How to Design Clothes
Learn about drawing., Learn about sewing., Learn about design., Learn about fashion., Learn about technology and resources.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn about drawing.
You don’t need to be a master illustrator; a lot of designers use a funky personal style when they design.
That said, you do need to be able to communicate your vision visually.Take a drawing class, study some books, or just practice, practice, practice.The most important part of learning any new skill is just doing it a lot.
Set aside 30 minutes every day to practice drawing.
A good book to reference is Mark Kistler’s You Can Draw in 30 Days. -
Step 2: Learn about sewing.
Even if you don’t want to be the one to actually sew your designs, you need to know about sewing.
Understanding the possibilities presented by your medium is an important part of being able to come up with innovative, exciting ideas.Many craft stores like Jo-Ann Fabric offer relatively cheap sewing classes.
Studying pattern making is a must if you intend to sew your own garments.You will need to know how a garment is physically assembled.
Knowing how to break a design down into shapes is a crucial part of being able to sew a garment.
Buy some simple patterns at a craft store to practice with. , If you want to produce innovative designs, you have to know about design theory.Molly Bang’s book Picture This:
How Pictures Work is a great place to start.
It will help you learn to think like a designer.
Don’t limit yourself to studying fashion design exclusively.
The principles of design theory apply across all sorts of disciplines.
It may surprise you how much studying something like typography can teach you about fashion design., If you want to be a fashion designer, you need to learn all you can about the world of fashion.
You may think of yourself as a very stylish person, but knowing how to dress yourself well is only the tip of the iceberg.If you are designing based on what is hot right now, by the time your design is complete it might already be out of style.
Professional fashion designers are constantly thinking ahead, to what the next big thing will be.Watch videos or look at pictures from high-profile fashion shows online, or go in person if one is happening near where you live.
Professional designers design their seasonal collections months in advance, so these shows can give you an idea of what kinds of trends will be trickling down into commercial fashion in the future. , There are more tools available to designers now than there ever have been before.
On top of knowing your way around a sketchbook and a sewing machine, you will need to know your way around Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Websites like Linda.com or Tuts+ are good online resources.
If you want to do your sketching on a computer instead of in a sketchbook, you will need to purchase a good pen tablet, such as a Wacom. -
Step 3: Learn about design.
-
Step 4: Learn about fashion.
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Step 5: Learn about technology and resources.
Detailed Guide
You don’t need to be a master illustrator; a lot of designers use a funky personal style when they design.
That said, you do need to be able to communicate your vision visually.Take a drawing class, study some books, or just practice, practice, practice.The most important part of learning any new skill is just doing it a lot.
Set aside 30 minutes every day to practice drawing.
A good book to reference is Mark Kistler’s You Can Draw in 30 Days.
Even if you don’t want to be the one to actually sew your designs, you need to know about sewing.
Understanding the possibilities presented by your medium is an important part of being able to come up with innovative, exciting ideas.Many craft stores like Jo-Ann Fabric offer relatively cheap sewing classes.
Studying pattern making is a must if you intend to sew your own garments.You will need to know how a garment is physically assembled.
Knowing how to break a design down into shapes is a crucial part of being able to sew a garment.
Buy some simple patterns at a craft store to practice with. , If you want to produce innovative designs, you have to know about design theory.Molly Bang’s book Picture This:
How Pictures Work is a great place to start.
It will help you learn to think like a designer.
Don’t limit yourself to studying fashion design exclusively.
The principles of design theory apply across all sorts of disciplines.
It may surprise you how much studying something like typography can teach you about fashion design., If you want to be a fashion designer, you need to learn all you can about the world of fashion.
You may think of yourself as a very stylish person, but knowing how to dress yourself well is only the tip of the iceberg.If you are designing based on what is hot right now, by the time your design is complete it might already be out of style.
Professional fashion designers are constantly thinking ahead, to what the next big thing will be.Watch videos or look at pictures from high-profile fashion shows online, or go in person if one is happening near where you live.
Professional designers design their seasonal collections months in advance, so these shows can give you an idea of what kinds of trends will be trickling down into commercial fashion in the future. , There are more tools available to designers now than there ever have been before.
On top of knowing your way around a sketchbook and a sewing machine, you will need to know your way around Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Websites like Linda.com or Tuts+ are good online resources.
If you want to do your sketching on a computer instead of in a sketchbook, you will need to purchase a good pen tablet, such as a Wacom.
About the Author
Margaret Hughes
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in cooking and beyond.
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