Montreal has a very short spring season – and it’s already pretty much over. I would have liked a few more weeks of mild weather and spring jackets, but mother nature always has other plans.
Time to keep cool in pretty summer dresses and enjoy the sunshine!
Enjoy the May flowers, everyone!
Did you get this month’s issue of Curvaceous Inc yet? If you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Go grab it now!
I had an illustration featured in their bridal issue, and as always it was great to collaborate with their team.
This is the plus size bridal image that they included in one of their articles this month.
May is here, finally! It felt as if winter really hung onto the city of Montreal this year. It’s wonderful to open all the windows and enjoy the warm breeze and sunlight of spring time.
May is the beginning of bridal season, and I will be posting sketches now and then of plus size brides in the coming months. There are so many fantastic dresses available out there these days for us larger ladies!
Here’s an illustration of Katherine Roll modelling a Rapunzel fairy tale look for Real Size Bride. I love the frothy pink frills enveloping the bottom half of this pretty dress.
Some of Katherine’s photos from this shoot are on the Real Size Bride facebook page, so go check it out and “like” them for more great bridal fashions.
Last week, I was catching up on posts at The Plus Side of Me and I saw this great round-up of plus size fashion bloggers size 24 and up. I’m a size 24 myself, and it was nice to see so many great blogs listed! There were some familiar faces but I also discovered some new favourites.
The Glitter Thread is one of the fashion blogs that I can’t believe I didn’t know about before. Courtney, who is an editor at Skorch Magazine, rocks some serious style (with flawless make-up in every picture).
I love her Kelly Osbourne inspired look, with pretty lilac hair and rocker girl fashion. The mesh bodysuit can be found over at Chubby Cartwheels if you’re looking to make this look your own.
I love living in Québec. I moved to Montreal about 12 years ago from the East Coast and promptly fell in love with charming architecture, beautiful landscape, and truly scrumptious pastries (and cheese, and bagels, and a heck of a lot of other delicious things).
It was with a lot of local pride that I saw the cover of this month’s issue of Elle Québec with Québecois plus model Justine Legault on the cover. This is certainly not the first plus size cover from the Elle chain of magazines, but it’s not a frequent occurrence. It’s a great cover, and I illustrated it over the weekend.
This is the second time I’ve sketched Justine on the blog. Check out the first post here, featuring her in swimwear.
When I started this site in October 2011, it was under a different name (Designed by Doyle) and I was doing a mix of costume design and fashion design sketches.
In February 2012, I did a week of plus size sketches because I was frustrated that I hadn’t found many out there. As I was illustrating that week, I realized that this was what I wanted to be focusing on. It felt more natural and much more interesting and fun than the other illustration work that I was always trying to motivate myself to do.
I’ve taken a few hiatuses from the site in the past year because sometimes life gets super busy, but I’m always excited to return to my plus size fashion illustrations! My goal this year is to focus more on this site, because it brings me a lot of joy.
Thanks to everyone for reading and for all the support, and thanks to everyone I’ve illustrated. I’ve had so much inspiration over the past year from all of you. Keep being wonderful.
My first plus size sketch for this site was of fellow Canadian Karen Ward, of Curvy Canadian and Your Big Sister’s Closet. I think I’ve learned a lot since those early sketches…
To celebrate my first year as a plus size fashion illustrator, here’s another sketch of Karen, wearing a beautiful Igigi dress.
Rise and shine to another wintry Monday morning! Since the holidays, the weeks have really flown by. I’m amazed that it’s already February (thank goodness the groundhog predicted an early spring).
For all of us career women out there, here’s a fashion illustration for you. Meet Grace, a working woman heading out to face the hectic week ahead. I named her Grace because she’s inspired by a Queen Grace outfit (the beautiful lace Eloise blouse).
Now go grab your coffee and get the week started!
I’m still on an ink kick- haven’t picked up the watercolours in a few weeks, though I’m sure that will change soon. Ink is an unforgiving medium, but a beautiful one. I love crisp lines and simplicity.
I’ve featured plus size model Rosie Mercado a few times in the past. Oddly, I’ve always sketched her with pencil or ink. Next time I will have to add colour- I love the vibrancy and life in her photos. She’s one of the best models out there, and I’m always inspired by her.
This illustration is based on a modelling photo on Rosie’s facebook fan page. Go be a fan and “like” her for more great photos and inspiring quotes!
Happy New Year! I know, I know, that’s old news now- we’re almost into February but I can’t quite get used to saying 2013 yet.
I sat down tonight and sketched this fairly quickly from the new cover of Skorch magazine (read the Jan 2013 here). Love this model, love this look, and I was really in the mood for black ink and my bright blue calligraphy pen.
Before Christmas, I was contacted by the team at Curvaceous Inc. They are a new plus size magazine based in England, and their first issue launched this month (if you don’t have it yet, visit their site and snap one up- it’s a good read with great editorial shots).
They asked if I would do a few sketches to promote the charity drive that they are sponsoring for Against Breast Cancer. They are recycling old bras to raise research money, which is a wonderful cause.
If you get the magazine, you can see my illustrations published for the first time.
I had a great time time working on these sketches, and working with the team behind Curvaceous Inc was a lovely experience.
