Lolita Art

 Hello and welcome!

This is my first post in a while. There has been a couple lolita art contests sponsored by Baby, The Stars Shine Bright and Alice and the Pirates, as well as a couple of #drawthisinyourstyle challenges by lolita artists. Some truly beautiful pieces have been created for these contests and challenges, and it got me in the mood to talk about lolita art in general.

One of the artists participating in both BTSSB drawing challenges is also holding a Draw This In Your Style challenge. In Instagram, their username is snow_priestess. You can see that snow_priestess' highlights includes the DTIYS entries for the challenge so far. The deadline to turn in your entry is October 11th as per this post. 

Another artist who has started a DTIYS challenge is one of my lolita artist favorites, Lulu Van Hoagland. Lulu's art for this challenge can be found in her Instagram post here. Lulu's artwork is simpler and evokes a melancholy feeling. I don't think there is a particular deadline for this challenge, but you may want to do it sooner than later!

Honorable mention to the always amazing choconokecha. Her art Insta is can be found here. I mentioned her in this list specifically for her entry to the BTSSB contest, which can be found on her twitter.

I draw a bit myself, but I'm nowhere near confident enough to do commission work or participate in contests, so I've been content just drawing for fun. Here's one of my most recent pieces: 

Do you like to draw? Or do you prefer to commission works when you are able? I'd recommend to give the Draw This In Your Style challenges if you have the chance. Even taking a picture inspired by them is fun!

Until next time,

Keiko

How to have a great Valentine's Day: A Short Illustrated Guide

Hello lovebirds! It's ya girl Keiko again.

Today I am going to spread some illustrated wisdom about how to make this Valentine's Day the best one yet. Warning: It is preferable that you are single during this process, but people with partners may also partake if they wish. Without farther ado, here we go!

Pankeiko's Illustrated Guide to Having a great Valentine's Day

In today's day an age, while we are more connected to each other than ever through the online world, there is still a physical aspect that we are missing. This applies to both the people and the things we love. We often yearn for what we don't have as we look at what's out there. This brings us suffering and sadness so, instead of mourning the connections we do not have, I believe it is better to get reacquainted with what we is close to us --and what better day to do it than on the day of love!

So do a little self-care, hang out with friends, or do what any sensible lolita would do: turn to your wardrobe. Your most prized pieces are probably in need of a little extra care anyway, so why not make them and yourself happy in that special occasion?

1. Give your pieces a good wash.

Whether you trust the local dry cleaners, or are brave enough to do your own lolita laundry, this step is essential. Making sure that your clothes are clean is the first step of having a happy wardrobe. They will feel fresh and closer to new, and the individual attention you give them will make you fall in love all over again.

Make sure that you do some research before tossing your precious prints in the washer. I suggest familiarizing yourself with the Japanese laundry symbols and think of the specific materials your pieces are made of and how they wash individually.

2. Lint roll your pieces and check for damages

This step helps you familiarize yourself yourself with your clothing in a more tactile way. You will need to carefully inspect each item with care to make sure there are no snags or loose threads. Any pet hair must be disposed of with a lint roller to return the piece to its best self. I would recommend doing this while watching a movie. It will be soothing for both of you and will enhance your bonding experience.

Bonus points if you sew buttons back on, adjust bows, or run your hands over the lace to appreciate its quality. Pro-Tip: Checking out the print for any running colors will also give you the chance to appreciate its artistry and find little things you hadn't noticed before.

3. Admire your pieces

After all the hard work and bonding time, you should take a step back to take in the fruits of your labor. Now your lolita items are clean, lint-rolled, and glowing with love. Our first instinct would be to put them back in the safety of our wardrobe, yet how would it make you feel being shoved into a closet after a strenuous makeover? All that work to look your best, for what? These kind of negative feelings will not stand. Instead, why not admire each item individually --or better yet, why not try putting together a coordinate to see how each individual part comes together to create your own unique combinations? Whether it's a floordinate in an instagram post, a picture for a future wardrobe post, or just displaying them on your mannequin (provided you have one) will allow for more time to appreciate your lolita closet. If you want to increase your love output, I recommend that you follow best way to show your clothes you love them: wear them.

4. Take the next step

So now you have cleaned, pressed, and displayed your clothes. You may even have gone through with wearing them somewhere. What next? It depends on how comfortable you are in them and how far along you are in your relationship. I'd recommend picking a memorable place to go. Maybe a park or a nice cafe. Depending on what you like, it can be crowded or a more secluded area. Then wait for the perfect moment. It can be the way your petticoat puffs up when you sit down, or the sound of the fabrics as you move. It's up to you to determine when you are ready. Just don't forget to get a matching ring to cement your relationship and expand your options for coordinates ;).

