Hey guys, so I finally have what I promised! The interview with my favourite fashion illustrator Zyra Banez! I’ll leave her youtube below for you to check it out. She’s very nice and likes talking to her fans.
1. Did you always want to be a fashion illustrator or did you develop the passion?
I would say that I developed a passion. To be honest, I was never that into fashion when I was younger so I definitely didn’t imagine being a fashion illustrator around that age.
2. How did you start off with fashion art?
Well, I was introduced to it when I was watching Big Brother (Philippinesversion) and this girl made an illustration of a dress she designed. I fell in love with it and tried to copy it. That’s kind of what started me with the whole fashion illustration.
3. How has your practice and work developed over time?
I would say that I’ve come a fairly long way in my work. My style has definitely changed over time, although I’m not sure I’ve truly found my style yet. I guess how it developed was due to my determination to just get better. I’m quite passionate about it which is my main drive. I’m also always surrounded by people better than me, artists that I look up to, and I always try to learn from them.
4. What are your most used art materials?
I use Quill Multiboard A4 white paper, Pilot GTEC 0.3mm black pen, Copic markers and Faber-Castell coloured pencils of course I also use pencils and erasers, by Pentel and Faber-Castell, respectively.
5. How do you get your ideas for illustrations and designs?
I normally get my ideas from things that I like. For example, last year I was completely in love with the Dolce and Gabbana haute couture collection 2013 and from there I was able to generate my own designs. I like following trends and being on Tumblr most of the time, so that’s probably my main source of things I like.
6. What do you dislike about your work?
It’s not so much the work that I really dislike. I’d say that I dislike the process I have when creating the work which affects the final outcome of my illustrations. I’m quite lazy and just try to “wing it” every time I create a drawing. The final result always ends up not looking the way I wanted it to. That’s mostly the case for my artworks and I am still trying to change that (with no luck), but I try to focus more on what I like about my work rather than what I dislike, just because thinking about what I dislike about my work will just stress and irritate me to no end.
7. Who is your favourite artist?
Well I really like Jackson Pollock especially his abstract artworks. I’ve always liked abstract paintings and how they make absolutely no sense to me, but I love them anyway. His work is particularly my favourite. I also like Katie Rogers as a fashion illustrator. She’s definitely what really interested me on learning how to draw fashion illustration, not just drawing it. Looking at her illustrations made me really interested in doing my research and teaching myself in hopes to be like her one day.
8. How long have you been drawing?
I have been drawing ever since I could remember, and I always say when I was 6. It’s only because it’s my earliest memory of when was drawing, but I’m pretty sure I started at a really young age. It’s always what I’ve been known for and what people associate me with, so drawing has definitely been a part of my life for a very long time.
9. What’s the best thing about being an artist?
That’s a tough question and something I’ve never really thought of. I guess the best perk to being an artist is having not having to buy expensive paintings to hang on my wall because I always just think that I’ll hang my own artworks instead. Of course that makes me seem like a narcissist, but as much as I would like to purchase original artworks from some of my favourite artists, I just don’t have the money. So to decorate my room, I hang my artworks instead of buying some.
10. Any advice to the upcoming fashion illustrators starting out?
Definitely work hard and practice. It’s such an over used advise, but people always overlook this advice. I like to draw whenever possible, so a simple doodle for me on a regular basis is my kind of practice which just reinforces my creative thinking and my skills. I really believe that this works. Perhaps not to everyone, but majority. Keep practicing and keep motivated.
Thanks so much for talking to us Zyra and giving us that great advice!
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/zyra333
Lauren Williams 