Hi Creative Friends! Are you ready for a time-traveling adventure? I am excited to invite you on a voyage of discovery into the art and design of the early twentieth century.
In this class we will explore the aesthetic of the Art Deco age, dip into the world of fashion illustration and be inspired by selected portrait artists along the way.
I have always been drawn to 1920s style and my passion for the mystery and elegance of a cloche hat is no secret. However, I wanted to delve further into the art scene of this gilded age and set off like a curious tourist on a new adventure. Immersed in the work of fashion illustrators and portrait artists alike, I was fascinated by the contrast I observed between these two genres.
In class I will introduce you to the work of two artists who were part of a small group known as the Scottish Colourists. From the Fauvist influence of the earlier part of the 1900s to the more graphic style of the late 1920s, we experiment and learn from their portrait painting styles.
From a completely different perspective, we indulge in creative play inspired by the fashion illustrations of the day. These artworks often invoke a sense of story, so in class we will not only discover the techniques of fashion illustration but also explore creating narrative in a piece of this style.
I’m excited to share this journey with you…
Ce xo
“Every artwork is a voyage of discovery”
Classroom Is Open!
Only $67.00
{ LIFETIME ACCESS & DOWNLOADABLE VIDEOS }
Here's a description of each of our special projects:
Warm-up - THE 1920’s FASHION FIGURE
In our warm-up we will learn the proportions of the fashion figure based on the illustrative style found in Parisian fashion magazines of the 1920s. From there we put the technical aspects aside and practice with continuous line drawings finished with a little extra ink. This exercise helps us loosen up our hand and hone our powers of observation.
Lesson 1 - HUNTING AND GATHERING - EXPERIMENTS IN THE SKETCHBOOK
In this lesson, we create a spread in our sketchbooks gathering resources and ideas to put to use in the lessons that follow. Once again inspired by early 20th Century style, we will explore and practice drawing hats, motifs and textile patterns. We will experiment with illustrative techniques layering gouache and other media to create colourful patterned swatches.
lesson 2 - A COLOURIST PORTRAIT
In this lesson, we create a portrait in acrylic inspired by the work of Scottish Colourist, Francis C B Cadell. We play up the contrast between dark clothing and pale skin tones reflecting his work from the 1920s. Finally, we add a pop of colour through objects of personal significance that add extra meaning to the work.
Lesson 3 - THE TRAVELLERS - NARRATIVE ILLUSTRATION
The fashion illustrators of the jazz age often placed their models in settings that not only showed off the clothing but conveyed a sense of story. We will put our learning around the fashion figure and illustrative techniques into practice and create a simple narrative piece. I invite you to draw from your own creative journey and environment to infuse personal meaning, yet at the same time entice the viewer to wonder about the mystery of the characters’ story.
This lesson is pure colourful fun. We work mainly with layers of gouache (the traditional illustrators’ medium), adding details with other media such as Posca pens, fine liners and coloured pencils.
Bonus lesson - LE CHAPEAU BLANC
In this bonus lesson, we step a little further back to 1909 and the era of the Fauves. The Fauves, led by Matisse, were the “wild beasts” of the early twentieth-century Parisian art scene, using strong colour and a loose and painterly style. James Duncan Fergusson was a Scottish artist influenced by their work and in this lesson, we learn from his painting “Le Voile Persan”. I had so much fun creating this piece in bold colour and quick, flowing brushstrokes. We also make the work our own by including our own floral motifs and choice of hat.
Classroom Is Open!
Only $67.00
{ LIFETIME ACCESS & DOWNLOADABLE VIDEOS }
Who is this class for?
This class is for anyone who:
Loves 1920s style and would like to try their hand at fashion illustration
Is interested in early 20th Century portraiture and would like to learn and be inspired by artists from this era
Enjoys the challenge of learning new techniques and experimenting with mixed media
Wants to practice their portrait painting and illustrative skills
Is interested in creating narrative in their artwork
Enjoys a time travelling adventure!
HERE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF Ce's WORK
Classroom Is Open!
Only $67.00
{ LIFETIME ACCESS & DOWNLOADABLE VIDEOS }
Supply List
This is a list of supplies I used in class. These are not hard and fast. I suggest using supplies you have on hand before deciding to purchase anything new. I discuss all the supplies in class and offer suggestions for alternatives.
Drawing Tools:
Pencil
Erasers
Ruler
Black fine liners. I used Uni Micron Eye and Uni pin 0.1, 0.2 and 0.03
Black Pentel Colour Brush Pen and water brush (or pen and ink with brush and water)
Fountain pen or black pen with water-soluble ink
Gouache
White, flesh tint and other colours of your choice
Colours I used are Prussian blue, crimson, turquoise, burnt sienna, sap green, sepia and yellow ochre
Acrylic Paint
Basic palette: Titanium White, primary red, blue and yellow of your choice, plus earth colours such as Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna and Burnt Umber
Other colors I used are: Quinacridone Crimson, Payne’s Grey, Prussian Blue, Naples Yellow Hue, Portrait Pink (optional)
Sketchbooks
2 Substrates of your choice for acrylic painting. I used a 9x12” canvas and an 8x8” cradled board
Heavy watercolour paper (at least 300gsm) or watercolour board. I used Crescent cold-pressed watercolour board (A4)
Coloured Pencils, assorted colours of your choice
Posca pens, extra fine tip. White, black plus a few colours of your choice
Derivan Matisse Coloured Gesso (optional). I used Victorian Grey and China Red
Black or grey water soluble pencil. I used a Derwent Inktense pencil in Charcoal Grey
Brown pastel pencil
Brushes for acrylic: assorted flats. Medium round.
Watercolour brushes: small to medium rounds
Palettes, Paper towels, water jars