Atelier Versace drawn

We’ve been learning about how to draw textures in a previous post. Now, I’m proposing to you a drawing exercise for the weekend. 

Find a bunch of images of garments you like, haute couture is better, as it usually has more complex textiles and textures, and let the drawing party begin. 

Here’s a nice example of illustrated textures: the Atelier Versace Fall 2008 collection and the related illustrations. 

Fashionary, the First Designers’ Sketchbook

It started from a personal need of its creator, Penter Yip. He founded Fashionary in 2008. After having graduated from Polytechnic University in Hong Kong and spending half year in Manchester Metropolitan University in UK, Penter worked as a fashion/graphic designer. 

Animators can use story board templates to draw, graphic designers can use dotted paper to have a grid system. And we should have our own sketchbook to streamline the development. And I decided to make it on my own, but it happened not as easy as I thought, says Penter Yip. 

Fashionary creation process statred with brainstorming ideas for the sketchbook:

In order to search for most suitable fashion information to put in the book, I started to ask for my fashion designer friends for generating idea, we found that the body measurement and the unit system is a must, also the basic patterns and the categories of garments. And all agree that the typography and the presentation board border us, so I start to do research in those area. 

Then, it continued with developing the templates

The problem for the traditional template is that we can’t draw directly on it. We need to place a semi-transparent paper on top of it for sketching different post, and it is not convenient enough to bring along and draw everywhere. So I decide to solve this problem by combining the templates with blank papers, to make the template barely visible. 

After some more steps that the author of this useful tool took in order to create it, like gathering feedback, research for information, coming up with the perfect name, building a website for it, printing and packaging, he put it on sale on Etsy. 

Now, after having seen all the informative materials, I can’t wait to order one for myself! 

And here are three reasons why you should order it too:

1. It is tailor made for fashion designers

2. It is suitable for brainstorming

3. It increases the speed of sketching 

Have fun working!

Drawing faces

What I am going to share with you now, I’ve learned during my short illustration course at Central Saint Martins as well. But I chose to put it in a separate post rather than including it in this one or in this one, because I believe that the face of an illustrated model has a very important role in transmitting a certain message to your audience, be it the final client, or the people from your team who have the task to transform your illustration into a real garment. Have you ever heard about the expression “having a certain attitude when wearing a dress”? That’s what I’m talking about. We transmit this kind of attitude mainly through our faces.

That being said, let’s face the issue!

Proportions of the perfect front view
Draw an oval (your shape is going to differ in accordance with the shape of your model’s face). Split it into two halves, then split the lower part into another two halves, and finally, split the lower part of the face into other three equal parts. The upper line will cross the eyes, on the lower line you’ll draw the end of the nose, and you’ll draw the lips right in the middle of the lower part of the face. The ears will be placed between the first two lines you draw across the oval of the face.
I also illustrated on the scheme above, the position of the eyebrows. In order to find the position of the eyes, trace a vertical line through the middle of the oval, then divide each half into three equal parts. The eyes will be placed in the middle thirds, as you can see on the scheme.

Proportions of the perfect profile view
Draw a trapeze like the one you see in the scheme bellow, then follow the instructions from the perfect front view tutorial in order to find the position of the eyes, nose and mouth. Unlike the front view, the ears in the profile view will be placed between the line of the eyes and the line crossing the lips.

Things are quite simple until hear. Now, what about drawing faces/heads of models that don’t look straight ahead or in profile? Here, I’ll have to urge you to call for your sharp sense of observation and your imagination, rather than following exact proportions.

So, what should you do? Choose a starting point. It will be your landmark. It can be the nose, the mouth or the eyes, depending on the position of your model’s head. In any of the cases it should be the part that is the most visible, the most prominent. Then, find the position for the rest of the parts of the face, relative to your landmark. In order to simplify your task, trace imaginary lines between them, thus connecting them.

Good luck and good drawings!

Fashion illustration tips from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design (2)

Here’s the second part of the story about the fashion illustration tips I’ve learned during my Fashion Illustration Short Course at Central Saint Martins in London taught by Alexis Panayiotou.

As for the previous set of exercises, for the following set you’ll need a live model or models from magazines posing in different postures.

1. Outlining the silhouette

Using water diluted ink, watercolor or acrylics and a brush outline the model’s silhouette. Again, focus mainly on your model and try to catch every little curve, detail of it. This exercise is designed to help you to be aware of the proportions and the silhouette as a whole. 3-4 minutes for each figure.

2. Drawing the ink full figure

Use the same media and tools as in the previous exercise. Draw your model’s figure as if it was a shadow. You can also deconstruct the body in geometrical figures in order to make your task easier. Just as the previous one, this exercise is designed to help you to be aware of the proportions and the silhouette as a whole.

