Believe

May 29, 2016

I finally managed to complete a piece I've been working on for weeks. It took me this long not because it's a complicated piece but ever since I took on a part-time job 3 months ago, I'm having trouble finding a balance between my part-time job, rest and Dollgift. I'd promised myself to draw something on my off days, but all I wanted to do after 3 long days at work, is nothing.. I became depressed because of this. As each week passes, my fear of picking up my 'pen' to draw again increases. I was so afraid I'd lost touch with my creative self. But still, no matter how hard it gets, I chose to keep my faith. And one line at a time, I completed this illustration. Coincidentally, this piece is about holding on to our faith - trust every process, even if it means slowing down or taking a break. :)

''Faith is not about everything turning out okay. Faith is about being okay no matter how things turn out.''~

Art print available here.

❤ Blessings, Charllotte

New works

September 20, 2015

''When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way.'' -Wayne Dyer

Take time to relax, and enjoy a cup of tea. ~ <3

Art prints available on Etsy, www.etsy.com/shop/dollgift

Now I'm going to introduce the cutest Weenicorn to you. Meet Little Evans (L.E)!!! Isn't she the cutest?

You can follow @krisegirl on Instagram for more photos of L.E and her siblings. Let me tell you, they're all SO cute it's impossible to favour one over the other. In fact I had a hard time deciding which photo to work on.

If you'd like to win a free portrait of your pet as well, simply follow me on Instagram @dollgift. It doesn't matter if your furkid is here or in heaven, I'll pick a random photo from my follower list to work on next. Alternatively, you can also DM me photos of your beloved pet. If your submission is picked, I'll send you a high res digital copy of the portrait for FREE. You may keep the file, print it out to have it framed and hang on your wall or even print it onto merchandise. If you'd like for me to print it out and send to your home, printing and postage fee apply. If your submission is not selected, you can still customise a portrait of your pet. More information here, www.etsy.com/shop/dollgift

Enjoy your weekend!~

❤ Blessings, Charllotte

Our Story (Version 2)

September 14, 2015

Our Story, version 2! Which version do you like? :)

A perfect gift for wedding, anniversary, Valentines' day and any other day. Customisation for this piece is available on my Etsy store, https://www.etsy.com/shop/dollgift

If you'd like to customise a new design, drop me an email! info@mydollgift.com. :)

Have a wonderful week ahead~

❤ Blessings, Charllotte

Our Story & Free Pet Portrait

September 2, 2015

Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favourite. ~ <3

Customise this unique and thoughtful gift for wedding, anniversary, Valentines' day, housewarming or any other day. You don't need a special occasion to send a gift anyway. :)

You can also choose to customise a new design. More designs and full details here,

This week's Free Pet Portrait is dedicated to an adventurous dog named, Poh!
Poh is a 15 years young rescued dog. When his human parents found out that he has only limited time left on earth, they decided to bring him on a bucket list road trip. Poh's story went viral and has 121k followers on his Instagram cheering him on till date. The love of his parents touched me deeply. So here's a portrait of Poh, the amazing adventurer! You can show them some love and support by following them on Instagram @pohthedogsbigadventure.

Now you can DM me photos of your beloved pet on Instagram or Facebook (whether they are here or in heaven) for next week's Free Pet Portrait. If your submission is picked, I'll send you a high res digital copy of the portrait for FREE. You may keep the file, print it out to have it framed and hang on your wall or even print it onto merchandise. If you'd like for me to print it out and send to your home, printing and postage fee apply.

If your submission is not selected, you can still customise a portrait of your pet at a special price of US$68 (smaller dimension available at lower price). More information here, https://goo.gl/sGw2hR

Have a fabulous week ahead~

❤ Blessings, Rheea

*Photos of Poh are taken from their Instagram*

Meet Sully!

August 27, 2015

It's Free Pet Portrait post!

Last week I mentioned that I'd pick a random pet from my Instagram follower list to work with each week, but then I thought of my dear Nono in heaven and decided I want to give a chance to pet owners who'd lost their beloved pet as well. So, to all the pet owners (whether your pet is here or in heaven), feel free to send me a clear photo of your pet. If your submission is picked, I'll send you a high res digital copy of the portrait for FREE. You may keep the file, print it out to have it framed and hang on your wall or even print it onto merchandise. If you'd like me to print it out and send to your home, printing and postage fee apply.

