Kittys Drawings

Hi Guys!
So I’ve finally got some piccies of the latest project. I used Butterick 2633 which is from the late 50′s/early 60′s. Here’s a pic of the pattern:

I’m much happier with this dress than anything I’ve made so far. There’s still a few niggling things I need to get the hang of, but overall everything worked out. The whole thing is lined and I actually tried it all on properly before sewing everything. I still needed to take a lot out of the bust area to make it fit. Also, I pinched a whole section out of the centre back as it was gaping. I must have narrow shoulders if all these dresses are gaping up there. Not sure how I will transfer that to the pattern when I trace it onto plastic.

The pleats are mega nifty and used a LOT of fabric! Woo! You wouldn’t believe how much is stuffed in that waistline

The biggest issue I had was the closures. I had originally planned to use all snap fasteners but the pattern instructions ended up being right in saying a zipper for the top half of the side opening would be best. It doesn’t bunch at all since the zip only goes to the waistline, and from the waist down it’s 4 snap fasteners. My issues are that I just can’t get them to look that tidy! The zip actually looks fine and is probably one of the neatest ones I’ve done – but the gap between the zip and the snaps where I’ve put a hook and eye thingy just looks blah. Lucky I can cover it with a belt.

It’s such a fun summer dress! Very comfy. Oh and the lining…. I didn’t want to use normal silky lining material (what is that stuff called?) cos I thought it would defeat the purpose of a breezy dress. Solution? A trip to the Salvos and a purchase of a queen size white bed sheet for $4! Perfect! It’s soft and cool and just what I wanted. Not to mention I’ve got tons left for other projects. The lining of the skirt is a really shoddy looking petticoat sorta thing. It doesn’t look that flash but it’s only there so my skirt isn’t see-through. I’m thinking of getting some tulle and stitching it to the bottom for a bit of extra puff.

The other day I popped into Savers just to have a look and found these few little things…since I’m missing a bit of green in my stash. The two on the left will become tops I think – there’s not too much of those but I could probably squeeze a dress out of the yellow one if I found the right pattern. It would work nicer as a top though don’t you think? They’re both amazingly soft.
The two green ones are bigger lengths, with quite a lot of the paler green one. I’m thinking quite a way into the future and considering possibly a crazy 50′s suit out of that one. How cool would that be!? All wasp-waisted with sharp angles and a slim fit skirt with killer kick-pleats up the back. Yeh!
The far right green one I just LOVE. Oh wow it’s so pretty. What a colour! Only enough to make a skirt out of that one I think. It’s a really heavy material too.

All this for $12.95. I love Savers.

Wow I’ve sure rambled! I’m almost finished my red button up dress. Should be done by the end of the weekend provided I can get my buttonholer making neat buttonholes.
Then what next!?

• A 40′s dress in the navy & white polka dot crepe

or

• 40′s shirt/blouse in cream?

Decisions decisions.

Til then!
Seeyas

(and yes I’m still workin on that drawing)

More birds! Not ugly ones this time

Today I took the day off. One of my final rostered days off (RDO) before my apprenticeship finishes. That’s right – this time next week I will no longer be an apprentice!! YAY! That’s been almost 5 years in the making – I started at my work in January 2005 at tender age of not quite 21 hehe And now I’m finally finished! Not that that will be the end of my education. I’ve still got my Cert IV to finish and who knows, I might consider a diploma or a degree (part time) to round off my graphics/prepress knowledge.

Anyway – the reason I took the day off was so that I could finally catch up on some drawing! Jonny needs a few things done for his Cult-of-Pop website…I’ve knocked one of those down – click the link to see the Featured Article graphics I did. Just a quick one in Illustrator.
We had breakfast in the cafe downstairs and brainstormed the other art I need to do for him. I sketched a cool looking crow in the process which all of a sudden took precedence and I HAD to draw it properly. Tehehe.
So here he is – a bit plump and round and soft looking. But look at his beady beady eye!!

Details:

Now I’m off to do some of the Cult-of-Pop stuff before Jonny gets narky at me hehehe

Ohmigod YAAaAAaaaY!!!

;-P

I got sick of the other one I posted two days ago. Wasn’t able to quite get the look I was after. So yesterday I referred to a sketch I did previously (the one in this post) and started from scratch…..

Much better!!
Can you see the similarities? It’s not quite the same.
I’d like to do a few more of these as a possible series to sell at some point.
What do you all think?

Technical details: Took me about 6 hours total using Painter IX.5 only.

And some little close ups…

Oh and news on the award nomination…I can relax for a little bit longer. Well not really. But the interviews are scheduled roughly around the end of June…So I’ve got a bit of time to get my folio together. Yay! And the award night will be in early July I do believe.
Now I really really have to think about how I want to present my work. I don’t want to use a standard black portfolio…I want to make something. Use some nice paper and present it in a unique way. Hmmm…..

And I don’t even have a portfolio online! I am getting increasingly frustrated at my lack of web design knowledge. I can fiddle with Fireworks and that’s about it. I don’t know any code and I don’t know if I should. And I’m too tight to pay someone to design anything. Also partly to do with the fact I feel I need to manage ALL creative aspects myself. Is that crazy talk?
Do other artists/designers feel this way? Is it justified? Thoughts?

Anyways. My boyfriend is hassling me to watch a movie. Signing off for the weekend!