Tastebuds

I'm on the EDGE OF LOVE for the FAB 40s

2010-06-18T16:56:00.000-07:00

During my long weekend of painting a few weeks ago, I went MOVIE CRAZY. As I raided blockbuster, a previously recommended movie caught my eye. It was Edge of Love starring Kiera Knightley and Sienna Miller. With my past grudge against Kiera Knightley for somewhat failing to be the ultimate Elizabeth Bennet, I was a bit cautious. Yet, I love Sienna Miller and I trust the person who recommended it to me. This movie is now one of my favorites ever. The story is interesting in itself because it involves two women in love with the same man who become friends themselves. Besides the story, I realized that FOR SURE my favorite era is the 40s...Here are some pictures from this AMAZING movie:

Obsessed with the yellow cardigan and high-waisted skirt!

And, as usual, I love the Sienna's flowery dress

I want to add this and the next one to my collection!

I want one...

I think the 40s are coming back...this boots and leggings thing looks crazily familiar!

I'm specifically in love with the stiff shoulders, high-waisted skirts, flowery dresses, curled up hair and netted hats!

If anyone knows me, finally picking an era anywhere near modern times is amazing because I'm so hung up on medieval legends.
So, that next week, I raided through all my vintage books and patterns only to discover that I seemed to already love the 40s. Here are some great clippings I've collected over my short years that I didn't really know I had until recently...

OH Britain, How I love you

2010-06-18T16:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, so if you know me, you know my obsession with everything Jane Austen and everything British (especially the men)!

So, when I draw, I watch movies. Paradoxical, I know, but it gets me through the long hours and all-nighters (as of late).

Now, I even watch movies I've seen A MILLION TIMES. For instance, Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam.

Ok, so even if you don't share my love for everything British, here are some clips from my favorite period piece Brit films!

Emma (1996):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quRejoJ1UEI&feature=related

Persuasion (1995):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTOGoXqbgzA

(2007):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRZwgjPoMck&feature=related

Joint clips from the newer Pride and Prejudice (2005) and a newfound favorite North and South:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ha3OqlL0b4

Bingley rehearsing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INsbisVfWqQ&feature=related

Clip from the Sharpe Saga, there are 16 movies and I <3 Sean Bean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe-1AHlJdXM

MiddleMarch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLLZgqkqu8w

Northanger Abbey:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM0SGTJCaKU

Wuthering Heights (start at minute 5):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzpueTkvyeY&feature=related

OK, my absolute favorite as of late! It's about a girl who gets switched into Pride & Prejudice from modern London:

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfPmwtOOUOs

AND, I know I'm cheating...but I LOVE EDGE OF LOVE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fNabjyaKUo

OK, I think that's it

If you have any recommendations for me, on the other hand, I would love that! I'm running out of movies completely...

UHH Charcoal Take #7

2010-06-17T17:13:00.000-07:00

So, I'm still alive. Thought all 13 of you would want to know....
I've been submerged in art projects and european history for the last..uhhh...3 months ish.
BUT, we are entering a new age, an age where I might actually have somewhat of a life!
Yes, so exciting. Even if I have...ahum...8 summer reading books, papers, and a college art class.
So here is charcoal that gave me the biggest headache of the year.
Problem #1: I hate pastel
Problem #2: So, I got behind because I switched to charcoal
Problem #3 Charcoal is NOT the medium to draw square inch faces. WAY too blunt, for too small of a space....
Problem #4: For some reason, my cute cousin Coco had an expression that could verge on "impish" or even horror movie like if I wasn't careful.
Problem #5: I wasn't careful
Problem #6: I couldn't give this project to Courteney (her mommy) like I really wanted to because the paper rubbed off and I couldn't make the face look like her daughter after about 9 tries.
WELL, I'll hold my horses. Four hours in, I actually did do Coco's face PERFECTLY! Then, I though...hmmm that little teeny tiny eyebrow could be fixed.
Problem #7: Little change=more little changes=lose facial recognition.

So, besides all the intense complaining, I'm happy with my cousin's friend's face (but that's not exactly something I can give to my aunt....ya know?) so here it is:

So, at the end, I was ok with Coco's face, but I never got back that beautiful recognition factor I had for about 4 minutes! I need to learn to stop...

"Werewoof"

2010-03-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest art homework from Ryman Arts :)
Over the last three weeks, we've had the opportunity to draw using conte (conti?) charcoal in brown/burnt sienna, black and white. Because I was sitting down on the floor in front of the wolf, it was soo funny it here all the little kids say "Mommy, mommy, that girl is drawing a werewoof!" They would then proceed to howl...and howl...and howl...
It was very cute :) and all the nice comments throughout the day were encouraging! It made it very fun :)

So...here it is:

And...this is what happens to me when I finish it at home...LET's GO TP-ing!

