Hello Dollies

Searching for my pictures from the last big British royal
wedding and finding everything else but. Including some
projects from my creative past. Tons of illustrations
along with some dolls and puppets.
The slides are old and beginning to yellow, but with a 
little help from Photoshop thought I'd share these.

Always interested in clothing and costume, I made these

for fun when an idea occurred. A college friend Jane T.

was the inspiration for this one. The first couple of years 

in college, I made doll portraits of friends which I gave

as presents.

Wally Neibart, well known satirical Illustrator, an early

mentor, purchased my 18th century gent which he keeps 

under a glass dome on his mantle. 

http://www.wallyneibart.com/index.html

I gave these folks bendable knees, elbows etc. so they could be posable.

A few potty (as in nutty) flowering plants. 

The stems were green wire so they could also change pose.

My attempt to portray famous 60's model, Peggy Moffitt,

designer Rudy Gernreich's muse.

fashion photo of Peggy Moffitt

   included for comparison

May be a few more, if I have time.

Who Let The Ted Out?

Thought I'd share what happens since
my niece taught her Father, my
silly brother Ted to use Photoshop. :-)
(In case you don't know, that's my face
pasted on the art).

My brother Ted and his Photoshop instructor, Anna

Our family tree must be an Oak, as the
acorns have fallen very close by. ☺☺

New Tricks Cont'd

This might look like just another picture 
of a lady holding a cat,
But to me its a large leap in my learning 
to draw and paint on my trusty IMAC.

click on image to enlarge

Wanting to see if I could bring some pattern and texture

into a scene, using software bells and whistles.

Learning to think and work differently.

I always learn better by giving myself a project rather than

following a written handbook, especially without pictures.

(Its what kept me from thinking about Law school or

Medicine. ;~)  I'd never have made it through the 
dry reading matter.)

Beginning with large simple shapes of "painted" color 

instead of a loose line drawn pencil sketch of my drawing

board days.

No more sheet after sheet of heavy tracing paper

redrawing and refining the elements. Gone are endless
bits of changes on paper scraps, some floating to the
floor to be found only when cleaning up afterwards.

Modeling shapes directly, saving the image at each stage

so I can to return to any without constant redrawing.

In this unfinished garden scene, I created just

one example of each flowering plant, copying and 
pasting more as needed and placing them anywhere. 
Easily building my border. 

Good to shake things up once in a while and learn 

something new. Friends who have been with me from 

the beginning have said that my computer done work, 

still looks like I did it. Very reassuring. ;~)

Best part for me? NO mess to clean up afterwards.

February 14, 2011

Year Of The Krolik

In honor of Chinese New Year, the year of 

the RABBIT, a redux of a relevent

personal post from April 2009.

Two kroliks......

When preparing for my trip to Russia,

a favorite Russian speaking NY editor

warned me that not knowing the language

I could go missing in Moscow.

With little time before departure, I

thought I'd try to at least learn the Cyrillic

alphabet. (after all, little Russian kids do it

all the time).

Soon I was sounding out Russian words for

ordinary objects in a traveler's pocket Russian

vocabulary book.

One day, part way through the list of food

items, I read the word кролик. Pronunciation,

krolik, English translation, hare or rabbit.

Grandfather Кролик (Crollick)

My paternal Grandfather's original name when he

left Russia in the early 20th Century was Krolik.

(changed to Crollick in England, which at some point

changed to Croll when his widow, my Grandmother

immigrated here).

My Krolik collection

Seems many family members already knew this.

Why hadn't anyone told ME?

"You never asked".

Do East

(click on images to enlarge)

More snow, more scenes. This time east of Broad St.

Beginning my career years, book and magazine 

publishers surrounded Washington Square.

The Curtis building, north side of the Square.

The Saturday Evening Post, Ladies Home Journal

and Jack & Jill used to live here. Converted to

offices. Always reminds me of the north side of

London's Grosvenor Sq.

The old J. B. Lippincott building.
Converted to loft style condos. 
How appropriate and fun for a book Illustrator and Author to live in the 
former publishing house. 
Had my name on it perhaps, but not 
my "number" $$$$.

Next door, former Mayor Richardson Dillworth's
colonial style home. Built in the 1950's and the 
object of dispute whether to save or demolish.
To the left, The Atheneum, a special collections
library focusing on history. For more info:
http://www.philaathenaeum.org/about.html

Goings on over head.

Look carefully, be rewarded.

Find some one enjoying a snack 

over head.