Margaret's School

The character on the left is called Evangeline Basset, and the girl on the right is Margaret Baron. I wanted them to look a little bit like ball-jointed dolls to show their innocence and young age (plus the fact that I adore ball-jointed dolls). It was hard to decide their hairstyles; at first I went for short hair on both of them, kind of like a cutesy 60s style bob – Evangeline’s in a layered style and Margaret’s curled up at the edges. But I decided to stick closer to my description, which I’m actually quite glad of – I loved colouring Evangeline’s hair!

The dresses they are both wearing is their school uniform, which many say (in the story) is rather old fashioned. I found this gorgeous design on a Japanese Indie Lolita website (also called Margaret’s School, which coincidentally gave me the idea of this story somehow…) and decided that I needed to draw my characters wearing it! The design of dress belongs to this website.

Starry-Eyed

Here's Johan in front of the backdrop I made of a starry sky/galaxy. I used my dad's spray paints and watercolours to do the star effects, and the black is just a huge block of wood painted black in several coats. It was very fun to make, and my dad uses it to play Star Wars miniature games on.The 'houses' are actually shoe boxes.

Les Amitiés Particulières Chapter 4

 Note: It is my theory that most of the people in those social clubs during the 1920s-30s were completely drunk all the time, just like in Jeeves and Wooster (I hardly ever see Bertie without some alcoholic beverage in his hands). My theory is probably utter rubbish, but I thought it would be fun to add in.

Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice

The un-awakened gothic Lolita within me has always been curious about the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, though through bad vampire experiences in the past (Twilight, I'm looking at you) have always been too paranoid to look into it. I should have known it would be amazing, as I really liked that Malice Mizer short film based on Dracula, have read Carmilla by Joseph Le Fanu, and love everything to do with Dracula (the stage show, book and films included)! And really, I have discovered that this book is so amazing and beautiful, that I was absolutely stupid to have been put off reading modern vampire books, all because of sparkling vampires in teen romance books... Seriously, I loved everything about it!
The story follows the vampire Louis as he tells his tale to a boy that is interviewing him. His story stretched for practically the whole book, with a few opportunities for the boy to ask him questions. We learn nearly nothing about the boy, or why he's interviewing him, but I liked that as it added a bit of mystery and left things to the imagination.
First of all, the characters are so well-formed and unique from each other. My absolute favourite character has to be Claudia, the five year old girl who Louis and Lestat made a vampire. She's really cute - or so everybody thinks - until she seduces you and kills you for blood! Claudia has a lot of frustration later on in the book because she's a woman trapped in the body of a small girl, so can't find any love or romance as everybody thinks she's so young. The way Anne Rice wrote about it conveyed Claudia's frustration so well that I could almost feel it myself! Also, I really love the outfits of Claudia; it must be great to have all that fancy, Lolita-esque finery. She has lovely dresses - commonly in black, white, or pastel colours in luxurious fabrics - bonnets, delicate shoes and lace gloves with beautiful golden hair, 'liquid' blue eyes and a doll-like face. Someday I would like to buy or sew some of the clothes I can imagine her wearing, and I'm definitely going to draw her sometime soon!
As well as Claudia, I also really liked Lestat. I know he was portrayed by Louis as rather hateful, extravagant and wildly reckless, I really adored his flamboyancy and attitude in the beginning of the story. His confidence was really interesting, and so was the way he killed humans without remorse or a second thought. He was like a polar opposite to Louis, an aspect that I find really enthralling in fiction!
 Louis was also a really good character, and although he was the protagonist, I didn't find him as interesting as Claudia and Lestat... He is really practical and has a conscience of right and wrong, and sticks to it. Also, his backstory was really interesting, what with the way he came from Revolutionary France and came to live in Louisiana in the United States, and then his relationship with his family; especially his younger brother! I was always wanting to know more, especially as it was set around one of my favourite eras of history!
I won't go too deep into the plot because I don't want to spoil it, and also because there was a lot, and my memory is awful. However, I'll say that I really enjoyed it, and hope to get the rest of Anne Rice's books soon.

Going to Art Galleries

Today has been a really great day! The weather was really sunny and warm for once, and I actually got out of the house, ahaha! I went with my friend, Jasmine, to the Albert Dock in Liverpool, and we went around the dock and inside some art galleries and museums. I'm not a fan of cities as a rule, but I actually really love going to Liverpool.

There was some festival going on at Albert Dock, I think it was a boat festival or something, as there was a lot of boats on the Marine (more than usual anyway) and a lot of bunting. Plus, it was absolutely crowded! At one point I thought we had joined a really long queue for something, but it turns out that it was actually a queue to get into the main area! Besides the crowding, it was actually fine, and my personal space wasn't invaded too much.

Whilst we waited for the art club at the Tate, Jasmine and I walked around the dock as it was such  beautiful day, and just talked. It was really nice to see her and be able to talk to her properly for once, as it seems that we hardly meet each other at school anymore, as our classes are all different. I was able to share something really personal that's been weighing down on me for a long time now, so it was such a relief to get it off my chest and talk to someone who is both good at keeping secrets and understands... I've been feeling a lot of conflict, confusion and guilt over these past few days (months even), so I feel so much better that I've had this talk with a good friend.

When it was time to actually go to the art club, I was really nervous at first, but when I saw how welcoming and kind the people were - plus the fact I recognised some of the kids there (most of them are younger than me anyway) - I felt silly for even being worried! All the people there are so nice and creative, so I always really enjoy this club!
As the boat festival thing was on, our theme was based around that. We went outside to draw this one special boat parked onto the Marine, and this boat was called a Dazzle boat, as a method of camouflage used during World War I. It was actually really impressive, and made me want my own ship even more! We had to draw it and I failed miserably, ahahaha! I didn't even manage to finish as it was so detailed. After that we went back inside to make our own designs of dazzle ships out of coloured paper and cardboard. Mine was pink, reflective silver and purple, and called The Nameless, because I literally couldn't think of a name for my ship when Jasmine asked me. Jasmine's was turquoise and lime green, with silver reflective windows, a giant raspberry pie, and a moose and squirrel on board (I am proud to admit that I drew the animals on board this magical vessel) !

Jasmine's mother took us to another art gallery/museum when it was over, and even though I was so tired from a lot of talking (hahaha) I really, really enjoyed it! It was an exhibition of April Ashley, whose story I found both heart-breaking and beautiful. She is such a beautiful woman in all these photos, and the story very nearly made me cry.

Pictures Drawn for Me Part 5

Here are some drawings done by friends either on Deviant Art, or in real life! These pictures mean so much to me, I just love them! Some are my OCs and some are birthday presents and art trades with friends in real life. I'll upload them in the order I got them. <3

This is a picture I commissioned, by andy885 from DeviantART, of Aika. I just love it so much! Lisa made her look so beautiful, and the dress is just done to perfection! As always, the colouring and shading is fantastic, and the hair is just so amazing and ethereal-looking! Basically I adore everything about it!

Pictures Drawn for Me Part 4

Here are some drawings done by friends either on Deviant Art, or in real life! These pictures mean so much to me, I just love them! Some are my OCs and some are birthday presents and art trades with friends in real life. I'll upload them in the order I got them. <3

Both of these are by my good friend from DeviantART, Slashretta! She had this thing going on Tumblr where people request things for the character she role-plays (Patrick Hockstetter from Stephen King's IT. Who else? XD We love the little psycho!) to draw doing or wearing. I just love them so much! In the last one I requested Patrick dressed as Alice in Wonderland, with his cat we made up, Princess, dressed as Dinah!