Compose two styles
Rather than blending two styles into a middle, this assigns them roles: one carries the structure, the other appears as an accent. Where the two fight, it says so before you start.
How to divide the work
- Composition
- Follow Dandyism: Follow shoulder and waist to the body, set length and lapel from build
- Type
- Set in Dandyism's manner (Keep any mark inside the lining and let nothing show outside), and let Fashion Plate's lettering (One quiet line of description in a light face under the figure) appear only where you want the eye to catch.
- Material
- Ground in Dandyism's material (Fine worsted, white linen, polished leather, all kept by hand); bring in exactly one thing from Fashion Plate (Fine engraved outline with hand color, ground left as paper).
- Colour
- Build on #eae6de, #6b655c, #1a1815 and admit one accent from #eae6de, #6b655c, #1a1815.
Where they fight
- Both belong to Fashion History, so the difference is small. Push the roles further apart than feels comfortable.
Caution
- Dandyism Assuming that costlier cloth is always better leaves the fit unresolved and the look showy, and restraint, the whole point, disappears.
- Fashion Plate Leaning on a beautiful pose hides how the sleeve is set and the hem finished, and the plate stops working as a record.
Image prompt
An original image that takes its structure from Dandyism (Style, 1790s–) and its accent from Fashion Plate (Technique, 1770s–1930s). Structural cues: Perfect tailoring; Restrained color; The cleanliness of white linen; Obsession with detail. Accent cues, used sparingly: Hand-colored linework; Idealized poses; Descriptive costume drawing; Periodical format. Composition: Follow shoulder and waist to the body, set length and lapel from build. Type and lettering: Keep any mark inside the lining and let nothing show outside. Let one material quality come from the second style: Fine engraved outline with hand color, ground left as paper. Mood: Luxury, Rebellion, Calm, Nostalgia. Color: build on #eae6de, #6b655c, #1a1815 with a single accent drawn from #eae6de, #6b655c, #1a1815. Constraints: do not imitate, reference or name any specific artist, studio, brand, character or copyrighted work. Produce an original composition in the general period languages described above.
Related entries
- Dandyism 1790s– / Style / Fashion History
A menswear aesthetic that makes a work of the self through tailoring, cleanliness and restraint rather than ornament. From it come the plain suit and a long line of self-assertion through dress.
- Fashion Plate 1770s–1930s / Technique / Fashion History
The illustrated medium that delivered the latest fashion in hand-colored prints, the ancestor of the magazine, the illustration and the style drawing.
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