Fashion Drawing For Dummies

The fast and fun way to sketch stylish, long–limbed figures

If you like fashion and you like to doodle, you′ve come to the right place. Fashion Drawing For Dummies walks you through the process of preparing creative illustrations of men, women, and children wearing everything from sweats and jeans to cocktail dresses and tuxes, along with eye–catching accessories to complete the look. With some practice — and the tips and techniques you′ll find in this friendly guide — you′ll be on your way to illustrating your own fashion designs in no time.

Find your footing — get a grip on the basics of figure drawing and make a list of the fun art supplies you′ll need to set up your studio

Create a core — follow step–by–step diagrams to draw fabulous torsos, arms, legs, hands, feet, faces, and hair

The "Golden Rules" — master the must–have skills related to proportion, symmetry, body language, and movement to make your drawings look playful or sexy, tough or whimsical

Play dress–up — find out how to dress your figure in the latest styles, along with tips on draping, texture, and patterns

Open the book and find:

Details on line and shape techniques, shading, and freehand drawing

The four fashion views

Why head–to–toe exaggeration is key

How to convey attitude and movement through body language

Tips on taking risks and developing your own style

Guidance on building your design portfolio

Ten ways to kick–start your career

Learn to:

Create long, lean fashion models, step by step, from head to toe

Draw shirts, pants, and amazing accessories for men, women, and children

Add details to your illustrations with texture, patterns, and prints

Choose the right illustrations to include in your portfolio

Introduction 1

Part I: Fashion Drawing 101 5

Chapter 1: Finding Your Footing in Fashion Drawing 7

Chapter 2: Gathering Supplies and Setting Up Your Work Space 23

Chapter 3: Beginning with Figure Drawing Basics 37

Part II: Building a Fabulous Fashion Figure 59

Chapter 4: Working with the Basic Fashion Drawing Rules 61

Chapter 5: Tackling the Torso 79

Chapter 6: Forming Fabulous Arms, Hands, Legs, and Feet 93

Chapter 7: Putting Your Best Face Forward 119

Chapter 8: Guaranteeing Good Hair Days 143

Part III: Dressing Your Fashion Figure 165

Chapter 9: Slipping into Shirts and Sweaters 167

Chapter 10: Presenting Perfect Pants 189

Chapter 11: Getting All Dolled Up: Evening Wear 217

Chapter 12: Outerwear for All 233

Chapter 13: Accenting the Accessories 249

Part IV: Taking Your Fashion Drawing to the Next Level 269

Chapter 14: Fabrics: Refining Style with Draping, Texture, and Patterns 271

Chapter 15: Conveying Attitude and Movement through Body Language 291

Chapter 16: Going to Extremes to Develop Your Own Style 315

Chapter 17: Building Your Fashion Design Portfolio 329

Part V: The Part of Tens 343

Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Stay Current 345

Chapter 19: Ten Steps to Kick–Start Your Career 351

Index 357

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.