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