♦ Art Appreciation Monday! ♦

Welcome to Art Appreciation Monday! 

If you missed last week's Art Appreciation Monday with Alexandra Marie you can view that post here.

I'm very excited for this Monday, we have an artist who not only draws and paints...but she also can bring art to life by sewing her elaborate and exquisite cosplay costumes!

 Please welcome.... *****Drum roll!!!!!***** Lyumos of Deviant Art! 

 Ion Fortuna Earl of Memphis

 Ion Fortuna is the Earl of Memphis (from the novels: Trinity Blood).  He is a Methuselah of a high-ranking Imperial noble family and a favorite of the Empress.* Lyumos has done an amazing job detailing her costume with embroidery and jewels, I am especially intrigued by the hat which is gorgeously designed to match!  

Ariana: What is your name?
Lada: My name: Lada.

Ariana: Are you human/boy/girl?

Lada: I am a girl. 

Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?

Lada: I live in Russia. In the city of Veliky Novgorod, it is a small town, but it is very ancient and beautiful.

Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?

Lada:  I am an only child. 

Ariana: Do you have any pets?

Lada:  Yes , I have a pet, it is a cat. His name is Maximilian, or simply Max.

Ariana: Birthday?

Lada: I was born on May 1.

Trinity Blood An Itinerant Priest

Lyumos has done an excellent job painting this priest from Trinity Blood. His face and eyes are absolutely astounding with details and lifelike tones. One of my favourite things about this picture in particular is the eyes, which are really beautiful almost like sapphires! :) 

Ariana: What inspires you most to paint/draw/make cosplay costumes?

Lada: I love to create costumes. Designing is my great passion. I am interested in working on the details and embroidery. I  also love to draw with crayons and watercolors. Most of all, I like to paint portraits. I find human faces very interesting.

Ariana: In your own words what exactly is cosplay?

Lada: My new hobby is cosplay. Cosplay is when people dress up as cartoon characters, computer games and comics. I like the feeling of playing different roles, sewing the costumes and being photographed in them.

I've been doing cosplay for almost two years . But this hobby has become a very important part of me.

Ariana: Why is cosplay important to you? And why do you like helping other people achieve their dream of a certain cosplay costume? 

Lada: Cosplay is very important for me because I'm happy when I make a new suit . It takes a lot of time and money, but I believe that someday my efforts will be rewarded . In the end, I would like to design fashion in the future. I like the costumes from films by type: " Game of Thrones " " Alice in Wonderland ," "Elizabeth " and more. =)

Ariana: So what are your plans for the future? 

Lada: I dream that my future will see me engaged in drawing. It will make me a happy person.

Ariana: What are your favourite fabrics and beads to work with on a costume? 

Lada: For the costumes , I like to use the church fabrics like velvet, silk... for the beads, Japanese pearls, rhinestones and various filigree details....

Ariana: When did you first decide you wanted to make cosplay costumes? 

Lada: The first time I took up cosplay was in the summer of 2012 .

Ariana: Do you have a favourite thing to paint/draw/make cosplay costumes from? 

Lada: I love to watch anime and read the books. My favorite anime series: " Trinity Blood ", " Hellsing " and " Gravity ". I prefer to work from books, mainly Rusko classical literature. I really love Dostoevsky and Bulgakov. I like poets like Blok, Yesenin, and Fet. Of foreign literature I like Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle. 

Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of painting/drawing/making cosplay costumes?

Lada: When I have no inspiration, I take a break from business and watch movies. Sometimes I want to walk around the city or go to bed.

Ariana: Do you have a favourite food/drink? 

Lada: I love pizza , sushi, dairy products, sweets and pastries =)

Ariana: How do you wind down after working on cosplay costumes or painting/drawing?

Lada: I basically just do what I do, I sew and paint. But as I said, I love to read. I also enjoy taking pictures, but it's not serious.

Ariana: What would your advice to other artists be? 

Lada: Other artists I would give simple advice: try to create the art they feel in their heart and do not be lazy . Love your business and find your unique style. If no one believes in you, do not dare to give up and keep going on! You are the master of your life and if your life is full of creativity, it's fine. ^_^

Embroidery For My New Suit

Here is a very detailed picture of  Lyumos's handiwork up-close! On church fabric is carefully placed Japanese pearls and Swarovski crystals. Not only are the colours truly beautiful together, the elaborate details on this are mind boggling! 

