Blue Logan, Pencil Paparazzi

So Art Basel 2009 is officially over, and I have to admit… I had the pleasure of meeting a wild batch of characters throughout the week. One of them was a fashion illustrator. He has taken fashion journalism to a new level by illustrating from the most amazing fashion shows around the world, parties, celebrities, and altogether interesting people.

Blue Logan does not carry a camera around wherever he goes. Instead, he carries a sketchpad. The artist was born in London, but has crossed the pond to sketch the parties, people, and everything that happens when the sun goes down and the music is loud. He illustrates everything that happens in New York, London, Paris, and Milan.. all the way from the streets to Fashion Week, which is the reason why he was given the name “Pencil Paparazzi.”

In an interview with Vogue UK, Logan explains that one of the things that he enjoys the most is drawing the crowd before the show starts, thus capturing the excitement and essence of the ambience. I ran into him at the Standard, where he was showing his last week’s sketches in Miami, and he was nice enough to answer a few questions that I had… Personally, I very much appreciate the skill required to illustrate rather quickly. As a designer myself, I am required to sketch out my designs and I am a huge fan of quick-sketching. I love Logan’s line work and his use of color, shading, and the way he creates textures with very few materials.

Barbie Bertisch: How long ago was it that you started illustrating professionally?

Blue Logan: About 4 years ago. Although I seem to lose track of time. I could have sworn half the films I know came out 2 years ago, and its hideous to discover they were all released in ‘98.

BB: Which one was your first catwalk, if you remember, or the most memorable?

BL: The first show I drew was Aquascutum, i think. It’s hard to be precise because a Fashion Week day consists of about 10 shows for me, which is as much as I can take. It was in London though, around the time when I got to draw Nathan Jenden, Richard Nicoll, Fashion East, etc…

BB: Who’s the craziest looking person you’ve drawn?

BL: I like drawing Diane Pernet. She has this look as if she would be fabulously happy living on the death star.

(Diane Pernet is a well-known fashion journalist, head of a Shaded View on Fashion)

BB: What inspires you?

BL: People interacting. I like to see the clamour for attention, the joy of someone’s passion, for example, the happiness they radiate just to be at a Chanel show, the serious-faced reporters, the assistants, the nodding whispers of ‘who is that, again?’. There is a lot that goes on at a fashion show. This is what I’m interested in by fashion. What inspires me artistically, in and out of that arena, is lovely lines. I love drawing and working with a line. When I pull off a good line, I’m very happy.

BB: Which one is your favorite city as far as inspiration for drawing goes?

BL: Paris for fashion. anywhere for everything else.

BB: What is your favorite medium?

BL: At shows and parties, I usually end up with a bar man’s pen. I don’t really care what I use. I do love charcoal though, but I would never use it out and about.

BB: Artists you admire?

BL: Lautrec, George Grosz, Matisse, my father Peter Logan, Calder, to name but a few…

To check out Blue Logan’s site go to http://www.bluelogan.co.uk . Blue Logan is part of the RESTLESS artist group, and illustrates most Fashion Week’s events around the globe.