Wrap-up 2024: Life Drawings

I don't think I've shared any of my life drawings on here before. In April of 2023, I decided to jump back into more "real life" drawing. I'm pretty confident with my digital art and my ability to draw paper dolls has improved a lot, but I really missed drawing from life. 

If you're looking for a paper doll, this post is not it. If you're looking for my art story and the work that goes into my craft, stick around! 

My Bachelor's degree is in Art History, NOT Fine Arts. I studied art in high school and was accepted to an art school. I didn't go. I was more interested in an academic path - what I really wanted was to study art itself and Art History was a natural fit. Art was something I could always make, regardless of my professional path. So I went away to a women's college, studied Art History, and took the occasional art class when it fit in my schedule. 

Until I dropped out at 20.

Sometimes life happens. I left the school I loved, took a couple of years off, and went back to the state university. As much as I loved Art History, I just couldn't devote a huge chunk of time to pursuing my PhD the way I wanted to. I was 25 when I finished my BA and felt like I had to choose between becoming an academic and having a life. While finishing my BA, I started taking art classes again. My professors encouraged my to apply for the MFA. I didn't. I should have. 

Fast forward almost twenty years and two kids later, I decided I wanted more. Sure, the paper dolls are great and that's not going anywhere, but I needed to find out if I could still DRAW. There's a local arts group that is very active, with workshops twice a month including a still life and a clothed model. In 2023, I finally got up the nerve to go.

It's been great! 

There's a mentor there as a guide. He's terrific! The whole community has been so nice and so welcoming. I try to go to every session, but that doesn't always happen. In 2024, I went January through July. With the August convention, my family vacation, other emergencies/obligations, holidays, etc, I just didn't make it there. I managed to go once in November.

Here are some of the things I drew in my workshops. And if you're local to northeastern Massachusetts, check it out. 

 First up are the still life images, from my 9 by 12 sketchbook. My youngest son went to quite a few sessions with me and we drew together so it was easier to work on the still life. This one is oil cans.

Coffee grinder and mug. Not one of my more successful drawings. Lots of issues!

A Chinese horse sculpture and a clay pot. Again, quite a few issues with this one.

This one is ok. Still some wobbly lines and bad measurements but ok. I forget what the fruit was...lemons? And maybe an orange?

Peppers! I got some really great blacks in this one, so much so that there's glare. This one was a lot of fun to work on.

Teapot and egg cup. Kinda meh but I liked drawing the folded fabric. 

Plate, mug, and lemons. I really like how the mug came out here. I should have pushed my values a little bit more but not bad overall.

Tea kettle, lemon, and a plate. This is the same plate as the image above, but it's much more successful. I tried to spread out the values, too, so there are more darks and lights.

  

This was the last session I made it to in November. I really liked the still life setup so I drew it twice. I'm not sure which one I like better. I really went for the darks! 

I didn't draw a lot from the model this year. I prefer to draw female models simply because that's what I want to improve on for my paper dolls. It's not to say that I don't draw men - I do, and it IS helpful - but it doesn't always hold my interest. All of these are pencil on toned paper, and maybe a bit of white charcoal.

I drew this from a distance after I had completed a still life drawing. I couldn't see a lot of detail so I could draw a lot of detail! This is one of my favorite drawings from all of the workshops!

This is another instance of drawing the still life, then jumping into drawing the model. Normally I pack a portable easel and stand up to draw. I just like that method better than looking down at my drawing, then looking up at the model. I didn't come to this session prepared to draw from the model, but she had such a wonderful look that I HAD to get something on paper! 

My favorite model drawing of the year! It isn't perfect but I like the lights and darks, the way the hair falls, the nose is pretty good...there's a lot that went right here. I'm not a strong portrait artist and I'd like to improve. I'll keep working at it until I get there!

Wrap-Up 2024: My Projects

My inspiration this year came in fits & spurts. I didn't have a plan for the blog or a long-term project. I tried to focus on doing things I loved instead of "feeding the blog" - a phrase I'm borrowing from Rachel! If you haven't seen it yet, Rachel has a terrific coloring book available. I grabbed a digital copy and it's full of fun themes. Check it out! 

