Art and writing by Emily Elliot
If anyone took the time to flip through the pages of my sketchbooks, the most frequent drawing you’d see is a woman in a wide brimmed hat. This drawing is considerably a personal motif in my sketches. Whoever this woman is, she is a visual fingerprint for me and my work, she serves as something similar to that of a signature.
When I was given the opportunity to create an illustration as a cover contender for Over Magazine’s first issue, there was nothing that felt as aparent to my personal style than this image.
Growing up, I was heavily interested in fashion, comics, and the style of the French New Wave; I was starstruck by the fashion illustration of Antonio Lopez, the Vogue Magazine from the 1920’s and 1930’s painted by Eduardo Benito, as well as the comic series “Valentina” illustrated by Guido Crepax during the 1960’s. Perhaps this little motif is my attempt at meshing my three biggest inspirations into my own visual style. I believe that everything in art is borrowed, inspired, or recycled, and personal style is only evolved by the desire to visually transform your own art into that of something you admire.
Since Over Magazine can serve as a platform to showcase the works of young artists, I wanted to illustrate what I was most comfortable drawing, as well as what I love to draw; “the-wide-brimmed-hat-lady”, which is my attempt at becoming and impressing my artistic inspirations.
Follow Emily on Instagram: @emruthart