that sepia gal

I was perusing the September issue of Vogue from 2012 and came across the photo shoot inspired by Edith Wharton. It was chocked full of beautiful period clothing couture created just for the shoot. I am a sucker for period costumes, so I was a goner. I had to draw the Edith Wharton model in one of her lush costumes. This particular outfit was a puffy striped skirt, a black vest (early peplum, perhaps?), and a gauzy, frilly white blouse. Bingo.

I had intended for the line work to be looser, but it kept getting tighter and tighter. I'd like to get away from having "a style" but old habits are hard to break. She isn't exactly what I envisioned, but I suppose that is what practice is for. Someday, my technical skills will catch up to my mind's eye.

Brown India ink and white acrylic ink on brown cardstock paper.

sketches

A while back I had some artist's block and I couldn't make myself create anything original. Original, to me, means sitting down and drawing from my mind and not looking at photo references (I used to do it all the time before life drawing/anatomy classes ruined me).

To make myself draw something, I looked though an old issue of Vogue and flipped through the designer ads until I found some interesting poses/clothing.

A Ralph Lauren model and a Dolce & Gabanna model.

Close up. Drawn in my grey-papered sketchbook with the pulpy (hairy?) paper.

plotting girls

These ladies were created based on a spread from an Anthropologie catalog, circa 2008. There was a period where their catalogs actually had interesting looking models in it. These two women were on a grassy plain in the wind. They looked like they had some story to tell. Yet another attempt at trying to draw in a different style. I find that their anatomy is a bit wonky, but it's not so inaccurate that it bothers me that much. And obviously, the grassy plain didn't interest me.

Closer view of their torsos. I love that silly, frilly yellow sweater on the girl on the left. It's fun, but really only practical for B cups and below. I love that Copic markers bleed so well, and I also hate that Copic markers bleed so well. You can create some cool washes and bleeds, but sometimes you get bleeding when you don't want it. Using markers is definitely a learning experience.

And here is a process photo (I'm going to try to show more process photos):

men's fashion illustration

Trying my hand at some men's fashion illustration. I'm practicing for some more Mill City Men illustrations to come. I gotta say, men are not as easy to draw as women because, in my opinion, they're all angles. Women are more curves. I think it's easier to draw an organic curve than it is an angle. Ah well, that's why it's good to keep practicing drawing men.

more mill city men

A watercolor painting of one of the Mill City Men. Continuously working on improving my watercolor skills and figuring out how I want to render these men. Not quite the style I want yet, but getting closer!

collin for mill city men

Collin from Mill.City.Men. He was so fun to render! <3 Original MCM post here.