Friday, November 5, 2010
My Gandhi
Something I made in Ceramics my senior year. I have him on my desk right now, as a matter of fact.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Soroptimist Show- Hellen Keller
Last week I entered a design in my very first fashion show. The theme was 'Women in History,' and I chose Hellen Keller. As you can see, I took a very symbolic approach. Literally, she would probably be wearing simple cotton dresses, maybe with some water splashed on her. Anyway, the headphones and aviators represent her deafness and blindness, and the red gloves and lipstick symbolize her ability to feel and speak. The dress itself combines darkness with subtle beauty, as I believe her extreme differences and how it affected her perspectives made her a beautiful person in history.
When we got there of course, it turned out to be a country club event and everyone was basically in costumes. There was no runway, our models just walked around the tables. Then we left and they continued with their...well basically, costume party. One lady was Joan of Arc and she wore a white robe with flames colored on the bottom and a stake strapped to her back. One lady asked who mine was, and when told she pointed out "I don't think Hellen Keller would have dressed like that." So no one really understood my design, but at least I was true to myself and that's what matters.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Russian T-shirt
Made this for a class. We had to take a t-shirt and style it to resemble a certain culture, so I chose Russian. I used red fabric dye and some trims from Hobby Lobby, and hand-sewed everything together.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Got Love on the Brain
I couldn't sleep last night because my mind was a-fluster with thoughts about love. Not sensuous makeout love. A happy contagious feeling that human beings spread among one another love.
I kind of decided that we need to find more words for 'love.' There are soooo many different kinds, and only one word. No wonder people get confused.
Anyway, there's basic friendship love, bromance love, me-n-robin-slash-wifey love, man and pets love, sex love, that hilarious kid love, laughter love, Adventure Studies love, awesome teacher and students love, no place like home love, skydiving love, God love, and basic love-thy-neighbor love.
To name a few.
I basically imagined millions of people writing, on a tiny paper leaf, where they find love, and then all of them sticking their leaves up on a wall where a naked tree with many branches is drawn (except for some reason the tree is upside down).
I couldn't stop thinking about it. Things like this video make me cry.
And this
So in the middle of the night when I was thinking about all this, I was also thinking about the bible my roommate has and let me borrow. Then Corinthians came to mind but I was like 'yah I probably just thought of it at random but I'll read something.' So i took the bible down to the lounge, opened it, and ended up reading I Corinthians anyway. I really liked it. It was all a letter Paul wrote to a church about how to clear up issues and really live for God and not like dousche bags. I actually really enjoyed it. It makes me feel like I should start a church.
Honestly? That just makes too much sense right now.
I've been feeling for a long time like I'm meant to change a lot of peoples' lives, but through a lot of different abilities. And for a while I was nervous on how to bring sharing God into that, but I think if the message is hope rather than just church recruitment, people are willing to listen. Especially if they have problems they want to fix and can't seem to figure out on their own.
Now I know. I have to start a church.
Congrats, anyone reading this. You've just witnessed an epiphany.
I kind of decided that we need to find more words for 'love.' There are soooo many different kinds, and only one word. No wonder people get confused.
Anyway, there's basic friendship love, bromance love, me-n-robin-slash-wifey love, man and pets love, sex love, that hilarious kid love, laughter love, Adventure Studies love, awesome teacher and students love, no place like home love, skydiving love, God love, and basic love-thy-neighbor love.
To name a few.
I basically imagined millions of people writing, on a tiny paper leaf, where they find love, and then all of them sticking their leaves up on a wall where a naked tree with many branches is drawn (except for some reason the tree is upside down).
I couldn't stop thinking about it. Things like this video make me cry.
And this
So in the middle of the night when I was thinking about all this, I was also thinking about the bible my roommate has and let me borrow. Then Corinthians came to mind but I was like 'yah I probably just thought of it at random but I'll read something.' So i took the bible down to the lounge, opened it, and ended up reading I Corinthians anyway. I really liked it. It was all a letter Paul wrote to a church about how to clear up issues and really live for God and not like dousche bags. I actually really enjoyed it. It makes me feel like I should start a church.
