So I just went to this amazing fashion illustration drawing class held in the Brooklyn Public Library.  That my friend is quite a feat for me as it was an hour subway ride into the unknown BK to get there.  However, it was for a great reason. Many of my fashion illustration idols were showcasing their work there as part of a fashion week presentation and a free drawing class was being held and taught by THE guy who wrote the BOOK on fashion illustration, literally – the text book.  He is none other than Steven Stipelman and he is a pretty big deal.  His work graced the covers of Women’s Wear Daily (the fashion bible), Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Vogue, Du Pont, Estee Lauder, Lord & Taylor and many more.  I would travel way more than an hour to Brooklyn to see him.  So, I did.

We were to bring our own drawing supplies and the first 20 guests would receive a fashion week gift bag: brand new Prismacolor markers, pencils, and pens. Heaven!

I sat down, next to some elder gentleman and he was setting up his gigantic sheets of paper, watercolor palettes, brushes and water. I didn’t really think anything of it until he started drawing.  Not to toot my own horn, but I think I’m pretty good at this illustration thing and I had assummmeeedddd that I would be in the top 5 or so of the class in terms of skill.  Back in my FIT days I would always take pride in being, or trying to be one of the best artists or designers in a classroom.  Student, on the other hand… A lot of FIT girls were smart so that was a bit harder to be in the top 5ish.

Anyway, we were to draw from live models and had variations of 10 and 20 minutes to draw each figure.   This guy was good. Really good; intimidatingly good.  The instructor told us to draw with our pencil in a flowy motion, to use the side of the point to get a range in size of the marks and to shade. I hadn’t done this in a while, and my illustrations as of the last two years were much more precise and realistic.  Then I saw the man drawing next to me with his gorgeous watercolor paintings.  I decided to experiment. I used my Prismacolor markers to shade, I tried quick hand drawing in a more “flowy way” the live models.  I guess at my office I got a little used to spending more time, and making more precise, anatomically correct lines as opposed to these freeform and exaggerated fashion illustrations.

So to make a long story, err short(er) I noticed that in trying new things and voyaging into paths untaken you must start from the beginning, or a few steps back.  In imperfection there is truth. Imperfection shows your growth, the mistakes and trials it takes on your JOURNEY to get to the horizon.  You must go out of your comfort zone more, especially when you are getting good at something – in order to get better. Sometimes you must recalibrate your compass and get back on the track you may have veered off of.  What can you do NOW to get back there, what new things can you try and habits can you break to push your capabilities and educate yourself a bit further?

The same goes for imperfection in general. I choose to use these sketches above from the aforementioned drawing class to show how they came out – if I was in my usual perfectionist mindset I surely would not have used these images.  I am not perfect and showing your imperfections reveals and reminds us all that we are merely human.  We make mistakes, we have off days.

Applying this understanding to life, and relationships you sometimes have to show your raw, imperfect and unpolished truth to really connect and allow people to see where you are truly coming from.  Sometimes in relationships, playing the perfect person, friend, wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, sister, brother, etcetera is misleading and often times can miscommunicate what you are really intending.  If you make a mistake, you need to own it, take responsibility and don’t try to cover it up.  I am so guilty of that myself.  Having the desire to be perfect and not letting anyone see your flaws is a surefire way to protect yourself, but sometimes so much so that you draw boundaries and put up walls that others can’t knock down, or may turn away before they even try.

In imperfection there is truth.  Where can you show your imperfect, yet beautiful truth with others?

Hope that inspires you!
xoxo
Emily