Four Fashion Illustrators on Drawing Techniques and Turning a Passion Into a Profession
Danny's work1/4Danny Roberts
When did you start making fashion illustrations?
"I started out studying photography and fashion design. After my first fashion illustration class, my teacher asked me if I ever thought of being a fashion illustrator. At that time, I didn’t know that there was a career like that available."
What medium do you use and why?
"I mainly use pens, pencils, inks, and watercolor. I like those mediums because they blend well together and I can produce work faster."
What are your top tips for drawing fashion?
"A good rule of thumb is to try and find designers you love and that your drawing aesthetic works well with. Since a lot of my drawings are contour-driven, I tend to draw collections that have strong silhouettes."
Are there certain designers or silhouettes that you favor drawing?
"Alexander McQueen was and will forever be my favorite designer. The detail, creativity, and strong distinct silhouettes of his designs make me want to start drawing every time I see them."
How can aspiring fashion illustrators get experience in this specific field?
"Get into a routine of drawing or painting a picture every day. Have fun and experiment with your daily drawings. Then, start sharing your drawings with people. I found a blog or Flickr is a great way to do this. The more pictures, drawing, sketches, you have up and online, the better chance you have for a client to see something they like and hire you."
What advice do you have for launching a business as an illustrator?
"Business is a two-person job. It’s really hard to create art and also sell art. See if anyone is willing to help you out or partner up with you. Also, be public and available. The Internet is an amazing place that can allow you to share your work with people all over the world, so don’t be afraid to post what you’re working on. Keep it simple! There are tons of great e-commerce platforms like Etsy and Big Cartel. I would say 90 percent of all the jobs I’ve had have come from people who stumbled onto my blog."
Georgia's illustration of a Jil Sander runway look2/4Georgia Hilmer
When did you begin making fashion illustrations?
"I fell in love with fashion magazines in high school, and I was always clipping and cutting out images I loved. I wanted to interact more intimately with the dream products I was seeing that all were so wildly out of my budget, and drawing them was a really satisfying way of making that connection."
What medium do you use and why?
"I use a felt-tipped black drawing pen, or a black Sharpie if I'm desperate, on any paper I can find. I really like a bold, clean line and the contrast of black against white, which makes shapes pop."
Do you think it's beneficial to get formal art training?
"I am by no means a professional or expert; I draw purely for fun. I did take art classes growing up, but art is so personal that I think passion counts more than expertise."
What's important to know when you're drawing a portrait of someone?
"When I draw people, I try to start with the whole body and work my way into the details. If I get too focused on the smaller shape, I lose sight of the bigger picture and the proportions look wacky."
Are there certain designers or silhouettes that you favor drawing?
"I love a good high heel. Shoes with bold lines are my favorite, and I love the drama of a strong shape. Any shoe I want to wear in real life is a must to draw—which means a lot of Givenchy and Alexander Wang!"
What are your top tips for drawing fashion?
"It's so easy to get frustrated when attempting to translate an idea. Never be afraid to start over. Draw as much as you can. Developing your own style only comes with practice."
Zoe's sketch of Karl Lagerfeld3/4Zoe More O'Ferrall
How did you get started making fashion illustrations?
"From a pretty early age, I loved drawing out of fashion magazines. It was a great way to practice drawing."
What medium do you use?
"I tend to draw in ink without penciling anything out first. It’s trained me not to make mistakes when I’m drawing. I draw everything by hand in Moleskin sketchbooks, and then scan it to compile images, so nothing is digitally created."
What are your top tips for drawing fashion?
"Working on expressing your style is so important in fashion—and all illustration, really. Fashion is a realm that encourages you to be brave and unique."
How do you suggest aspiring fashion illustrators get experience in this specific field?
"I’d recommend keeping up a constant portfolio or sketchbook of drawings. It will help push your creative style and allow you to showcase it to the relevant people. I would encourage sending your work to the relevant aspects of the industry that you admire."
What are your tips for launching a business as an illustrator?
"I built my website using Indexhibit and never felt a need to make it any more complex. Pinterest is a good way to get your work seen and talked about. Building up a strong portfolio is vital in order for your work to sell itself."
Dallas's fashion illustration in the making4/4Dallas Shaw
How did you get started making fashion illustrations?
"I wanted to work in fashion, so I used my art talent to make that happen. I started my own business and website and began sharing my work with everyone I possibly could. I also started the blog and other social media pages to share my own style. I have a huge amount of support online."
What medium do you use?
"I use a mix of Prismacolor pencils, watercolor and ink."
What are your top tips for drawing fashion?
"If you have a choice, try to draw the looks you really love. It’s always easier to draw something you have a connection to."
How do you suggest aspiring fashion illustrators get experience in this specific field?
"Draw everyday, and try to take on as many opportunities you possibly can. Even if the projects are unrelated to your ultimate goal, you’ll most likely learn something from them."
Are there certain silhouettes that you favor drawing?
"Subjects in fashion illustrations have long legs, so a fitted waistline and a short hemline always make my illustrations look best."
How can aspiring artists profit off of their work?
"Make a website. You can’t sell your work if people don’t know it exists! Most of my work currently consists of larger design projects for fashion houses, but people can still commission work and can email me through the website."
