DIGITAL VERSUS ANALOG FASHION ILLUSTRATION VERSUS ANALOG FASHION ILLUSTRATION Mehmet Emir Ceren Course Coordinator : Alessandro Segalini IZMIR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS, FACULTY OF FINE

DIGITAL VERSUS ANALOGFASHION ILLUSTRATION Mehmet Emir Ceren

Course Coordinator : Alessandro Segalini

IZMIR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS, FACULTY OF FINE ARTS AND DESIGN

DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN

FALL 2013, MMD494

INTRODUCTIONFor as long as there have been fashion designers, there have been fashion il-lustrations. Fashion drawings come in a wide variety of illustrations, from very technical ones to abstract works. Cultural and societal changes, as well as digital advances have allowed to offer many art mediums for fashion illus-trators, and the ever-changing trends an fashions of garments and styles had an indisputable impact on the methods and mediums the artists used in order to illustrate and interpret fashion. Various companies all over world use illustration to advertise for their fashion pieces, using classic art methods and unique techniques to suc-ceed. Fashion Illustration is the meeting point between fashion design and illustration. Fashion illustration follows the cycle of fashion design and repeatedly re shapes itself throughout the seasons and the collections. The fashion illustration industry of the twenty-first century is full of brand-new case studies. Photographs, no matter how altered or retouched, will always be the first medium chosen to reflect reality as much as possible. Fashion il-lustration, thanks to all the mediums and techniques available offers a unique vision on fashion because more than just representing an outfit, it is a way to express an attitude, a lifestyle and a time period. Furthermore, the digital revolution deeply changed the techniques offered to designers to express themselves come and brings with many ad-vantages to expression fashion. İt cannot be discussed that every artwork of fashion illustration is unique. More traditional illustration techniques com-bined with these new digital tools allows artists, including fashion illustrators to express their own style, in a very unique way.

INTRODUCTIONTABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTERS1. DEFINITION OF FASHION ILLUSTRATION2. FASHION ILLUSTRATION IN EARLY AN

MIDDLE 20th CENTURY2.1 Legacy of Modernism 3. EMERGENCE OF NEW MEDIA4. DIGITAL WAY OF ILLUSTRATING5. CONCLUSIONREFERENCES

CONTENTS

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II.

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12

PAG .

213–14 MMD494 GRADUATION THESIS

313-14 MMD494 GRADUATION THESIS

1. DEFINITION OF FASHION ILLUSTRATIONFashion illustration is a main aspect regarding its place in the field of visual communication. Primarily, it allows fashion illustrators to drag the attention on their work, but also to express an intention, to send a visual message to the viewer. Upon the definitions of Fashion Design¹ what is considered as fash-ion illustration nowadays was different in the past and it evolved through the years, mostly because these illustrations were influenced by art movements, but also fashion trends. Furthermore, the advances in computer technology enhanced the various techniques of illustration which, somehow, reflects our contemporary society values and lifestyle. Finally, fashion illustration is a constant evolving way of expression which has artistic but also commercial applications. Fashion illustration has been an established and recognized art for the past 500 years. Throughout history; apparel and clothing have always been represented by drawings and fashion plates. But it genuinely has been intro-duced to the public when fashion illustrations have begun to be featured on of fashion magazines.

The first time we can veritably observe details on clothing, as on a fashion illustration is during the XVI° century. At this time, advances in sci-ence, geographic explorations and travels influenced the fashion trends and gave birth to a glamor wardrobe. Fashion illustration is a witness of a time period, as a reflection of History and the voices of the people who lived dur-ing this period. Fashion Illustration is now considered as the ground of fashion de-sign, therefore allowing the designers to express their ideas. But the photo-graphic medium is also a very important aspect of fashion illustration. In-deed, the first photographic cover of Vogue was a big shift in the magazine’s visual identity and is now the preferred medium by the magazine. Illustration lives on, but in the position of a weak relative to the fashion. During the XVIII° century, new fashion concepts began to spread

Fig. 2. 16th century Tapestry at Cluny museum

1. Fashion Design is a book by John Hopkins which published in 2011.

Fig. 1. 16th century Tapestry at Cluny museum


via printed media and publications in Europe, Russia and North America. The first carved fashion plates were published in “The Lady’s Magazine 1759”. From midcentury along, France was identified as the center of the fashion world and industry, therefore giving a tremendous place to fashion illustra-tion.

2. FASHION ILLUSTRATION IN EARLY AND MIDDLE 20th CENTURYCirca 1909 began the golden years of fashion illustration due to magazine and advertiser’s dependence on illustrators. For most of the first decade of the 20th century, fashion mainly showed seasonal modifications rather than any fundamental changes. However, as the century unfolded, the concept of the ‘natural figure’ banished the corseted and exaggerated S-shaped figure that was fashionable at the beginning of the decade. These innovations, a signifi-cant liberation for women, were accompanied by the introduction of strong and vibrant colours.

