Clawdine.

 

Angie Brown | galacticbloom

This is Clawdine, a sassy little 3-toed sloth currently residing in my Etsy shop. I made Clawdine after watching a documentary about sloths, in which I learned many fascinating things. For example, the fur on a sloth’s arms grows away from the hands/feet, unlike every other mammal on Earth. It’s an evolutionary adaptation—sloths spend so much of their time hanging upside down, they’re better protected from the rain by downward-growing fur.

Don’t even get me started on the whole moth situation. That’s another post for another day/another sloth.

But notice, if you will, the anatomical correctness of Clawdine’s fur… This is one of her major selling points, don’tcha know.

Angie Brown | galacticbloom

 

 

Clawdine is looking for somewhere new to hang out. See more photos on her Etsy profile.

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Four Day Weekend, WHUT

IMG_2294I paid off my car three weeks ago, which means that, precisely two weeks ago, every scary warning light on my dashboard started lighting up like a pinball machine. I dropped the car off Friday, and the mechanic pronounced it totally unsafe to drive.

Somehow though, the planets aligned with the Julian calendar and my work schedule to allow me a four day weekend with no car, no obligations, and no Valentine. These being the perfect conditions for a creative storm of making and sewing, I took full advantage of the solitude.

I made a new cat– Snickers, designed and made a new sloth (sloth 2.0)– Moe, made a faux leather pillow for my couch– BlackStar, and started a David Bowie doll with his own little leather jacket made from scraps. Snickers and Moe are available in my etsy shop. The Bowie stuff is MINE.

Angie Brown | galacticbloom

Angie Brown | galacticbloom

I Make Cats Now.

P1000849It’s finally happened. I’ve started making my own cats. This is Moxie, a tuxedo cat well-suited for lovins. I made it from pinstripe suit material found in the remnant bin at the local fabric shop. I do love a good pun. Moxie is available for purchase on Etsy, if you are completely seduced by the charms of said item.

I am now almost finished making cat #3. It’s a Thing.
I make cats now.

Grumpasaur seeks new home

Angie Brown | Ignacio Meet Iggy the Grumpasaur. He’s a little dazed due to the wee hour o’ the morning, but he’s got his cup of joe, and he’s taking care of business on the internets. He’s just uploaded his profile on Etsy, hoping to find someone nice to adopt him. Sure, he likes it here with me n’ all, but it’s time for a change, really—time to see a bit more of the world, meet new people, explore, have adventures.

Yeah, I’ll be a bit sad when he goes— I’ve grown rather fond of his quirky face—but that bittersweet sadness will be far outweighed by the happiness and pride I’ll feel to see him off in the big, wide world, doin’ his own thang. You do you, Iggy.

You do YOU.

2015: Year of the Plushie

Claude, Sloth Majestic
This is Claude, the three-toed sloth, and his buddy, Toby. (You may remember meeting Toby briefly and randomly a few weeks ago, if you’ve been following along. Toby is a regular two-toed sloth, if you’re counting.) Claude is now chilling in my Etsy shop, where he will soon be joined by Toby and various other friends looking for new homes.

Claude & Toby by Angie Brown

Claude the 3-toed sloth... toesies

I would like to draw attention to the toes, as I’m really proud of what I did there.

This is a thing now, I make plushie animals and I sell them in my Etsy shop. And that’s another of my 2014 resolution/goals, squeaking in just before the ball drops. Pop pop!

I’m currently working on an otter. Still drawing cats.

Rock On…

Since I started the Rocked that Look illustration challenge to work on human action poses and movement, I’ve noticed the unintended effect it’s had on the amount of care I put into choosing my outfit each day. “Could I totally rock out in this outfit?” I ask myself. “Can I play air guitar in this?” And most importantly, “Is this outfit going to be fun to draw?” These are two of my favorite looks from last week.

Angie Brown | Rocked that Look Angie Brown | Rocked that Look

Angie Brown | Toby
Toby the Sloth | Angie Brown

In other news, I’ve also been sewing plushies lately. I mentioned an iguana recently in another post, but I’ve decided that he’s not ready for the public yet. Inigo’s going back under the knife for a little redesign surgery.

We do, however, have the pleasure of introducing Toby, the adorable sloth baby. He, or someone very much like him, will be appearing in my Etsy shop shortly. Toby incorporates scraps from my Sherlock Halloween/cosplay dress and a bit of the wool plaid skirt I’m currently frankenstyling into a wrap-around.

And now frankenstyling is a word. You’re welcome.

What’s cooking in 2014

Angie Brown | They Draw & Cook

First up, a new illustrated recipe for TheyDrawAndCook.com. I used watercolor pencils– which are hey, kinda neat. They’re color pencils with a water-soluble lead, combining the best parts of wet and dry media. I wanted this piece to have a nice warm sepia tone to it, so I did a few washes with coffee too. I hope the directions are clear enough so that someone could use it to actually make this delicious bread– it really is amazing.

Angie Brown | Ralfie

In other news, I’ll have an illustration in the upcoming March issue of Ionic — an online science+art magazine out of the UK. I’ve also just signed the paperwork to allow some of my art journal pages to be published in a book due out early next year. More on both of those stories as they develop.

Plans for February: I’ll be doing a step-by-step photo post of a mixed media collage painting I’m about to finish up, and I’ll also post more art journal pages.

Plans for 2014: I’m going to buy a sewing machine! I’ve been hand-sewing all my up-cycling projects, reworking old clothes into plushie dolls, new clothes, and sometimes, plushie dolls in new clothes– like little Ralfie the Sweater Cat here. Machine sewing would help me step up production enough to maybe open an Etsy shop…