Fashion Figure Sketching FILES
HELLO LOVES!
How can you jump right into fashion sketching from a model when you don’t have anyone around to model for you?
SKETCHING THE FIGURE FROM OBSERVATION
As I watched the university cut fashion models out of the budget, my heart broke. They were replaced by digital software courses.
BUT DRAWING FROM THE FIGURE is the best way to learn its mechanics, and almost every aspiring fashion designer wants to be able to sketch figures and clothing!
There is no replacement for the feeling and experience of drawing from the live model in real time!
CHOOSING FIGURES TO STUDY AND SKETCH FROM
In live sketch groups especially, we are encouraged to “think on paper”, and show our work, embrace our processes, and increase our accuracy and attitude at the same time!
CURATED COLLECTIONS OF FIGURES FOR FASHION CROQUIS
I have chosen and curated literally thousands of standing, posed fashion figures that I’m linking throughout today’s post for you! With:
- very easily identifiable movement to observe and capture.
- The upper (ribcage) and lower body (pelvis) “blocks” (as I teach them in my courses) are clearly and visibly obvious
- Strong lighting is usually present. to highlight the three-dimensional form and shading references.
- clothing/ leotards or swimwear are not hiding the anatomical flow of the figure behind volumes of fabric.
We are aiming to learn to sketch the fashion figure first!
I have also selected for figures that are:
- solidly planted on their feet,
- useful for drawing fashion designs/dressing, and
- expressing some kind of gesture or attitude that tells a story visually or emotionally.
FROM ENERGETIC GESTURE TO BUILDING THE FASHION FIGURE
It all begins with an essence that is felt, before it is brought to life.
RESOURCE BOARDS FOR FASHION FIGURE SKETCHING
Initially, I had only created on board for my Parsons courses and private clients and students here in Model Drawing Magic, Fashion Sketch Group, Soulful Fashion Foundation Immersion, etc.
BUT ITS GROWN to include many categories of models for different situations.
In today’s post I’ll include only leotard and swimwear models for body studies. My boards with clothing in different categories i’ll keep inside my courses and peppered throughout the blog.
BASIC FIGURES BOARD
PLUS SIZE FIGURES BOARD
I also have a plus-size page of models for sketching right here on the blog!
These boards are absolutely chock-full of models to sketch from !
MENSWEAR FIGURE FILE FOR SKETCHING
CHILDRENSWEAR FILE
OF COURSE, we need children’s figures for kids and childrenswear projects!
FASHION FIGURE POSES
FASHION FIGURE SKETCHING STARTS HERE
PINTEREST POSE FILES
A lot of these boards have been growing for so long that you can scroll through them for quite some time to pick the figures you are most inspired or curious to sketch from for your practice.
This DAY ONE file (click right here to view) is small, targeted for teaching a first day or class overview without falling down a rabbit-hole of options if that overwhelms you.
MODELS, MEDIA, MOOD, MUSIC
in Fashion Sketch Group and Model Drawing Magic, music, media and models are the 3 points to success.
Media: you’re encouraged to play with a range of art supplies for fashion figure sketching so that you can coax out and discover different aspects of your style and voice.
Markers and felt tip pens
for example here:
You can join also join in and share your sketches and give and get great feedback in MODEL DRAWING MAGIC, FASHION SKETCH GROUP (weekly live sessions) or any other one of my courses.
COLORED PENCILS
GOUACHE/ watercolors
SOFT GRAPHITE for fashion figure studies
DESKTOP AND /OR TABLET DIGITAL TOOLS
DIGITAL APPS FOR FASHION FIGURE SKETCHING
MUSIC
MUSIC in my world is essential to model drawing and fashion arts. Music sets up a flow of energy from head to toe and not only in your fingers.
Music activates the body and soul, and tunes us into a “world” of our choosing that we can bring to infuse our artwork!
To learn how to draw and customize a straight, standing model, visit the beginner model drawing page on my website.
Once you’re comfortable with length proportions, you can start rotating the figure to more complex poses.
You’ll see that my boards include front, back, 3/4 every other rotation of the body so you can learn and practice from every angle.
I also have compiled boards for seated and crouching poses, foreshortened poses, and even bending and dramatic poses and angles!
CHARCOAL
It will teach you just that through videos, downloadable tools and discussion areas!
Follow me today on Pinterest! My Pinterest boards devoted to models for sketching to help you. That’s why I’m passionate about building them.
They have a diverse range of styles and sizes all standing, with good lighting, simple clothing that shows the body’s anatomy, and dynamic poses.!
DRY MEDIA FIGURE STUDIES
I have MANY other boards devoted to various fashion garment details and categories useful for study and sketching from.
WET MEDIA FIGURE STUDIES
Fashion students love live model drawing classes… and I love teaching them!
In the online learning environment, we substitute live models with great photography full of lighting, texture, and attitude!
HEAD TO TOE FIGURE STUDIES: NO CROPPING!
Remember on this journey that you’ll want to use figures that are entirely visible from head to toe to “get your chops”.
DON’T use cropped figures where you can’t see the feet!!
NOT for your initial figure studies.
Also, don’t draw clothes yet. Look for lingerie, swimwear so you can see all body components :0).
I did include some tight clothes too so that you can see the body but play with clothing a bit more.
REMEMBER you can always infuse the model with your own style!!!!
If my work resonates with you, I can help you in my online courses or complete coached program. Or perhaps you want to work outside of a course setting to update or begin your portfolio. I have coaching packages for that.
Visit the courses tab in my website header menu to choose the course that begins YOUR journey.
Each one is designed for a deeper exploration of the whole FASHION kit-and -caboodle: sketching models, drawing, mixing and painting color, rendering textures and fabrics, proportions, and construction details while designing and presenting your own fashion lines!
What an awesome journey it is!
Sunshine and you-shine,
Laura
