Visual Merchandising Courses.co.uk Fashion Illustration

Posted by thejerseygem on May 20, 2011 · 5 Comments 

A couple of months ago I was commissioned by the lovely Sarah Manning of VisualMerchandisingCourses.co.uk to do an illustration for her website.

It came about completely by chance. I met Sarah from an online visual merchandising short course she taught last May/June through the London College of Fashion. About 2 months or so ago I went to check my email and received one from Sarah saying that she was setting up a new online course for a new digital VM program, we got chatting about my blog somehow and I sent her a link to it. She loved my David Koma Fashion Illustration and asked if I would be interested in drawing her dressing a mannequin in one of his designs. I, of course, was excited as I’d never created anything for someones business website before (apart from my own and my brothers).

It’s funny because I’ve never actually met Sarah in person, only skyped, called and emailed before. Everything from the course I took, to the illustration I have done for her has been completely online and I think worked out perfectly fine! It was a really fun and creative project for me, so it would definitely be something I’d love to do more of in the future!

I’m glad I can finally show you the final outcome today, it’s been sitting, waiting on my computer for a long time now and have been so patient not to post it. I really hope you like it!

You can see it on the “about us” and “contact us” pages of her website now! :)

I had never taken an online course before this one, I was a bit dubious to how it would all work and yes there are sometimes technical issues but I’ll tell you something, I will definitely consider doing another one! Especially from London College of Fashion, they have a brilliant mix of fashion related e-learning courses and have added more recently and i’m sure will continue to add more as demand increases!

Obviously the fantastic thing about an online course is that you don’t have to be in the country that it is based in, great for me living in Jersey as we don’t have any type of fashion related course at all! Everyone who enrolled on the course was also from different parts of the world too, USA, UK, and other countries in Europe and the Middle East, so you also get to experience different views of VM from different countries. I think a short course is perfect too because I tend to get bored/want to move on quite quickly, so they can be  great taster. At the end of the course I really didn’t want to finish because I was enjoying it so much, I definitely learnt all that I needed to during the time though!

I thought I would show you a few windows that I created on the course to show you what it involved. We used a website called NN4M  (No Need For Mirrors) where you can create your own looks using images from high street stores, similar to what I now do with my Get The Look! Series. However, the window display setting is only available to those on the VM course with special access, but if you have photoshop then you could recreate it.

So, to create your own window display, you start off with a plain 3D rectangle where you can insert your own backdrop image. All props are in the program already, unfortunately you can’t add your own but there is plenty of choice and mostly standard equipment you would use anyway! You have to create 2 windows of the same look as the outfits you build cannot be added onto mannequin poses unfortunately, but you get the idea of what it looks like. You can add lighting, window graphics and accessory stands too.

A Tribal Jungle Themed Window

Military Inspired Window

A Summer Themed Window. This one was actually my first practice window, but I like how it turned out.

A Tribute Window Display to Alexander McQueen.
Inspired by his Fall 2009 Collection..

A moodboard I created for the assignment to show my inspiration behind the window.

Just one thing I thought would be interesting to tell you guys… when I do an illustration, I don’t know about how you guys work, but I will usually either have a film, tv programme or music on in the background. When I created this I had the Bewitched movie on and everytime I look at the drawing I think of that film. I also think an essence of Elizabeth Montgomery/Nicole Kidman crept in somehow too! It’s funny how I now associate each illustration with something, I think thats a nice thing though!

Lots of Love

Filed under Fashion, Fashion Illustrations, Illustrations