What's your damage Heather?

I did something reaaaally cool last weekend.
Two illustrations of Kinder Aggugini's collection for Spring/ Summer 2013 he just showed on London Fashion Week for Amelia's Magazine.
So yeah, it's true, when it rains it just pours!

I really loved doing the illustrations. First of all they are really cool off-beat pieces. Like a grungy Martha's vineyard girl. I feel like she could have been Winona Ryder's character at one point, something that blends together Heathers, Edward Scissorhands and Age of Innocence. And second, I was on such a creative roll, all pumped up on Fashion fringe adrenaline they just poured out of me.
To be honest, I still am, but I have so much catching up to do on my day job, I don't have time to doodle, much less to draw.

So yeaaah... There is some pasta arrabiatta coming up so am off.

P.S. In case you are on the younger side, here is the explanation of the heading.

How did Fashion Fringe go you ask

Well let me tell you... and will start with the bad part:
- In some weird twist of fate they didn't have hot pink tights anywhere on Oxford street. I know should have goon to Camden, but after that energy vampire of Oxford street sucked the last drop of my energy I was left a broken woman. A very irritable zombie. So purple ones it was. Which was okeyish I guess...
- Somehow I got the one slow girl in Hershesons to do my hair which kind of moved everything to be last minute. Then I started walking down Regent street trying to hail a cab but this was not happening. I ended up walking all the way to Somerset house with wind "playfully" messing up my hair and undoing the last 45 minutes of brush, hairdryer and Elnett work resulting in me coming to fashion week with messed up hair. NOT how I imagined it.
- Unfortunately the postcards that Shopstyle provided us with for the sketching wasn't compatible with my brush pen so it made work a bit harder. Sad smiley.
- My hands were shaking soooo much.

And now for the good part:
- The company last night was so great. The girls from Shopstyle, Cherish PR and Zarina were such lovely company. Everybody was so nice, so relaxed and so encouraging. They really made something which could have been very nerve wracking for me into a very pleasurable evening.
- People at the pre-show drinks were so delighted with someone drawing them and sooo cooperative. Whoever I asked if they would like to be sketched said yes.
- Some of the drawings I really loved but unfortunately don't have a picture of them. So if someone I made a pic of last night finds their way to the blog please tweet the pic (with you in it off course :-)) as I would love to have them.
- I got to draw Hillary Alexander. But you probably know this already as I managed to brag about it 3 times already since last night. Don't judge me: I really like and respect her and it was such a privilege that she allowed me to sketch her. Only problem is ( and you can count this in the upper bad category) the drawing I gave her wasn't as good as the one I made later on the show.
- I really really love drawing people. I should definitely do this more often
- And yes the fashion show was great. My favorite was Teija Eilola.

I think this is pretty much that. I am sure am missing on a bunch of details but that's life for you.

Drawing in London

So... a very cool thing happened but I can't divulge the details yet. As soon as I get the all clear I will.
In the meantime what you can know is that am still in London and I have to do a lot of drawing. Of the fast sketching kind. 
I don't have my tablet with me so it's not as easy to make a post and this is why am presenting you with one of the today's mini successes from Costa coffee. I basically go around London, sit in a coffee place and draw who ever sits or stands still long enough. Mostly people don't so I end up finishing them by my own accord. This is usually a bit more glamorized version of what people look like while sitting in Costa coffee but there you go.
Anyways until the next post when I can, hopefully finally can tell you about something exciting happening in my life.

The one in which I ponder some tehnique issues

I have been working on paper lately again. Hence my absence.
I enjoy it so much. I find it interesting how my brain doesn't accept drawing on a computer and drawing on paper as basically the same. I don't think digital plays a role here because it's still basically making two dimensional art. But I have to think about this some more I think.
Anyways drawing on paper elicits some quite delightful feelings so maybe I should keep it going, ha.
The other thing is that I have been reminded how much the technique determines the style, but I wish to be more consistent. I would like to bring my analogue and my digital style closer together. This mostly means I 'd  like my computer work to be even less refined. I see now how much it suites my personality my paper style. The fast stroke, splashes of color, unpredictability of both color and stroke.
But the fact I don't have Cmnd + z kills me. So many times I wish I could return an illustration to a previous state. Which is not an option unfortunately... or luckily? Maybe it turns out, like with many harder options, that was the better one.