The Glamorai blog is having a costume contest!

It seems like now that there is a new Johnny Depp movie about Alice in Wonderland, Alice is hot again. Here's something fun to do over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, after you finish all of that Black Friday shopping. The Glamorai blog is having a costume contest. All you have to do is take a picture of yourself in a costume inspired by Alice in Wonderland, you can send it to her at theglamorai@gmail.com by December 2 at midnight (EST). Everyione who enters will get a 10% coupon from the Corvus Noir website. The winner will get their picture on her blog and a custom-made 1950s pocket watch. Above is a preview of me in my Mad Hatter costume.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Unknown Hipster has fun drawings

As I was surfing this internet, I discovered this Unknown Hipster at http://unknownhipster.com.
This guy has some fun drawings, like this one of Andy Warhol and Jen-Michel Basquiat. Anyone who has read my blog for a while probably knows that Andy Warhol is my favorite artist.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

The Cherry Blossom Girl gets edgy style

I've always been partial to the rock chick look, and this outfit is one of my favorites! This picture was posted a couple of days ago on the cherry blossom girl blog (www.cherryblossomgirl.com).

I love the boots with the short girly skirt. The hair and leather jacket complete the edgy style. Fit and proportion are everything when it comes to making this work, and she has gotten it right. It looks like she has darkened her hair a bit to complete the dark theme.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Fashion Illustration Lesson 1: Body Proportions

One of the most popular and highly rated books on fashion illustration is the Fashion Sketchbook by Bina Abling. This is a HUGE notebook with almost 500 pages and lots of exercises and examples to use.

One of the lessons that I found most helpful was getting the body proportions right. I have shown an example here, both from the book and my sketch that I did according to Abling's lesson.

One guideline that seems to be fairly universal is that the figure should be about 10 heads tall. I have a tendancy for some reason to make the heads too big, so this rule helps to prevent that from happening.

Abling breaks it down further, suggesting that the shoulders be at 1.5 heads, waist be at about 3.5 heads and the knees at 6.5 heads.

This is an outstanding resource, and if you get just one book about fashion illustration, this is a good one. The only criticism I have is that I like fashion illustrations that are highly stylized, and this book doesn't really teach how to do that. But, for most people, getting the basics first is important, and only then does it make sense to work on the style and personality of the drawing.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Teo Jasmin Boutique

I have always been a big fan of the Beatles and Andy Warhol style pop art. This online boutique has both of these and more! Teo Jasmin is a boutique in Paris but people all over the world can visit their boutique at http://www.teojasmin.com

At Teo Jasmin they specialize in stylish and trendy home decorations and fashion accessories. Some examples of their product line are pictured here.


Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Hot Fashion Trend: Lady Gaga

According to this months Harpers Bazaar magazine, Lady Gaga is one of the hottest fashion trends! Did you see her at the American Music Awards last night. In the words of my son Chris, "She set the freakin' piano on fire. She also wore an outfit that looked like a nude body suit with some weird mask and little bitty lights around her waist and shoulders.

Having said this, I actually thought her performance was kind of cool. The songs that she sang were pretty good, and she definitely has lots of talent. I say, ROCK ON, Lady Gaga!
The pictures on this post involve my sketch of Lady Gaga, and the page from Harpers Bazaar magazine.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Outstanding Fashion Illustrator: Judit Garcia-Talavera

While I was surfing the internet today, I came across a fashion illustrator in Barcelona, Spain, who seems to be very well known among Spanish fashion bloggers and I can see why. For more examples of her beautiful drawings, visit these websites:
http://www.juditlatragedia.com/

http://www.trendycrew.com/

http://www.latragedia.net/

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

JakartaFashion Week, November 2009

Its been more than 13 years since I taught marketing in Malaysia, but I still have a great love for the flowery silk dresses that they wore there. When I see these photos from Jakarta fashion week, it brings back fond memories. Unlike Athens, Ohio, women dressed in elegant silk dresses almost everyday.

Southeast Asian fashions often feature batiked, tropical flowery fabric and hand-made details. All are very flowy and feminine.

(Photos by Ulet Ifansasti for Getty Images Pacific)

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

I want everything in Y-3 Spring 2010 collection

I would love to have all of the outfits in Y-3's Spring 2010 collection. Designer Yohji Yamamoto calls it his World Cup themed collection.

This is the kind of outfit that I could wear everyday to almost any activity.

