Drawing the road to luxury
Interview
Fida Spoke to artist Anna Blachut
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When did you first get into drawing?
I first got into drawing at a very young age. I grew up surrounded by art and huge oil paintings, and I was doodling as of the age of 4 onwards - I got my first fashion illustration published at the age of 14. I have always had a passion for art and fashion, endlessly pouring over Vogue and Harper's Bazaar magazines as a teenager. During those years, I read a lot about the fashion world, and would love to create collages from fashion campaigns. I would spend hours in my room drawing still lifes of fruits, makeup, cloth, shoes, and perfume bottles with my coloured pencils and inks. Fashion and observational drawings were the two key elements to my creativity. In short, it is the combination of visual storytelling, and fashion narratives that drew me towards illustration.
Why did you choose to make fashion part of your inspiration?
I was drawn to fashion illustration because I found it to be the perfect combination of my love for art and my avid interest in fashion.
What is your particular working day as a creative?
My days are quite varied. I spend a lot of time sketching, experimenting, and brainstorming new ideas, but I also spend time researching new trends and looking for inspiration. I like to balance my time between working on commissioned projects and exploring new creative avenues in my personal work.
What tools do you use when creating your images?
I primarily use traditional tools such as coloured pencils, pens, inks, and watercolours when creating my fashion drawings. I find that these mediums allow me to achieve the level of detail and expressiveness that I am looking for in my illustrations. This said, I recently started experimenting with digital drawing as well.
Who and what has influenced you over the years as an artist?
Over the years, I have been influenced by a wide range of artists as well as fashion designers. Some of the artists who have particularly influenced me include Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Jean Cocteau, and René Gruau. Fashion designers who have influenced me include Coco Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Phoebe Philo, Christian Dior, Hermès, Alexander McQueen, Schiaparelli and most recently, the Swiss designer, Kevin Germanier. I also draw inspiration from my travels, the people I meet, nature, and by visiting my favourite museums (The Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as well as the Saatchi Gallery, and the V&A in London).
What advice do you have for younger artists looking to be part of this industry?
My advice for younger artists looking to be a part of this industry would be to stay curious, get inspiration from all around you, exchange with other artists, and travel often. Also, it is so important to never stop learning and developing your skills.
"Fashion designers who have influenced me include Coco Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Phoebe Philo, Christian Dior, Hermès, Alexander McQueen, Schiaparelli and most recently, the Swiss designer, Kevin Germanier. I also draw inspiration from my travels, the people I meet, nature, and by visiting my favourite museums (The Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as well as the Saatchi Gallery, and the V&A in London). "
What are you drawing today? Music are you listening to? Books that you are reading? Favourite artist/designer at the moment?
Today, I drew several warm up observational drawings of tulips, and the room around me. Then I worked on a personal fashion illustration project. I listen mostly to pop, rap and rock music, I also love RnB soul. I'm reading The Road to Luxury by Ashok Som and Christian Blanckaer. My favourite artist will always be Rene Gruau and my favourite designers are Daniel Roseberry (Schiaparelli) and Maria Grazia Chiuri (Dior).