2.1 Legacy of ModernismIn 1925 the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs, from which the term “Art Deco” derived, was held in paris. Art Deco emerged influence of the German modernists, typified by the work of Bauhaus designers, and ended in a celebration of sleek, streamlined machine age Modernism. Shortly after Iribe and Barbier, fellow Frenchman Georges Lepape (1887-1971) illustrated Paul Poiret’s designs (Les Choses de Paul Poiret) with a fervor that reflected the excitement for the new decade. 9 Lepape stud-ied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and was influenced by Orientalism and the Ballets Russes, which ironically, Barbier made illustrations for. 10 Le-pape’s work utilized vibrant colors and a pronounced curvilinear style.

Fig 5. Norman Hartnell (1901-79), fashion design, London, 1920s.

Fig 6. René Gruau (1909-2004), fashion illustration, Paris, 1949.

Fig. 3. Florrie Westwood, fashion design, London, 1918-9

Fig. 4. Florrie Westwood, fashion design, London, 1918.

Fig. 7. Paul Poiret Fashion Designs with Illustrations by George Lepape circa 1911


Phillips method involved blending the subject into the background by using the same pattern or color on the clothing as the background, a trade-mark that was dubbed the “Fadeaway Girl”. 11 As an American, Phillips was less impacted by the Art Nouveau movement in Europe, so instead of using flat washes of color, he used highlights and shadow to create a poster-like ef-fect that segued seamlessly into fashion advertising and magazines. World War I (1914-1918) marked a major transition in fashion, art, and a shift of societal roles where women were no longer the objects of adornment. The emancipation of women revived a new romanticism in twenties fashion12. Through this transition, fashion illustrator Romain de Tirtoff (1892-1990) rose to the top with his imaginative art deco style illustrations13. Tirtoff, known exclusively as Erte (created from the French pronunciation of his ini-tials) was born in St. Petersburg, but after moving to Paris was quickly envel-oped in the world of fashion. Coming from an aristocratic family, while grow-ing up Erte was exposed to theatre and ballet which heavily influenced his work and remained his lifelong passion. His over the top theatrical style de-fined the art deco look. Like Iribe, Barbier and Lepape, Erte also began work with Poiret, however after signing a ten year exclusive contract with Harper’s Bazaar in 1915, he became primarily known for his magazine covers. Erte is considered the leading fashion illustrator of his time worldwide.

Edouard Benito (1891- 1981) was another fashion illustrator who was ready to embrace the new era. Growing up in Spain, Benito was especially inspired by cubism, as well as the constructivism movement.15 This developed his Fig. 8. Eduardo Benito, Vouge

cover, 1926.

Fig 9. Erte, Harper’s Bazaar.


signature highly stylized, geometric approach to fashion illustration. After moving to Paris, Benito’s portraits and illustrations convinced Paul Poiret to bring him to Conde Nast where he was appointed to head illustrator of both Vogue and Vanity Fair magazine for the next 20 years. After working only six years at Conde Nast (1926), Benito established a trademark fashion fig-ure with an oversized head and long neck (which is still favored is fashion illustration today) like African sculptures. Benito’s innovative magazine cov-ers served to bridge the Art Deco and Modernist movement with graceful streamlining. By the time the 1960s came about there was a huge shift in the pub-lic conscious, pop art was new bold and exciting, illustrations were instantly influenced by this culture shift and this can be seen through the vibrant use of colour and more creative and imaginative drawings embodied in the work of exuberant artist Antonio Lopez. Lopez, who came to be known as the Pi-casso of fashion illustration, worked with a wide variety of materials from pencil or pen to charcoal, watercolour or Polaroid and was often featured in the likes of Vogue, Elle and Interview Magazine. During the 1950s often associated with the rise of youthful, ready-to-wear fashions, the fifties were nevertheless a prolific and successful decade for the fashion ‘establishment’ as embodied by couture houses and traditional dressmakers. Fashion illus-tration continued to flourish in the plethora of magazines published at the time. In 1980s; The increasing profile of women in the work place required a new fashion aesthetic, and the decade witnessed the emergence of ‘Power Dressing’. Wide, padded shoulders became fashionable and women’s clothes were inspired by masculine fashion and tailoring traditions. The period also saw the display of lavish evening wear, as exemplified by the opulent dresses of Oscar de la Renta. By the 1980s, the simplified shapes and impression of the Art Deco and Art Moderne movements of the 1920 came back in style. In fashion especially, a minimalist approach to drawing replaced much of the need for technical skills, placing emphasis on expression and exaggerated style. Two notable fashion illustrators of the 1980s, Stephen Stipelman and George Stavrinos, most definitely utilized a minimalist approach. However, their adept draftsmanship elevated the 80s minimalist style to create work that was remarkable by the standards of any decade. Stephen Stipelman, author of Illustrating Fashion Concept to Creation, became celebrated as a fashion illustrator when he was chosen by John Fairchild to illustrate for his trade newspaper Women’s Wear Daily (which is today considered by many to be fashion’s equivalent of the Bible).43 In the introduction of his instruc-tive drawing book, Stipelman pays homage to the renowned illustrators who helped shape fashion illustration and inspire him. Among the few names he drops are Eric, Bouche, Kenneth Paul Block, and Antonio. Stipelman was able to take tips from these greats, but still developed his own distinct figure using a variety of media (including but not limited to pencil, marker, pow-dered eye shadows, pen and ink, watercolor, and gouache) characterized by a long exaggerated silhouette, sketch-like line quality, and simple faces. He is an expert at drawing the croquis (a French word for a working sketch), and currently sharing his expertise to students at the Fashion Institute of Tech-nology.George Stavrinos (1948-1990) became famous for his high contrast draw-ings and technical proficiency using pencil. Stavrinos, who studied graphics in college, states that he fell into the world of fashion due to his interest in drawing figures. Because his drawings involve painstaking detail, he gravi-tated towards pencil and eventually decided to work with it exclusively. Ac-cording to Cyril Foiret of Trendland (Fashion Blog & Trend Magazine), “…As a fashion artist, he created an arresting new look that set the pace for his

