About Cynthia Houppert Expertise Portfolio formatting, photographing for transparencies, presentation skills, researching art galleries, contract negotiations, legalities, media relations, copyright issues, economic and political aspects of the art market, museum directors, gallery viewing committees, the conditions of beauty, art history and how it relates to the contemporary art market, art conservation, art funding, art collectors, corporate collectors, and tons of historical trivia relative to selling art.
Experience Gallerist in Blue Ridge, Georgia representing Mid-Career and Emerging Artists. With more than 17 years in the fine art business, I have worked as an art consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area and Metro Atlanta as well as having taught art marketing classes in cities in Santa Cruz County, California and at the Atlanta College of Art, the only accredited art college in the Southeast.
Those classes are the basis of my book, Art Gallery Safari: Bagging the Big One. It is available at my site, www.artstruck.net
Education/Credentials B.F.A. Program - University of South Alabama
Mentor Program - Church Barnard (B.A. Yale U.)
Careers: Arts - Can you help me, i'm a fashion sketch designer in the making....
Expert: Cynthia Houppert - 10/24/2003
Question Hi, do you have knowledge of fashion sketching. I have been sketching since i was about 12 and now im 20 and i am wondering if i should continue my persute of becoming a fashion sketch designer. All the jobs i try to apply for want more than flat line sketches and real figure designs and concept boards...When i left high school (h.s. of fashion industries in nyc) I was told that with my talent I should be able to get an entry level position in the fashion design world.....can you assist me?
Answer Hi Jessi,
No, I do not have knowledge of fashion sketching per se. However, I did once try and get into the advertising business and ran into a similar problem. Although they liked my concepts and designs, I did not have a finished product, i.e, ad copy from a newspaper, tv commercial, etc.
My best advice is to give them whatever they want. Perhaps what they are looking for is to see the finished product of your designs. It's one thing to draw a sketch; it is another to be able to wear it. This is probably what they looking for, just not saying so.
Maybe you know someone who is a seamstress that can make your designs real. On the other hand, they might just be looking for the specifications for the patttern. How is it put together? Is it practical from a manufacturing perspective?
A few photographs of some models wearing your designs would do the trick. At any rate, you should find someone who does know the fashion design business to advise you. A good place to go would be any fashion design organization or clubs holding monthly meetings.
Make sure you take a business card with you, just a simple card with your name, fashion sketch artist underneath and contact info. You might just get the break you are looking for. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
