Roxana Porumbacu - Fashion Illustrator
Who are you and what do you do?
I am an architecture high-school graduate with a childhood dream of becoming a real fashion designer & illustrator. I’m currently working my way up there, taking courses held by fashion designer Adrian Oianu, practicing and drawing fashion illustrations all the time.
What/who inspires your work?
I’ve always been fascinated by a woman’s dress. It has always been present in the history of human kind and it has evolved along with us. Women will never give up the dress.
It’s impossible to say I have only one fashion influence. Whether I like it or not, I’m influenced from all over! But if I have to pick a few fashion designers I’d say Luella, Elie Saab, Gareth Pugh, Cristian Dior and Baby, The Stars Shine Bright (brand of Japanese clothing popular in the Sweet Lolita fashion scene).
What kind of art supplies do you use? Do you use any software? If yes, for what kind of purposes?
I start with mechanical pencils with 0.5 to 2 mm diameter. 2B or 4B ranking. Ink the outlines with rapidographs. Usually Rotring or Staedtler. Color with Derwent watercolor pencils. To be honest I use cheep watercolors, but I have great variety of colors and I mix when I need to add a new touch. They do their job great! I use also Letraset and Tria Pro Markers - and in my opinion this is the fastest, contemporary and easiest way to color illustrations.
What websites do you use to promote your artwork and why?
DeviantArt; TalentHouse; Facebook
Because they are very well known and create great opportunities to sell my artwork. They surely did for me. They’re also easy to use and accessible for everyone.
Recommend 3 books that inspired you and helped you to developed your artwork?
FASHION - from Taschen. (A History from the 18th to the 20th Century)
100 Years of Fashion Illustration by Cally Blackman
Il Figurino di Moda by Fernando Burgo
In which online fashion communities are you involved and how this benefits you?
Romanian Fashion Bloggers; Style.com; Fashionising.com; WouldYouRockThis; TalentHouse
I am on these websites for two reasons: Firstly, for my pleasure and curiosity. Secondly, because each of them teach me new things every day. I get good feedback, meet new people around the world, get requests. They simply challenge and inspire me.
What would be some tools that you would love to use but you’re currently not using?
Air-brush! I’d love to work with such a tool!
Also I plan to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator and Gemini CAD soon.
Is there anything else that you use to get your work done?
Some of my illustration are digitally painted. After I ink the outlines traditionally, I scan my sketches with Canon Lide 90 Scanner, work in Photoshop CS4 along with my Wacom CTE-440 Pen Tablet.
After a lot of experience I really believe that Photoshop doesn’t make your work easier as many say. It really depends on what style you have.
In your opinion there is a tool that you think anyone should use it?
I think it’s very important as an illustrator to work with watercolors. It is indeed the basic in fashion illustration.
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