The final masterpiece I want to share with you from Lyumos, is her painting:

Imagination Doll Caren

I like this painting because it is so unique, the colours are so vibrant! The blue hues are intense alongside the orange and reds of the fish. I think one of the greatest things to find in an artist is a unique and colourful imagination that has endless ideas- this is certainly something that Lyumos has! 

Now, one final question for Lyumos.

Ariana: Do you take custom orders for cosplay costumes or artwork? 

Lada: I accept individual orders for tailoring cosplay and making jewelry and ornaments, as well as embroidery. 

If you like Lyumos's artwork or cosplay costumes you can contact her below for information about a custom order or a special commission! 

Contact her through:

Deviant Art

Twitter

Facebook

Or

vk.com

I am very happy that Lyumos was interested in taking part of Art Appreciation Monday! Not only has she brought a great new splash to Art Appreciation Monday, but she has also shared some great words of wisdom for new artists and even professional artists! 

*****All the artwork/pictures belongs to Lyumos!!!! 

There are links in blue which will direct you to 

the originals.**********

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PICTURES/or/WRITTEN WORK 

POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!! 

If you want to use some of Lyumos's artwork or commission her for a costume, contact her here.

 Not to mention she very much deserves loads of followers... so go follow her here. 

Sources

*Ion Fortuna is the Earl of Memphis. He is a Methuselah of a high-ranking Imperial noble family and a favorite of the Empress. (Source: http://trinityblood.wikia.com/wiki/Ion_Fortuna)

♦ Art Appreciation Monday ♦

Welcome to Art Appreciation Monday! 

I am always so honoured to get to speak to so many different, talented artists, from photographers, painters,  writers and digital artists! And I'm sure you've been delighted in some way or another by the artists who I've spotlighted...if you have not in some way enjoyed the artwork which I've spotlighted, have no fear, I'm sure one of these Mondays I'm going to find an artist who will fit your fancy!

Last week, I was very lucky to interview artist Lexieken of Deviant Art, if you missed the post click here.

This week, we have a special guest, who is not only a photographer, but also a model for her blog! I've been wanting to interview her FOREVER, and our spring weather has given me the opportunity to spotlight some of her fashions and photos! : ) 

Introducing... *Drum-roll* Alexandra Marie of tobebeautifulingodseyes.blogspot.com!! :)

As I said  before, I've been wanting to interview her for ages! So I'm super excited to get started!

I asked Alexandra what her favourite pictures were and one of them was,
 Meet Me At The Fair

Alexandra always chooses great places to take her pictures, not just sunny places like the beach, but busy sometimes chaotic places like the fairground! Which is why I believe she has a uniqueness not only to her pictures and blog posts, but it also makes the fashions she's modelling much more interesting!

Here she is modelling a lovely floral print romper and a blue over-shirt and an absolutely darling hat! 

Ariana: What's your name?

Alex: My name's Alexandra but I usually go by Alex :)

Ariana: Are you human/boy/girl?

Alex: Yup human- haha! And most definitely girl ;)

Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?

Alex: I'm in the lovely, sunny state of California

Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?

Alex:  I do! One younger sister

Ariana: Do you have any pets?

Alex:  I have a Shetland sheepdog named Dot.

Ariana: Birthday?

Alex: December

California Dreamin'

This blog post is absolutely hilarious, which is why you must check it out! :) Not only is there a funny story to go along with these pictures, but there is also some glamorous fashion ideas to be reaped from looking at her pictures! I love this cute blue checked dress so much, because it is paired with an adorable pair of shoes that have a cerise coloured rose on them! Alexandra  has a cute gold binocular necklace which adds the perfect touch to her dress! 

Ariana: What inspires you most to model and take pictures?

Alex: Hmm, I suppose probably reading other blogs and following some of my favorite photographers. I love discovering new pose ideas and picture techniques!

Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration? 

(Coffee, caffeine pellets, candy, music...etc.)

Alex: Music is huge- I also enjoy meeting up with my friend, Jenna- plotting about great new over the moon blog plans with your bestie is a great little pick me up! Other days If I really need some vintage inspiration, I'll watch an Audrey Hepburn movie :)

Ariana: Talking about munchies... do you have a favourite food/drink? 