Today, I've chosen this super tiny and adorable kitty, Sully, to work with. Sully was born with cleft nose/lip/palate. I think that's what made him more special! Anyway, the wonderful people at Utah Animal Advocacy Foundation (UAAF) took him in to give him all the love and medical care he needed, but unfortunately he passed away too soon. Even with his brief time here, Sully's beautiful story touches the lives of many, some who'd known him merely through FB, myself included. They even have a ‪#‎smilesfromsully‬ 's day on every Thursday where a random act of kindness is carry out in honour of little Sully! You definitely want to follow their page for more amazing rescue stories and cuteness overloaded photo/video updates of the animals >> For the Love of Ruby

*Photo of Sully I used. Isn't he the cutest?*

Now you can start sending in photo of your beloved pet for next week's Free Pet Portrait (leave me a message on Facebook or DM me on Instagram). If your submission is not selected, you can still customise a portrait of your pet on Etsy.

Good luck!

PS: I've added new designs to my Redbubble store, do check them out, www.redbubble.com/people/dollgiftbyrheea/shop :*

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Superhero Adventure (part 8)

August 18, 2015

I've decided to expand my search for superheroes to non-superheroes as well since many interesting characters I spotted can hardly be classified as a superhero. This was one of them.

I found this cute little fellow as I went hiking in the forest over the weekend. He was watering some mushrooms.. many mushrooms actually.. like literally over hundreds or even thousands of them? He told me he lives there with his brother and they both have a thing for mushrooms.. not sure why. I think he mentioned something about it making them grow taller and stronger? Hmmm...

Which character(s) would you like me to search for next? Share your thoughts and fantasy with me! If your idea get selected, not only will you be able to see your favourite character posted here, you'll also receive a print of the drawing which you can hang on your wall and see everyday! ;)

I don't post my Superhero/Character Adventure here all the time, so if you don't want to miss it, follow me on Instagram, http://instagram.com/dollgiftbyrheea
Or FB page for firsthand updates, www.facebook.com/DollgiftByRheea .You can also subscribe to my website; I'd specially created a gallery page for my adventure!

Also, I've uploaded new designs to my Redbubble store, don't forget to check them out!

Now head over to my store to see MORE, www.redbubble.com/people/dollgiftbyrheea/shop

Have magical week ahead~

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Sweet Friend & Bella

August 13, 2015

We all have that one friend who will always be there for us in good times or bad. You know you can be your completely weird, goofy self around them (sometimes they may even be weirder or crazier than you!). I'm blessed to have a few such friends in my life (you know who you are). Thank you for loving me for who I am. I love you! <3

Art print is available on Etsy.

Also today, I want to introduce you to SWEET Bella, the miniature dachshund (surprise, Rachel!! :D) Rachel is a follower of mine on Instagram for quite a while now.

Starting this week, I'll be picking a random (pet) follower on my Instagram to customise a portrait weekly. If your pet is picked by me, you can contact me and I'll be glad to send you a high res digital copy of the drawing so you can print it out if you like. Best part is, it'll be FREE of charge for you. ;D

Join in the fun by following me on Instagram @dollgiftbyrheea now, your pet might be the next lucky one to be chosen! Alternatively you can customise a similar portrait as this one of your pet at US$68. Dimension of this drawing is 14''x11'' (I can do other dimension as well). If you prefer the portrait to be printed out and send to your house, cost for printing and postage apply. Feel free to drop me a message to inquire!

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram! You can also follow Bella here @rachel_am_i

❤ Blessings, Rheea

An Animal's Love

July 30, 2015

Some people believe that pets are more than just our furry friends; they are our spiritual guides or soul companions, and they are here to guide us, to teach us important life's lessons. I couldn’t agree more. If there were no Nono, there would be no Dollgift, and you won't be seeing drawings of a little girl exploring the world with her cute doxie! I hope everyone who comes across my drawings be inspired by their sense of wonder. :)

I did not grow up in a positive or supportive environment. In fact I have a critical mother who never fails to make me doubt myself. Being an introvert, INFJ and HSP all rolled into one only make things more complicated. I don’t share work related stuffs at home because I know their negative remark is going to affect me. I love my family and I have no doubt they love and cared for me too, but sadly, things don’t always work out the way we hoped no matter how hard we try. Sometimes we just have to go against the wind and do what we feel is best for us. I won’t deny it’s a very challenging path I have chosen. But then again, I have never felt more alive in my entire life. Because of my perseverance, I was able to do the things I enjoy and support the causes I care deeply about. I know if this is my life’s purpose, I’m going to have to keep my faith and trust the universe to guide me.

