Free Lancing: Teens and Boys Outfitters

by Alden Cole on May 17, 2014 · 0 comments

FourPagesWP1971: One of my early clients was Teens and Boys Outfitters, a small in-trade publication focused on marketing fashion to that rather specialized segment of the burgeoning male population; which, in the early 70s, was ripe for exploitation, thanks to the English Invasion which had recently transformed the fashion industry. For this monthly publication I drew a number of spot illustrations, primarily fashion items, but also a number of product illustrations — crisp outline drawings in pen and ink. By that time I was most likely using my trusty Rapidograph, alternating between nibs as fine as a double 0 for delicate details, to as thick as a #3 for ragged outlines. I have only a few printed samples from this publication to jog my memory about the experience: plus a few vague memories of the pub’s editor who was very involved in project ideas, as well as the art director who acted as liaison. As with virtually all clients from my fashion illustration days, original drawings were never returned, being considered owned by the client as part of the purchase price. Often times I was lucky enough to be given printed samples of the work I had created, but all too often I had to track down on my own the publication my work was created for, if I wanted to obtain printed samples of my work. Eventually the repetitiousness of the drawings made the importance of maintaining printed samples of all work done by my hand much less important. I was approaching my 28th year, and with it, my first Saturn return, with the changes that particular astrological transit effects…

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