FRIDAY FASHION ILLUSTRATION: THANK YOU FOR 4.1 MILLION VIEWS

Hello dear readers! Before we move onto the subject of this post, I want to thank you for 4.1 million views. I sometimes I assume that the only people who read my blog are the ones that comment on it, that is, my blogging friends but it seems I might have other readers as well. Anyhow, I want to thank all the readers. I've been blogging for more than a decade, and it's nice to see that many of my old posts are still getting a lot of views. There are some review posts that I invested a lot of time and effort into, so it is good that someone is enjoying them or benefiting from them. There are some things on my blog that I'm genuinely proud of such as book reviews, my travel art and fashion illustration series. Not everything I post on this blog is of profound nature, sometimes I post light and silly stuff as well, but I'd still say this blog also has a more serious and artistic side.

In this post, I'll share a fashion illustration of my outfit. The medium for this illustration is coloured pencils on paper. The colour pencils I used were cheap because I did not have my art supplies at hand, so I just illustrated with some random coloured pencils I found at my parents house. The paper I used is just regular printing paper, no fancy stuff. I just took a few sheets of A4 paper and sketched a couple of fashion illustrations on it. There is nothing wrong in investing in quality art supplies and I certainly do that, but there is also nothing wrong in making art with bad quality art materials. In fact, it can even be educating in many ways. Using bad quality art materials or just materials you are not used to as an artist, can make you think outside the box and challenge your methods. It is always the artist, not the tool. As Picasso said, an artist can paint a masterpiece with dirt. So, sometimes working with cheap tools can give you added confidence. You can improve your skills as an artist even with bad art materials. I made this fashion drawing (and a couple of others) very quickly using one of my own photographs as a reference. I had neither the time nor the energy for any detailed work.

Why I was feeling to tired? Well, it actually has something with doing art. I was sick for most of the winter holidays and when I got better I realized that I only have three days left before work starts. So, I did a landscape painting. It was an ambitious landscape painting and it drained me. I felt so bad after making that painting that I do not know how to even describe it. Normally every painting feels hard and challenging in its own way, but this one felt especially so. I think it also had to do with the fact that I haven't painted like this for months. Sure, during the summer I painted with kids and did creative workshops with them. I have been painting with and for kids the entire summer. However, those quick creative projects and art is nothing like making a traditional painting. So, when I set at my desk and started working on it, I really struggled. Not only did I struggle to start, I struggled through absolutely every phase of it. I pushed myself to finish the painting because I did not want to leave it unfinished and I knew I would not be able to take it with me. In case you did not know, you cannot take art over borders. Even if it is your own art, the customs will often give you an extremely hard time. You wouldn't believe the situations I was sometimes in, but that is a story for some other time and it is getting depressive already. The shipping can be hard as well. I did have some nice and normal experience shipping my art, but I also had some really bad ones. Anyhow, I knew that I couldn't take my art with me when I moved. The moving/renting situation is getting so bad that I genuinely do not want to talk about it and I will ask you not to mentioned it in the comments because by this point, it is starting to be a triggering topic for me. I moved not once but twice since my last post, amounting to six moves since September. So, basically a move every month. I'm not at all calculating the holiday stay in my 'real' home that is house, just the moves in the place I'm currently working in, the one you can see in the pictures. Not to mentioned anything of the travelling for medical check ups and therapy. So, basically I tried to finish the painting and I succeeded but I felt so sick by the end of the whole process. I think it has to do with two things: hurrying up the process of a landscape painting and going a whole period of time without doing this kind of painting.

People say that making art is relaxing but I never found it so. In fact, most of the time making art feels nerve-wrecking, stressful and tiring. I don't mean just the sore neck, back, nausea caused by hours of sitting and working in uncomfortable positions and so on. The physical pain is hardly the worst part. Afterall, when you rest and /or exercise, that kind of physical pain- it typically gets better. However, there is the other part- the second guessing yourself, making a hundred of decisions, wondering if you're going the wrong way, trusting the vision and sometimes abandoning it for a better vision. Recently I came across this expression that art is visual math and it really struck me. I never thought about it that way. However, it makes perfect sense. Like in Math, you need abstract thinking for painting. You need to think about the geometry, proportions and dimensions. Why this long explanation of my latest painting process? Well, because it is important not to romanticize art. A painting does not just appear out of thin air because- talent. In addition, I'm going to show that painting to you soon. Just not as well. A little future post spoiler if you will- this painting is going to be a part of the Travel With My Art Series.

What does this fashion illustration has to do with it? Well, it actually does have something to do with it. Painting a classical landscape felt like doing some heavy lifting, so picking up some random coloured pencils and drawing a couple of my outfits seemed infinitely easier in comparison. I sketched and coloured and before you know it, I had four fashion illustrations. They did not take a lot of time to make and they did not tire me. I ended up with something that might go well with my outfit posts, a nice visual representation of my closet.