2024 was a busy year for me but that's not obvious if you only follow the blog. I use my personal Instagram and Facebook to share my art, too, because for me, it's all the same thing. Especially now that the kiddos are teens, I always share my intentions with them and never post something they don't approve. Feel free to follow along on social media if you'd like but be warned, it's family stuff AND art! 

I spent a large part of 2023 attending a local art workshop and that continued in 2024. I just recently realized that I've shared very little of that here so that will be a separate post in the future.

On to the paper dolls! 

2024 started with a wrap-up of 2023 so nothing new there.

In February, I created a Leap Day paper doll.

I've been digging into vintage paper dolls for pose inspiration. This one is based on a Skipper doll from the late 60s. Frogs just seemed like a natural fit for Leap Day. It was mostly created in Procreate with layout, tabs, and text in Photoshop.

The next personal project I tackled was a solar eclipse paper doll.

The total solar eclipse in April covered a large swath of the US. We were outside of totality but it was such a rare & interesting topic that I wanted to commemorate it. This doll was also mostly Procreate with layout, tabs, and text in Photoshop. You can print this or order a print from Paperdoll Review.

Also in April, I came across a paper doll from the early 1900s. I loved the pose. Even though the image I had was very low resolution, it was enough for me to figure out a pose.

Here's an early sketch with the reference image. I love how the hands came together! Hands are tricky!

I don't think I ever actually shared this book on the blog! This was created completely in Procreate and Photoshop. It's one of the few projects where I didn't start with a sketch on paper. Initially, I started this as a fun little experiment one morning while everyone in my house was occupied. My goal was to demonstrate best practices when using references but I got carried away. By the end of the day, I had every page roughed out! It felt so good to be so focused. I threw myself into it, completed it, and sent it over to Jenny. She was thrilled with it! It was the only book of my own that I fully illustrated in 2024. And that's ok. Timeless Beauty of the Teens is available at Paperdoll Review.

If you follow art trends on social media, you might be familiar with MerMay. I'll admit, I've seen the hashtags and art over the years but I didn't know where it started. If you're in the same boat (lol!!), you can find out more on the origins here. I've always wanted to jump in but never found the time. For 2024, I made the time and created a one-page mermaid.

I sketched this one out on paper in a tiny sketchbook. Initially, I thought about rendering it with watercolors but life just got in the way so I worked on it in Procreate. If I can get myself organized, maybe I'll play along with the official MerMay prompts.  

Around the same time, I was working on the Paper Doll Convention souvenirs. 

The theme for the convention was the 1920s. I agreed to work on something with a circus theme. In my research I discovered Lillian Leitzel, a German acrobat who met a tragic end. I came across a circus poster that became the inspiration for the whole set. I've been trying to become a bit more painterly and imperfect in my renderings so that they have a little more life to them. I feel like I'm getting there, especially with this set. The background is one of my favorites and I'm really happy with the layout.

I really try to submit something to Paperdoll Review for every issue. Some themes speak to me more than others. Issue 91with its Colonial theme was one of them! 

For the colonial theme, I knew I wanted something based on New England. It's my home. My family has been here for centuries, since the Colonial era. So I decided on a Pilgrim inspired by Plimouth Patuxet (formerly known as Plimouth Plantation), a living history museum in Massachusetts. It's a great place to visit if you get the opportunity and they've been actively growing their programs to include all perspectives of colonization, not just the English perspective. 

Starting in August, my life got hectic! My plan August was to attend the convention, send my kids ahead on our family vacation, fly home and leave the next day on a roadtrip with my husband to join my kids & my parents in Tennessee. I managed it but it was ROUGH. My plane home from the convention was delayed for hours. I landed at midnight, drove home, slept two hours, and drove 16 hours straight to Gatlinburg. I do not recommend this sort of silliness but if you try it, I hope your companion is as great as my husband was during this whole adventure.

 

When we returned, I decided I wanted to make a Halloween paper doll series. I LOVE Halloween but I didn't have a lot of time to pull this off. I took a black & white flapper that I created for the convention, colored it, and jumped into a vintage style Halloween set. You can check out the whole series here. There are four pages and one of my goals for 2025 is to complete this set and turn it into a book.  

