Where did you learn your skills - self taught, internship, studies, other? What to you love most about being an illustrator? What comes hardest for you?
I would say I'm about 90% self taught. In university I took a fashion illustration class that really opened my eyes to different mediums and higher level illustration skills (Thank you Adrienne McKenzie at NCSU!) From there I started competing in different fashion illustration competitions inspired by Ru Paul's Drag Race online. You had to create your own character and illustrate them in unique runway theme outfits every week. These really pushed me to elevate my skills and techniques to keep up with my more talented competitors. It also made me master meeting a deadline every week.
After the combination of these competitions and that class. I started illustrating far more in my spare time. I just find myself happiest when I am illustrating. Not to be overly morbid, but the more I think about my mortality, I think about what I will leave behind. I'm doubtful I'll ever have kids, so I want to create something that will last longer than me. Which is my art.
The hardest thing for me when it comes to illustrating is committing to a style and mastering the fluidity I want my illustrations to exude. My favourite works from other artists are made with a minimal amount of brush strokes. And I haven't accomplished that for myself yet.
I would love you to share how you began creating live fashion illustrations at fashion weeks? How long did it take to learn to create images in seconds instead of hours?
My first experience doing this was at a SMOC (Society for the Museum of Original Costume) event in 2023. My friend Madison Prangnell invited me to an event where I illustrated some of the garments on display. There wasn't really a time limit. It was more to just experiment and understand the feel of drawing live. From there I was booked for an event at the Museum of Vancouver to illustrate guests of a SMOC garment exhibition. That was my first real experience having a time limit to create an illustration in the moment.
How did you transition from learning and growing as an artist, into being a paid professional? Do you remember your first paid job?
After VFW I booked a booth during two Car Free Days (RIP) and pitched myself on the street to people. Offering $15 quick illustrations. Apparently a woman I illustrated took my card, and later booked me to illustrate at her friend's birthday party. Which then I got booked for a halloween party from that birthday. Shortly after these though I made the move to Zürich Switzerland and had to start the entire process over. Making a new network, learning German, and pitching myself in a new city.
In 2023 you moved from Vancouver, BC, to Zurich, Switzerland. How did you approach starting over building your clientele in a whole new country...a whole new continent?
It was difficult. There was a language barrier obviously. And it seems a particular marketing agency sort of has a chokehold on live events in the area. They work as a middle man between clients and illustrators, but they don't pay the going rate for work like this. I took a few gigs with them for less than it was worth just to be seen really. I also got very lucky when a bride-to-be found my work on instagram and booked me for a 3 day illustration event near St. Moritz in the Alps.
How do you source new business opportunities? When you book a new job, how do you approach organizing and preparing? Anything new on the horizon you'd like to share with readers?
Like I said above, oftentimes they come randomly when someone sees your work on instagram or you come up in a google search. As I was checking my email today I saw that someone wants to book me to go to Marrakech to illustrate at a wedding in April. Unfortunately I am unavailable on the date, but that's how it happens. You'll randomly have an email of someone asking if you can do some event a couple months in the future.
For a new job I always find out the duration of the event to plan the quantity of illustrations that are expected before the end of the event. I also always create custom stationary for the event. Custom stationary gives a special touch and makes the work seem more personal to the event organizer.
My next goal is to get into illustrating at retailers in Zürich. It's one thing to be booked for a wedding, but getting into illustrating at Hermes/YSL/Balenciaga at a collection launch is another. Those types of events happen throughout the year and aren't so seasonal. So I think this month I will be pitching myself (in German) to the local fashion brands that have stores in Zürich.
In closing I would love you know what insight you can share for anyone hoping to pursue a career in fashion illustration.
I guess for someone who wants to do this I'd tell them to just start contacting people who may be interested. Put together a couple examples of your work. Write a cold email, swap out the brand name, and send it to 10 companies that may show interest. The worst is you get a "No" or get ghosted. But maybe someone will be shocked that this even exists as an art form and will show interest. You'd be surprised how many people say "I've never seen this before but it would be perfect for my event!"
I would love you to share how you began creating live fashion illustrations at fashion weeks? How long did it take to learn to create images in seconds instead of hours?
My first experience doing this was at a SMOC (Society for the Museum of Original Costume) event in 2023. My friend Madison Prangnell invited me to an event where I illustrated some of the garments on display. There wasn't really a time limit. It was more to just experiment and understand the feel of drawing live. From there I was booked for an event at the Museum of Vancouver to illustrate guests of a SMOC garment exhibition. That was my first real experience having a time limit to create an illustration in the moment.
