. I haven't wanted to stop sewing since. I took 2 more sewing classes before I graduated and managed to squeeze them all into an obscure half-minor called a "cluster." So I ended up graduating with the following degree: a Bachelor of Art in Integrated Studio Art with an emphasis in Illustration, and clusters in Painting, and Home and Family Education (that's where my sewing classes applied, along with some Spanish, French, and music classes). Sewing is where I feel driven for the first time. Even now that I graduated it wasn't enough, and so this Spring I am taking Patternmaking at Ventura College. I want to learn how to make my own designs- clothes or quilts. I want to sew them. I want to sell them. I want to use my time on sewing. It hasn't been that way with art. BUT...

I hope that's going to change. I am starting this blog in an effort to become more aware of my relationship with art and the possibilites I have in it. There is a website called Illustration Friday (that hopefully I will say more about later) and it requires that submissions be connected to a page like a blog... just like this. Yes, that is the first reason I was inspired to start this blog; I'm trying to motivate myself to make more art. And to get better. And to make money. And to not waste a great talent that I'm blessed to have. And naturally, I also want to see if I can get positive feedback and and ultimately- customers! (Not necessarily out of you, but maybe someone or an establishment you know, you know?) I don't intend for this blog to be strictly about my drawings and paintings, but exhibit my sewing or designing too, since those are another kind of artwork. I'll also probably be getting a little personal and writing about things that are art related. I hope this blog ends up being a nice place to visit!