Alex: Oddly enough- I have a huge thing for black licorice- good and plenty is my all time favorite candy (and I have a crazy sweet tooth, so anything candy related does the trick)

Ariana: Do you have a favourite thing to photograph, or a favourite type of fashion to model? 

Alex: I definitely love taking pictures of people- I am actually a professional photographer outside of the blogosphere. I do anything from weddings to senoir portraits. I love shooting portraits because it's an opportunity to meet new people and capture who they are through the lens. As far as favorite fashion to model- absolutely, 100% anything vintage- particularly 1950s!

Ariana: I love your "Do it Yourself" section on your blog, are you inspired by other DIY or are these all original ideas from you?

Alex: Some of my DIYs are ideas I've discovered and re-created on my blog. Others are straight from my imagination :)

Ariana: You are excellent with your colours and sense of fashion, what would you say is an all around "NO" in the fashion world?

Alex: Eek- OK, so through blogging I've learned to be a lot more open to other styles and people's creativity. But I must say- there are a few things I've never been able to appreciate very much. One would be the neon trend- not that there is anything wrong with it- I just have never found the loveliness in it. Another would be anything overly masculine- muscle tanks, snap-backs, or anything of that nature.

 Ariana: What is your fashion staple? 

Alex: Dresses! Dresses are my weakness- I don't like spending money on pants of any kind (though, I'm always glad when I do). My other weaknesses would probably be accessories and beauty supplies.

Ariana: Now, we the followers of your blog get to see you all dolled up, do you ever wear sweat pants and an over-sized t-shirts? 

Alex: Haha, I love it! Yes, I unfortunately am not exempt to sloppy dressing. For the most part, I never like to leave the house without being a little dressed up, but at home it's not uncommon to catch me in pj pants and a camisole with messy hair.

Ariana: When did you decide you wanted be a photographer/model? 

Alex: Well, I discovered my love for photography when I was 14! I just grabbed a point and shoot camera and started taking pictures. It was love at first snap! As for modeling- it has just sort of become a hobby for me through my blog. Outside of that I don't actually do much with it- primarily because the industry is so cut throat. My mom used to model when she was my age and it was brutal!

Ariana: It is rather rare to find someone so true to their faith and so genuine in keeping both God and their work as one...do you ever have bullies saying mean things to you? 

Alex: It's interesting you should mention it- I have yet to have anyone criticize me for my faith, but I have had some unkind things said about me through the cyber world in the past. I think it's something that every blogger deals with, or will deal with. It's important to remember that we're all daughters of the King!

Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of photography and modelling? 

Alex: Many! I love reading and philosophy, playing piano, sketching, singing, and anything outdoors- I love adventures!

Ariana: How do you wind down after taking pictures or modelling? 

Alex: Usually by heading home from a shoot and editing my favorite shots from the shoot- it's the best part!

Ariana: What would your advice to other artists be? 

Alex:  Stay true to your style- don't be afraid to go against the flow. There will always be people who will put down your work, but there will also be people out there who will really appreciate your talent. As long as you follow God's path for your life, there are no limits!

Fly Me To The Moon 

As you can see this is what they wear in Spring on Jupiter and Mars! ;) The dress is so gorgeous with the slender tan belt, and paired with that red knee length coat that is popping with colour and cuteness with the gold buttons and inside pattern! Once again, I'm always impressed with how Alexandra colour coordinates everything, even the balloons look like they were made to match her coat! 

What can I say, Alexandra's fashions and blog posts will really- Fly you to the Moon, too! 

My favourite picture and fashion modelled by Alexandra is from her blog post,

When The Clock Strikes Twelve

One probably really obvious reason that this is my favourite picture and dress, is because of the polka dots!

I absolutely love polka dots, and with the added plus that this dress is fluffy and beautiful knee-length is an added bonus! With the off the shoulder sleeves showing off her graceful shoulders, pearl necklace and her peep toe high heels, what is there not to love about this picture?

Lastly, I would like to draw your attention to this excellent makeup tutorial that Alexandra has just uploaded onto her YouTube channel! So if you want to style your makeup like Alexandra's, I definitely suggest watching the video below! And of course subscribing to her YouTube channel!

