Am I dreaming? I think this girl came to life from a 2" plastic decoration on my Birthday Cake:

Here are some of the Fashion Sketches from my latest Bloomingdale's Event. I liked my set-up, and I felt freer than I did the previous week, but I'm still trying to recapture that earlier experience - the time I was drawing at a Sweet 16 in Connecticut......I had been flying with my drawings..... I'll recapture that Wonderful experience again yet.

Anyway, this Bloomingdales Event was very interesting. The youngest children I ever had for Fashion Sketches before. Most of them were just perfect little children - just wearing what children wear. But some of them were Fantastic. Like, Look at the Fashion on the first picture that I'm posting. Wow!

Still clearing out the old photos in my office. I came across some photos from a very unique Party. It was a pivotal point in the development of my Fashion Sketches.

This was a Sweet 16 where I was hired to do Fashion Sketches. Client set it up in such as way that the Guests could see some photos of Fashions. They were supposed to Choose which outfit they wanted to be wearing in their Pictures.

Ugh - that wasn't much Party Fun. I'd look at the Guest for the face, and then I'd be looking at the photo for the rest of the picture. It felt like long periods of time in which the Guests were just Waaaaiting. I couldn't take it anymore. So I just took charge. The Guests were dressed very well for the occasion. They were proudly flaunting themselves - you know, Sweet 16 self-awareness. So I took the liberty to just draw what they were wearing. To give attention to the People I Saw. Now that's the Only way I draw Fashion Sketches. Looks great even if they're dressed casually, like the times I drew Customers as they walked into Bloomingdales.

I don't remember the date of this Sweet 16, but I do remember some other interesting things about it:

Here are some of the pictures I drew in which I had to change what the Guest was wearing:

Here are some of the pictures I drew in which I just went with what I saw:

One of the most interesting things I remember about this Sweet 16 was booking it. I had been contacted directly by the client. She had many questions, much discussion back and forth. Then I was contacted by one of my Agents for the same date. I'd have no way to know that it was the same event because Agents don't give the Artists that information until after the Agreement is set. I contacted my private client, and told her that I might not be available if she doesn't book the event asap. And here's what happened:

Client told me that she wouldn't be needing my services afterall - because she booked someone else. Turned out that she booked my agent - who I represented at the event. The client didn't even realize that she was getting the same Artist in either case. But because she booked me through the Agent, the client ended up spending more money. And I ended up earning less money.

I finally had a (cellphone) camera with me during a Fashion Sketch event, and wouldn't you know.... it wasn't my best drawing day.

My work is professional enough, tho, that everybody was thrilled with their pictures. And the woman in charge of these Bloomingdales events is hoping that I'll be available to do it at another one of their stores next week. So Yay! If our schedules mesh, I'll get another chance to do them - I'll be perfect next time - I just know it (Lol - and some day I'll be a perfect person.)

Anyway, here are some of the pictures that I drew today. They look fine. The drawing just could have been more fun for me if I was feeling freer:

What happened was that I asked the guests to pose on the pedestal with the other mannekins. I thought that would be a good experience for them - which it was. For them. But not for me. It was only after the show was over that I realized that it made it intimidating for me. And I played with the guests - had them 'strike a pose'. And that made me (and the drawing) feel controlled.

It was a very successful event. The guests really enjoyed what my client was offering them. But I like to do Best. Everything. For the client, the guests, AND myself. What it is to be an Artist. Why I do it.