I saw a book today at Urban Outfitters, on 150 top fashion illustrators in Japan, and the website link was a treasure trove of inspiration. I was particularly taken by the beautifully retrained style of Yoko Nagamiya. Her simple, pared-down brushwork and shots of soft-edged color are amazing, improbably reminding me of both René Gruau and Mats Gustafson at the same time, along with more than a few hints of seventies and eighties Lord & Taylor ads... yet still very modern and fresh. I wanted to try her style, just to see if I could even imitate her soft but confident strokes. I'm afraid this sketch is a pale comparison, but ultimately it's an homage to a woman with a wonderfully original ability.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
A Hint of Japan
I saw a book today at Urban Outfitters, on 150 top fashion illustrators in Japan, and the website link was a treasure trove of inspiration. I was particularly taken by the beautifully retrained style of Yoko Nagamiya. Her simple, pared-down brushwork and shots of soft-edged color are amazing, improbably reminding me of both René Gruau and Mats Gustafson at the same time, along with more than a few hints of seventies and eighties Lord & Taylor ads... yet still very modern and fresh. I wanted to try her style, just to see if I could even imitate her soft but confident strokes. I'm afraid this sketch is a pale comparison, but ultimately it's an homage to a woman with a wonderfully original ability.
She's elegant in her subtlety, and I especially like her facial features.
ReplyDeleteI think you struck pretty close to her style/approach while maintaining yourself.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I want her to draw an X-comic graphic novel starring Ororo, Jean, Rogue and Co on a wild girls night out. Ha!
Ben