The Sketch Improvement Thread

[*Happiness*]

Plastic...thanks for the link!

 

[fourboltmain]

Books are one thing, but you can watch this guy do it:

http://www.thefashionspot.com/forum...utorials-ive-ever-seen-free-online-51430.html

 

[PlasticGirl]

There are also tutorials and step by step instructions on the fashion figure there.... www.fashion-templates.com

 

[taz]

cool threads

 

[Aimeeeee]

Nice thread, wish I could still draw =[

 

[fourboltmain]

It's never too late to learn. It's all practice and your willingness to suck until it one day just clicks. Just go at it and keep going.

 

[mme]

^That's very good advice.. and thanks for the link!

I really sucked until recently. One day it 'clicked' and I just got it. We were doing gesture and contour drawings in art class. I think it's because I'm more into fashion than I have ever been before.. and when I finally found something I enjoyed drawing, it became easy (easier at least). I also realized that the less I thought about the end result, the better drawing I'd end up with.

But now I'm stuck... I can draw with reference but not by memory. Anyone have any advice?

 

[dior_couture1245]

I think the best sketches utilize the art of exaggeration, spontaneity and suggestion, rather than extreme detail and realism. I find a pose of the model and a certain way I draw and I use that for all my sketches, it looks especially good when designing several pieces for a collection to have all the sketches look the same.

When I sketch I try to keep the body to a minimum, I usually don't draw the head, just the chin suggesting the head, a single line suggesting the arms and legs, etc.

When one tries to draw the human body with it's true proportions, on paper, it ends up looking kind of stumpy and thick. So, I tend to make my models 9-11 heads tall, it ends up looking fairly natural and, surprisingly, not odd!

I also try to keep my sketches quick...it usually generates better results than if I spend a lot of time perfecting the drawing, which in turn, gives the piece an element of spontaneity.

I also like to constantly change my style, if not a 100% change, a slight change, either in the model's pose, or even in the way it's drawn, it keeps me fresh and engaged. Often, if I stick to a certain style of sketching for too long I begin to realize the flaws in the sketch and I begin to really dislike the way it looks.

(all scanned by me)

 

[taz]

thanks for the great tips dior_couture1245, I do agree with you on spontaneity I mean the more relaxed & careless your mood is the better your sketch will be, & abstract adds more beauty & personal touch to the sketch.....
I love your pencil strokes on the 3rd sketch

 

[dior_couture1245]

^^Thanks! I really like the way that turned out (they're from McQueen FW 07). Those McQueen illustration sketches were actually a transition in style for me...I was testing new waters there! Since then, I've been using that pose for almost all my sketches...just changed the drawing style slightly!

You know, I've also noticed that copying another designer's sketching style can actually help you find your own style very successfully. For example, when I first began doing fashion drawings, I tried to copy Stefano Pilati's style, however, I could never capture the same look that his sketches had, so I modified it and developed one of my first sketching styles. So if you're having trouble sketching, or developing a style that you're comfortable with, find a designer's sketch that you like and just copy it, work with it and then play around with it...modify it until you're comfortable with it.

 

[Andrea.RL]

I like that first drawing.

This is one of mine, it was a drawing i put on tshirt for my best friend:
(edit: I didn't realize it's backwards...)