Aww, you guys made me ink...

As a warm-up exercise, I've started doing ink drawings. Aside from being perpetually inspired by Jess Fink's artwork (nsfw), I found out that the bottle of black ink I bought recently (which is a different kind apparently) is water-soluble. Both of these are costume history inspired, naturally. The top of is a reference to the shepardess look from the Georgian (Rococo) period and the bottom is loosely based off the Crinoline period.  I love how crinoline gowns POOF when the wearer sits or moves quickly. Both of these are for sale on my Etsy.

Speaking of my Etsy store, I was recently inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement (we're way past just protests since this is now an international affair) to thank anyone who chooses to buy from a small independent seller as opposed to a corporation. With that in mind, I'm giving a 10% discount on all purchases on my Etsy store when the coupon code "OCCUPY" is used. I'm also including a thank you sketch for every purchase.

Timeline

It's about time I put this up. While being able to use the scanner was awesome, some compression or something happened during the saving process and all the colors got messed up. This was the best I could do to get it looking like the original. Looks like I might end up having to go to Kinko's after all. -.-
This was for a creative project in my History of Costume course about a year ago. I absolutely adored this class and this project. We had to combine costume history and our other academic interests so I set up my timeline as a sort of animation on a reflection of women's rights through history. Ancient Egypt through Greeks are both very submissive since women were given little to no rights then. In the Medieval times, women were slightly more elevated through religion because of a pious woman's relationship to the Virgin Mary, women saints, etc. Elizabeth I during the English Renaissance is the first to open her eyes and look forward to a more powerful role for women in society. The Georgian woman is turned away from progress but is looking ahead (since Humanism was gaining popularity but wasn't applied to women). The Crinoline period is what Americans consider the Frontier period as well which was a powerful time for pioneering women. In the Late Victorian era, women began to dress in styles inspired by men's clothing and it was becoming more acceptable for a woman to work. As much as I love the 50s, women definitely looked back at "the good ol' days" a little too fondly. Modern women are becoming so empowered that I had the final figure walk right off the page.
The figures are pencil, watercolor, and colored pencil and the background is metallic gold acrylic paint (stupid paige).

poor provincial life

I'm not as proud of this one as I have been of others, to the point where I'm already planning a redo, but I want to know what people will think of it. As I mentioned in the previous post, I was torn between 1780s and 1820s or so. I went with the latter. I didn't think her face was as recognizably Belle either so I kept her dress yellow. I realized something very important while working on this one and Pocahontas (which is currently in the sketching process): I need internets!! I don't have it at my apartment, where I've been working on these, and I really need it when I'm looking for reference pictures. It's so frustrating!! Oh well. Here's Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991).

oh man

Lots of changes in Halseyland (that sounds better than Paigeland I think). I'm back from Italy, which is sad but also nice because I was actually getting kinda homesick. Italy was absolutely AMAZING. Not a whole lot of artwork got done while there but I got some great pictures and some reference material for future pieces so yay!
After a few days in Massachusetts, I drove up to the new apartment in Vermont. I'm still not fully moved in and my place doesn't have internet as of yet but at least I have a bed now (believe me, this is a big accomplishment). I can't promise how frequently I'll be posting but I'll do my best.
As for the princess series, I'm currently working on Belle (although I'm not sure about her time period and I may redo her someday) and researching Pocahontas. I'm really liking Pocahontas and Tiana best since it's really obvious WHEN they take place. For Belle, it could have been anywhere from 1770s-1790s or 1820s-1830s, which is frustrating. I went with the 1820s since I did Cinderella as Late Georgian. (Plus, that yellow dress is SO Crinoline period!)
Sadly, no new artwork today since I'm on the computer at work. I'll try and get Belle up soon, she's currently being inked.