Pokémon Trainer Elsa Would Like To Battle

A few months ago, I made a series of window paintings for Le Mustache. Painting on windows was a brand-new and very exciting experience for me, so I finally decided to give my own windows a make-over, as well! Belgium doesn't seem to be getting any snow this winter, but I decided to go with a Frozen and Ice Pokémon theme. This painting took me about 7 hours to finish, mostly because the big surfaces took me ages to colour. I might consider buying bigger markers for my next project. In the end, I'm happy with this painting, and I would really love to make a different one for Spring.

See you next time,

Leen

Elsa, Olaf & Articuno Window Painting, December 2015

Meooowy Christmas!

Happy holidays, Fablets and Foxies! I have this yearly tradition of making a very christmassy drawing of my cat Celesse to share with my friends on Facebook. Only this time, she is not alone! Meet Bit and Byte, the cutest gerbils that ever existed. They are very sociable, little creatures. As you may have noticed, this drawing is another attempt at using digital brushes. My goal is to make many more digital "paintings" in 2016. :D And even though I still need a lot of practice, it will all be so much easier with the brand-new graphics tablet that Niels got me for Christmas, a Wacom Intuos Comic.

I've got a new window painting coming up and you can also expect more moustaches soon. See you around!

Leen

A Very Fluffy Christmas, December 2015

Paint Tool Sai

Fabled Fox For Life: A Happy Ending

Hi, guys! I'm very happy to announce that my creative fundraiser "Fabled Fox for Life" has come to an end. This project has been much more intense than I had initially expected or anticipated it to be. But don't get me wrong, I'm really happy! :D Thanks to my family and friends, I managed to raise a total of 800 euros. I made over 30 drawings in less than 5 weeks - that must be a personal record for sure. Even though I sometimes had absolutely no creative energy left after working hours, I know that this was all worth it. WAI-NOT is a small organisation with very big dreams!

Fabled Fox for Life, December 2015

Thank you, Niels, mom, and dad for sharing my project with the outside world and supporting me ("What the hell did you get yourself into this time?"). Thank you, WAI-NOT, for supporting my PhD research project. Thank you, Studio Brussel, for the awesome interview. And a big thank you to all my contributors (in order): mom and dad, Micheline, Marcia, Caroline, Tim and Tori, Ruth, Ann and Patrick, Anneleen, Sanne, Elke M., Peter, Dorien, Stefan, Fien, Elisa, Sofie, Pascale, Pieter-Jan, Valérie and Bart, Annelies, Liesbeth, Anja and Rudi, Elke D., Valerie H., Tony, aunt Renate and uncle Bart!

Oh, before I forget! Studio Brussel actually allowed me to pick a song to play on the radio. :D On Christmas Day! I couldn't be more excited to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. You can listen to my little monologue here. But be warned, as I might be speaking some kind of alien language (or Dutch). :)

Vandaag mocht ik mijn liedje aanvragen op Studio Brussel. <3
Geplaatst door Leen Sevens op vrijdag 25 december 2015

OKAY! What shall we do next year? Be sure to contact me if you have any cool suggestions! A LAN party seems nice, so Niels and I might look into that option. Geek on and see you next time.

Leen

Fabled Fox For Life: The Journey Continues

So, here we are. We have almost reached the end of "Fabled Fox for Life", my creative fundraiser for the WAI-NOT organisation! :) I have to admit, it has been such a weird month. In a good way, mostly. First of all, I have been drawing non-stop for almost five weeks, which means that people actually wanted to pay money for my art and support my cause. I certainly did not expect that and I am really thankful for this opportunity. I don't know yet exactly how much money I have raised, especially since some people still need to pay for their drawing, but I will be able to share the "happy ending" with you guys soon enough. :) Also, a lot of requests came from unexpected sources! It was so much fun to get to know people better and I hope they realise that I really appreciate their support.

Studio Brussel called me for a live interview on the radio. My boyfriend Niels and friend Jonas recorded the session. We talked about skiing mustaches (obviously) and the WAI-NOT organisation. It was really awesome! You can listen to the (Dutch) interview here:

Vandaag werd Fabled Fox for Life opgebeld door Studio Brussel! Skiënde snorren? Yes, baby!

Geplaatst door Fabled Fox for Life op dinsdag 1 december 2015

I finished a total of 27 "traditional" requests and two "digital" ones. Actually, there were more of them, but I simply couldn't accept them all. These weeks have been so hectic, and all I did after work was drawing until I fell asleep. So I certainly did my best! :D The "traditional" requests have become more and more original: cartoons, realistic drawings, grown-up Aristocats, a Flareon, a picture of myself and my cousins, a picture in memory of people or animals who have passed away, and so on. The digital requests involved a Christmas card for the Red Cross and a birth announcement card for my friends. Obviously, I cannot post the birth announcement card yet, as it contains top-secret information! ;) But no worries, I will be able to share it with you guys soon enough.

