Illustration Month cruises along here at ADC, with our kickass exhibition presented in partnership with the Society of Illustrators opening last week  here at the ADC Gallery — it’s open until December 19, so get in when you can! On the ADC blog, we continue our ADC Illustrator of the Day series, spotlighting the many illustrators who are also ADC Members. Some are professionals, some are students, and some just draw for fun.

Our next ADC Member is a Stockholm-born fashion illustrator here in New York.

KRISTIN DEDORSON

New York, NY, USA
kdedorson.com
storiesbykristin.com
kristin@kdedorson.com

718.668.5023

Follow @kristindedorson

Almost every kid likes to draw. When did it become more than just a kindergarten project for you? How was that interest nurtured?

I started to make clothes for myself in high school, then decided I wanted to be a fashion designer. To get in to the schools, I had to practice my drawing skills. To start with, I just used sketching to illustrate the designs I wanted to create. Later on my focus shifted to give more attention to the illustrations themselves.

How much of your ability is self-taught versus through schooling?

I started to make clothes for myself in high school, then decided I wanted to be a fashion designer. To get in to the schools, I had to practice my drawing skills. To start with, I just used sketching to illustrate the designs I wanted to create. Later on my focus shifted to give more attention to the illustrations themselves.

How would you best describe your illustration style? Would you say that you had a specialty?

“Scandinavian simplicity meets contemporary fashion.” I was trying different techniques and styles for some years, and eventually found some combinations that I always came back to. I try to keep developing my style to challenge myself and I love to mix different influences to create unique expressions.

Fashion editorial is what inspires me the most. So far my main focus has been fashion design, but I’m planning to move more towards illustration and would love to find a perfect mix of editorial and commercial assignments.

“I often draw my illustrations in layers even if I make them by hand, and then merge them in Photoshop. I’m too much of a perfectionist to make them in one go by hand.”

What’s your weapon of choice? Any particular brands or models you swear by?

I use ink for almost all illustrations. Sometimes I combine it with pencil and water color. I often draw my illustrations in layers even if I make them by hand, and then merge them in Photoshop. I’m too much of a perfectionist to make them in one go by hand. I love to have the ability to edit them afterwards and try different options. When I’m designing apparel, I use markers to best show all the details, materials and different layers.

What other artistic passions do you have?

I love Latin dancing, salsa and bachata in particular.

Which professionals do you look up to the most in the illustration world?

Swedish illustrator Lovisa Burfitt is one of my favourites. She creates really strong expressions and clear visual messages in very few lines. And New York based Cecilia Carlstedt has a beautiful style as well.

At the end of the day, what do you love most about being an illustrator?

I am a very visual person, so images are my way of communicating. I love to translate words into pictures. And I love that I can keep learning and develop my style.