Fig 12. Bill Gibb (1943-88), fashion design, London, 1970.

Fig 11. Norma Kamali Feature in Vogue- November 1984. Illustra-tions by Antonio Lopez.

Fig 10. Stephen Stipelman, 1958.


contemporaries and still continues to be an influence.” Stavrinos left a legacy for his work in advertising for Bergdorf Goodman, and illustrations for the New York City Opera, New York Times, GQ and Cosmopolitan.

3. EMERGENCE OF NEW MEDIAThese days fashion industry, Computer-Aided Design is a potent tool that has become an important step of the fashion design process. The versatility, accessibility and familiarity of computer images in this age of visual overload have overload have enabled a new relationship between viewer and the drawn image, locating them as intermediaries between photography and art, while many artists have dissolved the boundaries between what might called “fine art” illustration, photography and computer graphics, combining all these elements successfully in their work. While computer graphics has come to dominate alongside photography all aspects of visual media, it is perhaps ironic that a period that has seen the emergence of tools such as Adobe Pho-toshop and Illustrator has also witnessed a revitalization of traditional art-based forms of fashion illustration. Traditional handworked illustration has continued to enjoy a revival at the turn of the millennium, with fashion illustrators often looking back to the masters of the past for stylistic inspiration. Michael Roberts since 1997 fashion director of The New Yorker and an influential stylist and photogra-pher, uses the time consuming technique of collage a myriad tiny paper mo-saics to construct his witty images. He views his use of this laborious tech-niques, lending his watercolours and pastels a hazy, dreamlike quality, while

Fig 13. George Stavrinos, 1980.


many fine artists have been commissioned by designers. The implications of digital technology for all aspects of fashion illustration are revolutionary. In the fashion industry the economic boom of the early eighties brought with it. There are many reasons for forcing digital imaging through computer illustra-tion. By trying new techniques and procedures on digital, the illustrator faced with whole new process. The first is storing them in the computer memory and recreate it. In regard of computer in fashion illustration, Mckelvey have this to say, “New technology and the use of computer aided design have con-siderable impact on the work of illustrators and designer. The possibilities of information technology and its use for visual communication are vast”.

4. DIGITAL WAY OF ILLUSTRATINGCompetition in the fashion industry is boiling up. By the 1990s, the explosion of the computer and proclivity towards photography continued to diminish the field of fashion illustration before a feeble comeback in the 2000s. The two most notable fashion illustrators of the decade are most certainly British illustrators David Downton and Graham Rounthwaite. Downton’s career in fashion illustration took off from a love for drawing during his childhood. After studying at Canterbury University, Downton took any illustration jobs he could find, stooping as low as illustrating math textbooks, until in 1996 he was given the opportunity to draw fashion for the Financial Times. Im-mediately, Downton fell in love with fashion and worked furiously over the next few years, which is not to say that he’s slowed down. He has quickly made his way into fashion history for his exceptional manipulation of space and line using water color, gauche, cut paper, indian ink and acetate overlay-ing techniques. Downton’s client list includes Tiffany & Co, Bloomingdales, Barney’s, Harrods, Top Shop, Chanel, Dior, L’Oreal, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, V Magazine and the V&A Museum. While Downton utilized traditional fashion illustration mediums, Graham Rounthwaite turned to the computer. Rounthwaite, like Downton, also studied graphic design in college at the Royal College of Art in London. He developed a style of highly detailed illustration style using a computer, which came to a climax for his 100 Adobe Photoshop-generated characters that peopled Levi’s advertising campaign in the 1990s. With this United States campaign, Rounthwaite brought fashion illustration into the modern

Fig 15. Illustration by Michael Roberts. 19 Magazine, January 1973.