My next post will officially conclude the Fabled Fox for Life action. You can expect some numbers (YAY FOR NUMBERS!) and some thankyouverymuches. :) See you soon, guys!

Leen

Christmas Card for the Red Cross, Fabled Fox For Life, December 2015

Paint Tool Sai

Fabled Fox for Life, December 2015

Pencil on paper

Fabled Fox For Life

Hi, guys! You won't believe how much I've been drawing lately. This post contains a total of 13 sketches, so be warned! Of course, there's an important reason for my increased productivity. Two weeks ago, I started a new project called "Fabled Fox for Life" (I'm actually starting to use that nickname everywhere! It sounds so magical. :D And since my gaming buddies also call me "Fabled", it's getting really easy to identify myself with my pseudonym. *Insert happy fox face here*). Fabled Fox for Life is my one-man project for Music for Life, an annual Christmas campaign hosted by Studio Brussel, which is one of Belgium's most important radio stations. The whole idea behind Music for Life is to raise money for charity by organising sports activities, selling home-made waffles and cookies, hosting a pop quiz, etcetera.

My action on the Music for Life website, November 2015

I have decided to raise money for WAI-NOT, a Flemish organisation that provides a safe internet environment for people with a cognitive disability. WAI-NOT has been supporting my PhD and implements our latest pictograph translation tools on their website. I think the staff is really friendly and helpful, and it's awesome that they are trying to stimulate e-inclusion for people with disabilities, so I wanted to do something for them! :D So, what's the big idea? If you have been reading my blog, you might know that I have been surprising friends with customised pencil sketches. This time, people can actually order a drawing of themselves, their family, or their pet in exchange for money. Of course, this money will be donated to WAI-NOT by the end of my campaign.

My Facebook page, November 2015

First things first, I registered my action on the Music for Life website and created a Facebook page for my campaign. My Facebook page contains instructions on how to order a drawing, so please check it out if you're interested! :D I still got plenty of time to finish even more orders and I would be really happy to donate a fair amount of money to WAI-NOT. So far, I have finished 13 portraits, and raised about 300 euros. I guess that's not bad for a freelance artist. I still got some work to do, so I might actually set a new goal! 500 euros would be really cool. :D Guys, please help me out!

Studio Brussel called me last week to talk about my project. I did not expect that and almost fell off my office chair. They seemed happy with the whole idea behind my project and asked me if I would like to visit the Music for Life studio during the big event. I think it would be a very good idea to say hi and tell people about WAI-NOT on the radio. :)

I'm in need of more requests at the moment (or maybe I worked a bit too hard), but I'm hoping to update you again soon. Until then, see you around!

Leen

Fabled Fox for Life, November 2015

Pencil on paper

#PrayForParis

In the light of the terrorist attacks in Paris, I made a drawing of a Parisienne with a bleeding scarf. To be honest, I don't have much to say about this little illustration - I think it speaks for itself. Qui veut la guerre, est en guerre avec soi.

My apologies for the lack of updates, but I'm back from Japan (We had such a lovely time!) and ready to start a new creative project! I am planning on raising money for Studio Brussel's Music for Life campaign by selling customised portraits (Yes, I am finally going to ask money for my work! :P Although all of it will go to the WAI-NOT organisation). The name of the project will be "Fabled Fox for Life" and more updates will follow soon. Stay tuned!

Leen

#PrayForParis, November 2015

Paint Tool Sai

Autumn: The Year's Last, Loveliest Smile

Hello, guys! You might already know that I am working on a little project for coffee bar Le Mustache. I am currently in the process of designing eight digital paintings of moustaches, two for each season of the year. My Autumn Moustaches are currently on display (So you better go grab a coffee and say "ooh" and "aah" before the season ends! :D). For this series, I'm using a rather abstract art style that I personally find very hard to describe, but I'm starting to feel quite comfortable with it!

I'm happy to announce that my series is almost complete. Winter is coming (Sorry, I just had to use that phrase!). I'm thinking of adding penguins with scarves, because that's something my brain always likes to associate with the concept of "Winter". Let's see how that will turn out!

There will probably no updates for a liiittle while, since I'm going to Japan next week. No worries, I'll be back, and I'll bring daifuku and wagashi for you to enjoy!

Leen

Autumn Moustaches, October 2015

Paint Tool Sai

The Big Draw #3: Workshop & Photo Diary

Good morning! You are now reading the third and final post of my The Big Draw series. On October 10, I gave a workshop for children (and my boyfriend, and his sister, because pourquoi pas) named "Draw with the Flow" in Le Mustache. We drew animals, moustaches, and anime characters on coffee cups. It was a 3.5-hour workshop with free entrance, but some of the children actually stayed with me from the very beginning until the very end. I have to admit, I was a little bit anxious to work with children at first (Excuse me, where is this kid's OFF button?), but these guys and girls were just extremely cute and polite! It was a great experience and I even got to meet Waldo - he was walking around in Leuven as part of one of the many events that were organised by The Big Draw.

