2020's Work Wins

 

I don't typically do a year in review post but 2020 was not a typical year now it. I've been feeling pretty bad about myself for weeks/months leading up to the end of the year thinking about the lack of brand work, well any work if I'm being honest, that I had this year. Being that I primarily live sketch at events and there has been none for nearly 10 months, its been a tough year. Then I read something that said to think about your small wins and accomplishments because this was a tough year, one certainly like none other and you did it, you had those wins. It was like a mini Oprah-light bulb moment for me because I did have some wins! So without further ado I want to share my wins of 2020: 

• At the start of pandemic I felt helpless. I wanted to do something to giveback to the frontline healthcare heroes aside from donate where I could and 7pm clapping out the window. (Which honestly was nothing short of magical the first few weeks or so! It truly felt like the entire city erupted in applause.) So I started Our Frontline Figures and for weeks had my social media followers submit photos of frontline health heroes they knew. Each week I would choose one and live sketch them on Instagram live then send that person their custom illustration as thank for you all that they've done. It was without a doubt the most fulfilling thing I did all year, giving back to those doctors and nurses who have been risking their lives every day. I received the most heartfelt thank you notes, cards and emails from them that continually brought tears to my eyes.

• I got BrookeHagel.com up and running! This was and still is a huge one for me. I have owned this domain name for probably over ten years without putting anything into it. Last year I finally started the site but was too scared/intimidated to figure out how to design it. But this year I finally took action! Its still by no means perfect, and theres SO much more I need to polish and add but its up and running with multiple pages like a bio, press page, books I've illustrated page, an FAQ page, a page with different ways to shop my work, which hopefully next year you'll be able to do directly on the site! Its getting there. And I'm proud of myself for finally making it happen because boy did I procrastinate this one! 

• Shortly after starting my website I also finally started my newsletter! Similar to the site, this is something I've wanted to do yearsss. As long as I've been blogging really. (which is almost 12 years!) And this year I made it happen and I'm SO proud of it! The overall look and feel reflects my brand vibe and aesthetic beautifully and I'm finally able to share directly with you guys straight to your inboxes! Which feels more intimate and special. You can subscribe here if you'd like to join in! 

• I had my first ever collection launch this year! In the past I've always just created individual products or prints, put them the shop and announced it. But this year I assembled a proper collection, marketed it and launched it all at one time, the Bunhead Ornament Collection. I'm so proud of how my little bunheads turned out. They're meticulously hand painted on handmade ceramic pieces, hung from raw silk ribbon and simply beautiful. A couple sold immediately upon the launch which was wonderful! Not all have sold out, but thats okay, as I can just hold onto them for next year as I plan to do a second collection in 2021.

• This last one is not exactly (not at all) a work win, but its a life win, and one I think is worth the share because who knows who will read it and perhaps benefit from it. In August I rescued a cat and she's completely changed my life. At the risk of sounding like a witch here I was just never a animal lover. Never one of those people who ran to pet peoples dogs or ogled over a cat but this kitty has completely transformed me. I named her Pearl, because she's white (well she was, now she's turning a bit gray) and because I'm a pearl lover and love that its a granny name. I can't put into words how nice it is to have this cutie to play with, cuddle with and laugh at--because sometimes she's hilarious! She's completely taken me out of my what seems like years long funk. (without going to deep here.) Yes I have to feed her and change her litter, which I was hesitant about beforehand, but I love her so much that its just not so bad. I go out and I miss her! I even got a "Pearl cam" to spy on her! I've become one of those people!! And of course, if you know me, I've made her an Instagram, which you should all follow! The entire time I've been writing this post she's been curled up in my lap and I couldn't imagine my apartment or life without her in it anymore. My little Pearl girl has truly been a game changer and made 2020 and quarentine not so bad. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about my small wins and maybe they inspired you in some way. I'd love to hear about your wins in the comments! Any pandemic pet adoptions? Product launches? Sign up for any classes or make it through a big book you didnt think you could tackle? I'm all about the small wins! Cheers everyone. I hope you have a happy and healthy new year and hopefully we'll all be celebrating small and big wins in 2021! 

Hand Painted Bunhead Ornaments

This holiday season I launched a hand painted bunhead ornament collection in the shop and it occurred to me this morning, on Christmas Eve that I never featured them here on Fabulous Doodles! So in the spirit of the holiday I wanted to bring my little ladies to the blog. I've been drawing and painting tiny croquis (fashion figures) with buns atop their heads since I was in grade school. I even had my first art show at around 15 years old at a coffee house in my Long Island town featuring a small collection of a them. But this is the first time I've ever adorned them on ornaments. If you're familiar with my work or follow me on the gram I'm sure you've seen the bunheads pop up in my IG stories, drawn in digital videos and occasionally sketched over photos but painted onto ceramics is a first!

