Meeting One of my favorite Fashion Illustrators Victoria Riza

One group of people I admire greatly are fashion illustrators.  So when I met Fashion Illustrator Victoria Riza, we were at an energetic whirlwind of a week/end at Alt Summit in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Amidst the hustle, we both landed at the fabulous round table of the amazing lady bloggers of the children's lifestyle blog, Small Fry.  After chatting for a bit, I learned that she was amongst the illustrious group of fashion illustrators I admire so much!

I have great respect for fashion illustrators after I took a class in Fashion Illustration last year.  After each class and for the weeks thereafter, my hand ached from practicing so much.  It took so much discipline, patience, and a great deal of talent and I knew that after taking the class that the caliber of talent fashion illustrators have is beyond!

The talent that she is, Victoria used some of the images from my style posts to illustrate two looks.  They turned out so beautifully, I almost cried when I saw them.  Knowing what goes into these pieces of work (from the verrrry little experience from my class in fashion illustration) I have to say, I am in awe of how Victoria transformed the photos into art.

|| This Image is taken from the What to Wear for New Year's Eve Style Post ||

|| This was illustrated from the Striped Skirt Outfit post ||

Join me as I interview Victoria and find out more about the art and artist of this wildly talented gal!  After the interview, head over to her Etsy shop to check out more of her work and maybe grab a piece for yourself.

Interview with Victoria

Art in the Find:  How did you get started?  How have you evolved over the years?

Victoria Riza: I studied fashion illustration in college and I started this business to get my work out there.  (Find out more about her story here.)  In the two years that I've been illustrating, I've stayed fairly constant in my style because my primary goal has been to establish and popularize my brand. I look forward to continued evolution in the future as my brand grows and as I develop as an artist.

AF: What are some struggles you've had/or have currently in starting your business? Any advice you can give to Art in the Find readers starting out in a business of their own?

VR: My main struggle is time. Decisions like quiting a job to blog or to be an artist full time is a struggle I see amongst people who choose this career. I had to make that sacrifice right out of college and as terrifying as it was, I've come to learn it was the best decision for me as an artist and for my business.

AF: What is a favorite part of what you do? 

VR: I get so excited about fashion pieces that inspire me. I love when my whole day is spent drawing and painting cause then they become pieces I can share with people.

AF: What makes your illustrations unique?

VR: I love line and texture so I emphasize those elements of design a lot in my work.

AF: Where do you find your inspiration?

VR: First and foremost, I find my main inspiration on the runway. But for inspiration off the runway, I love people watching and finding unique faces in the crowd. It's so fun for me to draw faces that have great character in the nose, eyes or lips.

AF: Any fun tidbits or upcoming events that Art in the Find readers can get first dibs on?

VR:  I recently got into two markets in Utah to sell my illustrations so I'll have a new line of work coming out this spring! Check out my website for more updates.

Thanks so much for sharing your amazing work, Victoria.  You are a truly talented illustrator!  If you would like to collaborate with Victoria or are interested in having an illustration by her, reach out to her here!