A-Dore Me.

Garance Dore Illustrations

My first reaction was awe. My second was, "I need to do this."

Bottom line: Garance Dore is an illustrative genius.

It truly inspired me to create a finished drawing. Her illustrations are so clean and effortless, these girls embody current fashion without being overbearing or complicated.

These particular illustrations stood out to me. I like the nerdy/hippie folk-ness about them, and the touches of color make them eye-catching. The simplicity is incredibly impressive.

I did a few illustrations using a pencil and paintbrush, one of which I was happy with. I hope to continue using this new technique, and eventually, one day, I will post some of my work on here. I may have to borrow a scanner...

Winter is here!

And you know what that means. IT'S EFFIN' COLD. But there are perks to cold weather. For example, epic snowball fights, hot chocolate, and a warm fireplace. And then there are miserable things about cold weather, such as blizzards. Like the day-after-Christmas blizzard of 2010. The one I got stuck in while driving through New Jersey (which is the pits). But I'm going to use my winter experience as an excuse to share this cute illustration by Lauren Bishop. I discovered her years ago, and often find myself wandering to her website to check out new fabulous works of art.

(disclaimer: the snowstorm I got stuck in looked nothing like this. But we can pretend.)

I love checking out independent fashion illustrators. Seeing the different styles and techniques of the individual artist really inspires me. Lauren Bishop definitely exhibits a certain grace with a somewhat retro flair in her work that I am drawn to, and her use of colors, prints, and space is exquisite and consistent. Each drawing has such an intense personality. I especially like the elegant lady shown above, and she was the perfect image of the romantic winter. The coat print kinda reminds me of a winter storm, but it's contained within the silhouette, and therefore becomes elegant and beautiful. Perhaps I am merely overanalyzing... but Lauren Bishop is definitely worth checking out. You can view her website here: www.laurenbishopillustration.co.uk

PS- anytime you're feeling down, think about a box of kittens~

"A drawing a day keeps the doctor away"

The biggest thing to get me into fashion design is drawing. I've been "drawing" as long as I can remember, even if my creations were nothing more than drool and ink scribbles on paper. Drawing is a huge part of my life, and I'll be damned if I don't do something with it as a career.

I've recently learned of the famous fashion illustrator, Sophie Toulouse. I've browsed some of her artwork, and it's nothing short of amazing.

This is probably one of my favorites so far.



Just the contours of the body and the high contrasting values give this illustration an incredibly delicate aura. It's showing you an emotion, not telling you how to feel.
I also love how she portrays wing-like appendages without being cliche, because we all know that wings are wayy overdone.

So, I had better step up my game as far as fashion illustrations go.
I'm feeling inspired.