These are three of six illustrations I made for Candy Magazine‘s Breaking Dawn Special! I’ve been excited to share this, but had to wait till the issue came out this month. I’m not a fan/follower of the Twilight series (though, I did watch the first two movies–the second begrudgingly, haha), but I was ecstatic the moment Candy commissioned me for the issue’s fashion/beauty editorial. It’s my first watercolor project for a magazine! Here’s one of the finished spreads from the section…

All you hardcore Twilight girls should grab a copy! It should be available in all major local bookstores. Hope you enjoy it! (Spread credit: Candy Magazine)

If you take all the clothes I have, you’ll get a pile of black, a pile of white, and a pile of denim (with the occasional pale pink, peach and salmon). To be honest, I’m beginning to get bored with my wardrobe. I love how functional and versatile these staples are, but my closet has started begging for color as of late. Okay… The truth is, I love how easy, casual, classic French style has made its way into the current trends–sailor stripes and dainty polka dots, combined with solid reds, whites and blues. Time for some shopping!

I collect very few magazines these days, but I’ll always have a soft spot for Teen Vogue! I’ve stopped buying every single issue, but I made an exception when I saw their September cover (Emma Stone in a pretty red Burberry Prorsum coat–it totally seduced me). There are things to be said about Teen Vogue that can’t be said for many other glossies. The editorials are always fresh, vibrant, and everything looks and feels happy! And, how can you refuse a magazine that has “cute” (yet classy) written all over it?

In other news… it’s September! Time to bring out the jackets and cozy knits! There are sooo many lovely new clothes just dying to be bought by fans of Fall/Winter (like me!). I was in fact so tempted to buy this very mod, red-orange, ’60s inspired coat from Zara, if not for the hefty price tag. *sigh*

Few runway shows leave a lasting impression on me, and fewer designers make my heart go a-flutter. But while I’ve always loved Lanvin, their Fall 2011 collection (which showed in Paris last March) really took my breath away. The feel was very gothic, peppered with preacher/pilgrim references, transitioning later into expert drapes and jewel tones. The end of the show was the perfect, hauntingly beautiful summary–a parade of models, arranged from darkness to lightness of dress, like a wave of ultra-chic zombies. To quote Style.com‘s Tim Blanks, “They gathered like strange, exotic fruit under the willow.”

If this girl resembles someone you know, that’s probably ’cause she’s your typical, next-door Asian girl. Chinese, Japanese, Korean… Yeah, she’s a little of everything–except she doesn’t really exist in real life (to all you guys out there, sorry to disappoint, hehe!).

I’ve been trying (actually, forcing myself) to draw and paint more regularly. Not just for my next exhibit, but for personal practice and growth. I have a long way to go when it comes to figure drawing, paint layering, and applying shadows. Though I can say I’ve found my style this past year, I also want to experiment further and see where it takes me. So I’m a bit surprised by how this turned out–Asian women (and younger girls, to boot) aren’t my usual subjects, and even the warmer palette is something I’ve tried for the first time (I played around with five paint colors to get the skin tone right).

So where exactly did she come from? Flipping through a recent issue of Vogue Girl Korea, I chanced upon this absolutely dreamy fashion editorial featuring a girly-girl with frothy pink hair, and I knew I wanted to paint her (or should I say, re-imagine her in portrait form).