Atomic Era Figurals - New Artwork for Collectors of Mid Century Cuteness

What have I been up to lately? Oh, just starting a brand new art collection. I mentioned it the other day, but I couldn't post any pictures, because I was having technical problems. Well I'm back up and running now, so I have a few little goodies for you all!

Piece #1: Three Atomic Lamps!

Piece #2: 4 Retro Terrariums

Piece #3: Vintage Canister Set

Piece #4: Mid Century Planters and Vase

 I'm crazy about giving cute little faces to random objects, as you could probably tell by my Balloon Girls. It was an easy choice in animating my favourite retro items! It's a six piece collection that I will make available through prints. These are just the skeletons and outlines of each one so far. I'm just giving you the beginning stages, so the end result will be a big surprise. Expect lots of atomic era details and amazing retro brights. This is the most delightful little collection, and I'm so happy to be working on each little character. They look so pleasant, don't they? Got any questions, or want to make sure you get your hands on one? Let me know! I'll make prints according to demand, so if you're interested in one let me know! They will be available through my Etsy shop when they're ready. I'll let you fantastic people know when they're done and ready for the shop. Until then, I've got to get to work on the last two sketches and start fleshing out each piece. I'm pretty taken with the lamps, but in all honesty I kind of want to keep a print of each one. I feel like I have to name each little guy from each piece...Yeah, I'm already obsessed. 

I hope you like them!

Marissa xo

CharmingShop

Wrapped up in Spring - My New Pieces

The snow is FINALLY starting to melt here. I can actually see some grass out there. Lately I've been working away inside my house, ignoring the current bad weather, making my own spring in my artwork. I have been uplifting my mood with bright colours and spring inspired themes. All I'm thinking of is retro sunglasses, pretty beach bikinis and first blooms. 

Remember this print? Yeah! I'm so in love with this one. It's just a background and I'm still working out what needs to go on top to make this piece doubly amazing.

And this one...

Can you tell what this one is inspired by? 

Lily of the Valley of course! Again, just a background right now. I can't wait to play around with this one too. My favourite part of my artwork is the end manipulation and creating a contrast in the piece. It's already so sweet and innocent, maybe it needs to be dressed up real edgy!

Last but not least...

This is my latest piece and as I go along, I get more and more excited about it. Are you in love, because I am! I'm really pleased by how much I am able to make each pair of sunglasses look exactly like the last. It's a tough, long process, but so worth it, am I right? Everything will be coloured soon enough. I already have some colours in mind...

Do you like any of these? Well guess what Ladies and Gentlemen? 

When this collection is done, there will be prints available for sale, as well as the originals. I love these ones so much, I wanted to make more of them so lots of people can have them. And honestly, creating a lower price point for some people who want a cool piece but don't have a lot to spend. Am I right? That's me too guys, don't worry. I'm on your team. Keep an eye out, and check back here often for updates. Of course I will tell you when they're ready here too!

Thanks for the love.

Your interest in art is awesome!

Marissa xo

CharmingShop

Springtime Sketches

Oh hey Dears, I know I haven't posted the last few days. It will be tight every weekend, because my other half needs the computer to colour his comic he's working on. We've decided his deadline is nearing and his work wins the computer over mine. So I've been catching up on my artwork instead and cleaning up our house. I'm itching to start painting once the weather warms up, so getting everything organized is crucial. This is what I've been doing the last couple of days. 

Work in progress, I still have to finish colouring. I showed you the bare bones the other day. After I finish drawing everything in with pencil, I start filling it in with Prismacolours. This time I picked a really sweet spring time colour palette. I'm absolutely obsessed with the way pencil crayons apply to watercolour paper. It has this great creamy texture, that gives all my pieces a handmade, crafty feel. 

I like the idea of my pieces feeling homemade. Like something vintage, I like to make my pieces feel very detailed and as if someone really laboured to make it just right. The quality of the past is hard to match nowadays. I guess labour-intensive work is a weird way to describe your own art...but it does take so much time to just finish my pieces. My hand done backgrounds alone can take anywhere between 8 hours to 20 hours. Yes, keep in mind this is just a background! But when I start seeing my pieces come together, I get so excited. Each one is such a pleasant surprise. 

I'm going to keep going on this one and pretty soon it can go up in my shop as a gorgeous finished piece. Hooray!

Marissa xo

CharmingShop

Daily Sketch - A Look Into My Process

My daily sketch today is quite the puzzle...I wanted to show you my process this time.
Generally this is how they all begin - perfectly measured out. Then I start fleshing the idea out roughly to give it a more natural and crafty feel. 

I have good plans for this one. You won't even recognize it soon! I'm ready to do more art. I'm an artist after all.

Check out CharmingShop on etsy to see my new stock! 

I added cute vintage inspired grad gifts for ladies yesterday.

See you in a bit for a special beauty post!

Marissa xo

CharmingShop

April

April seems to be flying by. We're already into in the second week now. This month is an important one for us. This month last year we were on the hunt for a house. It was a quick process, but at the time it felt like forever. I remember I thought we would have a house by my birthday, and that it would be the best birthday present a girl could ask for. In the end that place fell through. Someone else beat us to it. But a month later we were in our gorgeous home, cleaning, painting and breathing some much needed life into it. 

