Victoria

Here is my entry for the Popovy Sisters contest. You know that I have a weak spot for art dolls. Last year I discovered these Russian artists, whose production is very interesting and captivating. This year they launched an illustration contest I thought to give it a try. 

This has been inspired from their latest line, called Royals, which is based on the game of chess. Here is victorious white queen, regal and ferocious, beautiful and deadly. You can also look at it as the price of power or the horrors of war...I know, it's unusually gruesome for me, but every once in a while it's fun to change tone.

Back to my regular children works, now.

After the archery lesson

I mentioned the other day that I almost participated to a third contest.

That was the Lara Croft Reborn contest on deviantArt.  used to play Tomb Raider a  few years ago and I loved it. When the new game came out and the contest announcement appear I was busy with other stuff and did not pay too much attention to it. A week before the deadline, I remembered about the challenge and came up with a quick idea, as you see on the post-its below.

My idea was to depict Lara in a rather unconventional way, picking on the description found in the "assets package". She was said to be naturally beautiful, studious, not a social butterfly, wealthy, but not ostentatious, etc. All these characteristics are not typically represented in LC art, where she usually is in a combactive stance, covered in dust and sometimes blood. Instead, I wanted to show a young innocent girl with an interesting background and a hidden strength.

When my husband saw the drawing half way through the inking, he first could not identify her, then reminded me that the contest was supposed to promote an action game and that composed and calming views of the main hero were not going to appeal to the panel of judges, the company, or the target audience. As a former player of the game, I begged to disagree on the last point. However, I recognized he might be correct on the rest. Because I was also extremely tight on time and very busy with work and the baby,  I decided to relax and finish the piece for my own pleasure. Here is the result.

Dormi Dormi for the Topipittori game

The beginning of the year is when I get excited about contests and games. I participated to two, almost submitted an entry for a third, and thinking I should maybe run for a forth one...

This little piece here, Dormi Dormi, was a quick drawing I made for a game (not a contest, a game) by the italian editor Topipittori. The participants were supposed to draw the pajama of their dreams. I made one for my Bella to wear. Of the 78 entries, 20 were selected and published. The public will choose the winner.You can see (and vote for) the selected entries here.
Unfortunately, my piece was not chosen, but it goes straight to Bella's room...after all for my family, I am always a winner! ;)

 The quality of the picture is actually pretty bad...I think I should take a new photo with more light (or buy a new scanner...) and update my sites in a few days.

How is this new one?

The 2013 Enchanted Doll Contest

Hello, dolls lovers out there! I am sure you are more than familiar with Marina Bychkova's spectacular works! If not, take a look at her website: you'll fall in love! Enchanted dolls are collector's dream and pretty hard to come by, but every year Marina gives a chance to all her fans to win one of them by participating to her Birthday contest!

This year the prize is one of her resin dolls fully painted and customed. Yummy, no?

The 2013's theme is travel. People were asked to send in a postcard of a favorite destination...
Postacards can be new, old, bought, home-made, of real places or fantastic places...
Recently, Marina posted that she has already received more than 100 postcards and they keep coming!

Looking forward to seeing everybody's entry. I made my own (and it was a rather complicated business, because I didn't plan ahead very smartly...usual me...) and sent it yesterday afternoon. It will make it to Canada barely on time.

I am also very curious to see which mold she'll pick to be the prize and how she will dress her up...

Good luck to all the participants!

ED Contest Prize

It's here! Actually, it's been here for a few days now, but I haven't had the opportunity to take pictures until today. Marina Bychkova of Enchanted Doll (see my previous post...) sent me the marvelous prize for the 2011 Birthday ED contest (here are my entries for the contest): a silver doll hand pendant of exquisite beauty and uniqueness.

The hand came in an elegant white box. The picture at the bottom of the box depicts Necrophilia, one of Marina's earliest projects and her interpretation of the Snow White tale. I always loved that doll for the sweetness of her expression. This same picture happens also to be my avatar in the  ED forum...and I suspect this didn't happen by chance. I really appreciate it. ;)

My poor photographs don't make it justice, but you can find far better ones on her blog here
The tiny lines of the palm are delightful.... I can't stop admiring them!

I am beyond happy and feel very privileged to own such a lovely piece of art. Thanks a million Marina!

PS: I bought the silver necklace at a local jewelry and the sale person was really impressed by it too...asked me lots of questions about Marina and her works. ;)