The Beauty Edit.
Spoiler Alert: The Countdown Timer is marginally better this week.
This week I’ve been focusing on creating drawings of beauty products, not something that I’ve done before.
I thoroughly enjoyed recreating all the slick, gooey, globules of gloss on the fabulously named Dior Addict Lip Maximiser. And it doesn’t stop with glossy globules- there’s the shiny outside of the container and the chrome lid.
I wanted to give the make-up a makeover, so I reimagined the applicator as taking on the form of a curvy woman. Looks great, but the gloss would be glooping everywhere! I think we’d better stick with the stick.
Customised Dior Lip Gloss Applicator.
Original Dior Addict Lip Maximiser Applicator stick.
Next up, I went to town on Alexander McQueen perfume. This is very hard to track down irl. I once nearly bought some at House of Fraser in Croydon- and then when I did finally return to buy some, it was all gone! I think now it is only available on Ebay. When I asked in Croydon, they said that stocks were low because one of the essential ingredients was very hard to find. I like to imagine Alexander McQueen perfumiers in white coats trawling the rain forests for rare compounds.
I wanted to team the perfume up with a make-up illustration, so I combined the perfume with a face. The face is adorned with stripes of mathematically precise eyeliner, and the eyes are peeping from behind the perfume. I framed the whole design with a Victorian ruler, to show precision and echo the gothic influence of the piece.
And then I thought that maybe it would be better to just leave the perfume alone- so I fed my drawing into Photoshop and Procreate, muttered some incantations (swearwords), and came up with some alternatives.
Next week my drawings will be much faster and looser- well, that’s the plan! The good thing about drawing super-detailed work is that it does actually make you faster, because you get used to noticing things more quickly.
On Sunday I went to another local park event- why does it always rain at these? I wasn’t drawing at this one, but my friend Elizabeth Knapp from When I Decorate Things had a stall there selling her beautiful resin creatures and objets d’art. I bought a resin ghost, which makes me very happy indeed.
Talking of happiness, I am taking enquiries for my business now, and bookings from October 1st. Two dates already booked, and another two pending! So, please do think of me if you are planning an event or have a publication that would benefit from my fashion illustrations.
Time for the Countdown to October the 1st, ready?...
www.timeanddate.com/countdown/launch?iso=20251001T00&p0=5264&font=sanserif
This is quite good, although you do have to click away from the blog to see it.
I can illustrate live at your work’s Christmas do, or at a wedding. I can illustrate live in store, if you have a nice shop- and I can paint a design on your windows. I can live illustrate your meeting (in person or remotely by Graphic Recording) and I can illustrate your books, magazines, poems or anything else. (this is sounding like Dr Seuss…)
I’m drawn to drawing people. Thanks for subscribing!
Zoe