I have always felt a strong connection with animals. I want to support animal rights not just by monetary means but also through my lifestyle preferences. I have been on a mostly vegetarian diet since 2006 (I said 'mostly' because I still consume fish occasionally) and I try to use cruelty-free products. Now after learning about the horrific treatments of farm animals, I want to go vegan.

I have an envelope labelled ‘Angel Charity Fund’ where I put 10 percent of each sale I make (50 percent from my DOGs collection) inside. Every now and then I come across appeal for financial aids for animal shelters/ rescue centres on social medias, or whichever emergency cases I feel called to help, this is where the fund goes. I also like to contribute my works for fundraising efforts.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to share my career journey with you. I sincerely want to thank each and every one of you who has supported me in every little ways. Without you, I won't be able to pursue my dreams. I hope by sharing my story, you too, will be inspired to live yours.

I pray that sweet Nono from above will continue to guide me in helping more animals. ^^

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Superhero Adventure (part 6):

July 7, 2015

OMG, THERE HE IS!!!! My heart was racing and I could hardly breathe when he smiled at me. Oh my irresistibly charming Superhero. He was holding some pretty flowers and balloons which obviously were not for me. He told me he was on his way to Jane's birthday party and those were for her. My heart shattered into a zillion pieces... But it's okay, I'm contented that I got the chance to take a selfie with him. Heh!

*You can follow my Superhero Adventure on FB, www.facebook.com/DollgiftByRheea

Instagram, http://instagram.com/dollgiftbyrheea

Or subscribe to my website RSS, http://www.mydollgift.com/#/characters/ (I'd specially created to document my Superhero Adventure).

Have a super great week ahead!

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Superhero Adventure (part 4)

June 18, 2015

It wasn't hard to spot this Superhero from far. The only thing I had to worry about was getting stepped on. Thankfully that didn't happen. He was rushing off to catch the Spiderman II movie when I found him and so he invited me to join him. Of course I said yes! This sweet gentle giant carried me to sit on his shoulder during the show so I could have the best view (we even shared a gigantic box of popcorn!) Needless to say, it was the BEST movie date I ever had. But..... I really hope I'll get to see Thor soon. :p

You can follow my Superhero Adventure on FB, www.facebook.com/DollgiftByRheea Instagram, http://instagram.com/dollgiftbyrheea
or subscribe to my blog RSS!

Sorry for neglecting my Etsy store for a while. I've updated more works AND you can now enjoy SPECIAL DISCOUNT when you get more art prints. Yeah!~

Visit my shop for alot more other designs! www.etsy.com/shop/dollgift

Happy shopping!~

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Superhero Adventure (part 2)

June 5, 2015

I'd been searching the whole town before the sun came out today but there was no Superhero in sight. As dark clouds started to gather and rain began to fall, I decided to call it a day. Wait a second... I suddenly felt a shadow over my head. As I glanced up, I couldn't believe my eyes. There he was, the second Superhero of my search, holding his shield over my head to shelter me from the pouring rain. I wished it'd rain forever!

Luckily I collected some raindrops and a handful of clouds in a bottle to keep as souvenir. Don't laugh! It's not everyday we get to run into a Superhero, let alone a sweet encounter like this (happy sigh)...

If you missed my first Superhero post, here's the link >> http://goo.gl/9WgX17

You can also follow me on Facebook or Instagram for my next update!

Have a great weekend~

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Superhero Adventure (part 1)

May 29, 2015

I know you've been waiting for THIS. :D

Well, I spotted the first Superhero at the corner of a street practicing his web spinning skill this morning. I wanted to approach him to teach me to spin some web but.... Judging from the webs he'd spun, I thought maybe he still needs more practice? What do you think?

I wonder which Superhero will I run into next. I'm so excited! You can follow us on Facebook >> www.facebook.com/DollgiftByRheea .Or Instagram >> http://instagram.com/dollgiftbyrheea for firsthand news.

*Update: To read about my Superhero encounter II, click here >> www.mydollgift.com/blog/superhero-ii

Okay, Superheroes aside. If patterns are your thing, I'm sure you'd want to check out our new pattern series! You can find these irresistibly cute products in our Redbubble store.

