Live Fashion Illustration Event - Bespoke Watercolor Portraits For Websites, Engagements, or Weddings

I'm so happy I was a part of the Sip & Shop event put on by the Livingmividaloca.com team the other night in support of small businesses.  For this Friday night event they partnered with a truly unique boutique in Old Towne Orange, Something's New OC.  

Something's New OC

The lovely and vivacious Stephanie Robledo, contributor to @livingmividaloca, was my first watercolor sketch for the night.  

To prepare for this event, I packed up my Tombow Storage Tote with it's Tombow Dual Brush Pen Desk Stand, filled with Dual Brush Pens of course!  I also brought along my PrismaColor Pencils. Then I packed my brand new Mijello Mission Gold Water Color Set in their brand new Mission Mijello Fusion Folding Palette.  I really liked these watercolors. And my two new favorite colors are red brown and rose madder.  The palette is going to get a little getting used to, though.  The other brand new item I brought with me was the 9"x12" Hot Press Fluid Watercolor Paper Block.  When I first bought this paper it felt just like Bristol Board to me.  I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but it really surprised me.  It worked out perfectly!  I like the smooth hot press finish for the markers, but it  was also able to handle the watercolor washes.  I'm definitely getting more of this paper.  The last thing I packed was some large clear cello bags for clients to take their paintings home in and washi tape to secure the bags with.  I found the bags at my local Daiso store.

If  you want your own custom portrait or bespoke illustration whether it is for your business, engagement, wedding or a gift, visit my Etsy store and message me the details of your requirements.

The Living Mi Vida Loca Team

And here are a couple more watercolor sketches from the event.

Ciao Bellas!

Queen Victoria Watercolor Sketch

I was so excited to watch the second season debut of the Masterpiece series Victoria on PBS this past Sunday.  It really brings history to life!  I'm intrigued by historical shows and books.  I always wonder how people conducted their daily lives in the past.  Of course one of my favorite things to see is the fashion from this Victorian era.  What a lot of research the costume designer, Rosalind Ebbut, must have done to come up with such exquisite designs.  

And to think that a monarch who reigned over an empire was so tiny. It is said Queen Victoria was only four feet eleven.  In this production of Victoria, the queen is portrayed beautifully by the petite Jenna Coleman, who I loved from the Doctor Who series.

Here is a watercolor sketch I did of Jenna Coleman as Queen Victoria.  I added a little acrylic paint on top of the watercolor for some details.  Do you like my really expensive blue paper plate palette that I used for the acrylic paint?  I must admit that trying to clean up dried up acrylic paint off a palette drives me a little bonkers, so to avoid that frustration I just use something disposable.  

I am so looking forward to Sunday for the second episode in this lavish series!  I hear that some of Yorkshire's most famous stately homes such as Castle Howard and Bramham Park stand in for the royal residences of Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle.  I'll have to pay special attention to that next time.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Anyone?

Just a little prismacolor pencil sketch to celebrate Autumn and all things Pumpkin Spice!  Our weather in Southern California has been so hot.  Now that it has finally cooled off a bit, I'm starting to look at my winter sweaters.  It hasn't cooled off enough to actually put them on, but I can dream can't I?  So I am dreaming of a little Pumpkin Spice Latte on a crisp Autumn morning.  Happy Friday everyone!!

This Fashion Illustration Print is available in two sizes; 5x7 inches and 8x10 inches in my Etsy Shop. 

Halloween Cat Costume Sketch

Here's a little cat girl costume sketch I did for Inktober.  Halloween is almost here!  

What will your costume be?

Zoe Kravitz's Amazing Dior Dress At The Emmy's

There were a lot of amazing dresses at the Emmy's last night, but one of my favorites was the Dior rainbow ombre feathered dress worn by Zoe Kravitz.  She looked lovely.  She and her boyfriend, Karl Glusman, looked so stylish together.  I wish I could pull off her hairstyle!

I usually paint in watercolor, but this time I used acrylic.  However, I sort of used it in a watercolor way, by adding water and creating some washes.

