Wonderland illustrations

This image above is my entry for the Fabric8 contest presented by Spoonflower and Robert Kaufman Fabrics with a theme: Pen & Ink. The theme of the contest is modern fabric designs that evoke the style of pen & ink drawings colored with watercolor paints. I was very enthusiastic about this theme as I really love working in this medium and couldn't wait to start sketching and drawing.Between April 24th and May 1st, representatives from the sponsors will choose 100 designs for the first round of voting. Audiences around the world will then have a chance to vote for their favorite fabric designs on the Spoonflower site Those votes will determine the final eight designers, each of whom will be asked to develop a collection of eight fabrics based on their original designs by June 5, 2012. Between June 7-13, the fabric-loving world will choose its favorite collection. The winner will be offered a contract from Robert Kaufman Fabrics along with $1000 advance against royalties and a Wacom professional digital drawing tablet. Wonderland is an "never ending to inspire" theme for me. I particularly like the feeling to belong there, as the famous quote:"we are all mad here" is pretty much the way I breathe and live;)I think that an average "normal" person wouldn't be capable of living the way the artists and other creative workaholics with family aside - live. And that sort of positive insanity is the only way I can imagine living a life. I have recently exibited some of my big charcoal drawings with this theme and I have previously created the whole series of different garment and accessories pieces and there is a cute clip made by my friend, showing it all... Regarding the illustrations: I draw all the illustrations by hand, with inks and watercolors, scanned them and than I have manipulated them further in Photoshop. I firstly created the doily background and then layered the other parts. I'm really happy with how it turned out and can't wait to complete the whole collection of prints @ Spoonflower. So, here are a few details of my entry, as there are really many making this design so special and precious for me. I will post the other prints in the next round:) K. xx

Cherry blossoms

As I watch the cherry blossoms wilting, I miss them already. That beautiful whitish to pinkish splendor is a feast for the eyes. And each year I imagine creating some beautiful romantic dresses for my girls and taking the pictures of them among the cherry trees in bloom. But, somehow I always find a lame excuse to postpone it for the next year. And the same thing happened this year, except that I eventually managed to take the pictures of them while the cherry blossoms were still beautiful and in full bloom, with "some"(still mine-handmade dresses) dresses. Hope to realize my goal next year;) xx, Katarina

Hristos Voskrese!!

or Happy Easter:)



Today here, in Serbia we are celebrating Easter and here are some pics of the typical natural died eggs. The eggs are placed in the some sort of the tin gauze elasticated fabric( ladies stockings would work great) together with some fresh picked flowers and herbs;) Then they get cooked in some sort of the onion skins soup. Once they are cooked, the stockings and herbs are removed and the eggs are coated with some plain oil. Just simple as that:))) Oh, and you can use the same dyeing method with some plain cotton tee shirts or leggings- using old stockings and onion skins-and you can create some wonderful stuff:))









Hope you are having a wonderful and peaceful Easter!
Katarina, xx

Taking off the patina

I am riding to myself just as typing this, because the tittle of this post is going very well in rhyme with that old rep song "Funky cold medina , doesn't it? Do you remember that song? Not my type of the music at all, but it's one of those songs that you just can't forget easily. And the funny thing is that the patina I am talking about here dates from just the same period of time when my inks (from which the patina or the dust was taken off) were lastly used. Yes, it was -THAT much- long ago... Not all, of course, but those coloured ones are historical. I don't think these are produced anymore. Unfortunately. They are part of the history and my childhood for sure, as well as that name of the country written with my name. :(





So, here I am, enjoying every bit of these new doodles and drawings, making some "art". It's good to be back in saddle again and try some new-old stuff. I always loved the vintage modern look and mixture of these in any way and I am STILL totally in love with my old inks, that are just about my age I think. It's bringing some sense of comfort:)



Tomorrow is a big Friday, just before ours Easter, so Happy Easter in advance to everyone celebrating it. Will post some pics of the new eggs next time and here are some from the last year;)



Have a wonderful Easter!!!
xx, Katarina

Happy Easter!!!

This year we are celebrating Easter 2 times (Orthodox and Catholic), which is great!!!Kids have the spring break next week, so I hope that the weather will allow us enjoying some more of the spring blooming phase, which is soon all over.....
Hope your Easter is wonderful!
xx
Katarina

5

My youngest is now 5. Wow!!!Birthdays...oh how the time flies...and what I love about her birthday is that it's in spring in it's most beautiful blooming phase! What a precious and beautiful little flower is she:)





Hope you are enjoying your spring;)
xo,
Katarina