Keeping up with Sunny Gu, fashion illustrator.

Runway fashion illustration-Alexander McQueen by Sunny Gu

Bright and colourful, precisely placed in perfect lines, each line creating an effect, all important and complimenting the other to create an overwhelming master piece.In each specimen of work, the image is not just a regular drawing from an artist, Sunny Gu really instructs movement from the garments that I have the

Watercolour fashion illustration- Jason Wu girl by Sunny Gu

impression that I am watching an animation of a fashion runway rather than exploring a still picture.

Sunny Gu was born and raised in China but later relocated to the United States when she was 13. Painting and drawing had claimed part of her life from a young age starting as a hobby. As she grew she encountered people from various of backgrounds, this triggered her curiosity for other cultures. Sunny explained "I learned to observe and discover beauties in everything around me. I wanted to find a way to capture and preserve the beauty that I see, the kindness that I feel and recreate them in some way" Living in the United States in Alhambra, which is positioned near Los Angeles or the pacific coast she always has an insight of fashionistas and their good sense of style. "It is always very sunny and warm in California, it is like Spring/ Summer all season! Yes I have definitely gained fashion influence here, and I tend to illustrate people wearing sunglasses and bright/tropical themed outfits."

Watercolour fashion illustration- Miss Moschino by Sunny Gu

"I have always been intrigued by bright colours, beautiful things and intricate details" This led her old hobby, into a new job, becoming an illustrator and an artist. However, these compositions did not happen straight away, she had to grow into it and for a long time. " I have drawn for as long as I can remember. Drawing and painting have always been my favourite things to do. Even though I may be drawing stick figures and crayon doodles when I was little, every practice has contributed and has paved away to my artistic growth" She later mentions that she is also her greatest Critic, I look at her work and I see perfection, beauty and amazing works. In her mind it is completely opposite, she will detach herself from the work, sit, stare and evaluate, pointing out things that she could improve on. For her she needs to see both the flaws and the perfections out of her pieces so that she can learn from it, and carry it on for her next piece so that she can advance her skills and knowledge to advance into a better illustrator. She announces that she does this with every piece and yet I still am sat here, trying to find faults or things that

Watercolour fashion illustration- Jason Wu girl by Sunny Gu

I would change, and I just can't. She isn't always criticising herself as she does feel proud when she watches her pieces become bigger than itself.

One of my favourite pieces is the Illustration from one of Alexander McQueens Spring/summer 2012 collection. It would look amazing in a magazine representing McQueen, you do not always need photographs to view the master piece of a constructed art work, when you can portray it in such an elegant, intricate detail, apprehending every part, you can see exactly what it will or does look like. Not only can you see it but I am able to feel it too, with all the careful strokes I can sense the materials texture tingling on my fingertips. "What mediums do you use to accomplish this?"
" I paint them in watercolour, I love the vibrancy and the unpredictable nature of watercolour. Occasionally I use graphite or acrylic paint to render some of the special textures" Special it really truly is.

Watercolour fashion illustration-Alexander McQueen by Sunny Gu

Becoming a Fashion illustrator is her dream career as not only do you design but it can become a part of things in so many different ways from editorial, printed garments, decorations, packaging design or serves a product campaign. A fashion Illustrator is definitely not limited and the great thing about it is, there is so many different personal styles and preferences there can not be a right or a wrong to a fashion illustration. As we are ending our interview she says to me that she wants to keep growing to become a better illustrator, conceptually and technically. I ask for advice just before the end. " Keep chasing your dreams and create your own
opportunities."

If you would like to be updated more about Sunny Gu, view more or even purchase her work then these are the websites you need to check out!

Sunny Gu's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sunnysgy?fref=ts
Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/sunnygu?ref=l2-shop-info-name
Online portfolio: http://sunnygu.com/

watercolour fashion illustration- Chloe by Sunny Gu

All photos that you see on this blog post are Sunny Gu's work and are all copyrighted to Sunny Gu.