I'm so grateful when an artist is willing to agree to do an "Art Appreciation Monday"! 

And I am so honoured to get to talk with wonderful artists like Alexandra, who knows so much and is willing to share her inspirational wisdom with others! I appreciate her agreeing to work with me for an Art Appreciation Monday, it is thanks to her and so many other artists that we can all bring a little more beautiful art and happiness to the world!  ♥

Thank you! 

*****All the artwork belongs to  Alexandra Marie!!!! There are links in blue which will direct you to the originals.**********

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PICTURES/WRITTEN WORK 

POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!! 

If you want to use some of the Alexandra Marie's work, contact her through 

her blog here, not to mention she very much deserves loads of

 followers... so go follow her here. 

♦ Art Appreciation Monday! ♦

Welcome, once more to a spectacular Art Appreciation Monday! :) 

 Last Monday I was thrilled to spotlight one of my best friends/pen-pal Thomas Bachamann, who you probably know as the Kid with a Camera, and just recently celebrated the accomplishment of an entire year of photography! So I was super excited to be able to spotlight him!

This Monday, I have another exciting guest for you! If you're a fan of art that looks cute and rather like Disney characters...you'll be very happy...If you like Sherlock you'll be even happier with our guest this week....also if you believe that Sherlock and Molly Hooper are a cute couple... And if you're like me...and love all of the above, then you're in for a wonderful treat! ♥

This week we welcome, ****Drum Roll**** Lexieken of Deviant Art!!!! :)

Ariana: What's your name outside Deviant Art?

Lexie: Lexie.

Ariana: Are you human/boy/girl?

Lexie: Female.

Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?

Lexie: Last time I checked, it was Earth. But more generally known Sol 3.

Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?

Lexie: I have a younger sister.

Ariana: Do you have any pets?

Lexie: Sadly, no.

Ariana: Birthday?

Lexie: Fall.

Fall birthdays are the best! I should know, my birthday is in the fall too. :)

Ariana: What inspires you most to paint/draw?

Lexie: Quite often, it's a feeling. I feel like there's something that I have to create, a story that I want to tell, an image that needs to flow out of my brain and I need to be able to see it and touch it and tuck it away in my pocket. The triggers for it aren't always the same, but it's always the same feeling.

Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration?

Lexie: Quite often this is vegging out on the couch and watching my favorite movies or tv. I also tend to turn to crafting basics, like knitting a scarf or sewing a plushie following a pattern. This helps me still make something tangible but often removing the part when I have to think about it.

I'm not going to deny there's been weeks and weeks of not being able to make anything. When things get bad, I go back to basics and try to improve my learning: I follow tutorials that I've bookmarked for later, see if there's something new that I can learn in terms of technique or approach. This usually does the trick.

Ariana: Talking about munchies... do you have a favourite food/drink?

Lexie: I love food, just in general. But I have particular cravings for bread and cheese and fruit, in pretty much in any variation.

Ariana: Do you have a favourite media to paint/draw with?
Lexie: It will vary depending on my mood, actually. But it's always the traditional pencil and paper that I keep coming back to.

Ariana: Do you have a favourite thing to paint, movies, people, animals, what is your favourite thing to paint/draw?

Lexie: Right now, I love doing Sherlock fanart because it makes me happy, but I have to confess I really really miss oil painting. I love working on a large canvas and spending time in front of it, just me and my work while everything else dissolves around me.

Ariana: When did you decide you wanted be an artist?

Lexie: I don't think it was a conscious decision. It's just...who I am.

Ariana: When did you first decide you wanted to draw Sherlolly art? :)
Lexie: This has to do with the story by Emcee called "The Full House". I'd been reading that story and suddenly, it actually started speaking to me on a visual level. I HAD to draw something for it. And so I made a sketch and very shyly sent it to the author via PM. She was just oh so lovely and we got to talking so quickly...I wanted to draw more and more for it, and Emcee was nothing but encouraging throughout (more like she was my enabler). I hadn't drawn with any regularity other than little margin doodles in years, so it took some time to get in the groove of it, but wow, I can't believe how far it's let me go!

