Because invited five illustrators to the Camden School For Girls Art Room to take part in a life drawing class, with a difference. The five, instructed by a professional teacher, didn't draw the traditional nudes but sketched models wearing interesting pieces from AW15, from trousers made of netting from Phoebe English to a rippled shirt from Céline and the exaggerated ruffles of Awake.
Watch what happened and meet the illustrators...
Thom Morgan is a Welsh illustrator based in Stoke Newington. "I always knew I’d be an artist of some kind and never really considered another path in life," says Thom. "With illustration I can relax and express myself clearly with just a pen and piece of paper." In the past Thom has done work for restaurants like Tramshed and Hix, and is a self-proclaimed pop culture nut. "I spent a vast part of my youth watching obscure and irrelevant movies, listening to terrible music and love how now I can do an illustration referencing it, pop it up on social media and get great responses," he says.
Swedish artist Mathilda Holmqist studied Fine Art at university, but loves the storytelling nature of illustration and how it is also usually part of a larger context. Her home and nature are a big influence in her work: "the changing landscape and especially the changing light throughout the seasons continuously inspire me." Whilst Mathilda does love hand-drawn images, she’s been opened up to the possibilities that come with working digitally. "It has allowed me to make much more layered images that I wouldn’t be able to make by hand." She is currently working on a personal project combining short stories and illustrations.
Liga Kitchen studied at the Academy of Arts in Latvia, taking a fine art course in printmaking. Her arts lecturer told her her works were "too illustrative, too full of storytelling," says Liga. This led her to discover illustration. Liga predominantly works with collage, and has collaborated on various projects including a clothing line and music album artwork: "I love that challenge of stepping in to someone else’s shoes and to try and create something new together." She most recently collaborated with clothing line Deeply Personal, and is working on a music project, designing for an album, tour and books.
Ranny Cooper is the youngest of our illustrators, and is currently finishing her final year of fashion illustration. She is focusing on her final project, which is centred around BDSM. "I always had an obsession with clothes from a very young age, and with my love for drawing the two passions merged together as I grew up." Tony Viramontes, the fashion and beauty illustrator, is a great influence on Ranny. Other inspirations come, she says "from seeing friends, people out and about, mostly on nights out when people are really peacocking and have gone all out – so I’ll take a photo and use it as a reference."
Like most of the other illustrators, Isabella Cotier has drawn since a young age. "I always drew clothes so I thought I wanted to be a fashion designer,"says Isabella. But after a tutor on her pattern cutting course at LCF saw her illustrations, she was encouraged to switch her specialism. Fashion is a huge inspiration for Isabella: "clothes can build a character visually. I love the detail in outfits." Originally from Florence but living in London, Isabella is influenced by both cities. "London is the energy in the drawings and Florence is the more gentle, honest, humorous side." Isabella has drawn live fashion shows and music concerts (including for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros). At the recent LFW she drew at Versus Versace and Emilia Wickstead.
Noel Basualdo is a British Argentinean painter and art teacher. She led the class, teaching the other illustrators tricks and tips to help their life drawing. "I never really made the decision to become an artist, it’s what I have always loved doing," she says. Life drawing and nudes particularly interest her: "I have always had a fascination with people, as I am drawn to complexity and imperfection." She believes that art can be taught like any other subject. Noel runs the life drawing class, Flesh and Bones in Hackney, as well as a Young Hackney Fine Arts Class.