Attack in creation is often a splendid way to approach a subject, and Richard Peter Winnett certainly shows panache in his sexy and bold drawings. Yet there are other examples of Winnett’s work that have a languor and gentleness, demonstrating that he is much more than a one-trick pony. What is especially potent within his work is a feeling for implied mise-en-scène. We know what is hinted at in the space within his drawings even when he eliminates most of it. His characters are never isolated from their environment; even his bold, linear silhouette drawings are strictly urban in their atmosphere.
Winnett has several styles. These include a fluid line, often on a black background, which is illustrative and loose, and a more worked realistic style, which seems to have a high-gloss relationship with international brands such as Gucci or Louis Vuitton. His portfolio demonstrates a mastery of drawing: a girl seated firmly, convincingly, on a chair, a hand holding a lipstick that actually seems to be gripping the case.
Winnett’s work exudes the same understanding of fashion illustration as a communication tool dependent on solid drawing skills as, for example, Gerd Grimm’s or Bernard Blossac’s did in the twentieth century. To communicate fashion through illustration requires in-depth knowledge of the subject and an opinion about it – it is not sufficient to simply like clothes and mark making. The figures in Winnett’s images bear witness to a real person wearing real fashion. Whether drawing lingerie, hairdressing, entire fashion collections or even mineral water, Winnett places his characters in an invented world for the pleasure of the viewer.
Although technically unlike Alberto Vargas’s illustrations of pin-ups, Winnett’s illustrations have a Vargas-like quality of sexiness without vulgarity, subtle exposure. His women in particular stretch and wind their way across the page as if held in some timeless boudoir of dreams. A love of women is a key characteristic of many fashion illustrators – there is nothing prurient in their gaze, simply a need to express admiration through the medium of illustration.
Dirty Blond Applying Red Lipstick, 2009.
Winnett captures the moment when a woman applies lipstick with all the focus on the profile of the face and torso. This timeless image links directly to the work of Eric and other fashion illustrators seemingly endlessly fascinated by the minutiae of women’s fashionable behaviour.
Cat Mask Coat, 2005.
Snuggled down in her frilled wrap, drinking seductively through a straw, it takes a second look to realize that the wrap is actually formed of cat masks.
Blond in Fashion Print Chair, 2004.
A most unusual angle, and a heightened sense of using this viewpoint for the illustration, lends a staggering sexy confidence to this image, where the heels seem to raise the sitter back into the chair.
Tarot Card ‘Flat’ Girl, 2008.
Like a siren or even a sorceress this long-haired model crouches in front of a coruscating starburst of light, the fringe both hiding and at the same time accentuating her deeply made-up eyes.
Where and when were you born, and where do you live now?
I was born in Belleville, Ontario in Canada and currently live in Vancouver, BC. Our family moved from Canada down to the USA when I was young but I moved back for art school and have lived up here since. I’ve been on the west coast since graduating from NSCAD University on the east coast. I love Vancouver, with its beautiful scenery and laid-back lifestyle.
Any particular childhood influences?
I was definitely influenced by music videos, comic books, movies of all kinds, travelling throughout the USA, my older brother’s artistic talent, flipping through glamour magazines in college through the present day, and artists like Patrick Nagel, Frank Miller, Picasso, designer David Carson, all things New York-style, plus Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel work.
What is your earliest drawing memory?
I remember practising drawing cartoon faces when I was about five years old, I think – trying to get the facial expression just right.
What was your first professional work?
The poster for a grand prix in Halifax, Nova Scotia, was my first commission. It was an oil painting of a F1 racecar.
Do you have a preferred medium?
I prefer mixed media – brush with ink, acrylic perhaps, then digital colour to finish.
Do you work in silence or with background music / radio?
Definitely music – alternative rock, trance or pop works great.
What would be your ideal commission?
A project with no artistic constraints and plenty of time and budget to produce the work is perfect. High expectations from everyone tend to produce the best results as well.
Are you a slow and careful or quick and speedy draughtsman?
The initial drawings tend to be quick and speedy to get the flow right, then the process slows down as more details and refinements are added.
Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes – with lots of incoherent scribbles and repetitive contours.
How would you describe your work?
Lush color and sensual lines with a touch of chaos underneath the surface.
Do you research your subjects? How do you research?
Fashion mags and the internet mostly – often the client provides their own photography as well for reference.
How does your personal work relate to your professional output?
My personal work is more experimental and edgy. I can take more risks in the work.
Anything else you wish to tell the reader?
Always trust your instinct and remember to let go.
Red-haired Girl in Violet Lingerie, 2009.
This Marlene Dietrich-like image of lingerie and hosiery is timeless in its seductive glamour – the model gazes at the viewer through half-closed eyes in a way that is both calculating and mysterious.
Faux Leather Biker Jacket and Overdye Stretch Denim Jacket, DKNY, 2008.
How many rejects were torn up before the final effortless versions appeared? Deceptively easy and relaxed, this style of fashion illustration is among the most difficult to pull off successfully.
Polka-dot Dress, 2005.
Heightening a black and white fashion illustration with colour is a simple device but selecting the accent colour requires an expert eye. Here, Winnett opts for an icy sea foam colour that is totally unexpected.
Christian Dior Navy Blue Pinstripe Suit and Tien Le Tux with Ring by Paloma Picasso, from ‘In the Line of Fashion’, 2003.
Androgyny in illustration offers opportunities to align the similarities – here demonstrated in the asymmetric fringes and the striped suits.
Adriana in Pink Lingerie, 2005.
Poised in front of a huge looking glass this model is ready and dressed for her portrait since she is wearing tiny black tulle mittens. The soft rose of the corset-stitched top perfectly complements her skin tones and accentuates the black bows and stockings.