Regular readers of my blog will know that I post fashion illustrations on my blog. I always enjoyed making them, so why not work on them some more? My fashion illustration game has underwent changes through the years. My first fashion illustrations posted on this blog were really simple. At some point I started Friday Fashion Illustration, a regular feature where I would post them. I still sometimes do, but sometimes I also post my fashion drawings and illustrations without making it a part of some feature or series.

Over the years, the list of clothing items and accessories I illustrated has grown longer. Maybe some time I would have illustrated my entire closet. I'm always writing about how my blog made me more sustainable in my fashion choices, about how having a fashion blog is like having a digital closet of at your disposal. When you have a lot of photographed references of your outfits, planning outfits can be easier. When you have an illustrated reference of your outfits, well that just makes it even more fun, does it not?

Regular readers of my blog might know that I do not typically just illustrate my own outfits. I illustrate runaways that I find inspirational. I also illustrate other bloggers and people I find inspirational. I also make fashion illustrations from inspiration. I work with and without a reference in various media. I'm always trying to think of ways to make my fashion illustration more interesting and unique. Sometimes I go for a more professional look, sometimes for the artistic one and sometimes I just let myself have some fun. Not everything has be serious.

I think one interesting thing is that we get better at art, it sometimes translated across different media and styles. I follow a number of artists on YouTube and even some extremely successful ones like to take art classes or master classes with other painters to challenge themselves and further their skill. When I started taking art classes years ago in Michelangelo gallery in Mostar, I started learning about the basic stuff. I learnt the fundamental principles of painting, the basis of working with oil paints, acrylics and pencil. I continued taking classing over the years, practising traditional art. It is interesting to see how that changed and influenced my fashion illustration.

If you have been following, you would have seen a great number of fashion illustrations on my blog, ranging from more realistic to more whimsical or artistic ones. In a way, this blog documented my progress as a painter and illustrator. You can see me going from oversimplified fashion sketches of outfits that looked nice in my head to more complex fashion illustrations. I also managed to take a graduate a fashion design and sewing class with a local fashion designer Stanka Zovko. So, I got to understand more about the fabrics and the fashion design. I gifted two of my illustrations to lady Zovko and she was so happy to get them. I do not think I photographed these two fashion illustrations, but this designer has been featured on my blog a lot, so you can easily find her work if you're curious about it. Besides this fashion course, I have also been educating myself about fashion illustration online. One of my fashion motivators was also Zoe Hang and her motto- It is hard because it is hard, not because there is something wrong with you.

How I illustrated this knit beanie before? How I illustrated this black belt bag?

How I illustrated it before?

Looking at this outfit, I can tell you there are clothing items I gave already illustrated when I illustrated some other outfits of mine. I love linking up various ways I wore a clothing item as a way of promoting sustainable fashion. We'll get back to that when I get to 'The Story of My Outfit', but let us see 'The Story of My Fashion Illustrations i.e. Illustrated Closet'.

The knit beanie with faux fur pom pom

1)See how I illustrated this light knit beanie in this winter styling completed with a long puffer jacket, a red scarf, blue skirt and brown boots that I wore for a visit to Goranci in 2020.

2) Now, there is another fashion illustration of this beanie you can see if you visit this post you'll see that I illustrated this beige beanie cap with a faux fur pom pom with a magenta coat, an oversized camel scarf and the same pair of high brown boots. I also wore this outfit in BiH, but in Mostar, not Goranci.

3) Finally, you can see how I illustrated this light knit beanie in this 2025 post when I wore it with a maxi dress and a teddy coat in Mostar.

What about the other accessory?

The black belt bag

1) See how I illustrated this black belt bag with a vintage dress in 2021 ( this outfit comes this same short camel coat I'm wearing today, but I did not illustrate the coat that time).

2) See how I illustrated this belt bag it with a black leather jacket , a vintage mesh long coat and flared leggings in 2022.

How I wore it before? The sustainable fashion files or 'The Story of My Outfit'

Now, back at the outfit at hand.

The knit beanie- I already showed you three fashion illustrations and outfits with this beanie. Let's have a look at some more outfits starting with the number four since I already linked up three outfits.

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/03/visit-goranci-bosnia-and-herzegovina.html

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/03/styling-grey-suit-for-winter-and.html

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/01/1-black-coat-2-locations-3-winter.html

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/01/two-ways-to-style-blue-pleated-skirt.html

8) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/01/visiting-basina-bay-on-island-hvar.html

As you might guess, I mostly wear this beanie in Winter. Sometimes I wear it in Autumn as well, but since Autumns here are often quite mild, it's mostly winter. I always feel cute wearing this beanie, no wonder I wore and illustrated it so many times. I don't remember what brand it is from, I think my husband bought it for me.

