Fashion Drawing – JSS2 Fashion and Garment Making Lesson Note (Second Term)

Fashion drawing is the skill of sketching a figure wearing a design so that a tailor or designer can understand the garment without words.

Behavioural objectives

1. Define a fashion figure (croquis) and state why it is drawn taller than a real body.
2. Use the head rule to mark the main body points on a 9-head figure.
3. Draw a balance line and an action line to show a pose.
4. Sketch necklines, sleeves, seams, gathers and pleats clearly.
5. Show the difference between fashion illustration and a technical drawing (flat).

What is a fashion figure?

A fashion figure, called a croquis (say “kro-kee”), is a tall, slim body outline on which designers draw clothes.

• Real body: usually about 7 to 8 heads tall.
• Fashion figure: usually drawn 9 or 10 heads tall.

Why is the fashion figure drawn so tall?

• Elegance: the clothes look more graceful and striking.
• Space: there is more room to show fabric and design details.

What is the head rule for drawing a fashion figure?

The head rule uses the size of the head as the unit of measurement, so no ruler is needed for proportion.

How do we show movement in a fashion drawing?

Movement is shown with a balance line and an action line, so the figure looks alive and not like a stiff pole.

What is the balance line?

• Balance line: a straight vertical line from the neck down to the floor.
• Use: it checks that the figure is not “falling over”.

What is the action line?

• Action line: a curved line that shows the pose.
• Questions to ask: Is the model leaning on one hip? Is one shoulder higher than the other?

What is contrapposto?

• Contrapposto: a pose where the shoulders and hips tilt in opposite directions.
• Example: when the left shoulder goes up, the left hip usually goes down.
• Effect: the drawing looks natural and professional.

What are the steps for drawing a fashion figure?

1. Draw the balance line.
2. Mark 9 or 10 equal “heads” along the line.
3. Sketch a stick figure to get the pose right.
4. Add “flesh” to the sticks using ovals and cylinders.
5. Draw the clothes over the figure.

What are design details?

Design details are the small features that make a garment unique, such as the neckline, sleeves, seams and gathers.

• Clarity: draw each detail clearly so a tailor knows what to sew.

What details should be sketched?

• Necklines: V-neck, sweetheart neck or turtle neck.
• Sleeves: puff sleeves, bell sleeves or sleeveless.
• Darts and seams: thin, light lines to show where fabric is joined.
• Gathers: small curved lines to show where fabric is bunched up.
• Pleats: neat folded lines to show fabric folded in even creases.
• Frills: wavy edges, often drawn at the hem or sleeve.

How do we draw fabric texture?

Fabric texture is shown with different line styles, so a viewer can tell one fabric from another.

What is the difference between a fashion illustration and a technical drawing?

A fashion illustration is an artistic drawing of a garment worn on a figure.

A technical drawing, also called a flat, shows the garment as if laid flat on a table.

Why do we need flats?

• Factory use: workers see the front and back clearly.
• No blocking: hair, arms or a pose do not hide the details.

What are the rules for a fashion portfolio?

A fashion portfolio is a collection of your best design drawings, and it follows three rules.

1. Front and back view: always show the back. Is there a zip? Is it backless?
2. Be bold: go over your pencil lines with a fine-liner pen once you are happy with them.
3. Colouring: use coloured pencils or markers to show the colour story of the design.

Class activity

• Draw a figure using the 9-head rule.
• Design a “Sunday wear” outfit for the figure.
• Include at least one puff sleeve and one frill at the bottom.

Evaluation

1. What is a croquis, and how many heads tall is it usually drawn?
2. State the head marks for the waist and the hips.
3. Differentiate between the balance line and the action line.
4. Name two details a tailor needs to see in a design drawing.
5. Why is a flat useful in a factory?

Assignment

Draw a 9-head figure with a balance line and an action line. Dress it in a design with a V-neck and bell sleeves, then draw the front and back flats beside it.