3. Enjoying the process of drawing using different media

Turn the music on. Take a piece of paper and make sure you have at hand different media (watercolor, colored pencils, pastels, charcoal, colored chalk, markers, inks, acrylics). Now draw. Don’t think about the outcome, don’t lead your hand. Let your hand lead you. Intensify the moves and the marks you leave on paper and change the media you are using from time to time. It’s even better if there’s someone else who tells you when to switch media. The length of this exercise equals to that of your favorite song. The outcome of the exercise is that you should have enjoyed the process.

4. Draw a mixed media sketch

It’s time for colors. Take 4 or 5 minutes to draw your next sketch, using all media you have. Again, it’s much better if someone else tells you when to switch media. The process will be less rational and the result much more surprising. Don’t forget about the body proportions of your figure. Also think about its center of gravity. Use all the techniques learned previously that fit for this work.

5. Intense drawing - drawing angry figures

For this exercise you’ll need mixed media, especially those that leave compact marks on paper, and a model expressing negative emotions. The lines you will draw will be quick and intense, as well as the tones. In order to better express the negative emotions of your model, use dark and strong colors. Take 4 minutes to accomplish this exercise. A piece of intense and energizing music can enhance the result.  

6. Gentle drawing - drawing melancholic figures

Again mixed media, but this time you’ll give preference to lighter, more transparent paints and tones. Turn some slowish music on in order to enter the mood and draw your melancholic model tracing gentle, smooth lines. The tones and colors will be transparent and tarnished in the same time. Take 6 minutes to accomplish this exercise.

7. Drawing fabrics: patterns and textures

When drawing fabrics one have to try to illustrate their patterns and textures as precise as possible. When having colored fabrics, we’ll mix such media as colored pencils, colored pastels, watercolor, ink, markers in order to create our sketch. When trying to illustrate black, white and gray fabrics, we’ll rather choose black biro pen, charcoal, pencil, black marker and ink.
At a first glance, it’s very difficult to draw patterns, and I agree, it’s not a simple task at all, but deconstructing the objects illustrated on the pattern in geometrical figures can help a lot. So, try this. Don’t look at the pattern as a whole, take only an element, focus on it and see what are the geometrical figures it’s made of.

As of textures, draw heavy, compact textures using such media as pastels and colored pencils, inks, charcoal or acrylics. And use watercolor or water diluted inks for light, transparent textures.
Also, don’t forget to point out the shadows and the lights that fall on your figure by darkening or making your paint tones lighter.

Find some colored and black & white fabrics, with different textures and put them on your model. Spend 5 minutes on drawing each figure. 

8. Multilayer ink drawing
It is one of my favorite techniques. It can look simple and complex in the same time. Besides you have a lot of control over your drawing. In order to perform this exercise you’ll need black ink diluted with water and a medium brush. In order to add the final details like faces elements to your drawing, you can use biro pen, black pencil, or charcoal.
Paying attention to the proportions of your figure and to the lights, and shadows that fall on it, you’ll add the ink layer by layer until your masterpiece is ready. Start with a very, very light tone which you can get by diluting a little drop of ink with a lot of water. Darken the tone of your paint as you move on. Take 4 minutes to perform this exercise.

9. Multimedia drawing using multiple techniques

It’s time for going wild now! Grab your paper and all your media, choose a lovely model and go on drawing! Use all the techniques you have learned by now. Combine media, patterns, textures, drawing intensities. There are no limits and rules! Except two… The time and the proportions, of course. You should spend no more than 10-12 minutes on each of your drawings.

And remember that while performing all these exercises your attention should be mainly focused on your live or magazine model, not on your paper.

Fashion illustration tips from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design

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…

By Catalina Rusu

The creativity song or how to increase your creativity

You have possibly read about ways or techniques to increase your creativity. I did it, too. But this one, I have experienced myself recently so I decided to share it with you.

You know that sounds, color, smells, tastes, images are able to recall certain memories or states at human beings. So, while working in my class during the fashion drawing for beginners short course at Central Saint Martins in London, they put us several times this song.

After one week, I randomly heard the same song in a different scenery, but I suddenly felt a crazy will to start drawing. I felt a boost of creativity and a will to create.
The same can happen with any kind of set: smell, decor, color.

If you don’t have such a set that could boost your creativity due to previous experience, you can simply create one. If you want it to be a song, train your mind. While working listen for the same song several times. After a while listen again to the same song.

See what happens. Then enjoy your creativity boost!

By Catalina Rusu

Fashion drawing for beginners

In this video, fashion designer and instructor Tu-Anh demonstrates the fastest and simplest techniques on how to draw fashion. This video series is designed for beginners and includes an overview of the basic supplies for drawing fashion, how to choose the fashion figure from a magazine, and transform it into a fashion figure and how to draw a dress on the figure

Enjoy!

How to draw the fashion figure

How to draw clothes on a fashion figure

Video sources: Monkeysee

Thanks to fashion designer Irina Marinescu for telling me this ” little secret”.

by Iulia Stanescu