The Elements of a Simple Fashion Illustration
How did you do with Lesson 1? Did you find out your deep why? Have you discovered what’s holding you back?
If you haven’t, go check out lesson 1, and tell me everything! I’ve found this preliminary exercise is super clarifying and empowering to help you focus on what’s really important to you, and to realize that blocks are not as powerful as we use to think 😉
Also, let me thank you all of you that have been eager and happy to share with me your insights, your deep why, and your struggles. I truly appreciate your openness with me, and I’m having such a great time having you as my email friends and helping you out with what you need 😀
Okay, so let’s get started with today’s lesson.
What is a Simple Fashion Illustration?
During the early stages of my career as a fashion illustrator, I had to come up with a definition of a simple fashion illustration because it meant something different from client to client.
Some clients wanted something actually simple while others wanted something more intricate and time-consuming. I remember I wanted to pull my hair every time someone commissioned me to create a set of simple fashion illustrations when he actually needed something complicated. The desperation was part of I-don’t want-to-disappoint-them , part ofI-don’t-want-to-tell-them-that’s-more-expensive , and part of I’ll-have-to-work-more-for-lessand will-I-make-ends-meet?
So, to make my life easier and set clear expectations for my clients I figured out this definition for a simple fashion illustration:
It is an illustration that will take me less than 2-3 hours to create, it is mostly centered on the outfit’s overall details. This simple fashion illustration could represent an outfit from the runway, from the streets or a photograph, or from a fashion collection. And, it does not include the design of the outfit.
To recap, a simple fashion illustration:
- Takes considerably less time than other kinds of illustrations. I realized for me it takes around 2-3 hours depending on the art media I use.
- Is supposed to translate the outfit’s overall details. Such as color, a bit of texture, and the kind of fabric it is made.
- Can portray a runway outfit. These illustrations are super quick to make if you create them on the runway, but you can also create them from photographs.
- Can represent an outfit from the streets. You know, when you see someone wearing something super inspiring.
- Can be an outfit from a photograph or magazines. It is very common to be commissioned to create fashion illustrations of someone’s special occasion such as a wedding, and you can also practice creating your first fashion illustrations from magazine photos.
- Can be an outfit from a fashion collection. This is your case if you are (or want to be) a fashion designer. The outfits’ sketches or illustrations are not supposed to be super detailed; they’re more likely to represent the whole idea in a clear, yet quick and simple way. Because tech-packs and spec-sheets will bring the details and everything that is required to produce the pieces.
- You are not supposed to design the outfit if you’re not a designer. If you’re hired as an illustrator only, then your clients should bring the outfit ideas that they want in their illustrations. On the other hand, if they hire you as a designer you can make use of simple fashion illustrations to represent your designs. – The difference here remains in the time and process required that will determine the pricing.
Generally, a simple fashion illustration is not supposed to convey emotion because this kind of illustration is more outfit-centered, rather than emotional or artistic. But, you can redefine simple, and you can determine the way you want to create.
I want the process of creating your simple fashion illustrations to be simple, but I also want it to be fun and special to you. I believe you can make it more fun and special if you add your personality, definitions, and beliefs, so your first assignment of today’s lesson is to think about:
How would you define a simple fashion illustration?
The Elements of a Simple Fashion Illustration
You already know how I define a simple fashion illustration. Now, I’m going to tell you what elements compose my simple fashion illustrations, so you can determine which of them will be part of yours.
The list is quite simple, and we’ll cover them during the course:
- Fashion Figure and Face
- Clothing (and Accessories)
- Color
- Texture
- Background
Some examples are these:
1 | Complete Fashion Figure
Here you can see all the elements I mentioned before: fashion figure and face, clothing, color, texture, and background. The texture of the fabrics is suggested, and the illustration has a colorful background.
2 | Only-Top
In this illustration, the body and clothing are not complete, but overall details of the fabric make this a simple illustration. The background is white. Keep in mind that the background can also be white if you don’t like having color backgrounds in your illustrations. We’ll cover more of that during the course.
3 | And what about accessories?
Yes, you can also feature only accessories in your simple fashion illustrations! In this course, we won’t cover illustration for accessories, but I thought it would be good for you to know that a simple fashion illustration can also be all about handbags, footwear, jewelry, or any other accessory. Here’s one of the first illustrations I got paid for – wow it was such a long time ago! Feeling nostalgic 😛
You can see the color, texture, and overall details of the purse and chain. One requirement was having a white background, which is beneficial because the purse is already bright and colorful.
Of course, there are other kinds of simple illustrations. The possibilities are endless, and your job as a fashion illustrator is to explore and experiment with new ways, new elements, and styles – even if they’re new only to you.
So, what elements will you include in your simple fashion illustrations?
And, how will you Create a Simple Fashion Illustration?
Okay, you know I want this process to be as simple for you as possible. I don’t want you to get trapped by inspiration blocks of any sorts, so this is how you will create your simple fashion illustration for this course:
- Pick your source. This is the first step, and you can pick a pic from the runway, from a magazine, from your favorite singer, or it can be an outfit from your wardrobe. Choose whatever is exciting and fun to create.
- Follow the lessons and their exercises. They will guide you to practice and create each element of your fashion illustration using your source as inspiration.
- Repeat the process from the lessons if you need to. Once you finish the course, you can repeat the process if you want to re-create your fashion illustration. This is not necessary, but sometimes we need to practice more than once to get the results we want.
Today’s assignment is
- Use your workbook, and think about what a simple fashion illustration means to you. It can be something simpler or more intricate than the little definition I talked you about. I want you to think about this, so you create your simple fashion illustration under those terms.Or if you want, you can create your fashion illustration under the same definition as me.
- Also, think about what are the elements you’ll include in your simple fashion illustration.
- And choose your source of inspiration. You can use your worksheet from page 5.
- And share with me your answers via email, or if you want to meet your classmates share your answers via Instagram with the hashtag #FashionIllustrationCourse
Have questions? Let me know!
Love!
