Illustration profiles
David Downton
Biography and profile
Copyright at : http://www.daviddownton.com/stop-press.html accessed 24th/11/2011. 
David Downton : profile and some of his images
All this information is copyright of David Downton and is strictly being used for academic purposes and referencing gathered from Titanic Quarter library Belfast Metropolitan College (masters in fashion illustration by David Downton and at; http://daviddownton.com/copyright at: http://www.daviddownton.com/stop-press.html
All this information is copyright of David Downton and is strictly being used for academic purposes and referencing gathered from Titanic Quarter library Belfast Metropolitan College (masters in fashion illustration by David Downton and at; http://daviddownton.com/copyright at: http://www.daviddownton.com/stop-press.html
Profile;
David downtown is one of the world’s leading illustrators/fashion artist celebrated, for his timeless drawings of Paris haute couture and his elegant portraits of the world’s most beautiful women.
-He was born in Kent in the south of England in 1959
-He studied at Canterbury foundation year 1977 to 1978 and proceeded to do a
Ba(Hons) illustrator/graphics 1979-1981.in 1984
-David Downtown then moved to Brighton and began his illustration career for 12 years a period he describes in his own words as “wagging my tail when the phone rang”.
-He worked on a variety of projects ranging from:
-Advertising
-Packaging
-Illustrating fiction,
-Cook books
-Occasionally fashion
-He was commissioned by the financial times in 1996 to draw the couture shows and since then David has become known principally as a fashion illustrator
-his reports for the show have been viewed internationally in:
- USA,
- China,
- Australia,
- The Middle East as well as almost every leading broadsheet and supplement.
David has commercially worked for and with among others:
- Tiffany & co
- Bloomingdales
- Barney’s, Harrods
- Top shop
- Channel
- Dior
- L’Oreal
-Vogue
- Harper’s Bazaar
- V Magazine
- V&A museum
- Van Cleef
- Arpels.
-In 1998 David began working on a portfolio of portraits from life of some of the world’s most beautiful; women who included:
-Erin O’connor
-Paloma Picasso
-Catherine deneuve
-Linda Evangelista
-Carmen dell’oreice
-Iman
-Dita von teese.
-He further launched POURQUOI PAS the first ever fashion journal
-David is also a visiting professor at London College of fashion in April 2009 he received a honour doctorate from the academy of art university san Francisco.
In an interview with Tony Glenvile, a fashion journalist and historian creative director of London college of fashion (copyright; Masters of fashion illustration, http://www.daviddownton.com).
-David Spent 15 yrs as a free lance fashion illustrator
- His first job was cover for which computer magazine in the 1980’s
-He always drew as a child and wasn’t particularly interested in fashion but was always interested in works of great fashion illustrators Gruau Antonio and Eric,he always appreciated as artists.
-He was commissioned by a magazine to go and illustrate at Paris fashion week to which he described as an unparallel universe and agrees to its description as the kingdom of indulgence he found rather inspiring as an artist and illustrator with the sheer theatrics of it and a vast to draw
-he describes his journey to fashion illustration as a process that happened very gradually and enjoying it too.
In his own words, “Sometimes, because of my style of drawing I was asked to produce fashion images- but I think during that time I covered almost every subject matter”., From children's books to a sex manual. My first job was a cover for Which Computer magazine in the early 80's”.
Artists and illustrators David admires;
-Gruau for his graphic genius,
-Vertes for his humour,
-Bouché for his lightness of touch
-Eric for his draughtsmanship.
-To him the best drawings are true collaborations. They normally take about two hours and usually I go to the sitters' house or a hotel suite.
- He drew Anna Piagggi between couture shows in Paris while they were taking the chairs away around them.
- Marisa Berenson was drawn on a boiling hot October day in New York on a roof terrace. "You have to be flexible", he says.
-He is planning a book and one of hi major issues is the masters of fashion illustration in which i researched available at Titanic Quarter library fashion and textiles department.
Some of the david downtons original work
copy right at: http://www.daviddownton.com/stop-press.html
Work methods of elimination of detail.
David's amazing illustrations are known for their simplistic but effective flow his pallets range between dark and light mediums producing strong and effective images yet vulnerable he always kills off one eye in my own words weather to maintain an air of mystery to the sitter/model, yet very effective to me He brings out the best out of the individual without cluttering "clean cut fluid lines and fine detail strategically placed!
“In order to leave something out, first you have to put it in, or at least understand how everything works”.
- He does dozens of drawings on to layout paper taking the best from each one as he goes.
- When the drawing looks right He start to eliminate or de-construct.
"I keep working until it looks spontaneous, "asserts David.
David's methods of applying colour
Depends on the result he wants to achieve and what is most appropriate to the subject.
- He use watercolour or gouache for small scale pieces.
- For flat saturated colour He uses cut paper collage and then applies line using an acetate overlay.
- He also uses black Indian ink on acetate or paper for pure line drawing.
According to David what makes a successful fashion illustration is
- Fluidity
- Mastery of the medium capturing a sense of the moment,
- Layout and use of space and
- Most important of all, strong drawing. “You can't be too good at drawing”.
David describes drawing on location.
- He doesn't draw during the catwalk shows anymore, instead he take photographs just watches. He then draws whenever the model stays still, backstage or at fittings sometimes even in the car between shows.
-The first show He ever saw was Versace couture, in which he only managed to draw Kate Moss’s arm.
Illustration Today;
-David’s attitude to the computer is, it’s probably a necessary evil, but to him nothing can compare with that first flash of black ink on white paper.
-I was always drawing. As a child, “my idea of a treat was a big sheet of white paper”.
Fashion illustration and portrait painting according to him have the same aims,
- Simplicity
- Fluid line
- Illusion of effortlessness
- And the added dimension of having to capture a likeness.
. -David draws what He sees; to him but the best drawings are true collaborations. They normally take about two hours, he goes to the sitters' house or a hotel suite.
-He completes the work at home in my studio - a safe environment according to him where he I has time to evaluate it himself first.
He like to draw women, he describes as a it's a great job, Women he would like to have drawn Staying with women, from the 20th century ;
- Sylvaana Mangano
- Lee Miller
- Audrey Hepburn
- Josephine Baker
- Ava Gardner
- Edith Sitwell… it's a long list.
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