I had the ceramic ornaments handmade from a fellow Etsy artist out west and I am so pleased with the results! I wanted the pieces to be fully handcrafted and not store bought or from a mold. One of my favorite features of them is actually the back, where you can see the handmade touch in the swirl of the clay and my signature. (You can see details of the back in the listing detail photos!) I grew up with parents who were both potters so I have a thing for ceramics.

 

I used my tiniest brush for these little ladies, as their hands, feet and limbs are dainty and the little brush almost acts like a pen tip capturing the finest details. I also wanted as many ladies on each ornaments as I could. I've been documenting the ornament painting process on my Instagram stories and I saved them all the highlighted album titled Ornaments if you're interested and want to see the ornaments take shape. I hope my little beauties bring good vibes to your Christmas trees! There are still a couple left for you late shoppers. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!...And to those who don't the ornament is still a nice decorative piece for the home. I'm one of them, and I have one hanging on my office mood board!

Fashion Illustration Gift Guide

As a Fashion Illustrator who's always creating and working with different clients and brands, I'm continually presented with new ways for fashion illustration to be enjoyed. And with the holidays in full swing now fashion illustrations make the perfect present for a multitude of recipients and I wanted to share my favorite gifts with you!

1. ART LOVER - The Print

Grab a gorgeous fashion illustration print of your choice to match the persons personality and decor! ($19 - $43)

2. INSTANT HEIRLOOM - The Hand Painted Ornament 

Limited edition Bunhead Collection ornaments. Each hand painted ceramic ornament features different silhouettes posing and dancing about to brighten both your tree and your mood! Choose the one that will spark joy in your giftee! ($65)

3. PET PARENT - Pet Portrait 

Any pet parent will melt when they see their fur baby has been captured in paint, marker and pencil as a forever keepsake to frame on their walls in a custom pet portrait! ($285)

4. GADGET QUEEN - Phone Case 

We all have our phones in our hands 24/7 why not give them makeover? Pick a fashionable phone case to resemble your giftee! Is she a bride-to-be? There are bride cases! Is she a yogi? The yoga girls case is a best seller! --Plus get $10 off when you spent $40 & free S/H through link! ($25-50)

5. STOCKING STUFFER - Bookmark 

A pretty little bookmarks makes the perfect little gift to drop in the mail to a teacher or as an add-on to a book purchase! It's also a great stocking stuffer for any fashion illustration lover when you're budget conscience. ($4.50)  

I hope you enjoyed this gift guide and got some gift ideas! Throughout the year I send more shopping suggestions, behind the scenes of my studio and general goodness in my newsletter. So if you haven't already subscribed you can do so here!

My Fashion Illustration Career Journey

Eleven years ago I started this fashion illustration blog, Fabulous Doodles along with my Etsy shop Brooklit followed by Brooklit Bride. I remember being excited but nervous about putting my work out there for the world to see. I also recall thinking it would be a side job (laughable now!) that fingers crossed could possibly lead to more. Something I'd write once in a while, get commissions from here and there, because that would be nice and who knows, I'd see where it went. What did I know for sure was that fashion illustration was my passion and sitting at a desk in a corporate office from 9 to 5 as I had been was not. (Although I was a Brand Designer for Hearst Magazines, so I did style, shop and design photoshoots and get be creative. It's not like I was selling insurance in my former career.) But I digress.

The day I launched a coworker featured me and my work on her blog, which immediately lead to multiple blog features, some of which were by very big and well known names in blogsphere at the time. Not soon after came my first my first commission for a global brand and then my first feature in a magazine. Every article, job and write up was so exciting! It felt electric. I remember running to my coworkers desk to tell her anytime an email came in with a fashion illustration inquiry.  Not soon thereafter though I lost my job during the recession. I remember crying to a friend that afternoon, not knowing what I was going to do because I'd just resigned the lease on my Manhattan apartment for two more years so the option of even moving home was out...So I kept blogging and following my passion but in those first years it was tough. I collected unemployment, (which back then was a whopping $485 a week I believe) I took odd jobs and even though I was well past my teen years I was back to babysitting again because you gotta do what you gotta do to the pay the rent and bills. But through it all I kept the blog and my Etsy shop going. And I kept taking commissions and promoting my work. Because as I always tell aspiring illustrators, you need to be consistent and passionate about promoting your work because no one else is going to do it for you, especially in the beginning. 