The camel coat - I have more than forty documented wears with this coat!

What to say about this coat that I haven't said before? It is warm and it's cozy. It was a gift from my husband. I don't know what he paid for it but probably it wasn't much. Taken in account how many documented wears I have, this camel coat has paid itself.

1-33) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/12/33-ways-to-wear-short-camel-coat.html

33- 36) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/01/five-fun-winter-outfits-i-wore-in-mostar.html

37) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/02/40-ways-to-wear-pair-of-brown-boots.html

38-42) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/04/is-talent-something-we-are-born-with.html

The black belt bag

I have had this bag for a long time but I still like it. I feel like it adds an element of chic to any outfit.

3-4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/02/six-winter-outfit-proposals-sustainable.html

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/what-i-wore-for-miro-gavrans-book.html

6 & 7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-tombs-of-atuan-by-ursula-k-le-guin.html

8) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/03/uno-nessuno-e-centomila-one-no-one-and.html

9) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/04/free-language-lessons-in-april.html

10) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/02/visit-bunica-recreational-area-with-me.html

12) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/04/ozz-students-fashion-show-under.html

13 &14 15) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/01/1-black-coat-2-locations-3-winter.html

16-20) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/12/5-december-outfits-mini-fashion-recap.html

The black wide cord trousers

Another item I had for ages. This pair of black cord jeans is very warm and comfortable. I wear this pair often and hopefully also well!

1& 2 ) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/04/is-talent-something-we-are-born-with.html

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2023/04/i-reread-dune-messiah-by-frank-herbert.html

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/01/styling-leather-jacket-for-visit-to.html

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2019/10/how-to-style-black-cord-flares-for.html

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/04/7-outfit-ideas-for-transitional-weather.html

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/03/21-ways-to-wear-black-leather-jacket.html

8&9) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/01/january-recap-10-outfits-i-loved-wearing.html

10) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/12/hairstyle-inspired-by-croatian-folkore.html

11) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/10/visit-stari-grad-plain-fully-preserved.html

12) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2019/04/an-olive-green-blazer-worn-with-black.html

13) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/06/30-ways-to-wear-white-sneakers.html

14) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/06/8-months-living-in-jelsa-on-island-hvar.html

15) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2019/03/how-to-style-straw-accessories-with.html

This proved to be a warm and comfortable styling, perfect for 'commuting'. I took the bus and the ferry ride wearing this and I did not feel cold. I also think this outfit looks cute. The combination of camel, beige and black seems to work well. It is not overpowering or anything. It is a simple but effective styling. I might rewear it one of these days. The only thing I would change would perhaps to add a statement scarf. What do you guys think?

I also like how I shopped my closet once again. All of these outfits are old. I did not with struggle finding and linking up old posts featuring these clothing items and accessories. I took me some time but it wasn't a struggle. I'm sure if I browsed my blog for longer, I would have found more outfits to link up, but I think this enough, especially for now. I love sustainable fashion. As I said, I credit at least a part of my success with being sustainable to my blog. Keeping records of what I wear helps. It motivates me to get the most out of my wardrobe and to maximize what I have. It also keeps me grateful for having so many lovely pieces. Having a blog has its perks. It can motivate one to shop one's closet more often. I do not take photographs of my outfits every day because I do not have the discipline for that, so when I find ten or twenty ways to wear something, in reality I wore it double that or some cases even more. I think I'm doing pretty good when it comes to sustainability and clothes.

Now, that we have got the sustainable talk out of the way, we can talk a bit more about this outfit. These images were taken last year (in Autumn) on a very cold day. My husband and I are waiting for a bus here, hoping it arrives quickly. After taking the bus, we went on a ferry and arrived to Split. I took a lot of photographs on that ferry ride and I'll share some of them with you.

So, the location for the first set of photographs is Jelsa on island Hvar (Croatia), and for the other part it is the ferry. While on ferry, I took some photographs of islands Brač and Hvar as well. Why not take the opportunity?

TWO SEASCAPES INSPIRED BY JELSA!

Do you want to see more of Jelsa. Feel free to check out the posts below:

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/10/windhaven-book-reviews-and-jelsa-outfits.html

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2023/08/revisiting-jelsa-on-island-hvar-croatia.html

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2023/08/revisiting-jelsa-on-island-hvar-croatia.html

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2026/01/lament-for-navy-by-vanja-vlahovic-book.html

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/11/season-of-storms-by-andrzej-sapkowski.html

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/12/travel-with-my-art-croatia-24-znanj-25.html

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/05/travel-with-my-art-11-dance-of-sails.html

So, what do you think about this winter styling? What are you wearing this Winter?

Now, how do you feel about some sailing photography? Let us start with one showing cape Kabal. You can island Hvar (closer by) and island Brač ( a bit farther away). A beautiful photograpg!