Earlier that week, I was contacted by a journalist from Rondom Leuven, a regional magazine that gets distributed in over 75,000 households. They asked me (I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ASKED ME!1! BUT IT'S SO AWESOME!!11! CAPSLOCK!) to shoot a photo diary and write about my day at The Big Draw. I joined some of the activities in town, such as the Paper Jungle project in Gobelijn Strips, and took tons of pictures. Last week, Rondom Leuven dedicated one full page to my creative adventure. I feel so honoured! Thank you so much to everyone who made this possible. Le Mustache, Kunstwerkt, and Rondom, you guys are really awesome!

See you next time,

Leen

Pictures of my workshop and some of the activities we did in Leuven, October 2015

Photo diary in Rondom, October 2015

Oh Look, It's Coffee O' Clock!

Every student loves a nice, hot drink every once in a while, unless you're one of those silly IT guys (Yes, I'm looking at you, Niels). To celebrate the start of the new academic year, Le Mustache asked me to make two drawings for the nearby buildings of KU Leuven's Psychology faculty and Groep T. Obviously, there's no better place to load up your batteries after a long night of partying than Le Mustache. ;) Also, before I forget (IT'S ALMOST WINTER ALREADY!) I will upload my Autumn Moustaches next week, so stay tuned! :)

Leen

KU Leuven Psychology Faculty Advertisement, October 2015

Paint Tool Sai

Groep T Advertisement, October 2015

Paint Tool Sai

Our Final Fantasy

One month ago, my boyfriend Niels and I celebrated our 1.5 year anniversary (Yes, that's a thing!). I made a digital painting for him and printed it on a canvas. Secretly, I also wanted to decorate that empty wall in our office. :3 Don't tell him. (Well, he reads my blog anyway.)

When I started working last year, Niels visited me in Leuven once or twice a week. The other evenings, we would spend countless hours playing Final Fantasy XIV Online. I became a White Mage to make sure my lover would not get punched to death! After a few months of training, I joined Niels' static "Eurovision", a European gamer team consisting of 10 members. We would play together two or three times a week to fight difficult end-game bosses and make fun of each other through voice chat. :D Thanks to Niels and my friends in Final Fantasy XIV, I would never get bored after work!

This drawing features Niels and me wearing our Final Fantasy XIV main job's equipment, the White Mage robe and the Ninja gear. As usual, we're poking Moogles (KUPO?!). And I have no idea what the angry Chimera is doing there. :D The canvas looks pretty neat in our Final Fantasy-themed office. We actually have a huge Tidus (Final Fantasy X) wall scroll, as well. :)

See you again soon!

Leen

Our Final Fantasy, September 2015

Paint Tool Sai (printed on canvas)

The Big Draw #2: Picto

Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for this sudden increase in page views. I sincerely hope you're not all bots. And even if you are, I actually really love robots, so you can stay just a little while longer. :3 This blog post will be dedicated to my second big activity for The Big Draw. On October 8, my colleague Ineke and I were asked to give a university course about my PhD project, "Picto". Picto is a text-to-pictograph and a pictograph-to-text translation system designed for people with a cognitive disability. Want to know the best part? We actually gave this university course to people with a cognitive disability! Best students ever. I swear.

Of course, this "university course" was an interactive one. :D I prepared several puzzles, games, and brain teasers, and we allowed the students to guess the meaning of various Sclera pictographs. The students clearly had a lot of fun (and so did I)! They all left the building with a big smile on their faces. I couldn't ask for more. I'm incredibly motivated to continue working on this project!

I will upload the final part of my The Big Draw blog series next week, but you can still expect another drawing or two this weekend. :) Hope to see you again!

Leen

Picto university course, October 2015

The Big Draw #1: Window Painting

Hi, guys! I've had the most awesome week. :D The Big Draw, the world's biggest drawing festival, finally came to Leuven. Thanks to the lovely people from KUNSTWERKT, I was involved in some of The Big Draw's main activities. I would like to dedicate my first The Big Draw post to "The Big Window Walk", a really cool project under the organisation of the very talented Sarah Vierstraete. More than 100 artists made window paintings for the many shops, bars, and restaurants in the city centre of Leuven. And everything looks so darn good.

Mutlu from coffee bar Le Mustache asked me to do his window, so I took one day off to make my painting. It took me more than 9 hours (Not including the 5 hours of preparatory work!), but we're very happy with the result. :D In the end, I didn't have enough time to draw the fancy pelican, but we do have a fox, a cat, and an owl. They all have a moustache and a cup of coffee. The reactions of the customers have been pretty overwhelming for me. Mutlu even got interviewed by a radio station! Overall, it was a great day, filled with great coffee. :)

I have been incredibly busy with art-related stuff lately, so you can expect many more posts soon! :D Until then, stay tuned.