(For your information: The Full House, is available online and is a fan-fiction, just for those of you who don't know.) :) 

Ariana: You have a really cute Disney-ish style, how exactly does one draw like that?
Lexie: I...don't know? I've always loved the 9 Old Men, and I went back and I looked at art books for them, studied their sketches and their methods of learning. From there it was just a lot of practice!

---- And for those of you who don't know the 9 Old Men, (I've been there before too, don't feel bad.) here's a direct link to Wikipedia for you, Disney's Nine Old Men. :) For better understanding. :) 

Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of painting/drawing?

Lexie: Oh goodness, SO MANY. I do quite a lot of crafting, but I actually am a professional photographer (though it's not how I make a living).

Ariana: How do you wind down after painting/drawing?

Lexie: I go to sleep. Haha. Usually, I finish drawing really late at night so I basically stop what I'm doing, brush my teeth and go to bed for a few hours before going to work.

Ariana: What would your advice to other artists be?

Lexie: My best advice is to keep learning, don't get comfortable, and don't give up. If something's not working, fine it's not working right now: get up, take a walk, sing a song, do a jumping jack, turn your paper upside-down. Eventually, you'll get there. Be kind to yourself (not just about your work, but also about finding some time to relax and do those important wrist stretches!) and keep pushing for the next level, always be ready to learn something new. 

Ariana: What's your favourite line from Sherlock? :)

Lexie:  Sherlock: Beautiful, isn’t it?

John: I thought you didn’t care about things like that.

Sherlock: Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate it.

(From The Great Game)

Ariana: What did you think of that kiss in series three? :) 

Lexie: Which one? My favorite was when Sherlock kissed Molly on the cheek, actually. Mostly because it was so genuine, so real: he's doing everything he can, putting himself in a vulnerable situation and still being mature and, in a way, he's letting her go. It was a beautiful moment.

Ariana: Is there anything you want to happen in series four of Sherlock? :)

Lexie: I really want to see more cases!! I want to see how the writers deal with some of my favorites from the classic stories! I can't wait to also see this Sherlock morph into ACD (Arthur Conan Doyle) canon Sherlock: more jovial and definitely more fun.

Now let's take a look at my favourite picture by Lexieken!! Who has so kindly allowed me to post a piece of her artwork on my blog! 

Disneylock-Sherlolly and Warstan-sm

One of the reasons I love Lexieken's art, is because of how cute it is! Her style is very unique and sweet, and has such a nice Disney flair to it. Notice how simple the background is behind them, how it doesn't really matter that there isn't anything back there, just plain simple pink. One of my favourite things about this picture is the fact that Mary and John are in it together this time. Disneylock Sherlolly and John, is before Mary was introduced, it is still gorgeously done, and I love John's face in that version. But this version is definitely my favourite. :)   Lexieken does a beautiful job of combining her colours and giving each of her characters great expressions and personality. And an added bonus to all her fabulous artwork with almost every picture she has a small snippet of story or conversation which brings the picture to life! 

I know some of us really want Sherlock and Molly to get together...and seeing it brought to life in fan-fictions and artwork is brilliant, but my favourite Sherlolly artist is definitely Lexieken.

If you like her artwork, go and check out some of my other favourites!

♥

Sherlolly Beach Holiday

Sherlolly Teenlock Piggyback

30 Day OTP Sherlolly Day 9 Hanging out with friends (This one reminds me of the Great Mouse Detective!)

Victorian! Sherlolly-Cont'd

♥

And because I love all the artists I spotlight I highly recommend you do the following:

Follow Lexieken on Deviant Art!

Or on Tumblr ArtbyLexie

Buy her art prints, or clocks, bags or coffee cups, through her Shop on Society 6! 

As always, I'm so amazed when an artist of any sort is willing to agree to do an "Art Appreciation Monday"! 

It is so thrilling to get to meet people like Lexieken, who know so much and are willing to share their stories with the world! ♥ That's why I want to give her a BIG THANK YOU, for agreeing to do this, it takes time and I really appreciate it! She is not only an inspiration to new artists, but also a kind person to know! ♥

Thank you! 

*****All the artwork belongs to  Lexieken!!!! There are links in blue which will direct you to the originals.**********

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE ARTWORK/WRITTEN WORK 

POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!! 

If you want to use some of the Lexieken's art, contact her through 

Deviant Art, not to mention she very much deserves loads of

 followers... so go follow her here.