I often join in on drawing challenges that are hosted on Instagram and love to create stylised fashion drawings using a pleasing colour palette. Last week's drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram involved a very pleasing colour palette. I chose to draw this fashion illustration which includes a geometric floral coat and I used the orange and red for the floral print. The background uses the pinks.

The colour palette consists of corals and pinks that work really well together.

Tongoro

The latest theme for the The Tuesday Collective drawing challenge on Instagram is 'Tongoro', which is a high end African brand that was launched in 2016 by Sarah Diouf. Her style includes dramatic silhouettes in bold prints and her creations have been worn by celebrities such as Beyonce and Naomi Campbell. You can find more on Instagram here.

This is my interpretation of the Tongoro style. I chose a bold dress with a fabulous black and white design and used an orange background for drama.

The dress I chose to draw is called the Jana dress and is made from a black and white wavy printed fabric. It has oversize bell sleeves and a ruched bodice.

Snakes

 The prompt word for last week's drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram was 'snakes' so I chose to draw this fabulous snake shirt from Fara Boutique. I also added a pair of serpent earrings.

The snake shirt is made from 100% silk and has a hand-drawn snake motif. Its oversized mid length fit means it drapes beautifully. The snake is symbolic of rebirth, death and mortality in Hindu culture.

There are also matching snake trousers which are also made of silk and have a flattering drape to them. They have a drawstring waist as well as handy pockets.

The snake earrings are from Danamara Jewellery. They are made from 18 carat gold coated brass and have a fabulous emerald crystal at the top.

Jewel tones

The prompt word for last week's drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram was 'Jewel Tones' so I decided to draw this stunning printed dress, inspired by a dress from Farm Rio. I loved the colour palette and the bold print, and the teal background really sets off the vibrant colours.

The colour palette I chose to use included reds and oranges with a touch of purple and pink.

Pleats please!

I love participating in the drawing challenges from The Tuesday collective on Instagram. A few weeks ago, the prompt word was 'pleats'. I generally like to draw something fashion-related for these drawing challenges so I chose to draw this green chiffon pleated dress from H&M. It was a bit of a challenge as the see-through nature of the fabric made it difficult to recreate, but I think I got there in the end!

This H&M calf-length dress is made from a pleated chiffon and has a scoop neckline and long balloon sleeves with elasticated cuffs.

This dress also comes in a powder pink version but I much prefer the green version.

 

Statement earrings

'Statement earrings' is this week's prompt for the drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram so I decided to draw these stunners from Fatisha Boutique. I loved the colour combo of yellow and green and decided to give my model of shock of pink hair.

These stunning 12cm long acrylic earrings include a vibrant yellow flower and emerald green beads with gold detailing. The perfect way to elevate any outfit and to add a pop of colour to your day.

Delphinium sweater

This week's challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram is 'Larkspur', which is the common name for two members of the buttercup family, delphinium and consolida ajacis. It can have a wide range of meanings including love, sweetness, strength, purity and youth.

I usually start a drawing challenge with something fashion-related and so googled items of clothing that have delphiniums on them. One of the items that popped up was a sweater from Barbour. I was immediately drawn to the bold design and pleasing colour palette. I chose a model with a cheeky smile and choppy bob, and the pink background finished it off nicely, bringing out the rosiness of the model's cheeks. You can find this drawing on my Instagram here.

The sweater is available to buy here.

 

Primary colours

Last week's prompt for the drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram was 'Primary Colours' so I chose to draw this stunning dress from Boden. 

It's made from a silky-looking viscose fabric and has a dramatic chevron design in a variety of bright colours including blue, green and red.

This v-neck tiered dress has beautiful balloon sleeves, a flowy skirt with pockets and a tie belt to cinch in the waist.

Beach chic

 'Beach Chic' was the prompt for last week's drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram so I drew this fabulous 1950s beach babe, inspired by a black and white photo I found online.

I chose a vintage-inspired colour palette of burnt oranges and teal blues which set off her golden tan perfectly. The yellow sun hat adds a pop of brightness.

Purple

The prompt word for last week's drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram was 'purple' so I chose to draw this beautiful silk dress from ME+EM. I gave my model a choppy black bob and a cheeky grin.

This beautiful iris dress is made of silk which gives it a fluid, flattering drape. It's maxi in length and has a shirred waist and voluminous balloon sleeves.

Look up close and you will see it has a fabulous floral print in a deep shade of red. I wouldn't normally put these two colours together but they look great!

 

Bright colours

 I love participating in drawing challenges and try to do one a week. Last week's prompt for the Tuesday Collective drawing challenge on Instagram was 'bright colours'. With most drawing challenges I love to do something fashion-related so I chose to draw this vibrant pose using a coat and wide-legged trousers and made it quite stylised and colour-blocked.

We were given a suggested colour palette which was really pleasing to work with. I loved the hot pink and knew instantly that the coat should be in that colour. The mustard trousers look great paired with the hot pink coat and a touch of red and orange in the handbag finished it off. The dark teal was the perfect colour for the background as it showed off all the bright colours perfectly.

Red hot

I love designing and drawing for a living, but it usually means having to keep to a strict brief, so it's lovely to free myself up by dipping into drawing challenges and designing something for myself. A recent drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram was 'red hot'. I like to draw something fashion-related so after doing a bit of research online, I decided to use a fabulous romper suit by Farm Rio (one of my favourite shops) as my inspiration. They always have bold, bright prints and this red romper was the perfect choice.