I began to gain more name recognition, clients and my career took off once I began regularly illustrating for Vogue. Its honestly still surreal to me, being a lover of fashion my whole life that I get to type that sentence. But it is, and it was. I've told this story countless times before but being a key part of my journey I certainly can't leave out here, so here it goes. I was blogging, taking commissions and going about life when a fashion PR girl reached out to me to live sketch her midsummer night soiree for fashion bloggers. I said no. This was something I was asked to do frequently but always turned down. I hated it when people watched me sketch, I didn't draw fast and the whole thing sounded overwhelming. Well she was very persistent and kept asking and I eventually gave in and decided to just try it. To my surprise it went really well and I wrote a blog post about it. The very next day I had an email from Vogue's head of events inquiring about my event sketching services! We set up a meeting and within a few days I was sitting in the Vogue lobby with my portfolio fully about to pass out. The rest is history. She hired me for her event and it was the first of many, many events I've worked on with Vogue over the past 8 years. They've sent me to on sketching tours of the country for 3 or 4 consecutive years and have collaborated with brands such as Clinique, Dior, Gap, La Mer, and Viktor & Rolf. Having Vogue as a client opened the doors to meeting many other designers and brands as has just being a guest a Vogue events and meeting future potential clients in person, when Voguers introduce me as their illustrator! Since Vogue I now also work with Burberry, Chanel, Cartier, Salvatore Ferragamo, Harry Winston, Pierrier-Jouet and Mindy Wiess Events to name a few.

I'm sharing all this now is because its a difficult time once again with this pandemic and the economic fallout for many including me and my business which is primarily doing live events--which have obviously have all been canceled in the last 6 months and counting. I'm trying to remain positive though and taking solace in knowing I've gotten through tough times in the past and I'll get through it again. I'm also trying to focus on the areas of my business that are not event based, pivot my efforts and and work on expanding my website, rebranding, and creating a new collection of work. I hope sharing my journey was insightful and maybe even helped you in rethinking your own. You never know how saying yes to one event, writing one blog post or taking one meeting could be launching pad of your career. Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments below! And be sure and check out my new newsletter so you don't miss any of the new things I'm working on!

Our Frontline Figure Custom Illustration Series

Towards the start of this health crisis I wanted to find my own personal way to give back to our healthcare heroes. The people on the front lines of the pandemic who are risking their lives every single day to keep us safe. I've been giving what I can personally, and now doing my part professionally. I launched my first Instagram live series titled Our Frontline Figures where for six weeks I created custom illustrations of our healthcare heroes inspired by photos submitted by their friends and families.

Every week my community joined me on Instagram live as I walked them through the custom illustration process. I taught how my process works every step of the way, people followed along and created their own custom sketches of a healthcare hero in their life and got to ask questions throughout. Throughout the six weeks I received submissions of healthcare heroes from across the country (and people tuned to learn to draw from around the globe!) winners were chosen at random. We had an ER nurse, a Pulmonary Doctor, two Manhattan based Covid nurses, a newly engaged nurse from Georgia and a New Jersey nurse who actually hosted a socially distanced IG live margarita viewing party on her front lawn because she was so excited about being chosen. The messages of gratitude from these heroes who are saving lives and risking their own health everyday continually moved me to tears.

As many of us do, I have a tendency to be my own worst critic and occasionally devalue myself and my talent. But this global pandemic has made me thankful for my talent and the talent and work of other artists in my community. Now more than ever, with everyone quarentined and isolated at home, people have been turning to the art and entertainment industries. I'm in a membership group for artists and another artist in the community recently commented on Facebook that "artist are barometers and scribes of society and the times we live in." (Darcy Goedecke) I think we'll look back on 2020 and in addition to it being a history making year it will also be a pivotal moment in art. That being said, I'm excited to say theres more to come from me soon and Our Frontline Figure series was only the first creative creation series.

Thank you for all the submissions and thank you to all the amazing Healthcare Heroes who participated every week and more importantly thank you for all that you to do save lives everyday during this global pandemic. You're truly an inspiration.

Custom Fashion Illustrations for a Bridal Shower

Today I had a meeting about sketching for a bridal shower and it got me thinking that its been a while since I shared a bridal shower I've live sketched here on Fabulous Doodles. I've sketched custom illustrations at countless private events but this pink bridal shower stands out as one of my favorites. Custom illustrating this bride-to-be, and her sisters in their custom made ensembles was a delight. The party was in the backyard of a Long Island estate and I live sketched the guests custom illustrations in a tent poolside while guests mingled about. It was a fun fete where nearly all the illustrations were in my favorite color, pink, since unbeknownst to me there was a pink dress code!

The bridal shower meeting I had today was primarily about doing illustrations of the bride-to-be before the shower so the illustration could be used throughout the Soho party as shower decor. I'm so looking forward to seeing this one come to fruition. Its always exciting to see what event planners create with my sketches! Did you see this jaw dropping party that Mindy Weiss threw for NBA star Russel Westbrook by blowing up and repeating my one custom sketch?! If you're interested in commissioning a custom sketch for your own future event or would like rates on having me live sketch at your private party you can email me at FabulousDoodles@gmail.com.

Past posts you may have missed:

• Party Sketching a Fashion Themed Bat-Mitzvah with Mindy Weiss
• Live Sketching Bridal Fashion Week for Brides Magazine
• Party Sketching for Brooks Brothers