P.S. Taken with new 24-70 2.8! Yeah for zoom.

Of course, because I'm working art and school like crazy, I've had no photo time! Get ready though, some pretty great photo shoots coming up soon! Then you'll really get to see the new (L-Series!!!!) in action...

Saturday, the NEW weekday

2010-03-07T14:30:00.000-08:00

One might ask oneself, "Isn't Saturday on the weekend?"

Yeah, sure, for everyone but me.

Saturday Schedule:

Wake up at 7:30 (a.m. sadly) and choose not to go to spin class (even thought that't my usual schedule, I decided to be unconventional).

Fall back asleep at 7:33

Go to Zumba with Indy at 9:30 and arrive home at 10:30

Cook breakfast.

Shower.

Scramble to finish ALL art homework...3-4 hours

Leave for Ryman...freeway 1 hour (each way)

Ryman Arts 12-530 (including travel)

At approximately 5:20, miss exit to 55, 73, and Jamboree because the rain is pouring so incredibly hard.

At 5:23 get off on the WRONG (unbeknownst to me) exit: Macarthur John Wayne

Turns out to be the wrong side of John Wayne

Still raining

Drive until I can recognize a road

AH redhill!

Redhill for 7 minutes! Then Irvine Ave at 5:49

Leave for Kami Kurisu's 16th Birthday 6:15 but first...

1) Straighten Hair

2) Put on Make-up

3) Sew dress together on my back

That last one is not as easy as it sounds.

Left for party at 6:45...praying the dress will stay on and planning to get the zipper fixed in the near future :)

Beside being extremely frazzled and getting my hand-me-down Prada shoes (thanks, auntie) wet, Kami's party was extremely enjoyable! Here are some pictures... :)

Oh, the joy of 50mm lenses! <3

Le Birthday Gurl!

Em modeling off her best hair :) Love the accessory necklace too!

My favorite picture! Jessica Wu is hilarious, but most of all this is unedited and the horizon looks perfecto! Yay for more artistic accidents!

Explanation for the coming pictures:

1) My little 50 mm doesn't take flash very well, so it buzzes for a couple seconds sending flashes of light everywhere. So, people are looking at the camera in somewhat annoyed/shocked faces by the time it's the actual picture.

2) The light was too low to shoot manual lighting.

3) The flash would have worked if I had manually focused, but happy, dancing people move ever so fast.

4) Instead of having a yucky dark picture, I turned the shutter speed to about 5 and these are the results...

P.S. It's a girl's party so the pink works :)

So, one might ask oneself, "What's so great about this problematic dress?"

Well, it's one of the only ones I had, my mother was determined to fix it (at least temporarily), I wore it to my own Sweet 16, and I love the ambiguity of the color. Here are some pictures!

I'm in love with the shell fold on the right and my make-shift straps. Jessica, do those count as DIYs? ha

The beloved Prada snake-skin (real or fake, who knows?) heels. Nail polish from August 11, 2009. I just don't have much time anymore...

Full outfit :)

Make-up of choice :) Glittery eyes...

P.S. My mother had to cut my dress off at the end of the night.

If I had fallen overboard, this Captain Jack Sparrow having to rip off Elizabeth Swan's bodice. Would have been a bit of the same situation...

Wondering about Alice

2010-03-02T20:05:00.001-08:00

Ha! I love coincidences.

1) I'm dead scared of the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland in cartoon, but I love almost everything else about it

2) I shot a shoot of my friend Mackenzie last June as Alice, along with other girls as other fantasy characters. I only remembered this one about three seconds ago too! So fun to suddenly remember...

3) My favorite photo shoot of ALL time happens to be involving a parody of Alice in Wonderland by my FAVORITE photography Annie Leibovitz.

4) I'm in love with blue, flowy dresses. The movie costumes are stunning! I had no idea how much fun it would be to watch this movie for artistic reasons, but it really was enjoyable for more than just the plot. I couldn't get good pictures of the costumes that were good sizes, but please just go see the movie and enjoy them yourself! They're pretty much modified versions of the ones used by Annie L, but in motion!

Here's June 2009:

This gorgeous B&W was almost by accident. Clearer image than even digital it seems! I love artistic accidents :)

Should I go down the rabbit hole?!

Why yes! It might be fun!

I LOVE this one, but the holga version (ahum, unscanned) looks much better. The holga even caught her bracelet...look closely.

I did a series of tea party shots, but none really keep me interested. It's been a while since this shoot and I know how I could have made it better...

Photo Credit: ME :) and my holga!

FAVORITE SHOOT EVER! (click to get the full picture...)

If you know me remotely, you know I love the one in B&W with the flowy-iest dress and the attractive photographer the most :)

This costume shows more ruffles than most, with very defined creases. Obviously, it's catering to the 1920s.

