Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/911416
14 The Costume Designer Fall 2017 Dear Members, I am so pleased to see this issue celebrate the art of costume illustration. In 2004, when I came to the Guild as an executive, we had 25 illustrators and most of them were unemployed. It was difficult to see these members struggle to gain enough hours to receive health and pension ben- efits. Producers were resistant to hire illustrators, particularly in the world of television design. As a former television designer, I experienced the need for an illustrator, due to the fast pace and com- pact schedule of television production that made it nearly impossible to be able to do my own illustrations. As television has grown and the quality of pro- duction has approached that of film, the need for illustrators has become more recognized. We currently have 41 illustra- tors and many of them are regularly working in both TV and film. The art of costume illustrators has changed drastically over the last 15 years with the use of computer-generated sketching. Gone are the days of watercolor and marker sketches. I am happy to say that the Guild still cherishes the older formats while embracing the new computer formats. The Margaret Herrick Library in Beverly Hills houses and preserves many of our CDG designers' original sketches. I hope you enjoy seeing the work of our talented members on the pages to follow. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you the happiest of holidays. Let us make this time of year one to be grateful for all that we enjoy in this country. May you and yours celebrate with joy. Be generous to those less for- tunate than you. Be grateful for this beautiful planet we live on and treat her and her inhabitants with respect. Happy holidays! In solidarity, Rachael Stanley rstanley@cdgia.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNION LABEL