2 1/2 years

We had our portfolio review today for designers and stage managers. It didn't take as long as last year but it was still sort of grueling. Here are the renderings I chose to display on my wall, five different shows of various styles. I also had three set design models and STACKS of my other renderings, divided by year.
Here are all the stacks together, in the costume shop.

I'm tired.

I might be crazy

HAPPY EASTER! I loved this message that my sister shared on her blog. It is a wonderful reminder of why we celebrate and the reason for our lives. I am so grateful for our Saviour and His sacrifice for us all. I know that He lives!

I recently finished my renderings for Frost/Nixon for design studies. It's a play about the 1977 interviews between David Frost and former President Richard Nixon. I wanted to delve deeper into the characters so it wasn't just a design of men in suits. I'm really happy with how they turned out and as soon as I get them scanned, I'll post them on my Behance portfolio.

It was also a good experience with patterns, as seen in the rendering of Caroline Cushing.However, my sanity could be called into question with my decision to render a PLAID SUIT. It's crazy but it's a totally appropriate choice for that time period. If you have any question of that, please refer back to this picture from a previous post. It's my Dad's yearbook picture from that time period. Not only is it appropriate for the time, it was also fitting for the character. While I was working on the rendering I decided to take step by step pictures.

Picture #1 shading and horizontal lines:

Picture #2 vertical lines and some of the secondary lines

Picture #3, the completed rendering. I cheated here and skipped a few steps including the layers in the shirt, face, hands, shoes and hair. Plus, I totally repainted all of the main plaid lines because they weren't right. It was kind of frustrating. Despite that, I'm happy with the end result.Exhibit B for my case of crazy: I'm making my friend's wedding dress. We designed it and I'm making it. I drafted a paper pattern and then made a muslin mock-up. After the fitting I altered the pattern and used that to cut out the pieces in silk dupioni. Now I get to finish cutting out the flat lining of the leftover muslin and serge all the pieces together.I used my cool Ginghers to cut out the silk pieces. They really are the Cadillac of scissors, as my grandma has said. I hope to have it finished by this week so my cute friend doesn't have to worry about it during finals week!

Isn't the silk beautiful? Even with a crappy cell phone picture you can still see the luster of the fabric. (Side note, I stumbled upon the work of a wonderful LDS designer. Her work is mind blowing!)

With all the craziness, I do have someone who helps me stay sane, James. He is so wonderful. He played his guitar and sang for me while I painted on Saturday. Plus, he did the laundry while I was at the shop working on the dress and striking "Three Musketeers." It was so funny, he wouldn't tell me what he did while I was gone. It was only when I saw some of the wet clothes drying in our bedroom that he admitted what he had done. He's so cute like that. Did I mention he also does the dishes? I'm so lucky!

And last up, renderings of Nixon. I was trying the get the shadows dark enough so I took pictures with my cell phone. I think it worked.

One more week until finals! AHHHHH! We can do it! I know we can!

A break from homework

I realized after I put the first picture on my blog that it's kind of nauseating. It's basically upside down.

I changed it. Can you tell a difference?

It just seems slightly more natural the second way. I'm working on designs for Frost/Nixon, one of my favorite plays. It's the first batch of watercolor renderings this semester. The first two sets were in marker and pen. I'm glad that I haven't totally forgotten how to paint!

The design process sort of goes like this: script, research, sketches, renderings, costumes. It's the bare bones description of how it goes. Below is some of my rough sketches, completed on tracing paper with Prisma pencils. I wanted to experiment with color and this was the fastest way without working on the computer. I'm kind of old school that way.

You can't get your sketches without some research. Yep, it's a yearbook. Check out the sweet plaid suit, lower right hand corner.
Three Musketeers opened this week, hooray! I was responsible for patterning four dresses including the queen's ball gown:
and Milady's dresses. This one wasn't finished, we added more trim to the collar and cuffs plus interchangeable stomachers.
Up next is another shot of my grad lab box. I don't really work in here much apart from class. It's not the coziest room and there isn't a sink in the room which is a pain when I'm painting.
I made a couple of discoveries this week including:

Spray and Wash+bleach=FOAM! Granted, this was probably toxic so it's a good thing I'm not pregnant! I dyed some lace for Milady's dress and it was way too dark so I tried to get out as much of the dye as possible. I few tries and a go in the washing machine and it was perfect. I think I was just lucky as opposed to qualified.
Someone hung this up on the art hallway. In case you can't read it, it says "Hello?" and under Lionel Richie's picture, "is it me you're looking for?" Here's a link for those who aren't laughing.
Finally, I made grapefruit marmalade using Nigella Lawson's recipe. I was very pleased with how it looked. It was so jeweled and pretty in its orange-ness.
However, it was disgusting. Anyone want a few jars of stomach-turningly-tart marmalade?

Just when it couldn't get anymore awesome...

It all started last Monday when my brother walked into our parent's room and told them some important news. It continued when he told me the same news on Wednesday. The fun escalated even further when I got a call from my youngest sister saying that our other sister was in the hospital. It's sort of crazy.

Now for the clarification:

Hil and Josh had their second baby on Sunday morning. Lauren called me and said that they were planning on leaving for Vegas that night, as soon as Dad got home from the Priesthood session. It was pretty crazy. They made it there about an hour after Parker was born. I love this cute picture of Avery and her little brother.It kind of makes you wonder how long until he's bigger than Avery.

My funny brother Jordan proposed to his fantastic girlfriend Lindsey today.

I haven't heard how he did it but I'm sure it was nice. I'm really happy for them! We did sort of joke that there could only be Keller kid weddings every 5 years because Hil and Josh got married in 2005 and James and I got married in 2010. We sort of figured that Lauren would get married in 2015 (don't worry, she would be 21,) Alex would get married in 2020 (he would be 28) and Jordan would finally get married in 2025 at the ripe old age of 38. I'm glad I was wrong.

The good news continued with...

WE'RE MOVING TO A NEW APARTMENT!

I'm very excited for this because of the following reasons:

1. It is a larger place with an actual living room and TWO bedrooms
2. Cable and internet are included in the rental price
3. We will finally be able to watch movies on our couch (our place is so small that our couch is in our kitchen, it's a kitchen couch)
4. It has a washer and dryer!
5. Our landlords are super nice as opposed to crazy
6. The new apartment has multiple actual windows with nice views instead of the tiny windows and no view from our one good window
7. The walls aren't covered in dated wallpaper (although the kitchen wallpaper is sort of fun)
8. Providence seems like a nice place to live

It's been a pretty good week. Busy as usual, but good.