Marker on paper
Last December I attended a Fashion Illustration Short Course at Central Saint Martins in London, taught by an amazing professor and artist, Alexis Panayiotou.
I’m not going to talk too much, but I’ll start giving you the amazing tips I’ve learned during the course. And, of course, I will urge you to attend one by yourself, because no advice or demonstration can replace experiencing on yourself.
Don’t consider wrong things that haven’t been defined by the industry as wrong… Even if so, stay open.
This is perhaps the biggest lesson I have learned during this course, give up fear while drawing and stop building imaginary barriers. Explore! Explore colors, media, tools for applying media. Explore moves of your hand, speeds, curves… There’s nothing wrong! Don’t even use a gum, unless you want to create the effect of a interrupted line. Try to make an illustration with such a state of mind and see the result.
I’ll further describe the first part of the exercises we have made during the course and I will give you some examples. More are to come, so stay tuned.
You’ll need a live model or models from magazines posing in different postures:
1. Enjoying the process of drawing
Take a piece of paper and a pencil or a marker, and draw. don’t lead your hand. Let your hand lead you. Intensify the moves and the marks you leave on paper form time to time. Imagine you draw a melody. The result is not important, only the process. The outcome of the exercise is that you have enjoyed the process.
Marker on paper
2. Deconstructing in geometrical figures
Make sure you have a live model and have it posing in different ways so as you can make fast sketches of her figure. Deconstruct the body in simple geometrical figures, but taking care at the proportions. If you don’t have a live model, look for models with different body positions in magazines. The time you make the sketches has to be limited. Start with 3 minutes per sketch and get to make them in 30 seconds in the end.
3. Negative drawing
While observing the figure, draw the negative spaces. That is the space between her hands and her body, the space between her legs, or the space between a part of her body and the ceiling, the floor, or another landmark. While drawing pay attention at the position of one negative space towards the others. In the end, your negative spaces will precisely describe your figure. Take 3 minutes for this drawing.
4. Blind drawing
Draw your model without taking even a glance at your paper. Be very attentive at every small curve of the model. Draw slowly. Never look at the paper. Take 4 or 5 minutes for this drawing. The outcome is not important, but catching every little element of the silhouette.
5. Combined drawing
This time combine blind drawing with drawing while looking at your paper. Use two different colors for each of the stages. It will help you if there would be someone who would tell you when to switch from one stage to another. You can also use a timer. Take 2 minutes for the first stage of blind drawing, then 1 minute for drawing while looking at your paper, 2 minutes again for the second stage of blind drawing and 1 more minute for completing your drawing while looking at the paper.
Pastel pencils on paper
6. Drawing the figure’s “spine” and being aware of its center of gravity
Use a brush and ink to draw the “spine” or the “thread’ that passes through the entire model’s body. It will describe the actual curves of the body that describe her position. Compare the position of the leg where her center of gravity is to the top of her head and draw it correspondingly so as your figure wouldn’t seem to have no equilibrium. After having traced the ink “spine” draw the actual silhouette using a pencil. Take 3-4 to perform this exercise.
Ink and pencil on paper
Remember that while performing all these exercises your attention should be mainly focused on your live or magazine model, not on your paper.
To be continued…
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…but an entire industry that you have to understand and fit in, in order to succeed as a fashion designer.
Here are two resources that allow any curious or new entry have a glance behind the curtains:
1. The September Issue is a new documentary film that takes viewers behind the scenes of Vogue Magazine as larger-than-life editor Anna Wintour and the staff prepare their largest annual issue, the September Issue.
2. Vogue Handbook is an Insider’s Guide to Careers in Fashion today.
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This is one of the books that I really dream to read. Why?
Because fashion is more than wear clothing. It is a moment of creation, of imagination, a distillation of desire, a reflection of the future, fashion is art. It is also a business relying on an intricate network of manufacture, marketing and retail.
Fashion is both medium and message but it does not explain itself. It requires language and images for its global mediation. It develops from the prescience of the designer and is dependent on acceptance by observers and wearers alike. “When Clothes Become Fashion” explores the structures and strategies which underlie fashion innovation, how fashion is perceived and the point at which clothing is accepted or rejected as fashion. The book provides a clear theoretical framework for understanding the world of fashion — its aesthetic premises, plurality of styles, performative impulses, social qualities and economic conditions.
Source: libreriauniversitaria.it
by Iulia Stanescu
A while ago I started to follow Maegan Tintari ‘s fashion blog. I simply love it! I found Maegan a very talented and creative person.LA blogger,Maegan posts daily about fashion, DiItYourself, music, love, life, art, design, sex, comedy, pets, married life or pop culture. This is her life …love Maegan
If you’d ask me what I like the most on her blog, I’d definitely answer that I am in love with her DoItYourself fashion posts. It is a largest source of fashion inspiration in there.
This is the reason that today I want to share with you how to create a beautiful pair of Christian Louboutin Petal Sandal together with talented Maegan.
So, what you’ll need …
And now, start to create them …
And, Voila! The beautiful pair is already finished!
* Click Here for Maegan’s Louboutin “Petal” Purse/Bag/Clutch DIY *
Photos Copyright Maegan Tintari
Thank you Maegan for inspiring us with your creative world!
I found this video very inspiring. You’ll see how from a simple idea sketched on paper you start to build the prototype of the dress.
The prototype technique is to define the types and volumes of the garment by casting a neutral cotton directly on the mannequin dressmaker with pins.
The prototype allows the designer to make a first impression of the final appearance of his creation and it is essential to carry out the boss of the model.