Honestly? That just makes too much sense right now.
I've been feeling for a long time like I'm meant to change a lot of peoples' lives, but through a lot of different abilities. And for a while I was nervous on how to bring sharing God into that, but I think if the message is hope rather than just church recruitment, people are willing to listen. Especially if they have problems they want to fix and can't seem to figure out on their own.
Now I know. I have to start a church.
Congrats, anyone reading this. You've just witnessed an epiphany.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Woo Sewing
I made this to go clubbing in. It's made of black stretch knit, and the zipper is from some old pants.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Feelings Escape Me
Sometimes you just really need to color with certain colors. In this case, I needed purple on black. So here ya go.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Self Portrait Box
For a class, we have to make a self portrait box.
The key traits in this are as follows:
Chicago (skyline)
Chinese (night sky)
Fashion (with my head edited on)
Edginess/architecture (bolts on corners)
Conceptual/artistic (lace button as moon, ribbon/button decor)
Dreaming (silver stars on threads hanging down)
Saturday, September 4, 2010
My Self
I made this last night. The picture on the left is the original. They represent a time when I thought I'd gotten over something, but it turns out I'd just pushed all the feelings down. This shows the flame being re-revealed and the skin totally exposed as the true emotions come back. In order to raise the flame back up to the heart, the past must be faced again and overcome for good.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sewing Projects
These are just a couple things I finished up right before I left for college. End-of-Summer favors I guess you could say.
This is a dress my friend Maria asked me to make out of antique pillow cases. I wish you could see the embroidery on the bust better, but white is hard to photograph. The ruffle on the bottom wraps around the hem in back.
This I made for my friend Amy. She picked out the fabric and I modeled it after a purse I made myself a couple years ago.
I have yet to buy a sewing machine for my dorm room. It's a pretty tiny dorm, too, so when I do get one I'll have to stay reeeally organized.
Anyway, I'm a busy college student now, so I'll talk to you later.
This is a dress my friend Maria asked me to make out of antique pillow cases. I wish you could see the embroidery on the bust better, but white is hard to photograph. The ruffle on the bottom wraps around the hem in back.
This I made for my friend Amy. She picked out the fabric and I modeled it after a purse I made myself a couple years ago.
I have yet to buy a sewing machine for my dorm room. It's a pretty tiny dorm, too, so when I do get one I'll have to stay reeeally organized.
Anyway, I'm a busy college student now, so I'll talk to you later.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Bill Kaulitz- Finished
Finally done with this! I sorta gave up on his hair, I shoulda known better than to attempt a wacky backlit mohawk. *Shrug* Regardless, it is finished. I hope she likes it.
In other news, I'm making a dress for my friend Maria out of pretty old pillow cases (she is tiny), and that's coming along well. Pictures will follow soon.
Also, I'm currently (as in, at this moment) making a purse for my friend Amy as a late birthday gift. It is blue-green-gold plaid with kelly green lining inside.
I tried to have a garage sale today, but so far it looks like my advertising skills have failed. Or, just not many people are interested in teenage girl apparel. Probably both. My sister is outside now manning the vacant setup. But, the day's not over yet, we'll see who shows up.
Oh, by the way, I have decided to take part in this little shindig called The Sketchbook Project. Basically, they send you a sketchbook, you fill 'er up, and they take it on tour around the US. It costs $25, but I think it will be fun. I'll probably do some watercolor paintings.
Anyway, looking forward to that, lots of sewing to do, and I leave for college next Wednesday! BYE!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Work In Progress
Friday, July 30, 2010
Bill Kaulitz
I'm doing an art trade with someone on deviantart, and she wants me to draw Bill Kaulitz from Tokyo Hotel. So I go to google for some reference pictures, as I've never seen the guy, and at first I was confused because he looks so much like a girl, and I started thinking 'could Bill be a girl's name?' But I soon discovered for myself that he is in fact a 'he.'
