Fashionarium

Color Forecast - what colors people are wearing in the fashion capitals?

It is said that those who don’t have friends should buy some :) I am lucky enough to have friends that are thinking of me when they find some interesting websites related to fashion. 

This happened also when one of my friends shared me the Pimkie Color Forecast website. 

Why I found this website useful for designers & Illustrators is that it shows you in real time what colors people are wearing in the fashion capitals, analyzing webcam footage and providing infographics detailing current fashion trends in Paris, Milan and Antwerp.  There is also an app to download it on your phone. 

What do you think about this? Is is useful for you?

From Visual Merchandiser to Fashion Illustrator - Interview with illustrator Kris Keys

Kris Keys is a fashion illustrator from NYC who has very unique illustrations in her portfolio.  Kris is extremely passionate about art, fashion, textiles and life. I’ve been inspired by her creations a while ago, when she contacted me to share with me her portfolio. 

At a glance, I’ve remarked a very unique style of drawing fashion and after talking with Kris, I discovered a very talented woman who found her passion for fashion illustration a while ago and, inspired by life’s beauty, she bring a range of color into this world. 

I invite you to enjoy an inspiring interview with Kris Keys. Enjoy & be inspired!

Augmented Reality Fashion Show

ARworks has created an augmented reality fashion show for Vodafone. The telecom company chose designers featured at a Gombold Újra fashion show, and 11 designers have pieces displayed in augmented reality display accessible via a QR code with the AR browser Junaio. You can see the entire process unfold in the video below.

Source: Fashionably Marketing

Workflow - the Successful Designer’s Secret

 Why illustrators avoid using a workflow?

Fashion Illustrators for H&M

One of the reasons I love H&M is that they support and involve artists and illustrators into various projects, creating lovely pieces together.

Recently I went to the store and I discovered the H&M Divided Art spring 2012 collection which furnishes style fans with a fun parade of printed tops and leggings. 

Alexis Anne Mackenzie for H&M Divided Art

 © Images: H&M | Illustrations: Alexis Anne Mackenzie

Illustrators as:  Alexis Anne Mackenzie and graphic designers as Johnny Ryan, Saskia Pomeroy or Fanny Gentle enjoyed the privilege of decorating chic style creations with their unique drawings for the 2012 Spring Collection. 

I embrace the idea and I really encourage you to find out opportunities and be involved into H&M art projects. If you want your art to be on their clothes, make sure you contact them and ask for advice and opportunities. 

I know they also organize periodically contests named “Your ART Here” Check out the website to be updated when they launch a new competition.

 © Images: H&M | Illustrations: Alexis Anne Mackenzie

Other Illustrators who joined H&M Projects

For the 2011 H&M Divided Art collection, fashion illustrator Laura Laine, from Helsinki created two illustrations to be printed on T-shirts and tanks. The collection was available at H&M stores in Holland.

 © Images: H&M / Illustrations Laura Laine

Fashion Illustrator Cecilia Carlstedt also collaborated with H&M. She created illustrations for the Fashion against AIDS campaign in Spring 2011. 

 © Images: H&M | Illustrations: Cecilia Carlstedt

Swedish illustrator Lovisa Burfitt designed an organic cotton bag to help raise funds for H&M and UNICEF’s All for Children initiative in 2010. She also designed illustrations for H&M store in Milan in 2008 and a stunning range of pillows for H&M Home (textiles and accessories ) in Stockholm also available online in select countries.

Lovisa Burfitt for H&M Home Stockholm

Lovisa Burfitt for H&M Store in Milan

Organic cotton bag designed by Lovisa Burfitt for H&M and UNICEF initiative.

 © Images: H&M | Illustrations: Lovisa Burfitt

Inspiring TED talk on Copyright Protection

Johanna Blakley: Lessons from fashion’s free culture

Johanna Blakley - Deputy Director of the Norman Lear Center (a media-focused think tank at the University of Southern California) - uncovers the merits of fashion’s free culture.  Apparel is considered too utilitarian to copyright, and what an academic considers plagiarism, fashion designers view as inspiration.

To combat this imitation, designers must constantly innovate and come up with an inimitable signature aesthetic. Blakley asserts that, from a bottom line standpoint, the fashion industry thrives due to its free-for-all culture.  More than anyone, fast fashion giants like Zara, H&M and Topshop have benefitted from this lack of copyright protection.

Video Source: TED.com

Step by Step Tutorial - How to Render Skin for your Fashion Illustrations

Our contributor, Jessica Mey - designer and Digital Lecturer at Cape Town College of Design, came across this video tutorial on youtube, on how to rendering the skin with PS5.

This is obviously one of the thousands ways to do it and this particular method it’s surely the quickest one and saves you precious time for fabric rendering, which is a more long and complicated process. 

Quick description of the steps. 

Go beyond the Limits of your Creativity

It is said that 3D helps make what is in a designer’s head come true faster. 

So here is a tool that gives fashion designers the opportunities to explore lines which he usually sketches in two dimensions only with a full volume rendering. The designer can work and visualize from every possible angle he chooses in the digital world

Future Innovation - Video and Photoshop

In a previous post I’ve told you some great news about the new Photoshop CS6. 

Now get a glimpse of what the Photoshop team has been working on, when it comes to video and Photoshop

Pourquoi pas? - Fashion Illustration magazine by David Downton

Did you knew about Pourquoi Pas? the only international periodical dedicated to fashion illustration?

Photo: Fashion Illustration by David Downton

If not, you might find out that it’s the magazine edited by one of Europe’s leading fashion artists, David Downton, the London based Fashion illustrator. Pourquoi Pas? has 76 ad-free pages and is printed on heavyweight uncoated stock in a limited edition of 1500. It’s aim? To celebrate drawing in our digital, disposable, point and shoot world.

Do investors take chance in smaller fashion labels?

Short video on how investors take chance into fashion labels.

Investors in new fashion lines need passion, commitment and patience. Haute couture’s Stéphane Rolland and up-and-coming duo Heal Fashion Lab talk about the investors who fund their lines.

Video Source: You Tube

The 50 things every creative should know

A while ago I came across an interesting website on the 50 Things every creative should know. 

I thought you’ll love to see them. Here are the top 5 that I believe in because they passed through my experience and I completely agree. You can read them all read here.  Which one do you believe in?

You cannot score without a goal

Let us pay for a copy of your fashion illustration book

Are you a fashion illustrator searching for ways on how to shape your drawing style?  Learn from the masters. Check out Fashion Illustration Book and you’ll be inspired with guidelines from some of the most successful fashion illustrators. 

You have only four lucky days of savings, until March 15, you’ll have a special offer. Buy three and get one for free. Make your friends happy by giving them such a present. 

This offer is available only for the Print version of the Fashion Illustration Exposed Book.

Check it out

Fashion Illustrator Svetlana Ihsanova talking about her career as a freelance fashion illustrator

I came across the artwork of fashion illustrator Svetlana Ihsanova kind of by accident on Pinterest. I’ve searched for more of her creations and I’ve discovered a very young russian woman, who became an illustrator after graduating from Samara Art College in Russia.

Sheis known for her contemporary, distinctive and progressive style and collaborated with brands as: Vogue, SoftLine, Main People, Teenage Magazine or Pioneer. Svetlana combines the basic job as a freelance illustrator with teaching computer graphics at Samara Art College in Russia.

I invited Svetlana to talk more about her artwork and her experience as a fashion illustrator.