In the world of fashion, new designs are presented in the form of handcrafted sketches before actually being cut and sewn. First of all, you need to draw a sketch, an image that reproduces the shape of the wearer and serves as the basis of the sketch. The point is not to draw a realistic looking figure, but a kind of blank canvas to illustrate in detail dresses, skirts, blouses, accessories and all your other creations. Adding color and details like ruffles, stitching and buttons helps bring your ideas to life.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Start Drawing the Sketch
Step 1. Get everything you need
Choose a pencil with a hard lead (Hs are best) that allows you to make light, sketchy lines that are easy to erase. The marks made with these pencils, among other things, do not leave deep notches on the paper, which is useful when you want to color the image. Good quality eraser and thick paper are other important materials for creating a professional-looking sketch.
- If you don't have the right type of pencil, you can sketch with a number 2 pencil. Just remember to make very light marks, don't over-tread the paper.
- Drawing with a pen is not recommended, as you will not be able to erase the created marks.
- You will also need colored markers, ink or watercolors to better illustrate the dress patterns.
Step 2. Choose the pose of the sketch
The model of your design, called a sketch, should be drawn in a pose that best showcases the items. You can realize the wearer while walking, sitting, bending or in any other position. As a beginner, you should start with the most common pose there is, which is a sketch that shows the wearer standing or walking on the catwalk. It is the easiest way to draw it, and it allows you to illustrate your models in a visually complete way.
- Since you should illustrate your models in a way that makes them look professional and interesting, it is important to draw them on sketches that are well proportioned and composed.
- Many fashion illustrators practice drawing hundreds of fashion sketches to perfect their ability to create a variety of poses.
Step 3. You could alternate between different methods of creating a figure
It is useful to acquire the ability to draw your own sketches, because they allow you to create a model in the exact proportions you want. Anyway, if you want to skip straight to drawing the dress patterns, there are a few shortcuts you can choose to follow:
- Download a figure online: you will find a great variety of shapes and sizes. For example, you can download a figure in the shape of a child, a man, a petite woman, and so on.
- Create a fashion figure by tracing the contours of a model from a magazine advertisement or other image. Just place a piece of tracing paper on the model you like and create an outline with a light hand.
Part 2 of 3: Drawing a sketch
Step 1. Draw the line that allows for balance
It is the first line of the sketch, and represents the wearer's center of gravity. Draw it from the top of the head to the tips of the feet, passing through the backbone of the figure. Now, draw an oval to represent the head. This is the basis of the sketch and, from here, you can make a proportionate drawing. You can imagine that the figure is the skeleton of the wearer.
- The line that creates balance is a straight vertical line, even if you want the wearer to assume an inclined position. For example, even if you want the wearer to pose with his hips slightly tilted to his left, you still need to draw a straight line in the center of the page to create balance. This line should extend from the top of the wearer's head to the ground on which he rests his feet.
- Remember that it is not necessary to have a proportionate wearer when designing clothes, because it is precisely the patterns of the garments that need to be considered, not your artistic skills. Don't worry too much about creating a neat looking wearer or adding details to the face.
Step 2. First, draw the pelvic area
Draw a square on the line that creates balance just below the central area, where the pelvis is naturally positioned in a human body. Calculate the size of the square based on the width you want to give the wearer. A slimmer wearer should have a smaller square than a plus-sized one.
Keeping in mind the desired pose, tilt the square of the pelvis to the left or right. For example, if you want the wearer's hips to lean to the left, tilt the square slightly to the left. If you want a wearer who stands upright, just draw the square straight, with no corners bent to the left or right
Step 3. Draw the torso and shoulders
Extend the torso lines upward from the two corners of the pelvic square. The torso should extend upward, bending towards the center at the waist and recovering its extension at the shoulders. As with a real human body, the shoulders should be the same width as the hips, i.e. the upper part of the pelvic square.
- Once you are done, the torso should resemble a classic torso of a real body. Refer to pictures of wearers in magazines and advertisements to be sure. Notice that the waist is thinner than the lower body and hips. The bust should be approximately two heads in length.
- Sketching the shoulders and hips sloping in opposite directions is common; this position is called "opposed". This conveys an idea of movement. Draw the waistline as if it were a horizontal line shorter than those of the shoulders and hips.
- Pay attention to the folded lines (the curve of the ribcage and so on), as these angles and lines are key to creating a well-proportioned figure, not one that appears to have dislocated body parts.
Step 4. Sketch the neck and head
The figure's neck should be one third of the width of the shoulders, and one half of the length of the head. After drawing it, sketch the garment, which should be in proportion to the rest of the body. The larger the head, the more adolescent or childish the wearer looks.