Finally, I have one more project that I wasn't sure I'd pull off but I did! A couple of years ago, I took old art and turned it into a calendar. It was just a whim but folks really loved it. I wanted to make one for 2024 but never got to it. In October of 2024, I drew a doll for a Round Robin project inspired by Betsy McCall and I COULD NOT stop thinking about it! It took on a life of its own. What would a modern-day Betsy McCall be named? What would she wear? What would she do? And that became Emma McKay!

 Emma McKay Everyday is my 2025 calendar project! More than 70 mix-and-match pieces spread over twelve months each with a timely theme and little story. This only came together because Jenny mobilized her team to help me pull this off. Editing, rewriting, tweaking, etc, and it was all worth it. It's available here and will be available for most of the year. Lulu delists calendars automatically as the year comes to an end, so if you want one (or two!), now is the time.

Next week I'll share some of the IRL art I've been working on. It isn't paper dolls but all drawing helps me make better paper dolls!

Wrap-Up 2024: Paperdoll Review Projects

Happy New Year! 2025 feels like some sci-fi year set in the far-flung flying car days of the future. It's not really real, I guess. I mean it is, obviously. My kids laugh at me when I get like this and talk about "the late 1900s" just to annoy me! 

Today I'm back into normal routine mode with the first of several wrap-up posts. I like sharing what I've done and what my (very loosely defined) goals are for the year. This post is a few of my favorite projects for Paperdoll Review. 

Every single year I am THRILLED that I get to work on all of these wonderful projects. 2024 marked five years of working with Jenny and publishing my books with her. She's a dear friend. The whole community is just a joyful part of my life. I am grateful every day to be a part of it.

Ok, enough sappiness. On to the projects.

These are all of the paperdoll books of 2024! If you get the Paperdoll Review newsletter, you'll see that I shamelessly swiped this image from that!! And if you aren't subscribed to the newsletter, you can subscribe here (scroll to the bottom of the page, in the left-hand column). For more fun, check out the reel on Facebook here. I want to share a few of my favorites - even though I love them all!!

This year, I colored two books drawn by Brenda Sneathen Mattox. The Princesses of Wales and Bridal Fashions of the 1920s and 1930s.

I'm a little nervous every time I color line art from another artist. I want the line art to shine! David Wolfe really gave me the confidence to take on these kinds of projects. Collaborating on his books, his advice, and his belief that I could do this sits at the forefront of my thoughts every time I color a book. 

Both of these books were edited in Photoshop and colored in Procreate, with additional elements edited in Illustrator.  

One project that just grabbed my attention instantly was Kwei-lin Lum's Jazz Baby. Her art is so inventive and vibrant! She had a very clear vision for the covers and I used that as inspiration for the interior layouts. We collaborated on the stereo on the cover - she had an idea of what she wanted and I worked it up in Illustrator, then added the textures in Photoshop. The fashions in this book are just totally stunning. I LOVE this book so much! 

Dan DeSantis's first book from Paperdoll Review, Cairo Pemberton, is another one of those projects I was in love with instantly. His art is so beautiful! He also had a clear vision for this book, with fully designed covers and colors ready to go for the borders. This project was mostly image extraction and clean-up on my end, with title treatments. Every page is lovely and I'm looking forward to working on more of Dan's books. 

Finally, I want to highlight two books that were very special to me this year, Ralph Hodgden's Ann Blyth and Rapunzel. 

 

Ralph is a legend in the paper doll world. His knowledge of the glamorous era of Hollywood is unparalleled. And his art is breathtaking in its detail. These are the first two books he's published with Paperdoll Review despite a long career as a self-published artist. He's been kind and encouraging in my growth as an artist and it's a privilege for me to edit his art into book form. Expect more books and prints from Ralph in the future. Jenny invited me to join her on a trip to Boston to see Ralph and gather up some of his art for publication. It's high on my 2025 goals list!      

I could write endlessly about each and every book from 2024. Every book that I work on feels like the best book ever, every time! I love editing art for other paper doll artists. If I've done it well, you don't know I've done anything at all. 