The Farm Rio romper is playful yet elegant and comes in a bold red colour with pink piping and a bold print. The bodice is smocked and there are delicate cutouts that lead down from a sweetheart neckline.

Look up close and you will see the pretty print that consists of intricate folk-style flowers and leaves in a hot pink colour. The puffed sleeves add a touch of drama.

 

Hello kitty!

I recently created this illustration for the @thetusedaycollective drawing challenge on Instagram. Each week they set a different theme and last week's theme was 'animal sweaters'. I've been eyeing a particularly cute cat sweater in Oliver Bonas so decided to draw that. Hopefully I've captured the sweetness and softness of the original item.

This is the original version, a fluffy pink marl jumper with a red knitted cat character. 

 

Stone fruit

I recently drew these stone fruit prints as part of a drawing competition with @ellolovey on Instagram. I love participating in drawing challenges as it frees you up from work design constraints.

The plum design is on a pink background which enhances the beautiful deep colour of the skins. Some of the plums have been cut open to reveal the contrasting yellow flesh of the fruit.

Peaches are the perfect sunmer fruits and come in a variety of shades from deep pinks to light yellows. It was fun to design this print and I'm looking forward to making it into some items for my Etsy shop.

I put the cherries on a pink background to enhance their deep red colouring. The skins are lovely and shiny and look good enough to eat!

Pretty in pink

I often participate in drawing challenges on Instagram. It's great to draw something that is not related to my work. I also like fashion, so try to infuse that love into the drawings that I do. A love of colour also means that my illustrations are often bright and juicy. I especially love the colour pink (see my Cheeky Leopard logo!) so many of my illustrations include that colour.

My latest illustration was for a weekly drawing challenge set by @thetuesdaycollective on Instagram. The prompt word was Converse so I chose to draw a close up of these fabulous pink Converse high tops.

The above illustration prompt word was 'oversize florals' so I drew 1960s inspired flowers on a hot pink background. Notice how the lipstick and earrings match the colour of the flowers.

"disco' was the prompt word for this challenge and I had fun adding a disco ball in the background.

'Knitwear' was the prompt for this drawing and after lots of trawling for the right inspiration, I went with a fabulous sweater from Farm Rio.

'Pink denim' was the prompt for this illustration and a drew a pink denim zip-up dress. I gave my lady a  short choppy bob.

This prompt was 'leaoprd print' so I drew a fabulous leaoprd print sweatshirt from Scamp and Dude.

 

Illustration challenge

I love an illustration challenge. It's a nice way of designing something for myself, away from any designs I do for work and it's very freeing! There are two accounts I follow on Instagram that do regular design challenges. One is @thetuesdaycollective who set weekly challenges and the other is @ellolovey who sets a monthly challenge, with a doodle a day.

The @thetuesdaycollective account often sets challenges based around current fashion trends and last week's challenge was all about neon. After doing a bit of research I decided to draw these fabulous wide leg trousers from Me and Em. I loved the hot pink version but also liked the apple green version so decided to draw both!

Last month's @ellolovey drawing challenge included the word 'tribute' so I decided to draw a tribute t-shirt. Blondie was a big idol of mine growing up (and still is) so I decided to draw a Blondie t-shirt from Backstage Originals. I love the 80s vibe!

 

Drawing for fun

I love to dip into the drawing challenges set by @thetuesdaycollective on Instagram. They set great challenges and it gives me a chance to draw something totally different to what I draw for my work. With each challenge, I try to draw garments that are bright in colour, on models that are interesting and varied. 

The prompt word for the above illustration was 'green' and so I chose to draw a gorgeous green linen top with embroidered detailing from Farm Rio. It has a smocked back, an embroidered front and beautifully big sleeves.

The above dress was drawn for a challenge that had 'sheer' as its prompt word and I drew a magenta dress that has a resemblance to the dress that Jodi Comer wore in Killing Eve.

This sweater was drawn for the 'stripes' challenge and I chose to draw a fluffy pink and red diagonal striped sweater from Boden.

Fine figures

 I love to join a variety of drawing challenges set on Instagram and these two were to outcome of some recent entries. I've often found it difficult to draw figures so it's quite a challenge for me, but something that I enjoy.

This first illustration shows a sweater design by Farm Rio, one of my favourite shops for colour and print. I love the abstract design of this sweater and the crazy colours.

This second illustration was for a drawing challenge set by @thetuesdaycollective on Instagram. The prompt word was 'large collars' so I chose this ruffled creation in a stunning shade of orchid.

Scorpio sketch

 Today's word for the @ellolovey drawing challenge is 'astrology' so I decided to draw my star sign which is scorpio. I've drawn a stylised scorpion surrounded by stars on a soft pink background.

Woodland paths

 I work as a textile designer/illustrator for a living so I'm often working to clients’ briefs. This is why I really enjoy doing drawing challenges in my spare time as I get to draw whatever I want. This repeat pattern was created for a drawing challenge called 'woodland paths' from @ellolovey on Instagram. I used an existing design but recoloured it in earthy tones and am loving the result!

Look up close and you will see that the design includes stylised trees, decorative houses and the odd fox here and there.