Fashionarium

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

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. 

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.

Quick Fashion Illustration Tips

Fashion Illustration by Julia Stanescu

Drawing your own fashion designs can be as easy as picking up a pencil and paper, as long as you follow some pointers to get you started in the right direction. Following are a few important tips on how to make your illustrations right for the industry, whether you want to jumpstart a career in fashion illustration/design or you’re simply passionate about fashion and art:

Wonderwall

It’s getting closer to Christmas and I have a lot of things on my wish list this year. 

One of those many things is a new stylish fashion illustration to hang on my wall. Wonderwall.se is the perfect store to get beautiful posters from famous Swedish illustrators. So this is not only a great tip on where to buy your Christmas gifts, but it is also a big hint to all my friends out there: 

I would love to find this amazing illustration by Lovisa Burfitt under the Christmas tree.

How Does Fashion Illustrator Jennifer Lilya Make Acrylics Look Like Watercolors

Most people think that I work with watercolors, but truth be told, I’m personally not a huge fan of them. I find that acrylics offer me more options when I work from my super loose washes, to really deep, thick layered color when I want more coverage. I also don’t have to worry that I’ll disturb what I’ve already painted. I like acrylics also because they are insoluble once they’re dry & that equals awesome.

Here is the process I work exemplified with one of my recent illustrations as an example.

Book Recommendation - The Great big Book of Fashion Illustration

The second edition of the bestselling visual book for fashion illustrators, The Great Big Book of Fashion Illustration is being released this September in the UK and October in the US.

Artists from around the world offer inspirational examples of every technique, from traditional watercolors, acrylics, and pencil drawings to cutting-edge designs using the latest technology.

What are the essential differences between a graphic designer and an illustrator?

Source: Fashion Illustrator Naja Conrad Hansen

Someone emailed me recently and asked me about an aspect “Does Graphic Designers and  Illustrators have the same job?”

I believe that it’s essential for any illustrator to know the answer of this question so for those who are still confused I’ve made some research and decided to write a quick clarification. It will help you to promote your work better when you’re searching for freelance projects. Enjoy!

Illustrators have expertise in drawing, freehand art, and coloring while generally graphic designers use art to communicate a concise message they want to communicate and might employee an illustrator to help create elements that solve the design problem.

Illustrators

* An Illustrator draws images, primarily, and obviously, illustrations.

* Illustration implies a method or type of visual element–a representative style or technique. 

* The modern illustrator typically uses vector software  to create, manipulate and render line art, though depending on the type of education and training received, he may use more “traditional” methods such as pen or pencil on paper.

* Additionally, illustrators commonly use a variety of devices such as tablet pens ( ex: Wacom Tablet or Stylus)  or the basic computer mouse.

* Illustration has the ability to convey feelings and emotion

* Illustrators draw pictures for books, magazines, pictures for concept stores walls or other print materials, including greeting cards and wrapping paper

* llustrators use light, shadows, and color to create two-dimensional pictures. Most illustrators specialize in a particular type of drawing. For instance, fashion illustrators work for fashion designers and draw sketches of clothing as it is being designed or they have freelance projects related to the fashion industry.

Source: Graphic Designer Elias Wessel

Graphic designers

** Graphic designer may decided that an illustrator’s style or technique will enhance or even solve the design/communication problem

** Graphic Design utilizes a set of standards generally established and considered to be a rule for communicating clearly and effectively to a large set of narrowed perspectives.

** Graphic designer’s job is to combine text, illustrations, photography, typography and color to convey a message or concept visually.

** Graphic designers are visual artists who use their creative skills to design a variety of objects, products, materials, and displays for commercial clients

** Graphic Designers may create packaging and promotional displays for new products, distinctive logos for a product or business, or the visual design for a company’s literature.

** They also work in publishing, developing the layout and design of books, magazines, and newspapers. Some create graphics for television. Others develop designs for Internet Web pages, interactive media, and multimedia projects.

Resources: careers.stateuniversity.com

A short journey through the Dollhouse with Anna Bours

After I found Anna’s Artwork, I was completely in love with her doll world. I’ve talked with her about how she got into fashion illustration and how she started her business, why she draw dolls what art supplies she use to get her artwork done and a lot of other secret weapons through her creative world.

Dior Illustrated: René Gruau and the Line of Beauty

Seeing beauty in little things

I want to bring a little spring time today to make the cold weather disappearing :), and like I was doing in my childhood in those rainy days, I started to draw early in the morning. 

Today no digital drawing. I’m back to basics drawing techniques. 

The result: I was visioning “The princess of Spring” 

Inspiration

I was inspired by little things like: 

• Nature and its Spring & summer flowers
• Natural, authentic, pure woman
• Hair braiding like wheat ears
• Pictures from Elle Wedding Magazine 

Materials I used

• Cardboard
• HB Pencil 
• Staedler triplus fine liner ( pink & green )
• Artline Pen 03 pigment ink 

All in all, I think I see beauty in colors… 

What about you? How do you see beauty?

Left: Photos vi.sualize.us;       Right: Illustration by Julia Stanescu

Open draw sessions in NYC

Dear friend,

If you’re in NYC and you want to learn from other illustrators some fashion drawing techniques, it definitely worth to attend this Fashion drawing session organized by Brandon Graham from Would You Rock This? fashion illustration community:

Fashion illustration Copyright Jennifer Lilya

Bree Leman’s secret weapons on fashion illustration

I had a tremendous discussion with fashion illustrator and Graphic designer Bree Leman about her fashion illustration experience, her inspiration behind her artwork and of course about the tools and secrets behind her creations. Read the interview here.