I attended a meetup session for a Fashion Illustrator's group that meets a couple of blocks away from my apartment. I was a great session, because while I didn't come away with any drawings I loved (and most I barely liked - none of these are good drawings, IMHO), for my inexperience and insecurity with the media (mostly watercolor) and in the timed sessions, I think I did okay. I was quite pleased with my attempts to do more complex work with unfamiliar techniques, but ran out of time with all of them. Still, it was all about the attempts and practice I got.
The 5 minute (or was it 2? I can't recall) contour sketches I enjoyed, because there was no time to consider the aesthetics, merely to go on autopilot, and they were a great way to get your feet wet, so to speak, at the start of the 3 hour meetup. The model Tomo was wonderful, especially because she had these amazing legs that just had so much rhythm to their shape. I loved just swishing the lines on the paper to capture them, even if after taking the pics to post, my lines seem less shapely than I imagined they were when I initially drew them! :) I happy that my fashion proportions are still very much intact, though.. maybe even moreso than ever. I didn't erase on any of these quick contour sessions, and I still think I got most of the attitudes of the poses.
The 10 minute (although I think they were actually 5... can't remember) sketches were a bit easier... except for the fact that they dressed her in these patterns that were insane to render. I defaulted to colored pencil just to get my bearings, but while the drawings are a bit better, they're just drawings. I didn't feel I was getting any fashion illustration practice.
I was quite proud of myself for my brushstrokes in these full-color watercolors, because I put colors down fearlessly (for me). Fashion illustration for me is all about confident strokes, and I don't have them down yet, not with proper placement and coloration. But that's what these practice sessions are for. I was at least using the whole sheet, but these papers were not made for watercolor - the pigments dried almost immediately, making it impossible to get a wet-on-wet technique going. These were a 20 minute pose (on the left) and a 15 minute one (right) that I wish I had more time for.
I was quite pleased with myself for these ink paintings. I've never painted with ink before, and I was trying to create textures since I wasn't going for color (in this outfit, the colors were a bit muddy). I abandoned the one on the right because I didn't like how the polka dots were rendering, so I redid it (left) without drawing them in with a pencil first. I was quite happy with that effect, although I like the hat in the former better, hence the trial two sketches on display here. I ran out of time before I could complete either.
This sketch I am probably the happiest with. While I didn't really get the feeling of the fabric, I loved how the chiaroscuro on the legs turned out. I was trying to channel
Bil Donovan, who is a master of ink painting. I'm millions of miles away from his level, but for a first time attempt, I'm quite happy with those legs!
The 5 minute (or was it 2? I can't recall) contour sketches I enjoyed, because there was no time to consider the aesthetics, merely to go on autopilot, and they were a great way to get your feet wet, so to speak, at the start of the 3 hour meetup. The model Tomo was wonderful, especially because she had these amazing legs that just had so much rhythm to their shape. I loved just swishing the lines on the paper to capture them, even if after taking the pics to post, my lines seem less shapely than I imagined they were when I initially drew them! :) I happy that my fashion proportions are still very much intact, though.. maybe even moreso than ever. I didn't erase on any of these quick contour sessions, and I still think I got most of the attitudes of the poses.
The 10 minute (although I think they were actually 5... can't remember) sketches were a bit easier... except for the fact that they dressed her in these patterns that were insane to render. I defaulted to colored pencil just to get my bearings, but while the drawings are a bit better, they're just drawings. I didn't feel I was getting any fashion illustration practice.
I was quite proud of myself for my brushstrokes in these full-color watercolors, because I put colors down fearlessly (for me). Fashion illustration for me is all about confident strokes, and I don't have them down yet, not with proper placement and coloration. But that's what these practice sessions are for. I was at least using the whole sheet, but these papers were not made for watercolor - the pigments dried almost immediately, making it impossible to get a wet-on-wet technique going. These were a 20 minute pose (on the left) and a 15 minute one (right) that I wish I had more time for.
I was quite pleased with myself for these ink paintings. I've never painted with ink before, and I was trying to create textures since I wasn't going for color (in this outfit, the colors were a bit muddy). I abandoned the one on the right because I didn't like how the polka dots were rendering, so I redid it (left) without drawing them in with a pencil first. I was quite happy with that effect, although I like the hat in the former better, hence the trial two sketches on display here. I ran out of time before I could complete either.
This sketch I am probably the happiest with. While I didn't really get the feeling of the fabric, I loved how the chiaroscuro on the legs turned out. I was trying to channel Bil Donovan, who is a master of ink painting. I'm millions of miles away from his level, but for a first time attempt, I'm quite happy with those legs!
You've inspired me to find a local meetup that will challenge me with my art. Maybe I'll end up opening the floodgates to something magical
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