Fashion Drawing For Dummies
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Fashion drawing isn’t known for having a lot of rules, but it does have a few pointers. When drawing fashion models, remember the following guidelines:

  • Know the difference between figure drawing and fashion drawing. In fashion drawing, go for a stylized look over realism. Show just a few key folds or shadows instead of every detail, and leave some white space.

  • Exaggerate!

  • Render proportions appropriate to the model’s gender and age. For adult figures, keep heads small for a graceful look.

    Start with a stick figure to set your pose and proportions and make sure the model looks balanced before you get too far into a drawing.

  • Diversify your fashion poses and views (front, side, back, and three-quarter) to draw audience interest. Tilt the shoulders and hips to create active poses.

  • To avoid a flat look, curve lines with the figure’s body. Have necklines and hemlines wrap around to the back of the figure. Let fabric prints cut off at the seams or disappear over the edges.

  • Experiment to keep your art fresh.

  • Know when to fix a drawing, stop it, or scrap it.

  • Practice, practice, practice.

About This Article

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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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