Fig 14. Hedkandi album cover by Jason Brooks, United States, 2004.


world of computers. Similar to the inspiration of the 1970s, Rounthwaite is inspired by youth culture, which gives an edge to his work. His digital success has precipitated attention to the world of fashion illustration at large, perhaps generating the increase of fashion illustrators in the 2000s.

Despite of the many advantages of computer illustration, many art-ists are reluctant to adopt computer in their work for many reasons that may or may not be justifiable. To many of us, the value that an original piece de-serves would have been lost if it turns out to be an electronic art, in the form of a computer printout. When the illustrator has to make the transition to producing his or her illustration on the computer, the final printed piece is surely not considered a genuine work of art. To most illustrators and artists, they will have more respect for a physical piece of artwork or illustration, which has cultural roots. When computer begins to play its role in fashion il-lustration, the image produced would be analyzed as a kind of “real unreality” style of the artist work.

Fig 16. Australian Voge cover by Downton illustration Kate Blanchett.

Fig 17. David Downtown, 1994.


5. CONCLUSIONFashion illustrations bring about the ingenious ideas of fashion designers into visualization. In simple term “Sketching expresses the design ideas onto pa-per”. They are absolutely indispensable to the fashion designers to express their ideas and develop a concept, therefore create a style. Fashion illustra-tions also have a mercantile potential in editorial use, promotion and adver-tisement. It is widely featured in various magazines, not only specialized in fashion. The recent digital revolution that ocurred with the emergence of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) enlarged the field of possibilities for fashion illustrators, enriching the already existing techniques and medias.In addition, computer illustration has many potential advantages and pos-sibilities in terms of yield, creativity and visual communication. Nowadays, digital illustration is mostly preferred over hand-drawn illustration because of its numerous adavantages such as the quality of colors and print.Although With more and more institutes and colleges offering fashion illustra-tion as a part of their education programms, a new generation of fashion illus-

Fig 19. Elodi AKA “Elodi The Illustrator, Gucci Advertisement, 2010.

Fig 20. Fashion Illustration by Choonfai Yip, 2013.

Fig 18. Fashion Illustration by Anna Ulyashina, 2012.


trators is learning how to draw the prolonged fashion figure and developing it to fit their personal form and creative universe. Furthermore, with computer technology advancements such as Adobe Pho-toshop and Illustrator, digital croquis are used not just for certain technical sketches but also for eloquent and expressive fashion illustration, and as this technology becomes accessible, more and more illustrators became accus-tomed it. The future fashion illustrations will certainly take advantage of these new technologies in order to renew themselves. We can obviously learn a lot of an era by studying the artworks that were produced during a certain period. During all my researches, I have admired throughout all these fashion illustrations the shifts of our society, the evo-lution of our habits and behaviors. the evolution of style and silhouettes throughout History. Nowadays, fashion illustration more than explicitely presenting a garnment has become a way of expression and consist in genuine pieces of artwork. Like we saw with the 1980s fashion illustrations, shapes are exag-gerated, therefore giving a more dramatic impact on the viewer. We can defi-nitely affirm that realistic fashion illustration style is out of date. In the field of fashion where “what’s in” is immediately on its way out, innovation is the key to success. Perhaps this is why in today’s digital and photographic fields, the creativity, especially regarding fashion illustration always have to renew itself, helped by the technological advances and the endless possibilities it offers. After all the leaps and bounds fashion illustration has taken stylistically over the years, one can only imagine where this art form will be resurrected in the future.


REFERENCESLaird Borelli ‘‘Fashion Illustration Next’’ (2004)

Laird Borelli ‘‘Fashion Illustration Now’’ (2004)

Laird Borelli ‘‘Fashion Illustration By Fashion Designers’’ (2008)

Cally Blackman ‘‘100 years of Fashion Illustration’’ (2008)

Keren Ben-Horin ‘‘The Art of Fashion Illustration’’ (2013)

John Hopkins ‘‘Fashion Design’’ (2011)

Victoria and Albert Museum ‘‘Fashion Drawing and Illustration inthe 20th Century’’ (2012)

Gina Press ‘‘History of Fashion Illustration’’ (2011)

http://www.style.com/http://www.vam.ac.uk/http://fashillustration.blogspot.com/http://www.ginapress.worldpress.com/http://www.fashionillustrationgallery.com/http://www.fashionary.org/

DIGITAL VERSUS ANALOG FASHION ILLUSTRATION VERSUS ANALOG FASHION ILLUSTRATION Mehmet Emir Ceren Course Coordinator : Alessandro Segalini IZMIR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS, FACULTY OF FINE

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