- You can erase the initial oval you drew to represent the head.
- Draw the head so that it naturally adjusts to your chosen pose. You can bend it slightly up or down, or to the right or left.
Step 5. Create the legs
The legs should be the longest part of the body, and the length should be about four heads. In addition, they should be divided into two parts: the thighs (from the bottom of the pelvic box to the top of the knees) and the calves (from the bottom of the knees to the start of the ankles). Keep in mind that fashion illustrators usually exaggerate the height of the wearers by drawing legs that are much longer than the bust.
- The top of each thigh should be roughly the same width as the head. Taper the width of each leg from the thigh to the knee. Once you have reached the knee, the leg should be about one third of the thickest part of the thigh.
- The calves should have a tapered look down to the ankles. Each ankle should be approximately one quarter of the width of the head.
Step 6. Finish with your feet and arms
The feet are relatively narrow. Draw them as if they were elongated triangles roughly the same length as the head. Build the arms as you did with the legs, tapering towards the wrists. They must be longer in proportion to the bust than those of a real person, since this allows for a more stylized idea. Add your hands and fingers last.
Part 3 of 3: Designing Clothes and Accessories
Step 1. Illustrate your original clothes
Think about the look you are trying to create, and represent it down to the last detail. For example, if you are designing a dress, add motifs, ruffles, lettering, bows and so on to make a beautiful piece. Focus on the unique elements of the design, and include the appropriate accessories so that the style you have in mind is clear. If you need fresh ideas or don't know where to start, check out fashion trends on the internet or magazines for inspiration.
Step 2. Sketch the clothes in detail
Since the purpose of a fashion sketch is to showcase your fashion ideas, be more hands-on when designing the garments. Sketch the pieces so that they are realistically “worn” by the figure. There should be creases around the elbows and waist, but also near the shoulders, ankles and wrists. Think about the fall of clothes on a person and imitate it on your wearer.
- Remember that different tissues and structures fall differently on the body. If the fabric is thin and silky, it will rest on the body in a soft, almost floating way. If the fabric is thick, like denim or wool, it will be more structured, and show less body shapes (think denim jacket).
- Try to illustrate the texture of the fabric you are drawing, whether it is smooth, rough, stiff or soft. Add details like sequins and buttons to make the design look more realistic.
Step 3. Learn to draw folds, creases and ripples
Use different types of lines to create various folds on the fabric you are designing. Knowing how to make folds, creases and puckers will help you illustrate the structure of the garment.
- Creases can be drawn using smooth, wavy lines.
- Use circular patterns to show creases.
- Make straight lines to draw precise folds.
Step 4. Illustrate motifs and prints
If your design includes fabric that features a pattern or print, it is important to accurately illustrate how it falls on the figure. Start by drawing the outlines of a garment that has a pattern, such as a skirt or blouse. Divide it into a grid with several sections. Fill them in one at a time with the fabric pattern.
- Pay attention to how creases, wrinkles, and wrinkles change the look of a pattern. It may need to be folded or cut in certain places to make it accurate.
- Take your time to draw the pattern in detail and make sure it has no changes along the entire grid.
Step 5. Finish the drawing by adding shading, ink or color
Use ink or a thick, black marker on the lines you want to keep. At this point, you can erase the lines of the body shapes and all unnecessary pencil marks. Finally, carefully color the clothes using the shades you want to give the actual garments.
- You can color the clothes with markers, ink or watercolors. Mix colors and use a variety of shades to better illustrate your designs.
- Actually imagine a wearer walking on a runway and being in the spotlight when working on shading and textures. Deeper folds in the fabric result in darker shadows on the color you use. Where the light hits the fabric, the colors should appear lighter.
- Adding features like hair, sunglasses, and makeup is a nice finishing touch that will allow the sketch to come to life.
Step 6. Consider making flats
In addition to drawing the figures, you could create a schematic flat. This is a garment illustration that demonstrates the two-dimensional contours of a dress, as if it were laid out on a flat surface. For those who see a design, it is useful to observe this version of the design as well, in addition to the fall it would have on a body.
- Flats should be drawn to scale. Make the effort to create particularly accurate illustrations.
- You should also include a view to the back of the flats, especially with regards to clothes that include unique details.
Advice
- Don't worry about adding too many details to the face, unless you have specific makeup in mind to match the outfit.
- Some like to draw extremely thin figures. Draw the model in a realistic way. It will help you when choosing which garments you will actually sew.
- Adding texture to clothes is difficult, and may take some practice.
- It is often easier to completely exclude facial features and only sketch a few lines for the hair. In fact, you want the focus to fall on the outfit.
- As you draw, hold the fabric you intend to use for sewing next to you so you can observe it and create a more precise design.