Christian Dior 1939 - Haute Couture Robert Piguet
“Moulage” movie made by Grand Marquis for the expo ” Prototype” of the Swiss Mode Museum http://www.museemode.ch/expositions.html
Source: mymodernmet
There are numerous techniques for adding a great design to your T-shirt. Paint, dye, color spray or print to make your own innovative textile creations. But, I think that the most adorable and exclusive T-shirts are the ones painted.
So, today I invited artist and illustrator Maryanne Oliver, to write a guest post, an useful guide that will help you to prepare the T-shirt, to choose the correct fabric paint and provide guides and tips to create for yourself the perfect hand painted T-shirt.
Prepare yourself, get your paints and pens ready! It’s time to create something beautiful for you to wear!
In this photo, artist Maryanne Oliver and her amazing illustrations.
* STEP 1 * Choose the materials you’ll need *
* STEP 2 * Prepare your materials and find some inspiration *
Place your shirt on a nice flat surface, with the cardboard placed inside the shirt to allow you to paint on (without paint going through to other side). Select your colors you wish to paint with. I have used black only on this shirt, not only to keep the process simple, but it looks stunning also! Pick out a picture you wish you use or your design for your shirt. It can be a fashion photo from a magazine, a picture, something that you like.
* STEP 3 * Outline a rough sketch on the T-shirt
It’s time to draw a rough sketch of your design or idea on to the shirt, either with a fabric pencil or a lead pencil is fine as you will be painting over it anyway. Do not be too precious, its just a rough sketch. Pour paints on to your palette ready to go, make sure you water the paint down as much as possible as the lighter the paint the easier it will be to work with and you can always build the tone up as you go along. But it’s better to start light.
Remember don’t be afraid of making mistakes! There are no mistakes in art! You can always cover it up or work around it, so removing that fear from the start will make the process so much more enjoyable and easier!
* STEP 4 * Start to paint the tones and shadows to your sketch *
The most important thing is to not worry about paint spilling during this process. Have your paper towels ready on hand, and if you really are not happy with the paint running then just blotch it hard with paper towels and you will find that will absorb the paint.
Fabric paints watered down will bleed on fabric also, so try to make this work with your design and like I mentioned earlier use the paint lightly. So in small amounts at a time. Use light paint strokes when you are getting started and especially when working on detail on the face. You can load up on paint when you paint the tones and shadows and hair etc. Use light free brush strokes as you paint. Remember what I said about relaxing, this is the key to beautiful brush strokes that flow freely, trust yourself and what you are doing.
* STEP 5 * Dry your painting. Take care of the shadings!
The good thing about a really nice thick piece of cardboard inside the shirt, means you can load up on water and paint as you feel needed. If it gets too wet just dry off with a hairdryer, this is fantastic when you are doing the detail on the face etc, In this way you can take care of your shading, then dry it off and finish the final details without having to wait around or any running of paint.
* STEP 6 * Fix the latest details. Iron the T-shirt.
Your shirt should be starting to look pretty impressive by now! Once all the paint has been dried off you can start to do the final details with your fabric pens. The eyes, nose, detail on the mouth, outer lining and also smaller finishing touches to the hair. Once you have completed all the detail, dry off completely or allow to dry naturally.
After the T-shirt is dried, place your piece of cotton fabric over the top and iron press the shirt to allow the paint to seal further. Once the paint has sealed allow your shirt to sit over night, then iron again the next day. I always like to hand wash the shirt the next day once all the paint is sealed, and allow shirt to drip dry in the shade. Once dry iron yet again, and your beautiful piece of art will be ready to wear!
Congratulations!
Your shirt is complete and by this time you should feel pretty impressed with yourself. Enjoy!
All photos are copyright Maryanne Oliver
So, dear friend, if you want to try it for yourself, the entire process of painting will take you almost two hours and one day for drying. Then you can wear the beautiful piece.
Thank you my dear Maryanne for your inspiring post! For more fabulous and inspiring artwork of artist Maryanne Oliver check out her website.
Article edited by Iulia Stanescu
I’m sharing with you inspiring and useful video on how to create your favorites clothes. Fashion designer and illustrator Lovisa Burfitt from Paris, shares the process behind her fashion creations.
The following video should be a part of a wonderfully affordable way to learn how to make clothes.
For more details about Lovisa Burfitt’s work you can read an interesting interview with her over here.
As I watched this documentary, I gained a new perspective on designing fashion, on spreading the word about it, on building value. I also, answered questions I had and questions I never asked about making fashion business.
So, I warmly recommend you to watch it not once, but every time you need tremendous inspiration!
I’ve recently discovered this nice website: Beta Fashion an online community of young designers.
The challenge here is that, this site is the world’s first online fashion label whose collections are entirely based on designs submitted by members of its own community of raw talent designers.
By running regular fashion design competitions Beta Fashion provides young designers with a platform to showcase their talent, see their work produced and sold in the Beta Fashion online store, and win considerable cash prizes.
Fashion Designs by Holly Sulivan
How it works?
First you’ll need to read about the latest competitions we’re running on the site and select one that best suits you. Then let all your creativity flow to come up with the best original design you possibly can to inspire the community.
Next you’ll need to upload your design onto the site making sure you’ve followed all the necessary submission requirements that you’ll read about in a minute.
Over a two week period the rest of the community will have the chance to rate and comment on your submission. Only designs that are rated highly by the community will have a chance at becoming part of our collections.
All community members have the opportunity to rate their favorite designs, with only the highest rated designs being eligible to win. It is the entire community that determines the competition winners.
Beta Fashion is your label so whether you are an aspiring designer or a shopper with an eye for trend, get involved, create awesome pieces.
I look forward to seeing how your ideas influence the future of fashion.