Fashion Drawing For Dummies
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Ah, the T-shirt! The tee is easy to draw, and it lends itself to all kinds of fun prints. Throughout the years, the T-shirt has made its way from the gym teacher’s wardrobe to the high-fashion runway and back again! Guys, women, and kids practically live in them.

Draw the basic woman's tee.

Draw the basic woman's tee.

Start with a basic shirt. T-shirts can be tight or loose on the body. To make the shirt tight, follow the woman’s torso shape closely. To make it loose, keep the lines farther away from her body.

Draw the collar by adding a curved line slightly below the curved neckline. Draw short parallel lines to add ribbing to the collar. These lines connect the two curved lines of the collar.

Finish by adding two rows of topstitching lines to the sleeve hem and to the bottom hem.

To modify a woman’s T-shirt, try changing the neckline:

Draw a V-neck. Instead of drawing a curved line at the neck, draw a V with the top of the V starting on either side of the neck. The lines should meet at a point in the top third of the woman’s chest under her chin.

Go daring with a deep scoop neck. Draw a curved line more in the shape of a U on the chest. This neckline allows you to show some skin or accessorize with a fun necklace.

Draw casual tees for guys of every size.

Draw casual tees for guys of every size.

A T-shirt on a guy is a statement about casual living — and sometimes about his favorite sports team or band. These easy-to-wear, often-rumpled items of clothing are often picked off the floor in the morning and pulled on.

A guy’s T-shirt usually hangs straighter because guys don’t have curves.

Guys’ tees are less likely to have fancy details. Sports logos are more like it.

A guy’s neckline is usually a simple curved neckline or shallow V shape rather than a deep scoop.

Although some guys go for a tighter fit, most guys, especially kids, wear their tees loose.

Try drawing tank top variations.

Try drawing tank top variations.

Tank tops are basically T-shirts without sleeves. The shirt sits on the shoulders in a variety of ways. Men may wear tank tops around the house and under dress shirts, but women aren’t shy about running around in tank tops in public.

Tanks are easy to draw, because they’re nothing more than the basic shirt without the sleeves. Tanks usually have a tighter fit than T-shirts. You can vary the tank top details in the same way as tees, with different necklines and detailing:

Spaghetti straps: Thin straps connect the front and back of the tank over the shoulders. Camisoles are a variation of this type of tank top.

A-shirt: These shirts are form-fitting and have wider straps that go over the shoulders. They’re often lightly ribbed.

Halter top: The straps on these tanks meet behind the neck. They may tie, cross, or connect at the back of the top, revealing your fashion figure’s back.

Strapless: These tops are often held in place by strong ribbing that runs the length of the bodice. Their staying-up power may be reinforced with an elastic band that rings the inside top edge and makes the top almost stick to the wearer’s skin.

Take sports jerseys beyond the stadium and into fashion.

Take sports jerseys beyond the stadium and into fashion.

Boys, girls, and adults everywhere wear sports jerseys. They can look just like a simple tee with a team name and number splashed across the front and the back (cheesy polyester is the norm, so give your fabric a bit of shine). You can also create terrific rugby shirts, which feature bold stripes and great cotton quality.

Draw the top half of a boy and start the jersey with a V neckline. Draw a horizontal line across the chest, hitting the bottom of the V. Then draw in the side seams by following the body and draw the hem across the bottom of the waist.

Draw sleeves that end at the elbow. Don’t forget to draw armhole seams from the top of the shoulder to the underarm. For a finished look, add a stripe above the hem of each sleeve and large numbers on the front.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book authors:

Marianne Egan teaches fashion illustration and design, apparel construction, and more. Lisa Smith Arnold teaches art and drawing, including fashion illustration, at Norwalk Community College.?She has also served as creative coordinator and fashion editor at several major publications.

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