Pencil Skirt - Available in size XXS to XXL

Studio Pouch - Available in two different sizes — Studio Pouch - Available in two different sizes

Phone Cases/ Skins - Available for Iphone and Samsung

Blanket cover - available in Single, Queen and King size

Throw Pillow - Available in three different sizes, without or without insert

Tote Bag - Available in two different sizes

Travel Mug - Also available as Mug and Tall Mug — Travel Mug - Also available as Mug and Tall Mug

Visit our store for full product range and to start your shopping now! >> www.redbubble.com/people/dollgiftbyrheea/shop

PS: Orders from Redbubble will be shipped from USA, AUS or UK depending on your location.

Have a FUNtastic weekend~

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Superheroes Spotted!

May 25, 2015

EXCITING NEWS:

Superheroes have been sighted roaming the streets earlier today. Now please contain your excitement. I promise to try my very best to catch hold of them over the next few days and post pictures on my Facebook page and Instagram. Do follow me there if you want those firsthand updates!

Also, I've added lots of new designs to my Redbubble store. I'm sure you'll find something you like there! Click on this link to find out more, www.redbubble.com/people/dollgiftbyrheea/shop

Have a super great week ahead~

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Dogs Onboard & Basic Illustration Class - Lesson 8

September 30, 2014

It's sci fi time again! In lesson 8, we'd to create a stylized/realistic character for the media/gaming industry.

Besides looking a little stiff, I think she looks pretty cool (and hot?). What do you think? :p

Moving on to a totally different style...

Tiny little things are spotted on a boat carrying huge lollipops! Direction of where they're heading is still unclear.

I've always feel a strong connection with dogs and I really hope to do more for our fur buddies, be it raising awareness for adoption or understanding the importance of giving them a 'forever' home. I'll be creating a series of illustrations with dogs (lots and lots of them!) and having the illustrations printed on tote bags, postcards, calendar or t-shirts. Half of the sale proceeds from this project will be donated to a local dog shelter.

At this moment, I do not have alot of fund to start with so I'll have to look to collaboration or platforms like Kickstarter and Threadless for help. If you've any other suggestion, I'd love to hear them.

Thank you in advance for your support and your love for our fur buddies!

Meanwhile, art print for this piece is available on Etsy.

Have a lovely week!

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Basic Illustration Class - Lesson 7

September 22, 2014

Hello! It's yet another week so here's the recap on my basic illustration lesson 7 with Jimmy.

It was a very challenging lesson for me as we'd to create my FIRST EVER sci fi art! I only managed to complete this piece at home but boy, I love the end result! Without further ado, let me show you my proud creation. Heh~

For a start, we experimented with 'custom shapes' and brushes. The textured effect on my island/mountains were done with the help of custom shapes and special brush for the grass. You can actually download free interesting brushes and customs shapes online. The ones I used were from Jimmy's collection and it was very generous of him to share it with us.

I got bored with this and started on a new piece. Ah.... this is much better.

After creating a basic form using a combination of custom shapes, I got this.

Then putting what I've learnt to good use by adding in the details with various brush effect; multiply, soft light, hard light and my favourite guy ---> color dodge.

I thought of creating some spacecrafts but quickly dismissed that idea. Then. I had another idea... How about an iron pegasus?! Woo. I love that idea!

I found a horse image which I'd like to work on.

And came out with this. I LOVE IT!!

I then consulted Jimmy for feedback and suggestion on how I can create a magical effect around the horse. This was what he came out with. Wow! It looks like a fantasy sci fi piece. I liked that the focus is fully on my magnificent horse (prince) now.

Have a magical new week ahead! ^^

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Basic Illustration Class - Lesson 2

August 18, 2014

For our second lesson, we learned about one-point and two-point perspective. Below is how an object will look in a one-point perspective drawing.

With a two-point perspective drawing, we're able to create a more dynamic look.

(Yet another funny looking monster by me. Haha!)

For second part of the lesson, we learned to create a two-point perspective piece completed with colours (on tablet and Photoshop). It was SO fun!

We also learned that objects that are nearest to us tend to be darkest in tone... the further they get, the lighter the tone and less sharp they become. Also, the further the objects, the cooler the shades will get. Notice we've added shades of blue to the mountains.

*Tip: You can start off with painting the entire piece in a light shade of blue. This is because the colour of the sky can affect the objects around.

And this was what my lecturer, Jimmy came out with in just 2 hours. Love the depth of the art piece!

I'm really glad to have such an amazing lecturer. Not only is he very talented. He's also very generous in imparting his skills and knowledges to us. His passion and enthusiasm is indeed inspiring.

