There a lots of pictures on here of things that that have been finished. So I thought, for a change, I'd show you something that has hardly been started! The commission is for a high status Elizabethan and the portrait chosen is one in the Norwich Castle museum & Art gallery of Elizabeth Buxton, by Robert Peake, dated 1588-90. As in nearly all periods, you have to build from the inside out, starting in this instance with shift, 'pair of bodies' and wheel. Over this you build the toile (a canvas 'mock -up')
and then you are actually ready to commence on the gown!
The design for the bodies was taken from the 'effigy' pair in Westminster Abbey (dated 1603),well there are only a few extant samples available to choose from!
The last picture shows the toile in place and it fits well! Now we just have to plan the embroidery, execute it - and make the gown!
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