Doodles…. Lady of the Manor Version 2, Mostly…

I am someone who struggles with expectations. What are people expecting me to do or expecting me to complete? I worry often that I am letting people down, though I know intellectually that I am my harshest critic. At times like this, when my actual real life and my blog are in conflict (as they are at the moment), I struggle with letting go and relaxing enough to get anything creative done.

As I post doodles rather than paper dolls, a part of me feels guilty. This is not, a little voice in my head says, what people come to your blog for. This is not what they want.

I do my best to ignore little voices like that, though today it feels harder than other days. (Also I know it’s not true, because I have had readers tell me that it is not true.)

A while ago, I posted Lady of the Manor V.2 sketchbook images. So here are two pages of the doodles which lead to those sets. I’m still working on cleaning up the line work, but I have high hopes that she will be up soon.

doodle-1-july
So, the dress on the left never got drawn, but became a different dress. The riding habit on the right pretty much looks like it does in that little doodle. The dress with the layers of ruffles came out wonderfully (I can’t wait to share that one). The one of the right… I actually have no idea what that was supposed to be now… I should do better notes.

doodle-2-july
The dress on the left came out nearly just like that dress with a few additional pattern details. The dress on the right was the first design for several “casual” dresses of a similar style. As the first “stand alone” paper doll set of the year, I couldn’t be more pleased with how she’s coming along. I should let myself do more of these, because I do have fun with them.

The blog will continue. It’s been around for a long time… longer than really any other project of mine. I have no intention of abandoning it, I just am having some pretty serious trouble getting motivated at the moment.

2 thoughts on “Doodles…. Lady of the Manor Version 2, Mostly…”

  1. I enjoy sketchbook posts. Each artist has such an individual process, and I always like to see how a work of art comes to life. Speaking of “life”, we all have one and it’s nothing to feel bad about. And motivation certainly comes & goes. There are days when my time could be better spent, but making paper dolls makes me happy. As long as you continue to enjoy it, do it. That’s ultimately all that matters.

  2. I don’t mind the sketchbook posts. I kind of like a “behind the scenes” look at the artist’s work so to speak. And I think everyone understands that you have a life outside of a paper doll blog. If you are having trouble staying motivated, then do what you need to do.

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