By Andrea Horne
Illustrations by Rhian Awni
Fashion On Print
AN INTERVIEW WITH
FASHION ILLUSTRATOR RHIAN AWNI
Rhian Awni is a charming fashion
illustrator based in Reykjavik, Iceland. With over 500 sales and nearly
3,000 admirers at her online store, it
is easy to see why her designs are so
popular. Her illustrations are whimsical, flirty, and romantic that reminds
you of a childhood dream of what an
ideal life would be like as an adult.
Let’s find out more on how Rhian
brings her creations to life.
tionally. I did not study illustration in
college and actually have a Bachelors
Degree in computer science. Illustration was always my hobby and I developed it over the years. I went back
to school to get a Masters Degree in
graphic design. That is what got me
started in my business as a graphic
designer in 2009, and later an illustrator when I started combining my
illustrations with my designs.
When did you start drawing fashion
illustrations?
I hope this does not like a cliché answer, but I have been drawing since
I was a little kid. My mother, who
loved drawing fashionable women,
encouraged me. She always gave me
constructive feedback and taught me
how to draw human figures propor-
What is your preferred medium?
I work both with watercolors and
Photoshop to create my illustrations.
That way, they still have the texture
of the traditional medium, yet look
crisper and more refined when I digitally color over the original illustrations.
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PHOCUS POINT
What is your creative process and
how long does it take to complete a
drawing?
I first start with a pencil sketch. After
I get my client›s approval, I redraw
my illustration on watercolor paper and color it. I then scan it and
digitally modify in Photoshop to add
more colors and textures. It usually
takes up to 8 hours to complete an
illustration, but sometimes even
longer than that!
What inspires your work and motivates you to draw?
I love music and it’s a big part of my
inspiration. I am also inspired by
other artists’ work, interesting colors
and palettes I see in the environment, and fashionable people I see
on social media and in real life.