Maybe part of the reason I like this collection is that it reminds me of how much fun I had coaching kids' soccer with my boyfriend a few years ago. Unfortunately, these days we are too busy to be soccer bums anymore.

(Photos courtesy of Style.com)

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Irina wins Project Runway with her (Dominatrix?) collection

Usually, I agree at least somewhat with the judges decisions on Project Runway, but I'm a little disappointed in their choice of Irina as the winner. As I was watching her collection come down the runway, I was thinking things like:

"It's too dark"

"Its too severe"

I couldn't quite put my finger on it at first...

But then it occurred to me that a lot of the clothes looked like a DOMINATRIX costume.

Yes, the pieces were well made and had great detail.

But come on. I wouldn't want to wear something like this, and my tastes tend to be on the wild and edgy side.

I would have preferred to see Althea or Carol Hannah win. I thought they were both much nicer people anyway.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Love this idea: Coloring t-shirts with pens

Here's something I might like to try. I'm planning to make and sell coloring books at local Christmas art shows, and I might try selling a few t-shirts to color with my own fashion illustrations. If you want to order this one from the Dim Mak collection, here is the link:

http://dimmakcollection.com/shop/paint-by-number/popcorn-tee-pbn/

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Lillian Bassman fashion photography

Recently, there has been a lot of renewed interest in the fashion photography of Lillian Bassman. In the early 70's, she was considered to be one of the most important fashion photographers of the 20th century. However, she became disillusioned with the costuming of the late 1960s, and destroyed decades' worth of her negatives.

Now 92, Ms. Bassman is back. Having discovered Photoshop, she has managed to retrieve some images from her earlier work, and has reprinted them in creative new ways. Her phots remind me of the fashions that you see associated with the "Mad Men" TV show.

Ms. Bassman took her most significant photos in the late 40s to the early 60s, and most were published in Harper's Bazaar. For more information, see the following article in the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/arts/design/17bassman.html?_r=2

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

My Portrait of Rumi at Fashion Toast blog

Rumi is a fashion blogger and model from the Fashion Toast website (http://www.fashiontoast.com/). I particularly love this picture of her and her kitty, based on a photo from her website.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Angie Rehe of Patsyfox.com: fashion illustrator

I'm discovering that there are so many great fashion illustrators out there, its difficult to keep up with all of them. This morning as I was surfing the internet, I discovered this Australian blogger and fashion illustrator. Behind http://patsyfox.com is the talented Angie Rehe. Go by and check it out!


Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Garance Dore: Outstanding fashion illustrator

Garance Dore is an illustrator and blogger in France at http://www.garancedore.fr/.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Gerlan Jeans Spring 2010 collection is wild and wonderful

Even though my own usual look is black jeans and a t-shirt, I love to look at wild and crazy fashions and hairstyles. I've never heard of this designer before, but I love this fashion show! (Photos from zimbio.com)
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/YqsfPtstouS/Gerlan+Jeans+Runway+Spring+2010+MBFW

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

My drawing of Louise from Pandora blog

Here is a drawing that I made of famous blogger Louise, based on a photo from her blog (http://www.misspandora.fr/). She does most of her own modeling and shows off some great styles from her home in France. She is often photographed at various fashion events around the world.


Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

My drawings of Westwood's Spring 2010 collection

Vivienne Westwood has been one of my favorite designers for a while now, and I posted photos from this show a couple of weeks ago in this blog. I loved the show because the colors were really bright and many of the fabrics appeared to be hand-painted. I thought the whole show was very artistic and I've had an interest in making some drawings from it ever since i made that first posting. I finally got around to it this past weekend.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Danny Roberts; Outstanding Fashion Illustrator

One of the most popular blogggers and fashion illustrators right now is Danny Roberts from the Igor and Andre blog (igorandandre.blogspot.com)

This is a portrait of his friend Julia Frakes of the Bunny Bisous (http://julialapin.typepad.com) blog.

Danny is 23 years old and lives in California, USA.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html

Nylon Magazine's November 2009 issue

I really enjoyed this magazine. Called The American Issue" it features actress Blake lively on the cover wearing a black rock and roll jacket with fringeon the sleeves. In addition to gret articles about women in art, music, TV, film and fashion, there are lots of collages and hand-drawn illustrations. It gives the magazine a fresh original look that I can really appreciate. I was inspired by the style of the magazine to make these pictures, based on a couple of photo shoots from the magazine.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you are looking for a current example of my custom fashion illustrations, visit this link: http://lizblair.blogspot.com/2009/10/alabama-chanin-design-and-my-drawing-of.html