Camilla Dixon
I had the opportunity to be able to interview Fashion Illustrator Camilla Dixon. I really love her work and she has had an amazing career so far. I was interested in asking her questions which I wanted to know as someone going into the Industry, maybe as a ‘Fashion Illustrator’
Did you always know you wanted to go Into the Fashion Industry?
No, it never crossed my mind. I wanted to go to St Martins since I was about twelve, but wasn’t sure what course, I just liked drawing people, and was always mad about clothes but didn’t consider fashion - maybe because I thought it was just about sewing. I applied for painting but didn’t get in - so re-applied for Fashion slightly randomly, and I guess it went from there. The first day though I knew I was in the right place.
What made you choose Fashion Illustration instead of say, designing or photographing?
An obsession with drawing, stylising and image-making, along with a preference for working alone, almost no over-heads and immediate results, and of course a need to earn some instant cash, meant fashion illustration was the natural and only way to go.
Do you feel fashion illustrations are as important as photographs in the industry?
No, not commercially. When you see them though they’re a refreshing reminder that there is a creative side to fashion beyond the purely commercial, and they do have their practical uses, for example in trend-forecasting where clothes that don’t yet exist need to be depicted. Also of course at the initial stages of design in order to develop and communicate ideas. Perhaps then they are actually as or even more important after all - only less visible in the media.
Who influenced your style and motivated you to become an illustrator?
My tutor and great friend at college Howard Tangye was a massive influence, and taught me so much about figure drawing, fashion and teaching, I don’t know what I would be doing now if I hadn’t met him. Antonio Lopez’ work in the 60’s and 70’s was also hugely inspirational to me when I started working in the mid-nineties, a time when fashion illustration was an absolute no-no!
What made you begin teaching and doing workshops?
At college I was constantly in the life-room, either drawing or modelling for fashion illustration sessions with Howard and other tutors I got to know, so it was really a natural progression in a very familiar environment. It’s also been an indispensible source of income alongside the freelance work (you know when you’re going to be working and when you’ll get paid - not always the case with freelance) and I think helps to keep one sane when most of the work is pretty solitary.
Who was your favourite client to work for?
I designed a mannequin for Proportion London, which was really thrilling. She was a life-size 3D embodiment of my collage girl, so I had to work out and draw what she looked like from every angle, every part of the body so that a sculptor could construct her out of clay. When I finally got to see her in real life (the sculptor was in Belgium so I didn’t see the real thing till she was almost finished) it was quite extraordinary to see this figure whose side-view I’d been producing in miniature collage for years, standing up life-size staring back at me!
What is your best career memory so far?
Kylie Minogue coming to my rather grotty Northeast London studio for her portrait with no make-up, her boyfriend’s jumper and a slight hangover. She lay on the floor and was absolutely charming. When I rushed her home to Chelsea afterwards in my clapped-out car (she had to open a restaurant or something) she literally stopped traffic by just winding down the window to thank people for letting us through. I think it was almost as exciting and hilarious for her as it was for me.
Where do you see illustration going in this industry? I feel it’s being used more frequently in mixed media and experimenting?
That’s great news! I’m sure you’d know better than me about that.
What do you wish you knew before going into this industry?
Can’t think of anything.
And finally, describe working as an illustrator in 3 words.
Creative, Risky, Life-Saving!
Thank you for the Interview!
No problem.
Interviews posted every Wednesday on TallBoyBlog.blogspot.com
I did a few illustrations for the Fashion Magazine SLiNK to go with a couple of articles. I had to illustrate 'relaxation', a 'Woman looking into a mirror' and a 'woman in a blue outfit' sounds simple enough but took me a while to think of a relaxation concept, to end up with bath and candles aha original huh?, and this is how they turned out. So chuffed that they appear in the magazine. This is available online as well as printed just have a butchers here:
I then start layering up the skin tones using yellows/pinks and flesh colours.
Just need to colour the shoes and then I'm done!
I scan it in, fix it up and play around with the levels and contrast a bit to make it stand out and then the image is finished!
