Harris Tweed

A friend of mine is intensely interested in Harris Tweed. He has visited the islands where it is made, talked with the mill owners and sees an opportunity to invest in a Harris Tweed rebirth. His interest has peeked my own and has caused a heavy influence of Tweed in many of my illustrations.

A big question though, is Harris Tweed viable in the 21st Century?

All of the tweed is made on a specific set of islands in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. All of the tweed is home spun and can be made no other way. Parliament even enacted legislation to protect Harris Tweed from being produced anywhere else with any other standards than how it is produced in the Outer Hebrides. A special Orb is attached to all approved Harris Tweed to guarantee authenticity. The islands' economies are almost exclusively based on the production and sale of this special wool.

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With most fashion labels producing ready made clothing in large factories at ever cheaper prices the cost of doing business in the Outer Hebrides is high. Businesses are purchasing less of the heavy weight wool and expensive artisan craftsmanship to produce their items at the lowest and cheapest costs.

Is anyone interested in wool fabrics for leisure in the spring and summer?

Is there a demand for high quality and intricate craftsmanship?

Tie + Jacket Collection

For those of you wondering where you might find a Book Page Fashion Illustration the mystery will soon be resolved. Tomorrow is the launch of the online gallery and store. The link will be available here tomorrow so be sure to check it out.

The first release will be the Tie and Jacket Collection with new releases coming each of the next three weeks.

Every Book Page Fashion Illustration is an original Watercolor painting on recycled book pages. Tie +Jacket is a fashion series focusing on bold lines and strong compositions. The pursuit of Knowledge, Sophistication and Creativity are the framework for every illustration.

The Fashion Book Page Illustrations...

As time progresses the beauty of the Fashion Book Page Illustrations deepens. The textures and colors and lines move delicately and proudly around the page as the color undulates in and out of the surface plane. See some of the current work below and let me know what you think of what they have become.  

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The Black and White, Black Friday Photoshoot...

This is a photoshoot I was lucky enough to have my brother around for. He is the model in the photographs. We were trying out this idea for Black Friday and the Book Page Fashion Illustrations. It was to be called Black & White, Black Friday and we were featuring some illustrations that were done with just the black ink and no watercolor. I have to say, the whole experiment was a bust. It may have been the lateness of my decision or my lack of marketing experience, but in the end I did come away with this great set of images.

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