So there are many varying pictures of him, capturing varying levels of his masculinity, but mostly he's the most girly/pretty man I've ever seen (despite the punk rocker look).
So this will be interesting.
So there are many varying pictures of him, capturing varying levels of his masculinity, but mostly he's the most girly/pretty man I've ever seen (despite the punk rocker look).
So this will be interesting.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Sneaky sneaky puzzle
My art book told me to do this puzzle where you take this clump of jumbled boxes,
and rearrange them in order. For most of it, you're just sitting there going 'what IS this?' and then at the end you're like 'oh you sneaky.'
I thought I'd share that since this marks the beginning of my re-learning-to-draw-via-magical-art-book phase.
and rearrange them in order. For most of it, you're just sitting there going 'what IS this?' and then at the end you're like 'oh you sneaky.'
I thought I'd share that since this marks the beginning of my re-learning-to-draw-via-magical-art-book phase.
Some Philosophical Fragments
Drawing helps you distinguish between what you see and what is there.
Let me explain. When someone attempts to draw for the first time, they're usually not happy with the result. We've all been there, we've all seen that happen. Well I believe that drawing and learning more or less go hand in hand. In thorough learning, there are three steps: being presented with information, processing/connecting it, and then explaining it back in your own words. It is the same with drawing (or any kind of art): sensing information, examining/interpreting it, and portraying it back to the world.
Interpreting things and making your own art are the easy parts. It's the first step, paying attention to the things you see, that takes a lot of scrutiny. There can be a big difference between what you see, and what is there, just as there is a difference between what you are taught and what you learn. Each step affects the next like a chain reaction, or an assembly line.
The first step takes a total sense of reality. You must learn to recognize the details in correlation with each other, exactly as they are. The second step incorporates the sense of imagination, wherein your thoughts exaggerate and subtlify things to your heart's content. You can think something up that makes absolutely no sense, or you can stick to the comfort of logical boundaries. Either and any between is your choice. The third step must combine the two, so that what you want to portray is evident, while how you want to portray it shows meaning.
So how do you learn the first step? With the third step: you draw. The three steps are a circle that, if followed, will wear a deeper and deeper groove of skill and wisdom with time. You see things, your mind interprets, you attempt to draw it, you interpret the drawing, you look again at things, interpret them, draw, and so on. Practice makes perfect, always.
I have drawn you a diagram.
I suppose in reality, the second and third step sort of happen simultaneously. The second is very subtle otherwise.
Attention to detail and the will to improve are how I taught myself what
I know. And I'm nowhere near perfect, but every artist is on a journey. One of my personal philosophies is that the only bad artist is one who never changes. As long as you are progressing, you're on the right track. Where you go from there is up to you.
Let me explain. When someone attempts to draw for the first time, they're usually not happy with the result. We've all been there, we've all seen that happen. Well I believe that drawing and learning more or less go hand in hand. In thorough learning, there are three steps: being presented with information, processing/connecting it, and then explaining it back in your own words. It is the same with drawing (or any kind of art): sensing information, examining/interpreting it, and portraying it back to the world.
Interpreting things and making your own art are the easy parts. It's the first step, paying attention to the things you see, that takes a lot of scrutiny. There can be a big difference between what you see, and what is there, just as there is a difference between what you are taught and what you learn. Each step affects the next like a chain reaction, or an assembly line.
The first step takes a total sense of reality. You must learn to recognize the details in correlation with each other, exactly as they are. The second step incorporates the sense of imagination, wherein your thoughts exaggerate and subtlify things to your heart's content. You can think something up that makes absolutely no sense, or you can stick to the comfort of logical boundaries. Either and any between is your choice. The third step must combine the two, so that what you want to portray is evident, while how you want to portray it shows meaning.
