Rodarte Fall/Winter 2015 Runway Makeup

New York Fashion Week was last week and it was a dream looking up pictures of all of the beautiful outfits to illustrate!
I've been really into painting eyes lately, so the gorgeous makeup from the Rodarte Fall/Winter 2015 runway show was a no brainer for me to illustrate. The makeup was done by James Kaliardos from NARS using real Swarovski crystals.  I loved how effortless the make up was and how the crystals made the eyes really pop!
Instead of just showing you a picture of the illustration I created, I made a video so you can see my process! Let me know what you think!

Music: Earned It by The Weekend

Lela Rose Fall/Winter 2015

A few illustrations inspired by the Lela Rose Fall/Winter 2015 runway show at New York Fashion Week.

What was your favorite collection from NYFW?

Will You be my Bridesmaid?

I love recreating wedding illustrations for clients and capturing their special day in a unique way.  A wedding is celebrating a couple committing to spending their lives together, but it's also a party that brings together the most important people of your life! Recently a bride to be reached out to me to create custom "Will You be my Bridesmaid" cards. 

I remember being so honored when my sister asked me to be her Maid of Honor, so I was really excited to help this bride ask her closest girlfriends in such a special way! 

I used watercolor paper cards and illustrated the bride posing with her bestie on the front and on the inside it says, "Will you be my Bridesmaid?" 

Not only is it a cute way to ask, but the picture on the front can be framed as a custom illustration!

How did you ask your closest loved ones to be in your wedding party?

Snowboarding

I learned how to ski when I was five years old. I loved going up to the mountains and riding down the slopes, but riding up the slope was a different story. I hated the ski lift. I always got nervous that I would fall out of the chair and getting off the lift was a struggle every time. There was one time my dad and sister rode up on one chair together and I had to ride up by myself and I just didn't get off. It was so embarrassing because I had to ride the chair all the way back down the hill with everyone staring at me with pitying eyes.. I was eight years old and mortified. 

As I got older I made less of an effort to go skiing and once I moved to Hawaii for college, I didn't have the option at all.  Now that I'm in California, I decided it was time to ride the slopes once again, but change it up this time. 

Snowboarding has been on my bucket list for a while and this year I was determined to check it off.  Luckily one of my friends graciously offered to teach me how. We went up to Northstar Village in Tahoe, rented gear and were ready to go.  The adrenaline was definitely coursing through me and I was anxious to get started, there was just one thing in the way... the ski lift.  Not only had I not been on one in years, but now I'm going up with gear I've never used in my life.  I tried not to think too much about it, sat down on the chair and miraculously got off the chair without a hitch!  I quickly realized that the ski lift didn't scare me anymore.  If I fell getting off, I just got back up and kept going.  Sometimes you face the things that make you uncomfortable and realize they don't hold the same power anymore.

I do have to say that now I am officially addicted to snowboarding. I have yet to leave the bunny slopes and after my first day, my arms were extremely sore from falling and getting up so many times... but I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of it! 

Are you a skier or a snowboarder?

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog! Here I will be sharing stories, new projects, inspiration and behind the scenes look at LTC!

To kick it off, I am so excited to share with you that I am moving to Buenos Aires, Argentina! It has been my dream for a long time to paint and travel and now I am making that dream a reality! I will be moving to Buenos Aires March 15th.

Because of my move, I will only be taking custom orders until February 15th and will be taking a break from commissions until the Summer. Original paintings and Limited Edition prints will also be temporarily unavailable starting March 1st.  So if there's a print you've been eyeing or a picture you're dying to have painted, now is the time to order!

So, you might be thinking, "why Argentina?" - I've never been there before, but traveling through South America has been a dream of mine for about five years now. It's a scary move, so while it's something I really wanted to do, it's also something I've been putting off. About a year and a half ago I decided to leave Hawaii and move home to California to save up and make that dream a reality. While I've been home, I've been able to grow Lauren Taylor Creates thanks to my wonderful clients and now I am ready to take my business on the road!

As of right now my plans are very loose. I want to travel around the continent slowly and continue creating new illustrations and artwork as well as custom paintings for you! I will also continue to sell my prints through my website! 

If you've ever traveled through South America, or have any friends there, please share! I would love any recommendations!

So, what is something you've always wanted to do that scares you ?