Sketch...End of year

This is it... the last day of the 2012.  Feels a bit strange, doesn't it?  A bit nostalgic maybe?  A little sad...  If time flies by quickly most of the time, it feels more evidently so today... But, you know what?  New year, new start!  Goodbye, 2012... it's been nice and fun.  Meow there, 2013!   Greeting the New Year in Pantone's Color of the Year for 2013 - Emerald!  =)

Sketch... Polka dots in blue

Next thing coming up... New Year!   And this lady's partying and welcoming the New Year in polka dots.  Anything round (like dots!) is considered auspicious for Christmas and New Year here, since it symbolizes money and prosperity.   And who doesn't want that?!   LOL...   =^.^=

Sketch... Happy Holidays!

This was a fun sketch!   But I think it could do without the mistletoe, made it rather cheesy...  Anyway, have a Meowy, Merry Christmas!!!  =)

Sketch... Leggy holiday

Trying my hand at doing sexy-ish poses.   Maybe I should have made her into Santa's sexy elf/secretary, since it is the Christmas season after all.    Anyway, this was fun!    =^.^=

Sketch... Winter coat cozy

Meow there!    Christmas is really almost here!   Next week!   =^.^=

Sketch... Stripes and shorts

Have a good weekend!   =^.^=

Valentino Exhibit in London!

Meow there!  A new Valentino exhibit opened just a couple of weeks ago in London (Somerset House) and will run till March 2013.   If you love Valentino's fashion, you have to go see this exhibit!!!!    I'm not going to this one, but I went to the one in Brisbane in 2010.  I tell you, the gowns are sooooooooooooooooo beautiful when you see them in person!  They are exquisite!   It's so wonderful to see these gowns up close... so close, you can study the beautiful design details.  A very wonderful experience!  Valentino has always been my most favorite fashion designer of all time!  His designs are masterpieces!   

This exhibit is going to showcase 130 of Valentino's masterpieces.  

Mini documentary of the exhibit...

A nicely done feature by Euromaxx (DWTV)...

Brisbane exhibit in 2010...

There were only 100 gowns in the Brisbane exhibit... but it was still a fabulous exhibit!  When my Brisbane-based friend told me about the exhibit, I just had to go!!!  It was a little rushed as I had to get my tourist visa, which took  a few weeks... but I was able to arrive in time - 2nd to the last week of the exhibit!  My friend and I spent the WHOLE day at the exhibit!  We arrived at the opening hour in the morning and left the exhibit about 15 minutes before closing.  You can really spend a whole day in there!  The gowns are soooooooooooo beautiful!    

If you haven't seen "Valentino, The Last Emperor", you have to!  A really nice documentary!  Would also enhance your experience when you watch the exhibit.

Sketch... Party ready!

Well, now that it's the magical and merry and glittery and sparkly and shiny and shimmery month of Christmas, how's that holiday shopping going?  Done yet?  Hope you haven't forgotten to pick up some party outfits for all that parties happening this season!    This one's simple and feminine... maybe for a December wedding party?  A lot of weddings happening this month too!   

Sketch... Christmas shopping!

Meow, there!  It's finally here!  That merry and glittery and sparkly and shiny and shimmering month of Christmas!  It may not be bringing with it snow and ice, but it's still Christmas!   Have you done all of your holiday shopping?   I'm almost done with mine... just still have a few little items on the list.  Yeah, not really into that mayhem and the long lines at the mall...  and difficulty in finding a parking spot!   LOL...  Merry Christmas!  =^.^=

Fab, fashionista song!

"Fashionista" by Jimmy James...

I LOOOOOOVE this song!!!!!!!!!!  Fab clothes in the video... wish there were designer credits in it though. Such beautiful designs!  Fave parts of the lyrics:

"You have to show a look, have a look or give a look"

"Fashion is the art

Designers are the gods

Models play a part of angels in the dark"
- sounds like a sinister movie plot!  =^.^=

Sketch... purple and jeans

Meow there, Monday!   And what a pretty Monday you are today!  Sunny... and you brought with you clear, blue skies.  Beach weather!  If only I'm at the beach today...  

Sketch... soft blonde

An old sketch from 2004... one of those late nights when the drawing mood struck!   When I was sketching this, I was just going to do it in plain pencil/graphite only... the usual.  But halfway through, I decided I'd try adding a bit of color - giving it a soft, "ethereal" feel and also that old photo effect.  I think I used chalk pastel pencils...  

Rene Gruau...

Another one of my fave fashion illustrator!  Love how simple, loose and dynamic his style is!

