Meagan Morrison

Meagan Morrison

My favourite part of this illustration is the movement in the skirt from expressive and quick brush strokes. I really like the simplicity of each section of this illustration as it emphasises the strokes and therefore the movement of the dress. It is still very realistic however through the proportion and colour palette. I like the way the landscape is mostly cool tones and then the dress is a pop of warm tones, surrounded by warm elements. I do think this illustration is more like a photograph however and therefore doesn’t focus on the clothing. I also don’t think there is a clear separation between the background and foreground which would help highlight the dress.

I think the use of colour in this illustration is well thought out as the green and yellow of the background complement the red of the coat and the yellow reflects on the coat which gives a lot of depth and brings life to the illustration. I love the way Morrison fills the entire page and fills in the background with a landscape as it creates a visualisation for the clothing and tells a story. I like how the cars and building look realistic however are slightly distorted and disproportionate as they look cartoon-like which is very unique. I think the purple works well as it separates the figure from the background and highlights the clothing. Purple and yellow are also complementary colours so look good together.

I think the contrast of yellow with the exaggerated highlights in white and shadows in black works well together as it creates a more textured material and adds depth. I also think the pop of blue really compliments the yellow and mimics a shadow. I like the way the shadow is cool while the rest of the image is a warm tone which also helps to move the model into the foreground even though it is the same colour as the background. I don’t really like how the belt has been completed at it has a lot more detail than the rest of the illustration and has very little yellow which I believe makes it stand out from the rest of the painting and appears to be a different style to the rest of the illustrations. Initially, I thought this was created using watercolour due to the surface texture of the blue on the yellow, however there are elements of impasto which indicates this was created using a form of paint such as gouache or acrylic.

I like the use of colour as its feminine, strong and organic which I feel is very relevant right now, but there is a lot of colour that matches the clothing which makes the clothing blend into the surroundings. I think this illustration is very busy and full which helps to set a scene and for the viewer to visualise an idealised life, however it also distracts from the clothing. I do like how the model is in the background rather than the foreground however because it’s quite unique and quirky. I don’t think the placement of the model is a good choice as it doesn’t take into account the rule of thirds, so the viewers eye is initially drawn to other elements like the plant in the top right, which is a lot more detailed than the rest of the illustration so stands out for this reason as well.