Freehand, DIGITAL african wax print fashion illustration
I’m a die hard print lover and African Wax Print Fashion features are some of my favorite styles
Large, graphic motifs that cut across the figure, barely fit into garment panels of fabric. The result: dynamic, eye-popping and figure-flattering designs for every size and proportion.
The colors in African Wax Print fashion feel fresh and “unfamiliar” as uncommon color combinations to my culture vibrate and buzz like jazz chords on a keyboard.
Macro and Micro visual textures in the prints are like many layers of rhythms overlapping in the song, interacting and moving in space.
And so my eyes, and my soul, dance!
USING THE IPAD AND APPLE PENCIL
I created today’s sketch looking at an African Wax Print Fashion photo I saw on the web in preparation for a book project a few years back
I loved the primary color story and zig-zag energy, and the miss of classic shirt elements with a wrap-and-tie skirt bringing together different cultural costume references.
SO I GRABBED MY IPAD AND APPLE PENCIL
The Finished Look
TAYASUI SKETCHES PRO APP
Tayasui Sketches is what I call it, others call it Sketches Pro.
It’s my favorite app for fashion illustrations, and you can find it on Google Play, App Store, and also use it on your desktop computer! So there’s no reason not to give it a try!
SKETCHING PROCESS (BELOW)
If you zoom in here, you’ll see that I used a textured paper on my base layer, and a super-sharp, sheer “graphite” black pencil .
In a layer I created a one inch proportional grid for the fashion figure so I could use this for teaching and keep a basic structure.
REAL FIGURE FASHION PROPORTIONS
I sketched out the figure’s size and shape, paying attention to the chin, bust, waist, hip, knee and ankles to represent the real body proportions of the model.
This gave me a 7 1/2 “heads” fashion figure on a grid that was 8″ tall in length proportions.
SPECIFYING DETAILS
It’s a good idea to work on a new layer now that I have my road map sketched out.
I increase the SIZE and OPACITY of my digital fashion app’s PENCIL/GRAPHITE tool and get more specic, crisp, and clear.
GETTING CLEAR DOESN’T MEAN ALL OF MY LINES ARE CRISP AND DARK.
In fashion illustration, LINE QUALITY IS ESSENTIAL- A MIX OF LIGHT AND DARK, THICK AND THIN, IS ALWAYS BETTER.
I clarified facial features, the silhouette ( size, shape) and texture of hair.
I specified the length and width of each garment in the look and location of design elements.
Center front, collar, placket and buttons for Classic Shirt Construction.
Armholes, sleeve width, cuff width.
Skirt length, wasitband height, and amount of folds in the wrap feature across hips.
Strappy sandals on platform shoes.
USING LAYERS: BEHIND THE SCENES
BELOW I played a little trick for teaching purposes- after the sketch was done, I made some of the layers invisible so that you could see ONLY THE COLORS that I blocked in to form the base of the African Wax print pattern
PURE SHAPES: PAINTING WITH THE FILL TOOL
I USED THE FILL TOOL with a slightly opaque gouache finish to create the colors in the print within the shapes and panels I had sketched.
SKIN TONE
Of course, as I always do, I added the skin tone first.
I also added dimension by shading that skin tone. See it?
BASE COLORS
I was able to choose each main color in the African Wax fashion print from the color picker in the app to match the photo I was looking at.
COLOR PALETTE SWATCHES
You can see my test swatches of the digital “gouache” from Tayasui Sketches Pro app, at left.
Notice how, just like with real analog gouache, the opacity of the paint overrides all of the lines I had sketched in the previous step!
COURSES FOR DIGITAL FASHION ILLUSTRATION TECHNIQUES
I teach this technique in FABRIC, FORM and FLOW course as well as in ABOUT FACES IPAD FASHION SKETCHING COURSE.
WHY I LOVE DIGITAL FASHION ILLUSTRATION TOOLS
In digital fashion illustration, you can color your clothing on top of your pencil lines, or you can actually color them by selecting a new layer BENEATH/UNDER your sketch lines so that your pencil lines “FLOAT” right over your paint.
I can show you that later in this post, so you can see and FEEL the difference.
DIGITAL COLORED PENCIL FOR FASHION ILLUSTRATION
Notice in the fashion illustration below, how much the intricate texture of the wax print on crisp, dry cotton comes to more vivid, tactile life by using the “scratchy, gritty” texture of the SIDE OF A COLORED PENCIL over the gouache.
This is how I create an analog pencil and gouache fashion illustration feel even though I’m using a digital app for fashion.
TEXTURAL FEEL
This guarantees me a rich, quality, tactile appearance that is more evocative emotionally than a flat, smooth digital tool. (Something that often mis-happens with Procreate app).
And it keeps getting better. Scroll down!
Adding Shadow
Once again, adding shadows makes everything come to 3D life and form. She’s ready to walk off of the page, isn’ t she?
Even the hair gets a shading treatment.
EVERY ELEMENT OF MY FASHION ILLUSTRATION GETS SHADED.
Usually I can get the tone i need just by adding a bit of black to a base color, or a sheer wash of grey over anything if I’m working digitally like here in Tayasui Sketches Pro.
See the difference that shading makes?
Remember, grid, undersketch, sketch, color, texture, shadow can each be on a different, separate layer.
I think it’s especially helpful to make sure your sketch is alone on its own layer in pencil only so that if you want to switch out the fabric on the same design sketch, you can do that by makeing other layers invisible while you add new ones.
And these are some of the reasons why i am so in love with this app!
JOIN ME FOR JOURNEYS IN ILLUSTRATION, MODEL DRAWING, CREATIVE DESIGN and TECHNICAL DESIGN FOR FASHION!
Join a course or coaching today.
I can’t wait to meet you and your creations.
Love
Laura
