“Let them draw cake!” Introducing Le Gâteau Opéra…
Let them draw cake! Introducing Le Gâteau Opéra…
‘Le Gâteau Opéra’ is a new collection inspired by cake (of course!)
I read about how the ‘Opera’ cake gained its name due to the layers of sponge and ganache reassembling the levels of an Opera house (such as the Palais Garnier). I started to wonder what the cake slice would look like as a stage and then it needed some characters wearing costumes made of well… more cake.
I was also inspired by one of my other illustrations called ‘Madame Macaron’ which is one my illustrated greeting cards. I started to research different French desserts and imagined I was browsing the cake counter at Ladurée Paris full of their beautiful confections. What would work being transformed into a dress?
I started by sketching some designs in colour pencil, as I find that allows me to be looser with my linework (as seen above with the pink Comtesse sketch). Then I moved onto working in graphite pencil to add more details.
The Stage
I originally planned for the slice of Opera cake to have boxes either side of the stage but I felt it perhaps wouldn’t come across as a slice of cake. It would also take space away from the characters. I then went on to refine the linework and started to add a layer of watercolour painting.
And here are the final leading ladies…
Duchesse du Fraisier
The skirt of the Duchesse’s dress is made of a Fraisier cake with a few more strawberries dotted around as accessories - as you do! (I also hear the dress has pockets which is always a bonus…)
Marquise des Madeleines
The Marquise’s dress is made from Madeleines, some of which have been dipped in icing. It turns out you can also wear a Madeleine as a headpiece - who knew?!
Comtesse des Choux à la crème
Last but not least, the Comtesse’s dress is made from choux pastry swans, éclairs and cream puffs (there’s a whole choux pastry buffet going on on her pannier skirt!)
The ‘Le Gâteau Opéra’ illustration, as well as the individual illustrations of the ladies are available as A4 and A5 prints in my online shop. (There are also special offers on the full collection of prints).
Introducing The Mouseum Collection…
Introducing The Mouseum Collection…
I thought it was about time I started a blog and the launch of a new collection seemed the perfect time to do so. (I was never good at keeping a diary when I was growing up so I hope I will do better with this!)
‘The Mouseum Collection’ is a new range that I have created which currently consists of three designs (with more on the way). The illustrations star some little mice and their love of museums. I have always loved drawing mice, Jill Barklem and Beatrix Potter are two of my illustrator heroines and have been since I was a child. I also have a keen interest in museums from working in the sector as well as being a visitor.
A little while ago I illustrated a design called ‘His Lordship & Her Ladyship’ which features two little mice in 18th century costume on a Sèvres porcelain ship vase, in search of adventure (pictured below left). The design is stocked as greeting cards in Waddesdon Manor’s gift shop. I also drew another design called ‘Dressed like a Duchess’ inspired by the portrait of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire at Chatsworth (pictured below right).
Then one afternoon inspiration struck: mouse + museum = Mouseum. (I do love a pun!) And that is how the idea for the collection started…
Having previously designed the artwork for the Fitzwilliam Museum’s Masterpieces 2020 collection I was excited to illustrate a range of cards inspired by Museum collections. This currently includes classical antiquities, armour and paintings.
I started out by sketching ideas and different components of the designs in my sketchbook which I scanned in. I then tidied up the line work and added more details. For colour I use a mixture of watercolours and digital colouring methods.
The linework for the collection
‘Fit for a Queen’
A mouse has dressed as Queen Elizabeth I (referencing the miniature portrait on the wall beside her) whilst another mouse paints her portrait. I looked at many portraits of Queen Elizabeth I for research rather than basing it on one specific portrait. It wasn’t until later in the drawing process that I realised I had missed the ‘conch veil’ cape from the mouse’s costume. The veils were painted so delicately in the portraits of Elizabeth that sometimes they are difficult to see!
‘Knight in Shining Armour’
A little mouse dressed as a knight stands guard on the shoulder of a suit of armour. From researching various suits of armour I found it fascinating how intricate and elaborate some of the surface pattern designs were on the metal. There were also details which I hadn’t noticed before such as the plume holder on the back of helmets (to hold the feathers for rank identification). I decided I wanted my suit of armour to be patterned instead of plain (which was rather time consuming!)
‘When in Rome’
Two little mice have dressed in Roman costume; one is reclining in a toga wearing a Diadem on her head and the other is dressed as Cupid, standing on an Ionic order column. They are next to a statue of a goddess holding grapes. It was interesting to research Roman sculpture and how it differed from Greek sculpture. Greek sculptures could stand alone whilst Roman sculpture often needed the external support of another object, such as a column or post. It was a bit of a challenge trying to imagine how a mouse would recline on a chair!
You can purchase the cards individually or as a bundle from my shop. If you are interested in stocking some of ‘The Mouseum Collection’ greeting cards wholesale, or perhaps commissioning a bespoke illustration for a museum/ place of heritage please email me at alex@alexandraroseillustration.com (or alexroseillustration@gmail.com).