After that I realized I wanted to start marketing myself as a live event illustrator in Vancouver. So I reached out to Jamal at VFW (Vancouver Fashion Week) to pitch myself as a live illustrator during the shows. I had no real plan for what I was going to do. I looked at what others had done on Instagram at other fashion weeks and sort of combined different aspects of their work I liked into what would become my illustrations at VFW. The first night was a bit hectic, but once I had done the very first night, I had a plan for how to actually accomplish illustrating each collection.
To be honest I don't want to illustrate the full collection. I usually take a photo of one of the first 3 looks in a collection, then illustrate from that photo. I can get a photo of the illustration and the garment by the time the model walks in it at the end of the show. Most of the time I see maybe 10% of a collection because I am too focused on my illustration.
After VFW I booked a booth during two Car Free Days (RIP) and pitched myself on the street to people. Offering $15 quick illustrations. Apparently a woman I illustrated took my card, and later booked me to illustrate at her friend's birthday party. Which then I got booked for a halloween party from that birthday. Shortly after these though I made the move to Zürich Switzerland and had to start the entire process over. Making a new network, learning German, and pitching myself in a new city.
In 2023 you moved from Vancouver, BC, to Zurich, Switzerland. How did you approach starting over building your clientele in a whole new country...a whole new continent?
It was difficult. There was a language barrier obviously. And it seems a particular marketing agency sort of has a chokehold on live events in the area. They work as a middle man between clients and illustrators, but they don't pay the going rate for work like this. I took a few gigs with them for less than it was worth just to be seen really. I also got very lucky when a bride-to-be found my work on instagram and booked me for a 3 day illustration event near St. Moritz in the Alps.
Recently I was able to successfully pitch myself to Zürich Fashion Week through the same process I did for VFW. - just harassing whoever I could find via email until they gave me a chance to show some work examples and explain what I would be doing.
Can you share about some of your work included in your resume - European fashion weeks, brands such as Carolina Herrera and Chanel, L’Oréal, illustrating guests at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof?
Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to illustrate at London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, and Zürich Fashion week. London and Milan became a reality with the help of Jamal from VFW during his shows there. These are always unpaid events usually done to have a fun experience, meet people, give out business cards, film content and network.
Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to illustrate at London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, and Zürich Fashion week. London and Milan became a reality with the help of Jamal from VFW during his shows there. These are always unpaid events usually done to have a fun experience, meet people, give out business cards, film content and network.
Carolina Herrera reached out to me about illustrating at a perfume launch event last year where I would be illustrating the influencers in attendance. A lot of work like this is through getting lucky by being the first listing that comes up on google search, which was the case when I illustrated at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof. The bride found me on Instagram, I believe, and liked my work. She ended up booking me for 18 hours over 3 days. They put me and an assistant in a hotel in the alps over the weekend where I illustrated guests over the wedding weekend.
Events like this also come up by word of mouth. A lot of event organizers know one another, and when they have a good experience, they often will recommend you for another agency or company that is doing a similar event.
How do you source new business opportunities? When you book a new job, how do you approach organizing and preparing? Anything new on the horizon you'd like to share with readers?
Like I said above, oftentimes they come randomly when someone sees your work on instagram or you come up in a google search. As I was checking my email today I saw that someone wants to book me to go to Marrakech to illustrate at a wedding in April. Unfortunately I am unavailable on the date, but that's how it happens. You'll randomly have an email of someone asking if you can do some event a couple months in the future.
My next goal is to get into illustrating at retailers in Zürich. It's one thing to be booked for a wedding, but getting into illustrating at Hermes/YSL/Balenciaga at a collection launch is another. Those types of events happen throughout the year and aren't so seasonal. So I think this month I will be pitching myself (in German) to the local fashion brands that have stores in Zürich.
In closing I would love you know what insight you can share for anyone hoping to pursue a career in fashion illustration.
I guess for someone who wants to do this I'd tell them to just start contacting people who may be interested. Put together a couple examples of your work. Write a cold email, swap out the brand name, and send it to 10 companies that may show interest. The worst is you get a "No" or get ghosted. But maybe someone will be shocked that this even exists as an art form and will show interest. You'd be surprised how many people say "I've never seen this before but it would be perfect for my event!"
Links -
- Website - www.foresttomlin.com
- Instagram - @foresttomlinillustration
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