Researching Shelsey Birch Designs

An Interpretation into Shelsey Birch Illustrations

Where Shelsey's work is characterised by a mixture of concepts of femininity, the warmth of the women, the savoir faire and the halo that surrounds the world of all this woman mixed with masculinity and severity of geometry, danger, weapons and this series of elements linked to the world of men. Hence the use of a sober palette, where the pale colours, black and dark tones prevail in most of the creative illustrations. In this pencil draw I tried to imitate her style and composition with the subdued tones.

                             

I started with a rough sketch of this design. This drawing was done freehand. The hardest part  was getting the eyes right. I love the sweet heart face shape with the dark devious eyes. 

A Pencil Drawing of the illustration.  

Here I decided to change the silhouette of the illustration to a colour interpretation

In this illustration I used a combination of Corel draw anmd Photoshop. 

• Step 1. I traced over Shelseys illustration using the 3 point curve tool in Corel draw. Shaping the lines as went along. 
• Step 2 I exported the image over to Photoshop, where I used various brushes Chalk 23 and the Smudge Tool to create watercolour effect. This was also enhanced by the use of the drop shadows and pattern fill and gradient effects. Its not an exact replica. I found the eyes particularly difficult to do. However I quite pleased with the over all look. 

Researching Cassandra Rhodin Illustration’s

An exploration Of Cassandra's Illustrations using water colour, pencil, Ink, and Corel draw

                                        I started research Cassandra's Illustration using an Ink Drawing. Using her unique style I concentrated on the profile, paying particular attention to eyes. They are mainly oval in shape the way the pupils are positioned casts a shadow on the mood of the design

                                           

Using water colour paints is another way of getting a feel for Cassandras work. Here I traced the outline of the face using subtle pastel water shades to get the over all  of the sad sombre impression.  

              

       

Pencil Drawing Focusing on eyes of the Illustrator. First I started with a line drawing then started to incorporate some dimension. Using Coral draw I then used the mostly the cure tool to the rounded shapes.

  

                               

   Another water colour experiment. Cassandra's designs are simple in shape but so effected. 

Some rough sketches of Cassandra's designs, as part of my research I focused alot on the facial features. I finally apted for the facial features of Image below. 

        

Anna's Fashion Blog

         Analytical Research of  Two Fashion Illustrators


                              Shelsey Birch Illustrations


Shelsey Birch fashion illustrations are weird and unconventional, yet fierce and striking. She brings personality and flavour to her sketches which reflect the hip styles of today with a unique, imaginative touch. Currently she is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator residing in Australia. Her illustrations are hauntingly beautiful and abstract . 
These Shelsey Birch Sketches below balance Femininity and Strength.

                                                                                                   

According to TrendLand, the goal behind Birch’s work is to “illustrate the tension and flow between a woman’s warm, mysterious, genteel, and childlike femininity juxtaposed against the masculine characteristics of geometry, boldness, danger, aggression, heroism and mechanics.” She does this by incorporating objects typically associated with strength and men such as guns or creepy animals into her sketches which represent typically “feminine” women.

Fashion illustrations are one of many art forms that the multitalented Birch experiments with. From children’s book illustrations to typography and even sand sculpting, Birch brings an element of thoughtful disposition to each of her works.

A major professional goal for Shelsey is to develop her writing skills and create children's book that par with the success of her most admired authors and illustrators such as C.S.Lewis and Mem Fox. She has already written and illustrated her first children's Novel entitled Sho Sho the Sand Dragon which is viewable on her website at www.shelseybirch.com under 'Illustration'

Cassandra Rhodin Illustrations

Cassandra Rhodin is a Swedish fashion illustrator born in 1979, that loves to draw bold, chic, sensual women inspired by the iconic style of the roaring 20s and by silent movie sirens: thin, elongated beauties with smoky smouldering eyes, pouty lips and Parisian flair. Cassandra draws and uses watercolours to create beautiful wide-eyed model. Notably a style that is distinctive and moody. A 1920s style with a good twist of gloom. Her illustrations demonstrate everything from Paris in the 1920 to Coco Chanel herself. Her girls are as pretty as they are powerful with a good twist of gloom.

 

Below are links where Artwork of both Illustrators Cassandra Rhodin and Shelsey Birch work can be found:
http://www.agentbauer.com/illustrators/cassandrarhodin
http://www.shelseybirch.com/