Petra Dufkova

Petra Dufkova was born in Uherske Hradiste, Czech Republic, Petra initially studied art at technical school for applied arts.She moved to Munich, Germany and in 2008, graduatedfrom the International Fashion School Esmond, with a Pret-a-porter collection.During her education at Esmond, she participated in numerous projects and contests, including winning Best Illustration award with her collection at China Fashion Week. 

Petra's fashion, beauty and lifestyle illustrations combine traditional methods, with a modern look. She gets her inspiration from books, magazines, exhibitions and fashion shows. Petra currently works as a freelance illustrator, stylist and fashion designer in Munich, Germany. What I love about her technique is that her lines are so perfected, almost as if they had been created using a program. This makes her work look so crisp and modern, which is exactly why her main focus is on the edgy world of fashion illustration. However, her pieces are almost too good to feature in the 'throw-away' context of magazines. Hailing from the Czech Republic, illustrator Petra Dufkova’s use of watercolour gives a romantic contrast to the sharp lines favoured in her sketches. Not typecasting her subject to the female form, Dufkova looks to everyone and everywhere for her inspiration, including the past. A favourite is her portrait of Audrey Hepburn; so accurate in her execution it almost seems life-like.

 

Her moodier work based around taupe, beige and dark grey showcase her artistic versatility; too many illustrators focus on the lighter side of life. Her black on white illustrations portray the darker, more emotional. The series that focuses on facial portraits and palm trees reminds me of the under-side of Hollywood, the un-publicised, shadier side of celebrity.

BY  

THIRI YADANAR@TIFFANY

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