You can find some really great tips on Jimmy's facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Dreadjim

Meanwhile, I posted a question on facebook a few days back. I'd like to know on what product(s) would you most like to see Dollgift on? Something you'll buy for yourself or as a gift. Is it tota bag, mug, pouch, wall decal, calendar or something else? Your suggestion could determine what I'll be launching next.

I understand the pricing on our Redbubble store can be a little steep (especially for the phone and ipad casing). Unfortunately they're a print-on-demand store, the cost price is already very high. I'm seriously considering mass production. However I'm only running a very small business alone and do not have much resources. My true passion is in creating art, but marketing and production is already taking up 80% of my time and energy. Thus, please be patient with me.

With this said, I'm very thankful for all your support so far. Now would you please head over to my facebook to throw in your suggestion if you haven't already?

Thank you and have a lovely week ahead~~ :)

❤ Blessings, Rheea

Basic Illustration Class - Lesson 1

August 5, 2014

Hi guys, sorry for the delay of this post!

Here's a recap on my first basic illustration class at Mages as promised.

For our first lesson, we were taught to create human figures using the 8 'boxes' method. Notice how I've divided the page to 8 different portions, each serves as a guideline for the length of various body parts. I think his arms are a tad too long. Lol.

I felt as though I was being transported back to my college days when I was a fashion design student. Even then, the fashion figures we were taught to draw weren't as detailed (and fun).

Part two of the lesson was a real challenge for me. We had to work using a tablet! (I bought a tablet few years back and gave up after a few attempts. I guess I still enjoy the feel of traditional pen strokes. Or I was too lazy to persist).

Anyway, I was really thankful I have some basic Photoshop skills prior to that so I didn't pass out from hyperventilation in the class that day. We were asked to create a monster/alien creature and this was what I came out with. Of course I'm not a fan of ugly looking monsters and thus struggled quite abit before I gave birth to this one. I hope it scares you enough?

The methods we used to create this piece were by using 'Lasso' tool to crop out the desired shape and filling it with a dark colour. After which, we used 'Multiply' to darken some areas and 'Eraser' tool to create the shadow/3D effect. Now came my favourite part - using 'Colour Dodge' to create the lighted-up/ fire effect.

Note: the monster has to be filled with a very dark tone (close to black) in order to get the nice glowing effect with Colour Dodge tool.

The cool thing about a tablet is that you can create different 'tones' by exerting a lighter or harder pressure with the pen. This could save you the trouble of changing the opacity multiple times while shading.

Here's another example of how a tablet can help us create this sphere without the need to adjust the opacity of the colour/tone.

I hope these sounds interesting to you because I really had a great time!

Well, after looking at some not very appealing art pieces, I'm going to share with you some mind-blowing art pieces by my lecturer, Jimmy Ling who specialises in conceptual digital arts.

Just WOW!

Now, this has to be my favourite......................

Omg, an ANGEL!!! (Screamsssss).

Can't get enough of Jimmy's work? You can find more on DeviantArt - http://dreadjim.deviantart.com or his facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Dreadjim .

Also, if you're free this friday, 8 Aug, the eve of our National Day, do come by to the Red Dot Design Museum at Tanjong Pagar. Because after 6 months, we're finally ready for our next MAAD (Market for Artists & Designers) event!

As usual, 10% of our sale proceeds will go to a local dog shelter we support. Please help us help our furry friends!

We'll be there from 5pm till midnight. Admission is FREE. More details about this event can be found on my Facebook page here, https://www.facebook.com/DollgiftByRheea

See you there! :D

❤ Blessings, Rheea

I Believe I Can Fly

January 14, 2013

My very first attempt at Adobe Illustrator and a tablet!

Since I'm so used to hand drawing and Photoshop, doing everything from scratch with a tablet, on a new software came as a big challenge. I nearly wanted to throw my computer out of the window a few times when I was working on this. Thankfully, I love my less than a year old Macbook too much to do anything silly.

Of course I'm still not very satisfied with the end result, but somehow I love the fact that I can now have the flexibility of changing the dimension of my drawing without compromising on the quality. Big YEAH!

I promise myself to practice hard on it (and promise to my Macbook that I'll never scare her again).

Artwork titled: I believe I can fly~

''Never give up.And most importantly, be true to yourself.Write from your heart, in your own voice about what you believe in.'' -Louise Brown

❤ Xoxo, Rheea.