Ivana's Fashion Illustration Friday: New Feature On my Blog (Well, Sort Of)!

For a while now, I've been toying with an idea to start another regular feature on my blog. This one would be devoted to my fashion illustrations. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’d know that I had this little place of mine for years now. You’ll also know that fashion illustration has always been (at least a small) part of it. 

Like most bloggers, sometimes I wasn’t secure what I was supposed to with my blog, what I want or what I’m actually capable of doing. You know, desires are one thing, but logistics and possibilities are another. There is so much to consider before I sit down to write something, to edit photographs and press that publish bottom. I’m sure all bloggers can relate to that. There is always a bit  and sometimes a lot of self-doubt. Sometimes we need to just do it. Sometimes we need to sit down and analyse things. Sometimes we need to ask ourselves: Can it fit it into my schedule?

It’s normal to ask these questions. If you care about your blog, you’re bound to question things not once in a while, but quite often. There are projects I started, but wasn’t sure I’ll be able to finish. Sometimes it all went well, sometimes it didn’t. We all want to be consistent, but that’s not always possible. Sometimes we have great ideas, but we’re not able to put them in practice. Sometimes we lack ideas. Sometimes we don’t take care of the blogging basics (I’m definitely guilty of that!). In my case, there is often the issue of having so much ideas that I don’t know where to start. I want to do everything, and there is only 24 hours in a day. At times I'm certain that I could do better at some things, if only I found more time for it- and yet sometimes I feel it is better to post it and go from there. You can always improve on things.

I suppose that one of the reasons why I questioned whether to start a weekly feature is because I didn’t want to be limited by it. I wasn’t sure I’ll be able to come up with new fashion illustrations every day. Contrary to popular belief, making art demands money, effort and time. There is no ‘talent button’ that you press and end up being surrounded by fabulous art.  When I fall out of practice, I need to warm up.  Still, the idea of another regular art feature attracts me! My other regular monthly (only occasionally weekly feature) Inspired by is one of my favourite ones. So, why not start another one?

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Friday fashion illustration has such a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?  Now, while I was writing this post, I realized that it is even possible that I started Friday Fashion Illustration in the past.  I opened my blog and searched for it- and what do you know? A blog post of mine appeared dating back to 28 th of February 2013 (yes, I really had this blog for that long – even longer actually). I’m not saying that I came up with this title. It is indeed probably that Friday Fashion illustration was a thing before I even thought of it, and if I knew whom to credit it to, I would. What I’m trying to say is that I’ve obviously tried to start this feature again- and now I’m going to trying and revive it.

A Girl in a Blue Dress Holding a Basket Filled With Flowers

Blogging is like that, sometimes you need a bit of inspiration. There is nothing wrong in looking for that inspiration on your own blog. This is something that I often forget to do. And it is so important! Not because you can find inspiration that way, but because it is a good way to revaluate your work. Like art, blogging is something that takes both time and effort. Is it a skill? In a way, perhaps it is. I feel that I’m still figuring it up, much in the same way I have a feeling I’m figuring art up. I still feel like a beginner in so many ways, and yet I feel like I’ve learned much from blogging and art.

A Girl in a Yellow Red Dress Holding a Bouquet of Flowers

But back to the topic of the day. My fashion illustrations. Today I’m sharing with you three fashion illustrations of mine.. One of them is more of a sketch (the red dress one), that a proper fashion drawing but anyhow you’ll see.  All of them were drawn this summer. The medium is pencil on paper. I had spilled one of the papers with coffee (the one with the red dress fashion sketch) but I was determined not to let it stop me from finishing it- and it didn’t.  I finished that fashion sketch. The two illustrations I did were both inspired by girls holding flowers. I don’t know what it is but I love to see women with bouquets. I love flowers and I love drawing clothes, so why not bring the two together? When I look at these fashion illustrations of mine, I know there are not very detailed and polished, but they mean something to me and that is why I feel I should share them.  

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For a while, I've been pretty inactive on my Instagram account. One reason being that I was sick and thus unable to make new art and that was all I wanted ti post. I don't have a complex relationship with Instagram, it's more of a lukewarm relationship, then a love and hate one. Simply said, I feel more like a blogger, than I do as an Insta gal. I started my blog first, and it's has always been my favourite social media. Insta was always reserved more for my illustrations, and my blog for everything else. Anyhow, I didn't feel like posting my outfits on Instagram. I don't know why but I wanted my Instagram profile to be more about my art than about other things. So, I waited. The blog took priority as always and I almost forgot about my Insta account. Finally, I've come up with a way to share both my photography and illustration art. A way that makes me personally happy. So, it's something you'll see on this blog as well. A mix of my photography and art. I'm really looking forward to it. Here it is to creating more collages, like the ones you can see below!

That would be all for today. Tell me what do you think about my drawings. Would you wear dresses like these one? I'm learning fashion illustration as I go. I try to always challenge myself. I watch YouTube tutorials of fashion illustration teachers and so on. Fashion illustration and design, both of these fields are  something that I've always felt very drawn to. If there was a course in fashion illustration, I'd probably take it. Over the years, I've took four classical art courses and I'm always looking for ways to learn more. So, if you have any art tips, feel welcome to share. I'm happy to start this Fashion Illustration feature once again.

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