Catwalking

by Patsyfox on October 19, 2017

Gucci_runway_leopard_print_coat_fashion_illustration

Whatever happened to blogging every day? (Well, almost..) Life? Work? Boyfriend/Ex-boyfriend? Yes yes yes and YES. Sigh.

I have become obsessed with podcasts – of the self-improvement/get happy variety – and I’ve heard a lot of people talking about changing habits and forming new good ones. So, let’s see how I go just not over-thinking where I was at with my posts, and instead just smashing them out based on what this blog was always about – whatever the hell I’m doing in my life. Yah!

Yesterday I taught a Uni class in watercolours and rendering repeat prints. No surprises, leopard print is one of my all-time favourites, so it will usually turn up in this session. This pic is from the latest Gucci Spring 2018 collections (aah, Alessandro Michele, you really do create some excellent looks to draw). Illustrating catwalk looks is one of my favourite things to do, so I’ve created an afternoon workshop at The Drawing Salon on October 29th (Melbourne, sorry!) doing just that – how to decide what’s important about a look? What to feature? How to sketch it? And make it fabulous. More info here, and you can check out the entire Gucci collection here on the brilliant Vogue runways site. Enjoy!

Catwalk_fashion_illustration-classes-Melbourne

Le result..

by Patsyfox on September 15, 2017

Angie-Rehe-gouache-fashion-illustration-class

The finished sketch. I can’t believe I ever hated gouache, given how much I luuurrrve it now, but you do have to understand it I guess – go bold or go home type of attitude. One of my favourite aspects of it is that it’s so great to draw over the top of. Steven Stipelman, one of the superstars of fashion illustration, uses gouache extensively on coloured paper, putting down rough and gestural paintwork then drawing over it. OK, I’ll save you the trouble and include a couple here. You’re welcome!

Oh and hey, I’m holding a 3hr workshop on using gouache and the coloured ground, at The Drawing Salon on Sunday October 22nd. Just sayin’

Steven-Stipelman-gouache-fashion-illustration

Gouache_Fashion-Illustration_classes-Melbourne

Gouache-a-go-go

by Patsyfox on September 13, 2017

 

I may be slow on the uptake – like reeeeelly slow, but at least I get there eventually, right? So after hundreds of demonstration drawings to my students at University and The Drawing Salon, I finally asked one of the students to film a piece of it for me. Yep, I know – revolutionary. This is part of a demo for a class in gouache paint, a fabulous medium to work with and one that gives bold and unique results. It’s weird at first but I promise you’ll love it, eventually…Oh and there’s a workshop dedicated to it at The Salon on October 29th, you can see/book here. Happy painting!

Let down in LA

by Patsyfox on August 3, 2017

Downton-Minotti-Dolce

Imagine my excitement when I discovered the David Downton exhibition at Minotti in LA would still be running when I arrived in the US in June. How hastily I switched my landing from San Fran to LA! Imagine my disappointment when I arrived at the Beverly Boulevard store and got the head-to-toe look of displeasure from the LA hipsters tapping away at their lap-tops in the centre of the room (Facebook perhaps?), and then proceeded to make my way around the store.

I’m not sure what bothered me the most – certainly that particular brand of snobbery is nothing new and laughable at best, so it’s down to a) the fact that the artworks were facing the huge sunny windows, causing some to be actually unviewable, b) many were placed above any giant’s eye-line so viewing was tricky & exasperating (especially since the whole idea of going to the show was to see his work close up), c) some of the works (including the Nureyev portrait) were in the back room, and d) – my piece of resistance – the staff didn’t know what “prints vs originals” meant, much less know which of the works were which!

I still enjoyed seeing the works but I did feel sorry for Downton who, even if most of the works were existing, still put a lot of work into this show. The sofas were nice though!

Downton-Minotti-Grace

Springtime workshops at The Drawing Salon

by Patsyfox on August 3, 2017

Springtime_workshops

It’s close enough to Spring to call it Springtime. Well OK, maybe not, but at least start planning for Spring… So I have just put together a bunch of dates for a series of workshops, and of course the last Introduction to Fashion Illustration 8-week course for 2017. I love teaching people to draw, and who doesn’t love being able to draw? So if sketching out fabulous fashion illustrations is on your wish list, come and check out the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of The Drawing Salon boutique fashion illustration classes here in Melbourne. Full info here.

Pas De Deux

by Patsyfox on May 31, 2017

Queensland-ballet-wine-label-illustration

How much do I love it when my loves of drawing and drinking meet in a bottle? A lot. Add a third love – ballet – and you have this particular artwork I created to celebrate the creative partnership between the Queensland Ballet, and Sirromet Wines.

Dancers-wine-label-artwork-Angie-Rehe

Smells like team spirit

by Patsyfox on May 25, 2017

annick_goutal_perfume-illustration-angie-rehe

I’ve said many times that my life, like Jerry Seinfeld’s, has a way of balancing itself out – even Stevens all the way. Makes sense then that as my eyesight goes the way of video tapes, my sense of smell could get me a job with a French perfumier. Which is great if you’re working in said role, but not so good in our smoke-free music venues, where I spend a fair amount of time. Whoever knew that men fart pretty much constantly when watching bands?

So I have become maniacally sensitive to fragrances, and thanks to two big projects for Clarins Australia, absolutely inspired by the beauty of their bottles. I’ve illustrated a hoard of them, this is a teeny taste…

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Self portrait with black hat & bat

by Patsyfox on May 23, 2017

angie-rehe-self-portrait-fashion-illustration

I know what you’re thinking – shouldn’t I have treated the self-portrait I created for a recent (and ultimately unpublished) press article in the same way I treat sketches of other people? You know – elongate the legs, slim down the figure, iron out the wrinkles, etc..

Nah, I wanted to be true-to-life for a change.

Just be-Kors

by Patsyfox on May 16, 2017

Angie-Rehe-live-sketching-for-Michael-Kors

Concluding my incredible 7 days was an afternoon spent in the Michael Kors store at Emporium in Melbourne. I painted handbags of the customer’s choice onto canvas totes and personalised them with their name. Not a bad place to spend a Sunday afternoon, even if it was Mother’s Day and I really should have been at my Mother’s… As live sketching gigs go, it was something different, to say the least!

Michael-Kors-live-handbag-illustrations

Michael-Kors-handbags-painted-tote-bags

 

The English way

by Patsyfox on May 15, 2017

Angie-Rehe-fashion-illustrator-Melbourne-Reiss

Live sketchy number two for the week was for the delightful folk of Reiss in their St Collins Lane store in Melbourne. One of the things I love most about working with them is their incredible english politeness and enthusiasm – no one stepped through that door without having a glass of prosecco thrust into their hand. Happy 1st birthday in Australia, Reiss!

Reiss-live-fashion-illustration-Angie-Rehe