Sketch... Diane von Furstenberg Spring 2013

Meow there!  Thursday... Friday soon and then, "Hello, Weekend!"  Been a rather busy week.  Don't think it's going to happen this weekend, but I'll just imagine myself lounging by the beach, listening to the soothing sound of the ocean waves and sipping cool, icy cola...  Hey, imagination is free!  I can imagine all I want!  LOL....    Happy weekend!  =^.^=  

Sketch... Versace Spring 2013 RTW

Another one of my fave fashion designers!  Beautiful Spring 2013 collection... feminine, sexy and modern!  Loving her short, flowy dresses... 

Sketch... Carlos Miele Resort 2013

I love his designs...  In every collection he does, there are always design elements in it that makes it his own.  Even his classic pieces, he puts his own modern twist to it.   

Sketch... Monique Lhuillier Spring 2013 RTW

Nice and elegant collection!  I love the prints and the colors... especially the blues! I looove blue.  =^.^=  

Sketch... Halloween Goth Lolita

Happy Halloween!  Sketched something that's my own again for a change...  I'm channeling my inner Goth Lolita for this sketch.  I've always loved anime and manga... and cos-playing is also getting popular in Cebu these days.  So, I thought I'd do an manga-inspired, Gothic Lolita outfit for this spooky event.  Had a lot of fun with this one!  =^.^=

David Downton

Another one of my fave illustrators!  He is just sooooo good at it...  master fashion illustrator!

A slideshow of his beautiful art!

Live sketching... 

I love watching artists working/drawing!  You can learn some very useful tips just by watching them draw!

Beautiful portraits!  Even those casual ones he drew on his sketchbook...

Poor lighting and audio...but the content is awesome!

Sketch... Blumarine Spring 2013 RTW

A pretty Spring collection by Blumarine...  Flowy and relaxed designs.  Nice colors too, feminine and fresh!   Wanting summer today... it's rainy and wet!  I do like the rain, but just not today.  I feel like going to the beach, enjoying the sun, sand and water...    

Sketch... Matthew Williamson Spring 2013 RTW

Meow there, Monday!  We meet again!  Didn't we just meet the other day?  Lately, you seem to come around much sooner than I would like.  Frankly, I'd rather hang out with Sunday for a bit longer!   But seeing you, Monday, is okey I suppose... after all, you always bring with you a new week.  A new start!

I really enjoyed Matthew Williamson's Spring 2013 Ready-to-Wear collection.  Beautiful fabric prints...  and the colors!  Such intense and vibrant colors!  Love it!  I also like the design details.

Sketch... Julien Macdonald Spring 2013 RTW

Poppin' while sketching... 

Sketch... Zac Posen Spring 2013 RTW

Meow there, Monday!  I'm soooo loving Zac Posen's latest collection!  Very creative and beautiful details... Very couture approach to a ready-to-wear collection.  Love it!!!

in-progress... 

  

Label Sketch... Valentin Yudashkin Spring 2013 RTW

I love the colors of the gowns in this collection of Valentin Yudashkin...  so rich and vibrant!  I also like the designs, very elegant and sexy.  

Sketch... Christmas red

Meow there!  Merry Christmas!!!  LOL... Really, Christmas has already begun in my country... started weeks ago at the start of SeptemBER.  So I'm actually a bit late with my greetings here!  LOL...  We call the last 4 months of the year the BER months... Christmas is at least 4 months long here!  Extend it by a week or two into the New Year... As early as September 1, you can already start hearing Christmas carols on the radio or from the neighbors' house.  TV news begin featuring holiday related news clips.  Stores start selling holiday decors and people start doing their holiday decors.  Seriously!   LOL.   And I'd say there are even a few people here who think Christmas is  all-year long.  Their holiday decors have been out all year, only to be replaced with new ones when the new cycle begins.   I like the Ber Months, beside it being the holiday season, the temperature also gets chilly at night and dawn.  =^.^=

Anyway, I was thinking of candy canes when I was sketching this Christmas outfit.  Maybe I shall name her Chrissie Candie... Or Peppermina Red?  Redda Green?  Greena Red?   Hmmm... maybe not Greena, there's barely any green on her!

Sketch... grey with a pop

It's been a gloomy week!   Grey, cloudy, dull... partly wet and rainy, even had some weird thunder too!...  So, a couple of grey outfit sketches... with a little pop of color!   Happy weekend!   =)

Youtube... cat videos

Meow there!   Been watching cat videos on Youtube for the past few days.  Once you start, you just can't stop!   Someone please help me stop watching them!   

