Research 2

Research the different imagery from the early twentieth century to the 1950’s, and since the 1990’s, look for illustration in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

So I started this research by looking through my art books to see if I had any fashion illustration work available to read and look at myself.

Unfortunately I didn’t have any fashion illustration work in any of my art books, so I used the link in the course to start with, but unfortunately the link didn’t work, but I found the page or some similar information on the V&A website.

The fashion illustrations of the early 20th century were differentiated mainly just by seasons, with slight modifications. As time went on the corseted figure went and the natural figure was what was drawn the most, which came with women’s liberation. This also helped the illustrations move on into strong and vibrant colours. The illustrations were detailed and had painterly effects with washes and light colours, brocade details in pencil.

Androgynous silhouettes became the outlines and shapes of the 1920’s, with delicate materials and high waists, with feminine colours. These illustrations were drawn in pencil with a colour wash over the top to give depth. The outlines were more relaxed free flowing and less restrictive, more practical and easier to wear. The illustrations were mainly in monochrome usually very detailed, showing all the beading, embroidery and fur, I found them quite masculine in the drawing style.

We then move onto a more stylised illustration, angled bodies with props to show the occasion and flamboyancy of the era. Pencil, ink and colour washes are used with highlights and shading to add to the drama. The fabrics were more translucent, floaty and highly beaded and decorative, revealing the party style fashion of the decade.

The style then moved onto a more caricature style of drawing with large heads, keeping the angled poses, but now with bright colours and colour blocking. Gloves, hats and neckerchiefs with a focus more on accessories at this time.

In the 1940’s we go back slightly to the look of the turn of the century, of the cinched in waist, the tiny waist and curved silhouette. The illustration was again more painterly, the was more texture in the designs, watercolour washes, patterns emerging as well as ink heavy illustrations. Bold outlines but a more natural realistic look to the ladies in the illustrations, very different from the 1930’s.

in the 1950’s again we see some silhouettes that reverted back in time, here we see large bustle style skirts and dresses, full and many layers with decorative add on’s like flowers and sashes.

The outline was still with a tiny waist and curvy body, gloves and accessories are still prominent, as well as stripes and patterns. Buttons and jacket style tops add that smart structured look, with defined shoulders. The illustrations are still very colourful, here they look more like paintings than illustrations, they show backgrounds, textures, painterly, they even look like oil paintings! A more realistic style of woman painted, with delicate features in pencil and pen, movement in the skirt, to show the layers and volume of the materials.

In the 1960’s the style became very young, with the emergence of high street clothing instead of Haute couture, the mini skirt was born as well as materials like jersey, which were cheap and easy to wear. Styling and adding cuffs, different necklines and collars, materials like leather gave the shoe lace ribbon effect to add details.

The illustration style was more exciting, colourful using felt tip pens, watercolours and pencil, influenced by music the stances were alive and active.

The 1970’s the skirts and dress lengths got longer, it was all about the maxi, floaty oversized garments, with a bohemian natural look. Metallic and sheer materials with tie belts, kaftans and tassels and a touch of the exotic on prints and embroidery. The illustration style was going back to angled designs again, but with a floaty, carefree attitude, the wearer was individual they made the choices themselves about what fashion they chose to wear. Anything goes, mix and match, layered.

Again following on from the 70’s with the angled illustrations, here we have strong shoulders with shoulder pads, peplum style hems and metallic and sparkle fabrics. Very futuristic looking, again influenced by music- David Bowie. Strong outlines with women working more and the office style outfits becoming more fashionable – power dressing.

So overall I would say that fashion illustration hasn’t changed that much over the last century, I found decades when similar styles came back from before, the media used was very similar over the time, sometimes pencil or paint was more important, but on the whole I though that it was very similar to todays fashion illustration.

I found illustrations from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and although it may not have been used as much, as photography had picked up and was more fashionable with magazines and newspapers, I did find some illustrations and they were very much the same as it had always been. I found that the fashion had changed but not the practise of illustration and how it was achieved.

I think with fashion as a whole things come round again and again, and I found this through my research into the century of fashion illustration. I found that the illustration style from the 1990’s to the present day was more experimental with the paint effects used, but I think that works with the growth of anything in that art medium evolves too. I have also found that fashion illustration is more popular now and in the 70’s as the illustration was also considered to be art in itself, people would have the illustrations on there walls at home, so that in itself is what has made it more popular at these times.