This year we're crazy busy in a different way. We are both tackling our art careers that require mostly all of our attention. Finding time for each other is difficult, but at the end of the day, we're working towards something. Just like we were last year. It's amazing how life just propels you forward. I wonder what we'll be doing next year...

Marissa xo

CharmingShop

Weekend Life

Hey everyone, I hope you're having a great weekend. I sure am. It's been busy of course, but every second is worth it. What have I been up to? Well I'll tell you! Remember a while ago I mentioned I was on the hunt for a china cabinet? Yesterday we spent the day at antique stores, checking out the local furniture selection. I saw tonnes of gorgeous things that I wanted to bring home. Mid century lamps, an adorable wicker laundry hamper, some gorgeous chrome diner-style tables (which I obviously do not need because I have that...My kitchen counter and our nook table are both done in that style!) It's funny how you are still obsessed with things even if you already have some at home. Basically as usual, we wanted to take lots of stuff home, but we were awesome and didn't get anything. I'm proud of that accomplishment. 

In terms of china cabinets, I saw a few nice ones, but not in the style or era I'm interested in. I'm looking for clean modern lines, preferably Teak or Walnut. Something Mid Century Modern to fit in with the house. And we also don't have a whole lot of room to play around with, so we are thinking more of a hutch style. I know that narrows it down, but what can you do. I'm picky! In fact, I might be ending up with my grandmas cabinet after all. One more antiquing day next weekend, and I will decide what we're going to do. 

Here's a picture of us at Easter (Excuse our silly expressions! We're goofs.) And there it is. Our possible future china cabinet is behind us. I know you barely get to see anything... but I wouldn't show you the whole cabinet until its nestled into our own living room! Just a little peek.

Okay, no more thrifting talk for now! Let's get on with our daily sketches! I missed yesterday, so you get two today.

 What do you think of these pretty ladies? Now I know I said I wasn't going to sell any of my daily sketch work, but these are the exception. These are actually a part of a collection I'm doing. They will be available as prints in my shop eventually. There will be a whole bunch of them. I'm very excited about how adorable they all are and each theme I'm doing is ridiculously cute. But you'll have to wait a few months for these ones. Sorry!

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1. I'm crazy about lace.

2. I adore Audrey Hepburn. Watching her movies has always been an enjoyment of mine since I was very young.

3. When I was little, I was in a skipping club at school.




Marissa xo
CharmingShopLove

Thursday Sketching

Hi! Today is Sketch Day 3 everyone!

Trying something a different for today. 

I like the sketchy look of this style. When I see other people do similar work I feel so mesmerized by it.  Maybe I need a bit of work...

At least I tried!

Anyway, I will still use it in my framed art collage on my walls. I think it would look really interesting in a plain copper frame.

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Marissa's Secrets

1. My favourite summer beauty product is sunscreen. I got a bad burn a few years back and now I'm terrified of the sun. Everyone, be careful.

2. I'm naturally blond! 

3.  Spaghetti has always been, and will always be my favourite food.

Feeling Inspired

It's Sketch Day Two!

I'm really enjoying doing a little sketch daily. It's only day two, so we'll see how I feel in a month or two.. But I like the idea of just doing something little that's a stretch for me every day. It let's me explore what I can do and I'm honestly really excited to see what I will make in the next little while! Whether its a little pencil sketch or something more elaborate, I'm willing to take time out of my day for this! Besides, I'm going to have all these little pieces to hang up in the house! I have space just waiting for collages of framed artwork. 

I'm still working on my packaging for those gorgeous earrings I showed you the other day. I should be finished by tonight. Hooray!

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Marissa's Secrets

1. My cat, Royal loves bubble baths so much, he cries when he sees a bath without bubbles...so I always feel guilty and have a bubble filled bath! Yikes... the things we do for our pets.

2. When I was little I had a serious passion for palaeontology. Dinosaurs were my weakness!

3. My favourite colour is purple

See ya later guys!

Marissa xo

CharmingShop

Just For Fun

Hi there!

I'm going to challenge myself and do daily sketches and art practices for the blog! I want to keep on my toes and keep my knowledge up. It' good to continue learning and studying new ideas. Or just practicing your own style can be really helpful too. The more you do it, the better you get. It's a fact. No matter what stage you're at, you can always keep learning and growing. Art is my life, and I will keep feeding it, to help it grow and grow.

Here's Day One!

So these are purely educational for me. I will be studying and working in different styles. I like the idea of exploration and branching out to improve. We can always improve, right? Right! I won't be selling these guys at all. Unless you want them! Then let me know.

I kind of like this pretty lady. She's lovely. For a person who works mainly with shapes and patterns, I think this is a pretty nice figure! 

If you like this idea and want to take the challenge with me, go ahead! Let's make art together.

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I'm also starting a new section every day where I share three things about myself. I want you guys to get to know me a little better, so here it goes:

Marissa's Secrets

1. I'm an Aries.

2. My favourite season is Fall. (I love the colour of the leaves and I'm obsessed with Halloween.)

3. I'd love to get a tattoo, but I'm terrified of needles!

Thanks everyone. Have a great day!

 Marissa

CharmingShop