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That's all she wrote, folks! I hope you liked this little guide for the pursuit of happiness on an arbitrary commercial holiday that can affect some people negatively. I wanted to make something that would cheer up those who are not having a good time this week, so I put a little extra effort by sketching some images. So please let me know what you think in the comments!

Lolita Art - Featuring Storm Neverland (Pretty Pictures~!)

Hey hey everyone!
It's Keiko here, and today I want to introduce you all to another lolita artist: Storm Neverland!

Still taking stories for comic strips!

Storm Neverland is an Italian artist based in London. I first ran into their art in instagram, where they were looking for Lolita stories to illustrate. The comic strips that came as a result are excellent, from their beautiful, vibrant colors to their delicate attention to print detail. My favorite part, however, is their light-hearted depiction of the day-to-day realities of dressing in the fashion--directly from the mouth of lolitas themselves. If you would like to see the strips, you can find them in Storm Neverland's facebook and Tapastic pages.

I submitted a story to her early on and was featured in a comic myself!

I decided to feature Storm Neverland's art because, not only do I love it, but I think it provides a great visual representation of lolita life for those who do not participate in the hobby. Aside from the comics, there are other illustrations that show the more relaxed, realistic side of wearing the fashion...

as well as just generally keeping it real.

There are gothic and classic versions of this! As well as pins!

All in all, I can easily say that I look forward to reading the strips as they come out and to see more of Storm's work in the future. If you are interested in their style or a little something for yourself, Storm is open for commissions right now! Feel free to reach out through their official facebook page.

Do you have a fun lolita story to share? Feel free to share it in the comments below, or even shoot Storm a message!

As always, thanks for reading and see you soon~

Keiko out~

Lolita Art - Featuring Coarsefur

Hey everyone!
Keiko here~

I was browsing tumblr a while ago and I ran across some stunning doodles from a blogger named coarsefur. I really loved their style, as I draw a lot in pencil/mechanical pencil myself rather than digitally and felt a bit closer to their work because of that.

Though coarsefur doesn't seem to publish their art much, they have great attention to detail. I specially enjoy how they draw eyes and mouths, as well as what they choose for the simple backgrounds of their portraits. The drawings all have a lot of personality to them!

One of coarsefur's lovely portraits

I look forward to seeing more of their work in the future, so I followed the blog. If you wanna see more of their artwork, you can do so here.

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Do you have a tumblr? What are some of your favorite lolita tumblr blogs? Let me know in the comments below~

30 Day Lolita Challenge - Day Twenty Six: Your Facebook profile picture

Hey there, cuties!

Keiko here~

Today's challenge is short and sweet: posting my Facebook profile picture! I'll gladly share :)

These are my then-boyfriend, now-fiancee, and I three years ago. I changed the picture when he proposed to me, and now we have matching profile pics!

Before this picture, I had some art that my friend SJ drew for me. She's super talented!

Do you usually post pictures of yourself on your profile, or do you prefer to have an icon? Let me know below!

Keiko out~

30 Day Lolita Challenge - Day Twenty Five: Your favorite lolita themed artwork

Hello everybody!

This is Keiko and I hope you are feeling up for some art appreciation today because day twenty five's prompt is meant to showcase some lolita-themed art.

I feel like there is an astounding amount of talented people in the lolita community. There are artisans, creative writers, artists, musicians, cinematographers-- you name it, we have it!

I mentioned before that I really liked Lemontree11's art, and I stand by that whole-heartedly. It is very light and whimsical! Imai Kira's postcards are also quite beautiful and ornate. I like hanging them up and admiring them from time to time. But I think it's time I introduce a different artist: Indifferentsocks

AKA the artist behind the Snobby Lolitas portraits

 I loved her style and sassy flavor text the moment I saw it, and I just -had- to commission her. She opens her tumblr up for commissions often, so you can email her with a request. Once she accepts the request, you can send her a picture of the coordinate you want her to draw and a punny catchphrase if you'd like (I did mine). Then she gets back to you with a preliminary sketch. Once you approve it, she colors it and submits it to you for one final round of approval. As of this post, she's open for commissions. Check out her tumblr here. The price of a portrait will depend on the complexity of the print, but she does some really detailed work!

Though I draw a bit myself, I love to admire people's style and creativity when it comes to illustrating lolita's intricate details. Do you have a favorite lolita artist? Or perhaps do you draw, yourself? Feel free to share your lolitArt in the comments below~

Keiko out~