Fashioning an Illustrious Career.

Why draw people wearing clothes when you can take a photograph instead?

Or tell AI to do it for you.

I imagine when the camera was first invented, artists went into a mass panic.

They feared they would all be out of a job: nobody would want their portrait painted or their extensive lands rendered in oils. The power would be handed over to the people, who would now be clicking away, taking selfies with their box brownies and a blanket over their heads.

But that didn’t happen. Artists adapted, they created tricks that cameras couldn’t yet easily copy- they developed Cubism and Impressionism etc and stayed ahead of the game.

When digital photography evolved, a similar reaction ensued. Now everyone could take GOOD photographs, in theory. Darkrooms were closed down.

But that didn’t happen either. Seemingly, ordinary people still couldn’t compose a decent photo without chopping off the heads and legs of their loved ones. Darkrooms were hastily reopened and wet photography continues to thrive.

Now we have AI to battle with and nobody is entirely sure which way that is going to go. Currently it seems to be a fine balance between stealing artists’ work and jobs, and being used for comedy novelty. AI doesn’t understand human subtleties and humour. Yet.

I think that what keeps artists afloat throughout all of these scares, is that humans prefer humans. Deep down, in general, most human beings prefer stuff that has been made or designed or built or produced or at least handed to them - by another human. Things that are made by humans are more highly valued by other humans. Hand-made items are more expensive, more exclusive, more sought after. There is more quality in a piece of work that has been looked at and touched and turned over, and scrutinised and agonised over - whilst a million decisions are made- by a human.

Lots of humans like being drawn by humans. And many humans like drawing other humans- I am one of those.

Sometimes I’ll take a photograph and then draw from that, but there is something different about drawing from life. It is more exciting, more compelling, more alive to draw a human person who is standing, or languishing, in front of you.

I like drawing clothes too, fabrics and fashions and textures and jewellery and accessories. Sometimes just a quick line drawing, other times it takes hours of precise watercolour painting. It’s nice to have an allocated amount of time and the drawing will fill up whatever time is available.

I have discovered that people like being drawn. They are intrigued as to how an artist sees them- often a bit shy at first (which is good because artists are notoriously shy themselves) and then they relax and enjoy the attention. Both of you can have a bit of a chat.

I used to only draw people in secret- sitting behind them on a bus or opposite them on the tube or in a cafe. Now I am more open about it. Most people enjoy being drawn and it’s a lovely shared experience.

Great places to do this are at parties (weddings, birthdays) or any kind of celebration. Some artists are beginning to make a living from this, and I would dearly love to too.

I’m not outwardly sociable, but I do like being with other people. It helps if I have some kind of designated task, especially if there are lots of people that I don’t know. I can find it massively overwhelming at a party, but a way to combat this is to sit in a corner and draw guests, as an “official” artist. The experience dissolves away the shyness on both sides and it becomes fun.

You can’t replicate this in a photo. And AI would blow a fuse even trying to start. Being drawn makes people feel flattered and important. Artists take care to select what they most like about a person and focus on that as a starting point. Artists are intuitive and empathetic and they can pick up on people’s insecurities and edit those out. Similarly, artists can see what features people are most proud of, and highlight these.

Originally, portraits and fashion were indulgences of the wealthy, so dressing up and being painted by an artist makes you feel special- as well as validating the artist’s experience, everyone’s a winner!

As an introspective person, I tend to notice features about people that others may not. Flattering features, I mean, and I can make people feel good about themselves by drawing the best things that I have noticed. It’s nice to give someone 1:1 attention and make them feel good.

My friend Jo Scott called me a “great observational drawer” and I’m very flattered and happy with that.

My first love, though is fashion illustration. It was my earliest wish to become a fashion illustrator, like the ones I had seen in Vogue. You don’t see them in magazines very often now though, if at all. Occasionally there will be a breakthrough feature (by David Downton or Francisco Lo Iacono), but usually it’s all photography and the odd collage (made from photographs). I think it’s time to bring fashion illustration back to the magazines. Magazines are adapting anyway, what with the Internet and having a digital version, but the regular inclusion of illustrations made by an actual person will keep that important link to the actual human reader. Even if the human reader is reading it on a screen, and not holding glossy pages in their actual hands and breathing in the lovely scent of printed pages and free-sample perfume- they can see a drawing created by a human and think, “Yes, I am alive!”

Why else is Fashion Illustration better than Fashion Photography?

The primary aim of Fashion Photography is to sell a product. Most contemporary photos don’t have hidden meanings or extra artistry, it’s rare to see a carefully curated shoot that makes you want to pin it to your wall.

Fashion Illustrations are there to visually communicate ideas, to showcase garments and to express creativity. Drawings are where creativity meets fabric. They can show a mastery of various techniques, both by the illustrator and the designer; they show an understanding of human anatomy and a sensitivity towards fabrics and colours. Fashion illustrations have always been important historical documents, they aren’t just there to help sell garments and accessories but to sell ideas about people and society, hinting at trends that blur art, design, culture and social politics. People don’t all look the same anymore, and I think this needs to be documented by artists and distributed more widely.

I think that Fashion Illustration is relevant now more than ever. It can still be found in look-books, adverts, magazines, social media content and websites. It helps to create a more human approach to a brand’s ideal so that customers can connect with the brand and its offerings. In a saturated market, I think that illustrations give advertisers the edge.

Fashion Illustration is still relevant and versatile in the fashion industry, from the conception of a designer’s ideas through to the communication and marketing of these ideas. It’s an effective way to spread ideas, show how a collection works and to highlight brands in an aesthetically appealing way.

Fashion Illustration pre-dates fashion photography, yet it still exists and thrives, especially in social media. I think it’s time to bring it back to the mainstream. Watch this space and see how I get on!

I know there are other artists who love fashion illustration too, Kirsty Lockhart for one, who illustrates beautifully. It would be wonderful to get it back to the forefront of magazines again- maybe even on the cover! Can it be a lucrative full-time career for women? (I say women because although female fashion illustrators are all over the social media, it tends to be the men who make it into the publications. Why is this?!)

Do let me know your thoughts on illustration versus photography, in fashion or in general.

I’m including a couple of illustrations that I’ve done recently from Elle magazine (British edition June 2025). The first one is model Alva Claire who is fabulously strong and secure in herself. I love drawing textures, and especially anything subversive like studded leather. She’s wearing a jacket from Chopova Lowena (£1685) which I would have gladly borrowed to go to that Sisters of Mercy gig, and a pair of “briefs” by 16Arlington which are so expensive you have to ask for the price.

Model Alva Claire, illustrated in watercolour and coloured pencil, wearing a studded leather jacket and belt by Chopova Lowena and briefs by 16Arlington.

My second drawing is of Ansley Gulielmi, with a magical combination of structure and fluff. Don’t panic, the coat is faux-fur (£1290) from Isabel Marant. Victoria Beckham has provided the bodysuit (£290) and skirt (£790). Which one do you want, do you really, really want?

Model Ansley Guliemi at Premium Models, illustrated in watercolour and coloured pencils, wears a luxurious faux-fur coat by Isabel Marant and a bodysuit and skirt by Victoria Beckham.

Have a lovely time Gleefully Dabbling in a focused and a professional way, and I look forward to interacting with you through the week.