Chapter 2
Express Yourself
Uncovering Your Style
The quiz below is designed to help reveal what makes you tick when it comes to fashion. Use your discoveries as a roadmap that leads you directly into the land of your personal style. Follow it to create something fabulous—or abandon it and create something totally outside of your comfort zone!
Part I: Q & A
Review the questions below and write your answers on a separate sheet of paper or in a notebook; then consider how your responses help inform your aesthetic as a designer. Remember, there are no “right” or “wrong” answers!
1. What color(s) appear most in your closet?
2. What color(s) do you dislike?
3. What pattern(s) appear most in your closet (for example, stripes, polka dots, paisley, etc.)?
4. What pattern(s) do you dislike?
5. Which celebrity/designer styles do you like best?
6. What types of fashion do you draw most often? (for example, casual, formal, bridal gowns, accessories, etc.)?
7. If you can/could make your own clothes, what items do/would you most love to make?
8. Where do you picture your fashions being worn: in a big city, in a small town, on the runway?
9. Do you prefer dresses and skirts or jeans and khakis?
10. Do you prefer soft and flowy or structured and tailored clothes?
11. Do you like to express yourself through fashion?
12. When it comes to clothing, what are the most important things you look for: a) comfort b) style c) a good fit d) usefulness
13. Do you like to: a) be ahead of trends b) stay in tune with trends c) do your own thing
14. What style or types of clothing do you love the most?
15. Do you like to match, or do you prefer to mix colors and patterns?
16. When you spot someone wearing a unique outfit, what is your first thought: a) “That’s cool!” b) “That’s weird!”
17. If you could only wear one shirt for the rest of your life, what type of shirt would you choose?
18. Do you like graphic or statement T-shirts?
19. What word best describes how you view yourself?
a) tough b) sweet c) rebellious d) cute e) sophisticated
20. Would you like to design clothes that suit your personal fashion style or a completely different style?
21. What item of clothing should be in every closet?
22. What accessory should be in every closet?
23. What designer would you most like to work with or learn from?
24. What would you like the world to say about your designs?
Part II: Discovering Your Style Muses
Review the style muses shown here. In light of your answers from the quiz, have any of your opinions changed? Take some more time to answer the questions below.
Soft & Romantic (shown here)
What do you like or dislike about this sketchy, softly shaded style?
Chic & Minimal (shown here)
What do you like or dislike about this clean, bold, graphic style?
Playful & Cute (shown here)
What do you like or dislike about this whimsical style?
Avant Garde / Couture (shown here)
What do you like or dislike about this spontaneous, artsy style?
Editorial (shown here)
What do you like about this carefully rendered style?
Style Muses
The next few pages feature a range of styles and techniques—we’ll call them style muses—to help jump-start your creativity. Notice how a particular drawing style lends itself to a specific type of fashion. For example, a quirky and playful outfit might be drawn in loose sweeping strokes, whereas chic and sophisticated apparel is usually drawn using clean, bold lines.
Soft & Romantic
If this style appeals to you, you might be a dreamer, a lover of romantic novels and history, or someone who adores soft colors, flowers, and pretty little details.
Your muse is soft-spoken, sweet, and gentle.
Drawing Style:
Sketchy, textural feel
Softly shaded
Thin, even lines
Muted tones, like Sepia
Fashion Style:
Flowing shapes
Sheer fabrics
Ruffles
Delicate details, like lace and embroidery
Florals
Chic & Minimal
If this style appeals to you, you may be a no-nonsense type who values results and efficiency. You care about looking pulled together, but you don’t want to fuss with a million little details.
Your muse is a leader with a strong personality and confidence.
Drawing Style:
Black-and-white forms
Bold shapes
Graphic details
Dark marker or ink
Fashion Style:
Simple and confident
Clean and unfussy
Strong silhouettes
Comfort combined with sophistication
Minimal details
Tailored look
Playful & Cute
If this style appeals to you, you are probably a free spirit who loves having fun. You find joy in everything and you don’t take yourself too seriously.
Your muse has a bright, chirpy personality and a perma-smile; they are everybody’s best friend.
Drawing Style:
Illustrative
Vibrant colors and patterns
Chunky lines
Bright markers or colored pencils
Fashion Style:
Whimsical graphics
Unexpected clothing combinations
Fun and nostalgic
Playful characters
Kitschy accessories
Avant Garde / Couture
If this style appeals to you, you are likely a pusher of boundaries and a lover of experimentation and high-art. You like to challenge the mainstream and make people do a double-take.
Your muse is a free-thinker and thought provocateur who doesn’t mind being on display.
Drawing Style:
Spontaneous, loose lines
Unfinished curves
Abstract and slightly exaggerated
Bold colorful strokes
Fashion Style:
Fashion over function
Highly unique and creative
Artsy vibe
Unusual forms and silhouettes
Editorial
If this style appeals to you, you have a vivid imagination and love to tell a story with clothing and accessories. You have a great eye and are always on the lookout for pieces that have a past or are truly special. You are inspired by characters in movies and in life. You might be an aspiring costume designer!
