Bob Mackie-inspired style explorations (Patreon)

Dabbling in some other styles! I feel like when I currently design fashion, my art looks too anime-y and doesn't feel "fashion illustration" enough. So I redrew one of my Sailor Moon designs and tried some new CSP brushes, and I think this version looks way more likely to be in a fashion magazine if that makes sense? I was reminded of one of my favorite fashion designers, Bob Mackie, who would often accompany his designs with quick illustrations. Not that I think my final result resembles his style very much, but I wanted to capture the same energy he does.

I shared this to my IG stories, and most people seemed to like it, but two people said it looked messier than my current art style and the design wasn't as clear so now I have some doubts. To be fair it IS supposed to be messy because it's a sketchier style, but yeah I just tend to dwell on the 1 or 2 negative comments when I should be appreciating all the positive feedback I got...

But one thing I know for sure is that this is NOT gonna be my new art style - at least, I don't plan to only draw like this from now on. This year I've really felt torn between wanting to draw maximalist anime magical girls but also minimalist and graphic silhouettes, and I've had a hard time figuring out a style that worked for both. Honestly, I kind of want like five art styles at once lol.

So I'm thinking, why not just try for it and experiment with different styles? While it could hurt my recognition as an artist, I wonder if it would show my versatility when I apply for gigs. Since it's been super frustrating trying to find a single art style that works for all the aesthetics I like, I think I'm gonna go ahead with the experimentation and at least just get all the ideas for art styles out of my head.

My plans for selling at art fairs have fallen through, as it turns out the convention I was invited to no longer allows table sharing and I'm not ready to have a whole table to myself. So I plan to prioritize Sugarplum Cafe for the short-term future, and I don't intend to change the art style of the game any time soon. So if you like my current art style the most, don't worry! You'll still be seeing a lot of it.

But I think it would be nice to have an arsenal of styles in my belt, so depending on the project idea I could present it in the most fitting style rather than trying to make a one-style-fits-all sort of thing. This Mackie-inspired style I think would be best for future fashion designs, like the really high fashion stuff! Would love to redraw some old designs with this style and I think they would look so much more *couture*, personally. I think I might draw faster with this style too which is a plus 🤔