Leen

Preparations for the window painting, October 2015

Paint Tool Sai

Full window painting, October 2015

Cat window painting, October 2015

Owl window painting, October 2015

Fox window painting, October 2015

You Can't Outrun Me, We Both Have Short Legs!

Just a quick message to show you the final result of my Amethyst (Steven Universe) cosplay! I wore it last week at the F.A.C.TS. convention in Ghent. The purple body paint took me aaages. The most difficult part of aqua body paint is that you need some water to apply the paint, while trying not to remove it at the same time. That's crazy, right? I'm not sure if there are better ways to become a purple human (Eat a lot of eggplants?), but it still looked really good in the end. :D

Steven Universe is not really popular in Belgium, but I did meet quite a lot of people who wanted to take a picture and shared their love for Steven with me. :) I encountered a Barnacle Boy (from the Spongebob series) who got all excited and kept screaming "OMG, IT'S AMETHYST!" to a very puzzled Mermaid Man. It was really funny. :D A few days after the convention, I submitted my pictures to the Original Steven Universe Cosplay Blog. The response has been amazing. Steven Universe is really a big thing in America, and realising that people love your Amethyst cosplay is such a huge compliment!

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to my next cosplay challenge. I really want to start working on that Princess Garnet - White Mage (Final Fantasy 9) outfit, but I might also do a little Ramona Flowers (Scott Pilgrim) experiment soon!

This week, the Big Draw is coming to Leuven. I am involved in some of their activities. On Tuesday, I will be making a huge window painting for Le Mustache. My colleague and I are giving an interactive "university" course on pictographs for people with a mental disability on Thursday. And on Saturday, I will be organising an art workshop for children. It is going to be an amazing week, so expect pictures soon! :)

See you next time!

Leen

Amethyst Cosplay, September 2015

We Are The Crystal Gems

It's that time of the year again! :D We are going to the F.A.C.T.S. convention in Ghent, and this time, I will be cosplaying one of my favourite cartoon characters: Amethyst from Steven Universe. I love Amethyst for several reasons. For instance, she has really awesome powers, such as the ability to shapeshift into a cat or a bird. I am so jealous. Furthermore, Amethyst is not your average superskinny hero, but she still manages to look absolutely fabulous! I am really excited that I will be wearing her costume tomorrow. Let's hope I meet a Steven cosplayer! :)

The cosplay outfit was not hard to make, although some items were pretty difficult to find - especially since I didn't order anything online. I went shopping with my mom in Maastricht, and it took us several hours to find everything. The outfit consists of the following items:

- Light purple aqua body paint

- Make-up (eyeshadow, lipstick)

- A black top

- A long, grey top without sleeves

- A gem necklace

- A pair of black trousers with purple stars on the knees

- White shoes

- A whip with purple gems

- A lila wig

I wonder how the body paint will turn out, as it will be covering my whole face and a large part of my upper body. People who are not into conventions must think I'm crazy for deciding to walk around like a purple cartoon hero. :D But I'm looking forward to it! Of course, I will be posting pictures of my cosplay after the convention. Stay tuned! ^_^

Leen

Preparations for the Amethyst cosplay outfit, September 2015

Me after cutting my wig, September 2015

Life Is The Art Of Drawing Without An Eraser

I have been incredibly busy lately, but that's exactly when my tiny Final Fantasy sketchbook comes in handy. When I was sitting on the train last week, I tried to kill some time by drawing the four main characters of "Steven Universe". An adorable old lady and her husband were watching me while I was drawing the Crystal Gems (They appeared so sudden, they actually scared the shit out of me!). "That is very nice, eh", the old man said to his wife. She agreed. I bet they didn't know anything about Steven Universe, but that was really cute! :)

Anyway, looks like "Project Amigo" isn't dead yet! :) I made four new sketches: the Mustache family, Micheline's grandchild, Nathalie (who just got married and looked simply stunning at her wedding!), and Kristof. Time to upload the pictures on Facebook and make some people happy. :D

On a side note, Niels and I finally got tickets for the "Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy" concert in Paris! I got so many awesome things to look forward to. :) I'm sure we will have a great time! And I will probably need a big box of tissues, because "To Zanarkand" (Final Fantasy X) always makes me tear up.

See you next time,

Leen

The Mustache Family, September 2015

Pencil on paper

Micheline's Grandchild, September 2015

Pencil on paper

Nathalie, September 2015

Pencil on paper

Kristof, September 2015

Pencil on paper

Steven Universe, September 2015

Pencil on paper