Girls Night Out: Shop Brooklit

I have another invitation to share with you, this time for a girls night out shopping event that I'm participating in. If your in the NYC area come by to say hi, shop, drink and support a great cause. I'll be there (along with other vendors) selling items from my Etsy shop such as prints, magnets, mirrors, and cards. I've also donated framed prints as raffle prizes that you could win!

Proceeds from the $10 admission ticket (which includes 2 raffle tickets) will be donated to the Rebecca School for Autism, a therapeutic day school for children 4 to 18, promoting the education and development of children with neurodevelopmental disorders of relating and communicating, including PDD and autism. To purchase your pre-sale ticket email: pta@rebeccaschool.org

(Invitation shown includes my Rose fashion illustration. Click here to see her in color or to purchase a print.)

Be Bold: Black & White Stripes

Mr. Graham, my high school art teacher, would always tell us to "BE BOLD." He would remind us as he strolled the room critiquing work, it was often scribbled somewhere on the blackboard and he even wrote it inside the card he gave me graduation day. Being that is was so reinforced, and that I'm a pack rat who saves everything, like his card, its one of those things that has really stuck with me. Well what's bolder than a crisp large scale black and white stripe!?!

(Clockwise from top left: Jessica Stam Vogue UK June 08', Vogue UK Feb 08', Vogue Italia June 94', Vogue Mexico Sept. 07')

When it comes to my fashion illustrations I try to look at each sketch and figure out what I could do to BE BOLD. While drawing Mystie here I started with this somewhat demure pose and my way to make it pop was to add my favorite pattern, large, and on a diagonal.

(Clockwise from top left: Valentino shoes, Christy Turlington Vogue US Apr 88', Neuropeach, Paul Costello for Domino.)

I've pulled a bunch of images here of other ways in which designers, stylists and decorators have used black and white stripes to achieve this striking and bold look. Do you like them? I know it's made me crave a little apartment and wardrobe makeover!

JCrew Bridal Boutique Invite

If your in the NYC area tomorrow, stop the opening of the very first JCrew Bridal Boutique. As if you needed more incentive, its being hosted by the fabulous Darcy Miller of Martha Stewart Wedding's. Isn't the invite adorable? I love that they chose to show only the back of the bride and her dog in matching veils and matching "dots." Too cute.

Lovely List: Favorite Posts

I'm off to DC soon for the long holiday weekend, but decided to first post these images as a nice visual to kick off to summer. The scalloped shingles are my friends neighbors in Brooklyn, the sunset was in the Hamptons last summer, and the girl is an older illustration I did years ago inspired by a Michael Kors runway look.

Since there's now a year of posts behind me it seems to be a good time to go back and take note of some of my favorites. Here is a list (and links through the dates) to my top posts from the first year of Fabulous Doodles.

• I'm an Etsy Guest Blogger - 10/9/09
• Blog it Forward: Inspired by... - 3/15/10
• Big Love for my Design - 11/24/10
• Tuesday Tip: Poses - 2/23/10
• Lovely List: Design Ideas - 2/10/10
• Secret Weapons - 12/12/10
• New and Improved Audrey - 1/5/10
• Oscar's Gifting Suite - 3/7/10
• Tuesday Tip: Denim - 5/4/10

I also have a separate list for next week of favorites featuring other illustrators! Should you feel like sharing I'd love to hear which post(s) have been your favorites and I hope everyone has a fabulous and relaxing long weekend!

Happy Birthday Fabulous Doodles

It's my first "Blog Birthday"! I can hardly believe I've been authoring a blog for a year now. I'd like to say a big thank you to you, all my wonderful readers! I'm so grateful for your support, encouragement, questions and comments.

I was extremely intimidated to start writing and putting myself out in the blogsphere for all to see, but its been such a positive experience. When I started Fabulous Doodles I thought I would simply share new products added to my Etsy shop and the occasional fashion illustration from designers. I had no idea people would contact me for advise and that my blog would turn into sharing not only my illustrations and current projects but books, tools and tips for others to use and learn from.

One year has past, 135 posts, numerous freelance projects, features, press, and Fabulous Doodles continues to grow. You can check out my first post, by clicking here, and see how I timidly started. Once again, I thank you and look forward to your comments, tweets, and facebook fan page messages in the next year.

Inside the Sketchbook: Renaldo Barnette

As promised I have more fabulous fashion illustrations to share with you from the sketchbook of my friend Renaldo Barnette. These illustrations are a small sampling of the inner (and outer, with the cover sketch pictured above) workings of his sketchbook and how he builds on ideas and develops his designs.

I love how he uses dress forms here to illustrate the back of designs. Its different and adds depth to the pages but its also such a genius time saver. I didn't actually discuss this with Ren, so I can only speak for myself here, but each illustration takes time, even if its just a back view. So to not have to illustrate another set arms, legs, head of hair, etc. helps your design rhythm to flow and stay focused on creating.

Another element in Renaldo's sketches that I admire is that he illustrates a variety of ethnicities and bodies. Many illustrators stick to one overall look but that is clearly not the case for Renaldo. You even see evidence of that in the few images in this one post.

These were just a few samples of Renaldo's work that I quickly photographed while we sat on park bench in my neighborhood with an hour to kill. Hopefully he'll let me share some more with you again soon. (And hopefully next time there won't be a sketchy homeless man serenading me!) Because I love a good Renaldo fix, as I'm sure you, my readers, do too!