Bree Leman - Fashion Illustrator
Talk a little bit about yourself:
Born in New Jersey, my artistic journey began at the Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where I earned my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Illustration & Graphic Design. After graduation, I left the cold winters of the Northeast and moved to the sunny beaches of Florida.
In considering myself a Parisian at heart, I draw my design inspiration from my travels, particularly Europe, where I enjoy studying urban culture, contemporary fashion, and architecture.
As a Fashion Illustrator I have had the pleasure of working with some of the top advertising companies around the globe doing what I love.
What/who inspires your work?
Who: Illustrators who have a true passion for lovely line work and beautiful splashes of color. Some of those artists are: Manuel Rebollo, Bec Winnel, Arturo Elena, and Robert McGinnis to name a small few.
What: Traveling to different places (within the US and abroad) has provided me the opportunity to draw inspiration from varied land and cityscapes. I also thoroughly enjoy studying high fashion of urban city dwellers and what’s on the pages of cutting edge fashion magazines.
What kind of art supplies do you use? Do you use any software?
My art supplies consist of pencils - 2B pencil & General’s® Charcoal Pencil, sketchpad - Strathmore 18x24 inch Drawing, and my iMac.
The software I use is Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. I use mainly Illustrator to create my fashion illustrations and patterns for textile design (vector).
Can you share 4 of your secrets working with adobe illustrator that every designer should know to simplify his or her work?
1. Save your picture in multiple stages till you’re finished the picture in its entirety, cause you may want to go back to something that you deleted a long the way of developing your vector image.
2. Gradient Meshes make things really pop and it gives a full dimension to an image.
3. Illustrator is a great way to make textile design for clothing. So after you make your design, this link will help you set it up for print.
4. You can create your own set of bushes that can help with line weight, hair, and jewelry.
What websites do you use to promote your artwork and why?
I mainly use my website to promote my artwork. I have earned many new clients by having an online portfolio.
LemonadeIllustration.com is the website for my London based agent who has helped me secure top jobs with global companies. I have found it very important for me to have an agent. They do all the negotiating and paperwork the artist does not want to do, and they help keep you organized and on time for projects.
Designflavr.com is a great site to see various artists and their works. It links directly to the illustrator’s direct site.
I also use Deviantart.com for networking within the art community.
Recommend 3 books that inspired you and helped you to develop your artwork?
1. Adobe Illustrator CS Classroom in a Book
2. The Adobe Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers
3. The Art of Pastel Portraiture by Madlyn-Ann C. Woolwich
What would be some tools that you would love to use but you’re currently not using?
I would love to use Da Vinci Artists’ Watercolors and Black Calligraphy ink 1 oz - Higgins together because I imagine it can give such a beautiful outcome.
Is there anything else that you use to get your work done?
I love to listen to really cool music while I work. My husband has a knack for finding great cutting edge artists just as they’re first hitting the scene and before they hit it big in the States. Here are some artists we’re currently hooked on: The XX, The Temper Trap, Sia, Phoenix, Florence & The Machine, Fenech-Soler, Foals, & Bon Iver.
My husband also serves as my taskmaster, photographer, and model. That’s right, there are times when I ask him to stand there, often times begrudgingly, holding different items so that I can get the aspects just right. I must say he does a wonderful job critiquing my work, although he can’t draw a stick figure, he’s a great judge of both art and music. So I guess it’s essential to have someone give you honest feedback about what you do with so much passion.
In your opinion there is a tool that you think anyone should use it?
I have the Wacom Intuos4 Medium Pen Tablet for the iMac but for when I am outside to capture a moment or a thought, I use a Strathmore sketchpad and 2B pencil because I believe this is the place to start in mapping out any great creation that then can be transferred into any medium you desire. For me all these are essential for the creative process.
Don't miss out on exciting news and updates about fashion creatives.
