Tis the Season!

I missed last weeks blog post because I've been a busy little bee. I recently received a commission to make a pair of dolls for the same lovely couple that I had previously made dolls for. I also have a magazine assignment that I was working on at the same time. I have to learn to manage my "free" time with my "work" time. I was able to do my assignments on time, but I didn't make any to keep my blog up to date.

Anyway, the call came in to make a pair of whimsical dolls of mom and dad, and include all the kids, too. From the information I received about the recipients, they seemed like pretty swell people. Silly, fun and lighthearted. So that's how I wanted to represent them in doll fashion. They are also Oregon Ducks fans, so I worked the team's colors into dad's Hawaiian shirt.

The four "kids" are represented by tiny Ducks, but I changed the appearance of each kid "Duck" based on personality cues I got from my client.

Rough draft sketch

Body part layout plan.

Mid-painting process shot.

Cut out and assembled.

Final version with everyone assembled and arranged on the background.

Duck detail.

Final. Complete with smudgy fingerprint (that was hopefully removed before delivery)
I found this great shadowbox at Craft Warehouse. I really like the
color of the stain on the wood. Originally, my fiance was planning
to make a shadowbox from scratch for this project, but we're still in
the planning and designing stages. He didn't want to give my client
a shadowbox that he wasn't proud of.

I have a couple of ideas floating around for some dolls as a personal project, but something I'd love to share with others. But first I have to finish another paying gig. A creative girl could totally get used to this! I love that I feel like I'm being a productive person, and although, I'm not raking in a ton of dough, it's enabling me to be able to purchase supplies, which continue to allow me to create!

These last handfull of doll projects have really motivated me to put myself out there for custom portrait dolls. I've always been a little hesitant to offer portrait-based dolls because I'm really finicky when it comes to portraits. I want the image I'm creating to look EXACTLY like the person it's supposed to be. But with cartoony style drawings, there's a little more leeway when it comes to resemblance. What do you think?

Dolls Galore!

I promised that I would share the doll that sparked a mass commission fest for me. I did it as a gift because my friend Evan is a great small business owner, loves what he does and inspired me to take my love of art and work toward opening a brick and mortar store in Vancouver. While life has me tied down right now, I'm in the serious planning stages for this venture. Anyway, Evan is a great guy and has been commissioning me like crazy. I can't complain!

So here he is:

I don't have any photos of his rough sketches, but here's his final body part layout before I started painting.

Painted and cut and ready to be assembled!

Paper chosen, body assembled and doggies applied!

Final.

Another angle before they go in a frame.

Here he is with his pups in their frame.

We (I say "we" in the sense of my fiance and I) are attempting to make shadowboxes by hand for this next commission I'm working on. I think making them ourselves is a great way to keep everything handmade and lets us work together. He's excited about working with his hands, which then makes me more excited to work. I love partnerships!

In the Meantime

I'm a week behind on my self-imposed weekly blog posting. BUT, I'm doing it far more often than I used to. So there.

I just started another paper doll commission, and I couldn't be happier. I really enjoy creating these for people. It really fuels my creative fire to know that something I've created is making someone (or more than one person) happy. I've said it over and over again that this IS why I do what I do.

My last commission was from a friend that I had made a doll for. He loved his so much that he wanted to have me make one for his hubby. They're one of my favorite couples, so how could I resist?

It's tough creating art for an artist. The subject of my paper doll is also a doll artist, but more of a three-dimensional sort. I've learned to overcome my paranoia of doing portraits or portrait-type images of people other than myself. I'm such a perfectionist that I worry that the faces won't turn out looking EXACTLY like the person it's meant for.
This is my third commission that is supposed to resemble the subject of the art.

So while I'm working on this new commission, I'll share images of my last one.

Just hanging out, getting ready to be assembled!

A simple progress layout. Photo, sketch and final product.

I included images of his work with him.

Finished product inside his shadowbox.

Next week, images of the doll that I created for his husband!

"Synchronicity"

I did Robot Love: 2010 at the Good Gallery in Portland last year and it was fantastic. Out of the 4 pieces I dropped off, two were sold. For wedding presents, to boot!
This year, I wasn't able to be as prolific with my work as I was last year, but am glad that I was able to submit some work at least. I decided to continue with my doll theme. The more practice for my thesis project, the better, right?

So here are several photos of the project in various angles. The dolls are about 1/4 inch above some decorative paper that I had. This gives them a bit of dimension inside the shadowbox. This thing that makes them interesting, also makes them hard to photograph!

Yes, conjoined robots.

It's hard to photograph something that is not quite three-dimensional so that someone who's not standing in front of it can see it's dimensionality. But you get the idea.

The final, framed in a shadowbox.

The title came to me in the shower and I think it's completely appropriate.

My morbid sense of humor

Morton Salt, just in case you live under a rock.

Part of my Sketchbook project (which is going to be very thin, because I was busy living life and school that I didn't get to do as many sketches in it as I'd like to have) is going to have some 3D elements in it. Like things you pull out or unfold. I'm going to use it to "bulk" up my book. I may not have it in time to make the tour, but at least it may get into the library, and I can say it's "done".

Original sketch

Anyway. If you know me, you know I'm a sick individual (at least if you talk to my mom). I can find humor in most situations.
The topic of my sketchbook is rain, basically. So why not a zombie Morton Salt girl?!

Process, and some of my hair.

I really like the 3D aspect, makes it interactive. You pull the poster out of the book, sort of like the Griffin and Sabine books, if you've ever read those.
So here's the process on the Morton Zombie girl.

Closed in all its bulky glory.

Opening...

The little rain girl doll is part of the book too,

I just have to figure out how to attach her.

Opening...

The lower right corner of the "poster"  is 

glued to the right page in the sketchbook.

While I'm not as pleased with the outcome, I have the original sketch. Why not make it bigger as a poster for myself?! YES! So that's what I'm going to do. Take what I don't like out of the final and fix it for me.

In between

I haven't been doing as much personal work as I would like lately. I just got over a case of the cabin fever blues and then jumped right into school.
I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get any drawing done this semester because I have mostly liberal arts classes.
But I got to do a narrative piece that I've had mulling in my mind for years now.

I may change it at some point in the future because I want to practice my technique more. I'll let you decide what the story is.

I'll write more (and include photos) of the group show I was in recently at the good gallery here in portland. Robot Love: 2010. It's fairly self explanitory... but my parents, boyfriend, and good friends showed up and made me feel very loved. I'll write more about it as soon as I get some photos of it hanging.

*process photos of my narrative piece*

Tiki Princess & progression

I normally do these girls digitally, but I want to keep practicing my gouache techniques, and well, I was having some fun with it. I really need to practice my line quality, but I'm still relatively new to using ink and pens. There IS a reason I never went into brain surgery.

I love her chubby thighs and calves, but I think I really want to work on her ankles/feet. I'll more than likely do a digital version so that there is a consistency with the art... but I like the way she came out.