So how do you learn the first step? With the third step: you draw. The three steps are a circle that, if followed, will wear a deeper and deeper groove of skill and wisdom with time. You see things, your mind interprets, you attempt to draw it, you interpret the drawing, you look again at things, interpret them, draw, and so on. Practice makes perfect, always.
I have drawn you a diagram.
I suppose in reality, the second and third step sort of happen simultaneously. The second is very subtle otherwise.
Attention to detail and the will to improve are how I taught myself what
I know. And I'm nowhere near perfect, but every artist is on a journey. One of my personal philosophies is that the only bad artist is one who never changes. As long as you are progressing, you're on the right track. Where you go from there is up to you.
Monday, July 26, 2010
你好
I've decided to speak Mandarin for you.
大家好。 我的名字是Laura Jones。 我的中文名字是熊宇文。 欢迎来我博客。
我喜欢做了几个艺术。我喜欢做画 和 缝制衣服。我常常绘草图， 我也要做时装设计。下个五月我毕业了。这个八月的时候我就要去大学， 学中文和时装。我知道我中文不太好，可是我日后希望进步。
Hello everyone. My name is Laura Jones, my Chinese name is Xiong Yuwen. Welcome to my blog. I like to do many kinds of art. I like to make pictures and sew clothes. I often make rough sketches, and I also want to be a fashion designer. I graduated last may. This August I will go to college, where I will study Chinese and fashion. I know my Chinese isn't that good, but I hope to someday improve.
This was just for fun, really. I haven't used any Chinese all summer, and I need to brush up in order to test out of the elementary course. For those of you who are fluent in Mandarin, feel free to correct anything. For those who aren't...well the characters are pretty.
再见
大家好。 我的名字是Laura Jones。 我的中文名字是熊宇文。 欢迎来我博客。
我喜欢做了几个艺术。我喜欢做画 和 缝制衣服。我常常绘草图， 我也要做时装设计。下个五月我毕业了。这个八月的时候我就要去大学， 学中文和时装。我知道我中文不太好，可是我日后希望进步。
Hello everyone. My name is Laura Jones, my Chinese name is Xiong Yuwen. Welcome to my blog. I like to do many kinds of art. I like to make pictures and sew clothes. I often make rough sketches, and I also want to be a fashion designer. I graduated last may. This August I will go to college, where I will study Chinese and fashion. I know my Chinese isn't that good, but I hope to someday improve.
This was just for fun, really. I haven't used any Chinese all summer, and I need to brush up in order to test out of the elementary course. For those of you who are fluent in Mandarin, feel free to correct anything. For those who aren't...well the characters are pretty.
再见
Saturday, July 24, 2010
The Mandarin Duck
This is what a mandarin duck looks like
It has sort of become a personal mascot for me. It's an artistically beautiful creature, querky (being a duck) while at the same time it is named after my second language, Mandarin. I feel this creature represents me as an artist, not just in the general arts, but in the art of language and culture and the way the world works. They say that math and science make the world go round. Well so does art.
It has sort of become a personal mascot for me. It's an artistically beautiful creature, querky (being a duck) while at the same time it is named after my second language, Mandarin. I feel this creature represents me as an artist, not just in the general arts, but in the art of language and culture and the way the world works. They say that math and science make the world go round. Well so does art.
Me Treasure Trove
Here are some of my favorite pictures, regarding fashion, that I collected off the internet. This happens when I spend my time on Google rather than doing schoolwork.
Here a runway model appears to have been 'sawed in half.' But if you look closer, you can see a skirt in between.
This picture was all about brides being 'attuned to nature.' I thought this was really fun.
This is Reece Witherspoon in a gorgeous watercolor print gown. When I saw this I loved it immediately because of its subtle color blending and flowy presence.
This one I love more for the movement than anything. I've actually attempted drawing this, but there's no need to show that here. Anyway, I'm absolutely captured by still pictures that embody a complete aura of motion.
