Reine-Haru

I just listed a TON of original paintings for sale in my Etsy shop, and will be adding new prints soon, so be sure to check back often!
www.etsy.com/shop/FlaxandKite

I know it's rather last minute, but I'll be at Dragon*Con this year!  My costumes will be Daenerys, Galadriel, and a dapper coronation Elsa, so if you see me, be sure to say hi : )  I've actually never been before, so I'm super excited to finally go.  Now to squeeze lots of sewing into a very short time frame... 


 

It's summertime and I can't seem to get Ella Fitzgerald out of my head.  Which is not a bad thing.  She and Louis Armstrong's recording of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" is probably one of my all-time favorite songs.  There's just something so rich and brilliant in her voice.  Billie Holiday too. 

If you haven't already, be sure to check out my new FB page: www.facebook.com/kakingillustr…; I post there and to tumblr (lady-of-faerietales.tumblr.com… ) much more regularly than DA these days.  Though at the moment, I'm doing mostly contract work, which I won't be able to share for quite a while yet, but I still share a lot of my evening doodles.  Sometimes I feel bad or unproductive for doodling so much, but I have to remind myself that it's an important part of helping myself grow and improve as an artist, much as play is important for children.  When I doodle, I feel much more freedom to try new things, knowing they don't have to turn out well.  Besides, a good doodle time feels like a good session of yoga: very calming and soothing to stiff creative muscles.

Unfortunately my health has not been great these days, but I'm scheduled to go to the Mayo Clinic in August, so hopefully they'll be able to finally diagnose me.  Thankfully I work from home, which makes things a whole lot easier, but daily tasks are still quite a chore some days.  But I'm determined to get better and to live my life to the fullest, despite the pain and difficulty.  Hope, I think, is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves.

I am, however, currently open for art/painting commissions, so if you're interested, just send me an email at kakingillustration@gmail.com .  I've also listed a few original pieces and prints to my Etsy shop (www.etsy.com/shop/FlaxandKite), though I'm working to expand my offering of prints, so if you have suggestions, do let me know.

I hope that everyone is having a good summer so far.  I'm a weanie when it comes to the heat, so I've been enjoying ceiling fans, ice cream, and lots of lemonade these days.  Wishing you all cool breezes and lots of summery inspiration!   

Hi, guys!  I just wanted to post a short journal saying that I'll be at the Festival of Legends (www.festivaloflegends.com/) again this year with my dear friends at Ribbons and Rivets (www.facebook.com/Ribbons.Rivet…) in Chapel Hill, NC.  So if you get a chance to come out, be sure to stop by and say hi!  I don't do many conventions/festivals due to my health, but I always enjoy meeting everyone  

I'm also working very hard on a really exciting new project.  Hint: it has to do with faerie tales and making pretty dresses   I'll share more as it gets further along. 

I've also updated my public Facebook page, so be sure to follow me at: www.facebook.com/kakingillustr… for more regular updates and behind-the-scenes looks.

I hope everyone's spring is off to a wonderful start!

Recently I've been listing a lot of original art at super cheap prices over on my Etsy shop:
www.etsy.com/shop/FlaxandKite
I'll be adding spring things soon (stationery and whatnot), so check back often!  I'm also still open for commissions, so if you're interested, just send me an email at flaxandkitegmail

I'm so happy that it's starting to look and feel more like spring!  The weather has been so nice lately...a great break from all the ice (and frozen pipes...).  It makes me want to clean and make lots of lemon-flavored baked goods! 

I've mostly been working on commissioned costumes so far this spring, but I hope to make a new Daenerys outfit before June, when I'll get to meet George R. R. Martin (so exciting!).  Still trying to design something really cool and original, so I'll share more on that later.  I also hope to finish Elsa's coronation gown (and maybe the Cinderella gown) within the next 6 months or so.  We'll see.  I've been so busy with illustration and paid orders, that I rarely have time to sew for myself anymore.  Which is okay; in some ways I'm a bit burnt out on sewing lately.  I just realized the other day that I've been costuming for almost 10 years now @_@  It sure doesn't seem that long, but I guess I have made a lot of stuff.  Still so much I'd like to make in the infamous "one day." 

At least I get a week-long break between quarters of grad school.  School is fun, and I'm learning tons, but it's still a whole lot of work.  And it'd be nice to not be up painting until 1am every night. 

On another note, I've started making tutorials again after not making any for quite a while.  Mostly of things I happen to be doing anyway, but I'm happy to take suggestions.  What sort of tutorials would you like to see?  It can be anything from sewing to hairstyles to costume makeup to painting.  Just let me know and I'll see what I can do! 

I hope everyone is having an inspiring spring so far!