What medium do fashion illustrators use?
We have analyzed the techniques and preferences of six well-known fashion illustrators. Let’s figure out what medium do they use and what is the secret of their success.
Cecilia Carlstedt
The artist Cecilia Carlstedt was born in Stockholm and was interested in illustration since her childhood. Later this interest was determined by the direction of professional education: Cecilia graduated from the London College of Communication in the direction of graphic design. In her work, she uses watercolors, graphics, and collage techniques, as well as the tools of digital illustration. Due to expressive technique and the author’s style, Cecilia is a successful fashion illustrator and cooperates with famous companies, designers and brands.
David Downton
His illustrations made with ink and watercolors are elegant and concise, and his client list is impressive. The artworks are incredibly accurate, emotional, beautiful. They are nostalgic for the past and have the taste of Paris high couture in the 1960s.
Downton’s style is unique due to his ability to convey the elegance and plasticity of the model with just a few lines and a pair of color accents. The technique of performing David Downton’s illustrations is quite simple — most often a few strokes of ink and watercolor, but the effect is astonishing because behind each illustration there is a great mastery and an extraordinary fantasy.
Katie Rodgers
Successful fashion illustrator Katie Rodgers combines various materials: pastel, acrylic, watercolor, oil. The artist’s unique style was born out of her passion for ballet and fashion. The heroines of Katie Rodgers’ illustrations are always in motion, they always dance. In her work, she often experimented with new ways of creating images using augmented reality technologies.
She has discovered the talent of an artist at the age of seven by copying illustrations from magazines. After going to college, Katie studied industrial design and after graduating developed collections for Reebok.
She also has had a blog on Instagram and has published illustrations in a unique author style. This is how famous brands such as Cartier, Valentino and Swarovski saw it. Incredible, doesn’t it?
Helen Bullock
Designer and fashion illustrator Helen Bullock laughs a lot, wears colorful clothes and creates as vivid and expressive works as she herself. The recognizable author’s style has earned Hélène fame among the leading representatives of the fashion industry.
Ellen Bullock is not afraid of experimentation and uses all kinds of materials — acrylic, pastel, markers, glitter… The artist’s illustrations are distinguished by a lively and spontaneous manner of drawing, a rabid of paints and clean, contrasting lines, attract attention and serve as a hymn of love for life.
Hiroshi Tanabe
Hiroshi Tanabe’s unique illustrations combine the aesthetics of traditional Japanese xylography with a fresh author’s style. Over his long career, his style has changed: he has tried various techniques, but has always remained true to himself, creating discreet, graphic and incredibly stylish works. Despite his age, Hiroshi Tanabe actively uses digital tools. And although Hiroshi lives in New York, his illustrations are truly Japanese. He brings together a national vision of the world, typical Japanese drawing techniques and avant-gardism that highlights his illustrations and is incredibly appreciated by leading modern brands and companies.
Blair Breitenstein
Talented self-taught artist Blair Breitenstein is the official illustrator of Fashion Week in New York City, with clients including Chanel, PRADA, Louis Vuitton and others. The renowned artworks of fashion illustrator, made by watercolor pastel on the craft paper, are appreciated and regularly published by leading magazines: Harper’s Bazaar, VOGUE, Tatler, Vanity Fair. Interestingly enough, Instagram made her famous. There famous brands found her illustrations and made an offer.
Blair Breitenstein teaches an online course «Fashion Illustration» at ARTLIFE ACADEMY. Learn more about it on Academy’s website.
