Design, Colour and Fashion Illustration
Design process
Start with a design brief, research and mood board, then develop ideas through annotated sketches, select and refine, and produce a final design with technical details. Annotation should explain fabric, colour, construction and target customer.
Elements and principles of design
The elements are line, shape, colour, texture, space and form. The principles are balance, rhythm, proportion, emphasis, harmony and unity. Questions often ask which principle a garment demonstrates - look for repetition (rhythm), symmetry (balance) or a focal point (emphasis).
Colour theory
Primary, secondary and tertiary colours; complementary (opposite) for contrast, analogous (neighbouring) for harmony, monochromatic for subtlety. Understand hue, value (light/dark) and saturation (intensity). Warm colours advance, cool colours recede. Skin tone and occasion influence choice.
Illustration
Fashion figures use an elongated proportion (often about nine heads), a pose line, and rendering that suggests fabric texture. Flat drawings (technical flats) show construction without the body.
Traps
- Confusing rhythm with balance.
- Calling black and white complementary (they are neutral contrast).
- Drawing a realistic figure instead of an elongated fashion figure.
- Describing a design without stating fabric or colourway.
Rule of thumb
Every design decision should be justifiable against the brief. Worked example: a uniform for a hot climate - choose a cool colour (light value reflects heat), a loose silhouette for airflow, and an absorbent cotton blend, and annotate each choice.