Your muse is Hollywood’s “It” girl—past or present—who can morph and change into any character; she always gets a stylized spread in a high-fashion magazine.
Drawing Style:
Carefully rendered in draftsman pencil
Detailed and refined
Literal drawing style with shading and contour
Visible sketch lines
Fashion Style:
Creative and theatrical
Inspired by a story or character
Dramatic and intentional
Fashion-forward
Thoughtfully edited and detail focused
Capturing Your Vision
Now that you’ve learned some of the basics and have spent a bit of time practicing the mechanics of fashion illustration, you’re ready to get creative using a variety of art tools to bring your vision to life! Let the fun begin!
Pencil & Pastel
When you’re sketching on the go and paint is not an option, colored pencils and pastel pencils can give a rich, creamy jolt of color. These tools are perfect for creating the bold patterns and vibrant color combinations you might see in a Playful & Cute or Editorial design theme.
Marker
Many fashion illustrators rely on art markers and water-based markers for their work. Markers are a versatile tool and can be used effectively for almost any fashion design illustration. Because of the wide range of available colors, markers are especially fun to use on Playful & Cute and Avante Garde designs. The sophisticated palette of color options makes it easy to layer in stripes, dots, squiggles, and saturated hues.
Dark Paper & Metallic Paint Pen or White Pencil
Nothing beats metallic paint pens and dark papers for adding shine to your designs.
Ink
Ink pens deliver clean, professional results with contrast and intensity. Try out different types to see what works best for your style! Ink tools are ideal for creating designs that are Chic & Minimal.
Inky Drama. A high-contrast ink illustration with exaggerated proportions feels edgy and cool. Create bold designs using nothing but black ink on white paper for instant drama with a dash of high fashion. This technique is perfect for metropolitan styles and no-nonsense fashions, especially when silhouettes or drape-like designs are the main focus.
Brush Pen & Variable Line Weight
Emphasizing line weights in fashion illustration makes drawings appear more interesting and professional. Line-weight drawings are perfect for Avant Garde/Couture design styles. Thinner line weights allow the eye to rest, while thicker line weights draw the eye to strong curves and angles, as well as to convey the weight of a figure or object. Balancing the variety of line thickness in the drawing will make even the simplest designs look more vibrant!
Mixed Media & Collage
If drawing prints and patterns isn’t up your alley or you want to really mix things up, use collage papers to add a textural element to your fashion illustrations. Start by drawing your design and then using a light box to transfer it to your collage papers. You can also use a variety of mixed media to create truly unique fashions!
Add fun with found objects. Fabrics, flowers, sequins, glitter, painted papers, and even food add interest and creativity to your fashions! Think pressed flowers added to a wedding gown or thin ribbons glued onto a fringy skirt. Real sequins and glitter added to a cocktail dress design sketched on black paper adds maximum sparkle. And patterned fabrics can be used to show patchwork and prints.
Watercolor
Watercolor is undoubtedly one of the most versatile paint media available. It paints wet, but it dries fast. Watercolor layers easily. It is endlessly mixable and leaves beautiful “shimmering” effects, depending on how it is applied. It can add a quick pop of color to an ink drawing, or it can be used to create an entire illustration all on its own! Watercolor is ideal for designs that are Soft & Romantic.
Tube Watercolor. Tube paints are perfect for creating washes and for layering. They also tend to appear more transparent. Once the paint dries in a palette, it can be reactivated with a little water—so there is no waste! Use paintbrushes with tube paints.
Dry Pan Watercolor. Perfect for traveling or for painting on location. Activate dry paints with water using a waterbrush or paintbrush, and mix in the palette lid. Less water makes for a chalkier, more opaque application; more water increases the paint’s transparency.
Techniques
Wet-onto-Dry. Apply watercolor to dry paper for precise results; the effect is similar to using a marker.
Wet-into-Wet. Applying watercolor to wet paper will allow the paint to flow into the wet space and create patterns and gradients, such as the colorful hair in the example shown on the opposite page.
Spatter. Load a brush with water and paint; then flick over the pages to add sparkle, splash, and pizzazz. The effect creates a dynamic feel that can liven up your illustrations.
Pouncing. Load a brush with paint, and then pounce it onto the page to create small puddles that dry in interesting ways. This is another unique way to create beautiful texture.
Layering. Overlapping wet paint onto dry paint can create tonal overlays that add depth and richness; this works especially well for gathered skirts and gowns.
Splash & Spatter. The combination of flowy watercolor with tightly drawn ink illustrations creates a perfect blend of hard and soft lines. Use line art to create your design; then add streaks, spatters, drips, and overlays of transparent watercolor.
