Custom iPad Illustrations | Macys Front Row NYFW



I kicked off this New York Fashion Week by live-sketching Macy's Front Row party for the second consecutive year. This season however I used an Apple Pencil and iPad to draw custom fashion illustrations of party guests. Digital sketching is quite different from my traditional live-sketching with my actual art supplies on paper. I have to admit its a lot more challenging especially when trying to complete each sketch quickly and not make the illustrations not look too cartoony. The guests (and clients) loved them though and it certainly makes posting to social media quick and easy since digital files of the completed sketches are sent instantly.

Macy's upped the entertainment wow factor this year with surprise guest performances by Spinderella and Salt-n-Pepa! Sketching party go-ers while these women rocked the stage was incredible, and certainly took me back. (Salt-n-Pepa's Let's Talk About Sex was actually one of my very first CDs!) Their performance, along with spotting fashion icon Betsy Johnson, who I snapped a quick pic of and had to draw (shown above, bottom left) and meeting and drawing loads lovely guests, some of which were even sketched by me last year and came to find me again, made for a fun night and great start to my fashion week. You can check out Macy's Front Row fashion show which airs tonight at 8pm on E!

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Unknown said...

I've been looking for a way to sketch on my iPad. Besides the pen, did you use a particular app?

Brooke Hagel said...

@kdisaacs, Yes for this event I used the ProCreate app. I've tried a few like some others for different effects but so far I've found ProCreate to be the most well rounded.

Anonymous said...

I am reading the first book of Chloe by Design and I really love how beautiful your sketches are. Your designs inspire me to continue to draw more because I want to be a fashion designer when I am old enough. My question is, because you are so good at drawing are you a fashion designer?

Brooke Hagel said...

Thank you! No I'm not a designer although I did major in fashion design in college. My favorite part of the design process was always the illustrations, so I became a fashion illustrator.