Journal des Demoiselles 1915

This page from "Journal des Demoiselles" in 1915, was made anonymously with the use of drawing, watercolour and stencil. It feels so gentle, doesn't it? The colour palette is restrained, almost muted, focusing more on line, and the delicate hatching and sponging effect in the skirts gives it a real sense of depth. Look at the way the ink delicately blooms around the edges of the strokes. See the interplay between sharp lines and soft washes of colour? These are the kind of things that only come about through really paying attention to the process, allowing for the unexpected. Notice that the lines are not perfect, the artist is not afraid of the odd wobble or change of direction. I'm reminded of Toulouse-Lautrec, who also worked commercially but managed to elevate fashion illustration to something else entirely. Ultimately it is this embrace of the accidental, or imperfect that makes the image feel so alive. Art is about embracing the unexpected, after all.