The Essence of Illustration with Belinda Bawa

Belinda Bawa, designer, artiste, fashion researcher and currently a mentor of illustration at the Whistling Woods International Neeta Lull School of Fashion talks about significance of ‘Illustration’ in a designers’ life. With a versatile background and undying passion for innovation and creativity, Belinda Bawa ‘illustrates’ her knowledge and experience as an ‘illustrator’!

Where did you start and how did you get into ‘Fashion Illustration’?

Belinda: It all started with the design project of the film Devdas. Neeta was working on the costumes for the film and asked me to come up with dramatic and elaborate sari designs. I joined hands and that made all the difference for me.

Why is it essential to understand and learn illustration? How is it practically beneficial?

Belinda: You can’t express an idea without drawing it out. Even a basic designer needs to be able to illustrate the design to successfully communicate the concept to the tailor. Because unless you can portray your ideas properly, you cannot get clothes made properly.

How has the rise of digital media influenced fashion illustration?

Belinda: It definitely makes my life easier. It saves a lot of time and helps me with like erasing, color options, touch ups and other developmental work. However, the core of design for me would be paper and pencil and I don’t supplement it with digital media.

Illustration by Belinda Bawa

What scope does a fashion illustrator have?

Belinda: The scope for an illustrator is still limited in India but is growing no doubt. Fashion weeks nowadays demand good illustration and not just good clothes. Designers, film makers look for dramatic representation of a concept, which only an illustrator can do.

Is fashion education essential for ‘illustration’? If so, why?

Belinda: Yes, education is very important. You cannot draw what you don’t know. There are terminologies and concepts one needs to learn before transferring the thought to paper.

Illustration: Belinda

How would you define your style?

Belinda: My style is more fluid. My characters are mostly bold, with fluidity in movement and poses. I usually tend to mix traditional Indian styles with graphic, classic and dramatic.

1920s Illustration by Erte

What and who inspires your illustrations?

Belinda: Beauty- the Beauty of clothes, beauty of women and the beauty of the human anatomy. Works of Erte, Thierry Perez and Reuben Toledo are very inspiring. They are like Gods of illustration.

3 things you would suggest aspiring students to keep in mind while illustrating?

Belinda: Look, look and keep looking. Because your eyes always fool you. So observe everything around you and draw. Draw what you see, draw what you feel and draw whatever comes to your mind.

What scope or industry opportunity does fashion education from WWINLSF open up for aspirants?

Belinda: The students at our institute get to work in proximity to designers and film makers, which eventually will be their future clients. So they are already prepared with a platform to start their career.