Lissy Elle

I'm drawn to Lissy Elle's photography because of its magical quality.  The viewer has to take a second look to realise the strangeness of the image, the way a figure is upside down or gravity working from a  different direction.  The photos I have shown below also remind me of Sam Taylor Wood's photography where she hangs herself from a wire, then removes it digitally afterwards.

I think I like Lissy Elle's work because it also shows me the possibilities I have, as I am drawing rather than photographing I can make many different unrealistic changes.

Commercial Photography Colaboration

During a recent tutorial it was recommended that I try a collaboration with a student who concentrates on Fashion Photography.  I sent out an email and had a surprising number of responses. The work of the people that contacted me was really impressive, however some lended themselves more to illustrations than others.

After meeting with one photographer, she offered to set up a photography shoot if there were any poses that she had not covered in her photography, that I would like.  After discussing this idea with my tutors I felt that this would be a great opportunity to create my own images to draw from.

Renam Christofoletti

The Brazilian photographer Renam Christofoletti creates some beautiful photographs with strong contrasts and striking angles.  His images seem to flow effortlessly looking both strong and feminine.  I've drawn upon his work for ideas for my own poses for the fashion shoot I will be doing.

Robert Longo

Robert Longo's Men in the Cities (1980) created using charcoal and graphite on paper make great use of negative space and movement.  I like the use of three similar images next to each other as a set.

Herb Ritts

Herb Ritts began his photography career in the seventies and gained a reputation as a master of art and commercial photography.  Herb Ritts was drawn to clean lines and strong forms, often challenging conventional notions of gender and race.


His photos are extremely striking and I would like to use his unconventional positions and perspectives to influence my own work.

Caroline Andrieu

Caroline Andrieu's fashion illustrations are very delicate and feminine and she uses a really effective mix of pencil and watercolour.  Caroline Andrieu is also the art director of Conde Nast digital for GQ and Vogue.

David Downton

In 1996, the Financial Times commissioned David Downton to draw the couture shows and since then he has become known principally as a fashion illustrator.  

I'm particularly inspired by David Downton's fashion illustrations, he tends to use black and white with splashes of colour.  I'd like to try and use a bit more colours in my images as Downton does, and also attempt a much looser style, as he does with his quick brushstrokes.

Tutorial before Easter

The last tutorial before Easter was an opportunity to gain some feedback on the fashion illustrations I have been working on.  During the Negotiated Practise module it was suggested I concentrated on images that did not show faces, as they are more ambiguous and leave more for the viewer to read into.  I have been following that advise on this project, working only from images where the face is either obscured or partially obscured.

In the tutorial I was advised to continue along this route, but to think of why the figures were looking away and use this in my work.  It was also suggested to work with a Commercial Photography student to create some images with the sort of poses I am after.  Taking my own photos also means that the images are completely mine and that there are no issues with copyright.

Screen Printing

To learn new skills and other techniques to create images, I have been doing evening classes in screen printing for the last ten weeks.  As I moved over from Visual Communications I missed the chance to learn screen printing on the course, so I took this opportunity to create work both for the course, and for myself.

Tutorial

This was the first tutorial in which I could get feedback about my new fashion illustration direction.  The comments were really positive, the suggestions that were made were to look for a direction.  I need to add either a theme or narrative to tie my images together.

I had considered looking at themes like an era, or looking at movement, like dancing.  However my tutor suggested I should look at collaborating with a photographer so that I could work from existing photographs.

I was pleased the images I had done went down well, I had been thinking a lot about framing and composition after the feedback from my Negotiated Practice unit and it seems like I have now addressed these issues.

Fashion continued...

I think the negative space in this image works really well, concentrating the image in the top right hand corner leaves a lot of white space that the image melts into.

Again, I like the white space in this image, and the way I have cropped half the face off the page as this makes a more interesting composition.

The contrast between black and white works really well in this image, although I think the legs are painted slightly clumsily.

This image is very delicate and pale, which combined with the pose gives a feeling of vulnerability.  It was difficult to show the perspective in this pose, although I think adding shadows helped.

Black and White Fashion Experimentation

I really like the contract of solid black against white in this image, however the figure looks slightly too doll-like, without expression or meaning.

I like the composition of this image.  I cut half the figure off to have her hiding, not only behind her arm, but slightly off the page.  Water and ink seem to give a really good representation of denim on her shorts.

This image may be slightly too abstract, as it is hard to know what is happening.  I do like the way the fabric melts into drips, it gives the image a slightly more loose feel.

I really enjoy painting hair, and there is something really delicate and vulnerable about only the neck and hair showing.

I think this image might be slightly too complex, although I do like the composition.

Fashion Magazines

I have been looking through various fashion magazines to find interesting poses, perspectives and themes.  Mainstream fashion magazines tend to be much safer with their photography, although will occasionally employ a well known photographer to add something more interesting, like Terry Richardson or Tim Walker.

I have found the most inspiration in magazines like; Pop, Purple, Tush and Love.  Through looking at these I have also managed to find a lot of fashion photographers whom I admire, as well as learning what poses work well and which do not.

Life Drawing at the Coop

Today I attended my first Life Drawing session at Coop, above The Winchester in Bournemouth. 

I found the session really useful and I think over time it will improve my figure drawing.  I took things very safely in this session, using only pencil but I'd really like to introduce pastels and vibrant colour.

Art of Illustration

As part of the British Library's Spring Festival, a five day celebration of creativity, fashion and design they hosted 'The Art of Illustration'.  This event had a panel of artists; Quentin Blake, designer and comic artist Jamie Hewlett, sartorial cartoonist Martin Rowson and graphic storyteller Posy Simmonds.  Each selected and explained a personal choice of favourite illustrations, drawn from different genres, cultures and styles.

Afterwards was a night in the British Library called, 'Illuminate!', a gallery of illustrators works, and workshops.

I really enjoyed this event and found the panel interesting and inspiring.  Despite the huge variety in their own work the artists that inspire them were often the same.  Their advise on getting illustration work in the Q&A was also very useful, and it always helps to know that everyone started in the same place.

Quentin Blake

Jamie Hewlett

Posy Simmonds