New York Fashion Week Sketch

I'm having so much fun following New York Fashion Week!  It's so exciting to see all the new collections.  I just had to sketch this unique dress from Alexander Wang's Spring 2018 collection.  It brings a whole new meaning to a "shirt dress"!

Unfortunately, not all of us have the budget to buy something that graces the runway at New York Fashion Week.  Maybe try Women's Dresses for a more wallet friendly option at sprucing up your wardrobe.

Sunday Fashion Sketch

Just sketching with my prisma color pencils on a lazy Sunday before I head out to do some errands:)

Monday Coffee Art, Fashion Illustrations, Fashion Sketches and Fall Fashion

I'm longing for cool Fall weather so I can wear all my great Fall fashions and enjoy a warm cup of coffee on a crisp Autumn morning.  Since I'm in Southern California that is, alas, but a dream.  We are sweltering out here.  We have cooled off a little, it's not 90 degrees anymore, just 84 .  So while I am waiting , I painted a Fall Fashion Girl instead.

Fall Fashion Coffee Print

Cheeky Coffee Print

While I was in my love of coffee mood, I painted this little semi- customizable print.  You can choose which box you want checked on your print.  Or you can request different words.  And this print comes in two colors:  The white cup with pink lid, or the coral cup with white lid.

Coral Coffee Cup

Little Black Dress Bridal Shower Gift Tags

We are all searching for the perfect Little Black Dress!  From Coco Chanel's original little black dress to Audrey Hepburn's collaboration with Givenchy, to today's designers, the Little Black dress is a staple of every woman's wardrobe.  You can dress it up, or down.  It can go from the office to cocktails.

Little Black Dress Bridal Shower Gift Tags

This fashionista was taken from my original watercolor painting and she is ready for any festive occasion.  Whether you are having a Little Black Dress themed bridal shower, or you need tags for some hostess gifts, bridesmaids gifts or even a birthday gift this set of all occasion handmade gift tags are the perfect choice for you!

Little Black Dress Flat Thank you Cards

These are the coordinating Little Black Dress all occasion note cards.  They are also great for party invitations, thank you cards, or bridal showers.  These come in a set of 10 (3 1/2 in. x 5 in.) postcards from my original watercolor artwork.  Paired with 10 "Pink Lemonade" A1 envelopes (3 5/8 in. x 5 1/8 in.).  the back side of the card is blank for writing.  There are larger quantities available for parties and events.

Little Black Dress Fashion Illustration Print

This Fashion Illustration Print is available in a 5 in. x 7 in. or an 8 in. x 10 in. print.  This would be great as dressing room art, or chic office wall art!

If only I had a little black dress that looked like this in my closet!

Watercolor Sketch Portrait

The other night I wanted to do an exercise in loosening up.  Sometimes I have a tendency to tighten up my paintings when I know they are for a commission, or are going to be for sale.  I want them to be perfect, and there is always a time crunch, so I don't want to make a mistake and have to start over.  But in thinking this way, I can lose some life, spontaneity or some happy accidents in the artwork.  Plus, when you are working with really expensive watercolor paper, you don't want to ruin it.  Also, I usually need to work on smaller paper, so it will fit in my scanner.  Working small automatically makes me slow down and be more detailed.

So this night, I decided to just do a loose sketch on some inexpensive larger (14in x 17in) sketch paper.   Not for sale or a commission, just for fun.  Although I started this out simply as a pencil sketch, and this paper is not meant for watercolor, I ended up adding watercolor anyway.  It was a lot of fun, and accomplished my goal of loosening up!

  

From London to Paris -Fashion Illustration

I've had these paintings in my mind and on the back burner for some time.  I finally got the chance to paint them.  I wanted to link some fashionable ladies with a soft focus minimal city scape in the background.  It was hard to narrow down which cities and which fashions I would do first.  

This London City Girl Print wears a mini plaid raincoat with tall black boots.  She's got a pop of yellow in her ensemble to keep her cheerful in all weather. And she has a bit of a 1960's retro feel.

This Paris City Girl Print is effortlessly elegant and chic in her polka dot black blouse, navy skirt, and french twist.  Are those roses bound to decorate her home or office?

I don't know what city will be next.  Could it be Tokyo, Rome, or New York?