Yutaka and his adorable cat, Chiro...  I've tried giving a few of my cats massage before... don't think I have masseuse hands.  They would tolerate it for only a short time.   LOL!

Aniki in the jacuzzi... probably one of the silliest pet videos I've ever seen!  

Lowdope and his cat, Moire... Yeah, Moire is that stalker/stop-go kitten on Youtube.

    

The way Moire is so relaxed and content lying belly-up is so cute

Lowdope, with Moire and Crie...  the last part of this video is just so sweet.  

Well, see you all on the next blog post, that is if I can stop watching these darn videos to do some art...  Off to watch more cute and cuddly cats on Youtube!!!  =^.^=

Sketch... casual comfy

Decided to try using pencil/graphite as outline, instead of ink pen.   Might stick with the ink pen.  =P

Akzhan Abdalieva...

Just discovered about her art yesterday morning on facebook.  I LOVE her art!!!  An abstract and art deco mix, Klimt elements, a slight touch of traditional asian art but executed in her own artistic and cultural point of view. I also really love the color palette she uses... so rich, vibrant, earthy and exotic.  She's from Kazakhstan and the interesting bit is that she has an art doctorate... how cool is that!  Never knew art school could get that academic!  Well, at least for me, I find that really cool!  Anyway, looking at her art just makes my hands itch for my paints.  I haven't oil painted since art school... that was a really loooooong time ago!  But I think I want to try my hand at those water-soluble oil paints.  So much more practical and safe for the health.  Turpentine fumes really stink!  And harmful too!

Sketch... casual weekstarter

Meow there... Another monday, again!

Lots of sketching, erasing, sketching, erasing - messy is what it often is!

Sketch... color blocks

Been seeing a lot of color-blocked outfits lately, thought I'd do a version of my own... Perhaps too much color-block on the right-side outfit.  LOL...  Could have kept the blue parts white.  Anyway, happy weekend!  =^.^=

Portrait... Liza Minnelli

I love Liza Minnelli!  She's one of my favorite singer/actresses.

Still need more practice, especially on getting the likeness and the hair!

 

Initial shading of the hair.  Doing the hair is not really that fun... I find it tedious!  But I like shading the skin, and especially the eyes.  

Now for some fun audio-visual elements... Youtube!  This is an interview she did on Inside the Actors Studio.  Fun!  And she sang several times too.

This one's from the movie "Stepping Out".

This is "Mein Herr" from the movie "Cabaret".  Lots of fun song and dance in this movie!

"Wilkommen"... this is also from the movie "Cabaret".  She has more of a cameo in this video, but this video is so much fun I have to include it!

Youtube... Antonio Lopez

One of the most talented and creative fashion illustrators ever!

Sketch... chilly but cozy

It's been a wet and stormy few days... Happy weekend!  =^.^=

Sketch... quickie hair and face

Meow there!  A quick sketch... pencil, watercolor and regular colored pencils.

Sketch... holiday weekstarter

It's a holiday today!  How's that for the start of a new week!  Have a meowy monday!  =^.^=

Sketch... friday chill

Happy weekend!  =^.^=

Youtube... Erte

Erte would have to be my absolute favorite fashion illustrator... I have a lot of fave fashion illustrators, but Erte would be on top of the heap for me!  If you haven't seen this video, you have to!  =^.^=

Sketch... monday blues in stripes

Meow there, monday!  Nice to see you again... err... yeah...  really...  Good thing it's a holiday today!  So I suppose it's not too bad seeing you again, monday... In fact, I don't mind seeing tuesday tomorrow either, coz it's a holiday also!

I looooove blue!  

Illustration... flowy hair

Meow there!  Got rather bored with doing fashion sketches... thought I'd do something different!  It looks a bit anime-ish, not exactly what I had in mind when I was rendering it.  I haven't really done much rendering on my illustrations/sketches, except for the sketches I've done for my blog.  So I ended up rendering it like my sketches.  Need to explore some new ways of rendering!  

 I love how things move underwater...  This illustration is inspired by that, although it also looks like it's windblown as well.  LOL...  Anyway, I just love underwater fashion photography... the way fabric and hair flow and sway.  So mesmerizingly graceful and elegant!   Oh yeah, RuPaul's Drag Race is partly to blame for this fascination with flowy/wavy hair.  The hairstyles in that show are fiercely fab!  

Some minor changes to the sketch I previously posted...

Base of watercolor and shading with watercolor pencils...

Some beautiful underwater fashion photography videos...