Although, not my favorite, this picture has an interesting color contrast. She looks like a girl from the Goo-Goo dolls with those boots though!

Annie Leibovitz is insanely amazing. Period.

2nd favorite. Obsessed with the ruffles because they create form without overwhelming it as ruffles usually do.

Odd, but extremely entertaining.

I'm obsessed with trees and nude platforms so I have to love this one :)

Much closer to classic Alice. I can't decide if I like this one or not....

Most interesting outfit. By FAR.

Photo Credit: Annie Leibovitz, Vogue December 2003

NYLON MY LOVE!

2010-03-02T19:27:00.001-08:00

LOVELY! Charlotte Kemp Muhl and Sean Lennon. NYLON FeBrUarY

Sean Lennon as in the result of Yoko Ono and the famous Beatle.

Ok, these photos represent one of my other favorite nylon shoots. These pictures are so soft and gentle, but at the same time, their stares are so cold.

This background is my dream studio background. Someday, I will have a completely white studio. And, I love her skirt! Totally different from anything else I've seen.

This picture (above) gives off the air of new love. It's almost fairy tale-like.

If I could only wear a furry vest and patterned tights to school, together, I would. Those tights are on my wishlist!

Obsessed with the meadow-feel of this picture. Sea foam green blazer <3>

(You guys know I have an obsession with trees and fields right?!)

Feather Goddesssssss

Favorite picture of the shoot...The composition is perfect. I was just learning in art about the intrigue of triangle shaped compositions. I agree :)

Queen of Hearts

2010-02-04T13:08:00.000-08:00

FEBRUARY ISSUE OF nylon

I absolutely love her pouty purple lip! It's amazing...

I love how the color scheme is so entirely different from the real queen of hearts, yet it is obviously such a great play on the coming character.

I had my own stint as queen of hearts and did the same heart lips <3

Very fun night!

I can't wait to try the same look with a deep purple!

My friend Ali and I showing off pout lips

Dramatic? Yes, a bit...

Luxury

2010-02-03T20:57:00.000-08:00

This is probably the ONLY good result of Borders Bookstore closing down: British Vogue on sale!

They are usually $10.00, but very worth it in my mind. Everything about the magazine is more refined and the photo shoots are much more interesting!

Here's my favorite shoot from 2009:

Dior Haute Couture

-This one almost has a Spanish feel. She should have an ornate fan too!

Dolce & Gabbana

This is actually a corset and a tulle skirt. It is sensuous but sophisticated.

Dior Haute Couture

This Dior is AMAZING. Period.

Valentino

Another amazing Valentino. One of the few dresses with fluffiness that still shows shape.

Oscar de la Renta

This is absolutely the most ornate and I love that it is the only color. A deep purple!

I would wear this one everyday of my life, if I could. I would picture this especially in the ball scene in Rebecca.

All of these dresses are so unique and beautiful! I wish I could wear everyone, though, of course, the Oscar de la Renta is my favorite!

I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I have :)

Summer Holga-ing

2010-01-23T17:45:00.000-08:00

Boyd's Mason Lake Resort with some beautiful light leaks! Yay for crappy plastic cameras!

This is my darling friend Adeline! Isn't she adorable?

This AMAZING double exposure worked completely by chance. Thanks Ella and Georgy!

Double exposure at the Huntington---this was a good birthday day

The only beautiful thing in 98 degree weather!

Boyd's Mason Lake-camera flip double exposure

Davis Purcell modeling a girl's mask! and others...dancing? Hard to tell!

Another Sweet 16 picture! Beautiful Vignetting!

Double exposure in the Huntington

Oldies, but Goodies

2010-01-21T19:52:00.001-08:00

This is me in Gustavus, Alaska wearing a borrowed beanie, Cheap Monday blue jeans, American Apparel Sweatshirt, and my boots with the most memories. That's a great bike too :)

Close up of the old work boots.

The original picture taken with my holga.

This acrylic differs a little from the original because I used a different picture as a reference, but it hopefully captures the same serenity.

These are pictures that are actually from Alaska or just remind me of Alaska. I finally finished this acrylic painting that took about 15 movies long (I watched a heck of a lot of movies) and made me enjoy the complexity of clouds (they are SOOO much more difficult than they look!).
Ok, movies I watched:
Watchmen
Bambi
Extract (me no likey)
He's just not that into you
Bourne Identity
Edge of Love
Pride and Prejudice
House Sitters
10 Things I Hate About you
(This was only 1 weekend)
This is only the beginning of many hours lost to art, or gained :), depending the perspective.

Besides many lost hours...
This week was so cool because I finished the Alaska painting at the same time it rained LIKE Alaska, forcing me to wear something I wore IN Alaska.