I'm a big fan of ballet costumes. Actually, I'm a big fan of ballet period. But combine the two and you have a pregnant plethora of elegant emotion (see what I did there?).
I'm an avid fan of otherworldly arts, including oriental, middle eastern, african and indian. The list goes on. Anyway, one of my constant habits around middle school was drawing on myself, whether with sharpies or pens or whatnot. I mostly did it out of boredom, as is the seedling for many great works of art, and it mostly resulted in black filigree down my arm, rainbow-checkered shins, and things like roses and eyes at random. Nowadays I don't do that so much, but I've grown to respect the people who do what I did, just with much more grace and presentation skills.
I would wear this dress in a heartbeat. The necklace, too. I'm a big fan of simple ideas with meticulous detail, as is shown in this dress with it's simple color scheme and intricate design.
Also, empire waists are most flattering on me.
While my wedding is something I don't forsee within the next decade, being a girl I still fantasize about my dream dress. This is about as close as you get to what I have in mind for myself. Being on the shorter side, I imagine something simple, close-fitting and figure-flattering, without being to skimpy or pageant-girl. This is the exact silhouette I want: strapless, fitted around the hips, and a slight elegant flare with a train, but not some tacky mermaid with toulle spurting out from my clenched knees like a furious faucet. The ruffle around the bottom I think would add a little height, and the only thing I would add is maybe a little empire waist band. Otherwise, this fits in perfectly with my simple-but-detailed preference.
And so, like a runway show, I have ended with a wedding dress. This is just a taste of things that represent my personal style and perspective. Later on we'll see more of my whacky, spazzy, and a little bit tacky side.
Until next time.
Here a runway model appears to have been 'sawed in half.' But if you look closer, you can see a skirt in between.
This picture was all about brides being 'attuned to nature.' I thought this was really fun.
This is Reece Witherspoon in a gorgeous watercolor print gown. When I saw this I loved it immediately because of its subtle color blending and flowy presence.
This one I love more for the movement than anything. I've actually attempted drawing this, but there's no need to show that here. Anyway, I'm absolutely captured by still pictures that embody a complete aura of motion.
I'm a big fan of ballet costumes. Actually, I'm a big fan of ballet period. But combine the two and you have a pregnant plethora of elegant emotion (see what I did there?).
I'm an avid fan of otherworldly arts, including oriental, middle eastern, african and indian. The list goes on. Anyway, one of my constant habits around middle school was drawing on myself, whether with sharpies or pens or whatnot. I mostly did it out of boredom, as is the seedling for many great works of art, and it mostly resulted in black filigree down my arm, rainbow-checkered shins, and things like roses and eyes at random. Nowadays I don't do that so much, but I've grown to respect the people who do what I did, just with much more grace and presentation skills.
I would wear this dress in a heartbeat. The necklace, too. I'm a big fan of simple ideas with meticulous detail, as is shown in this dress with it's simple color scheme and intricate design.
Also, empire waists are most flattering on me.
While my wedding is something I don't forsee within the next decade, being a girl I still fantasize about my dream dress. This is about as close as you get to what I have in mind for myself. Being on the shorter side, I imagine something simple, close-fitting and figure-flattering, without being to skimpy or pageant-girl. This is the exact silhouette I want: strapless, fitted around the hips, and a slight elegant flare with a train, but not some tacky mermaid with toulle spurting out from my clenched knees like a furious faucet. The ruffle around the bottom I think would add a little height, and the only thing I would add is maybe a little empire waist band. Otherwise, this fits in perfectly with my simple-but-detailed preference.
And so, like a runway show, I have ended with a wedding dress. This is just a taste of things that represent my personal style and perspective. Later on we'll see more of my whacky, spazzy, and a little bit tacky side.
Until next time.
Hello New Blog
So I've decided to start a blog about my artistic life. Here I will share with all of you my interests, goals, failures, and creations as an artist. More later.
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