In my next post, I'll share my projects from 2024 and what my goals are for 2025. 

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

 If your December has been anything like my December, it's been super busy! Two birthdays, a quick trip to Boston with Jenny Taliadoros to see Ralph Hodgden, a winter concert at the school, multiple visits to the one of the boys' schools (for good things!), several doctor's appointments, and family festivities...It's been a lot! I love being busy with the kids and I know those days are numbered, but I'm looking forward to some downtime, for sure. 

This year's holiday card comes from my ongoing Emma McKay project. I started thinking about what Betsy McCall or Dolly Dingle or other "every girl" kinds of paper dolls might be like today. I took that idea and turned it into a calendar. You can grab the calendar here.

Right-click on the image to save it at full resolution. 

Happy Holidays to you & yours, whatever you celebrate. And here's hoping the blog will be a bit more active next year!

Vintage Halloween Flapper - Page 5

Happy Halloween! 

Today's outfit is a whimsical witch inspired by several sources.

Click on the image for full-size, then right-click to download

There is just SO MUCH excellent source material for a flapper/Art Deco/20s & 30s Halloween paper doll! In some cases, I combined various elements.

For my witch, I loved the idea of this swoopy neckline and shoulder bows. I also really like the idea of a lime green accent and I borrowed both ideas from this vintage decoration.

I also really loved the idea of a huge, elaborate dress like the decoration above. Linear accents popped up a lot, too, and I liked the idea of a spooky vintage cat running along the dress. And finally, I wanted a witch costume that wasn't all black so I went with rich lime, orange, and purple with the yellow stars.

 

For anyone who doesn't know this about me, Halloween is A BIG DEAL around my house. We all love it! In 2019, I started putting up a Christmas tree decorated for Halloween. Even before the pandemic, we were a bit more house-bound than I would have liked. I started putting this tree up as a silly way to cheer up the house for the kids and they loved it! So it's been 5 years and apparently it's trendy now! We still all love it.

Much like last year, my oldest is passing out candy at home. It's a task he's always enjoyed. Trick-or-treating was never his favorite thing and he was happy to give it up. My youngest, however, fully embraces the idea of running around after dark in search of candy while dressed in an absurd costume! This year, he's an inflatable Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from the Ghostbuster movies.

It's ridiculous and hilarious and awesome. We'll see how long he can walk in this get-up! Whatever you and yours do for Halloween, I hope it's a sugar-laden festival of fun and just a tiny bit frightful! And I hope you've enjoyed following along with my flapper!

Vintage Halloween Flapper - Page 4

 Fall is the absolute best time in New England. Well, most years anyway! This year has been too hot and too chaotic. We've been plagued with illness & unexpected medical issues since September! We're all fine and none of it is huge in the grand scheme of things. It's just been a lot.

Click on the image for full resolution and right-click to download and save

I don't really have a reference for today's pretty pirate. It's a bit of a mix of pirate costumes and gypsy costumes. The idea of a "Gypsy" is a bit outdated for me so I took the elements I liked, such as the hip scarf and coin-beaded vest, and added them to a pirate instead. The dress is a bit flapper-ish and she's armed for adventure with her little wooden sword.

Next week is the last week of this little series! I hope everyone is enjoying it as much as I am!

Vintage Halloween Flapper - Page 3

 In my research for this project, I came across all kinds of wacky and wonderful costumes/fancy dress. Some were understated. Some were over-the-top! I came across a lot of pumpkins, cats, historical figures, whimsical flowers, and more. And spiders. Lots of spiders. 

Click on the image for full resolution, right-click to download and save

There were so many spider costumes! I sort of blended a few together to get this sparkling set. 

This image was my main inspiration. I simplified the headpiece a bit. I really wanted it to shine so the webbing got the glitter treatment. The web and spiders sparkle while the dress is meant to be a sort of velvet material. 

There are two more weeks to go! Do you have a costume picked out? One of my sons is ALL IN on Halloween. One prefers quietly passing out candy at home. Me? It's my favorite holiday of the year! Come back next week for another page in the set!