Page 160 - sarah-simblet_sketch-book-for-the-artist
P. 160
COSTUME160 opposite, and both share the power of scarlet and black.
Gruau uses starkly cut negative space (see pp. 5 8 - 5 9 ) and a
Femmes Fatales three-spoke balance of cuffs and cropped trousers to create
an almost flag-like emblem of power.
THESE DEVASTATING femmes fatales force back the onlooker
with their demure, elegant chic and svelte, muscular Spider-Girl leaps like an insect, diving to catch us in the
aggression. Fashion and fantasy drawings invent prototypes grip of her machine-like limbs. Fine lines drawn against
of ideals and perfection—be they for the catwalk or the the building behind her echo the threads on which we have
fast-paced pages of comic books. all seen arachnids drop and hang. Airbrushed reflective
surfaces further amplify our perception of speed.
Rene Gruau's bold gouache drawing of smoothly
swaying sophistication captures a brilliantly cut garment
and frames it with great dynamism in a white, studio-like
rectangle of paper. His model is outlined, as is Spider-Girl
RENE GRUAU
Italian-French fashion illustrator w h o in his long
and esteemed career worked with many of the
g r e a t e s t d e s i g n e r s o f 2 0 t h - c e n t u r y haute couture.
Gruau's highly distinctive drawings have appeared
i n n u m e r o u s m a g a z i n e s i n c l u d i n g Elle. Vogue.
Harpers & Queen, a n d L'Officiel de la Couture.
India ink and gouache This swish of confidence and style
enters the page turning everyone's head. Gruau's model
regally swans to the fore with cool pride, demanding our
attention with gesture and flair. She has been drawn with
brushes dipped into India ink and gouache, possibly over a
pencil outline. The black red, and gray pigments were applied
separately. Drying time in between applications ensured the
colors did not run into each other.
Composition Look how well this image is frame
spacehorizontalline cropping the trousers be
knee is parallel to the bottom edge
outermostuprightbordersof her cuffs are similar
thesidesoftheimage,and tilted to the same de
above her head a little deeper than sp
kneestogivehergravity. Compare the compositio
ofcroppedtrousershere to the device of the w
beneathVanDyke'sstudy of armor on p. 158.
Illustration for Jacques Fath in
L'Officiel de la C o u t u r e
1949
RENE GRUAU
