UK Models is the UK’s leading model support service, providing those interested in pursuing a modelling career with a wealth of information, advice and resources. In addition to helping assess the potential of aspiring models and assisting in building a professional portfolio, UKModels reviews and offers extensive networking opportunities with industry creatives, helping models to approach agencies and apply for jobs. This article will look at fashion model sketches and how technological advancements are revolutionising the fashion design process.
Fashion model sketches are detailed illustrations that encapsulate the design concept for a particular outfit or garment. Fashion illustrations provide a visual guide, presenting a tangible representation of the design before it goes through the complex process of production. These sketches serve as a crucial communication tool between designers, patternmakers and manufacturers, articulating the design construction details and aesthetics through a visual language.
Fashion model sketches need to be accurate in terms of proportion and scale. Fashion designers meticulously outline the model’s height and body proportions, ensuring that the sketch conveys the silhouette of the garment, delineating its intended fit. While the primary focus is on the garment, facial features are often included, lending a more personal touch. Nevertheless, the true purpose of the sketch is to illustrate the garment in intricate detail, illustrating the fabric’s texture and pattern details, as well as stitching techniques and any embellishments.
Fashion illustration has been around since the advent of the fashion industry, enabling designers to translate their creative concepts into finished pieces. Until the rise of fashion photography in the 1930s, illustrated covers were the norm for fashion magazines. Integral to the traditional fashion industry, fashion illustrations are appreciated by many people today as an art form in their own right.
To breathe life into fashion model sketches, designers employ a scrupulously selected colour palette that not only adds vibrancy to the sketch but also communicates the intended tones and hues of the finished garment. The garment’s visual appeal is further enhanced through integration of shading and highlighting techniques. Although static, these illustrations often incorporate elements of pose and movement to communicate the dynamic nature of the garment, demonstrating how the design will interact with the wearer’s movement and body, contributing to the overall aesthetic narrative.
Over the years, there has been an evolution in approaches to fashion model sketches, largely spurred by technological advancements. Although hand-drawn sketches remain an authentic form of expression cherished by some, digital software and tools have revolutionised the design process for many. Today’s designers have a host of sophisticated tools at their fingertips, capitalising on the flexibility of virtual sketches and incorporating dynamic features such as animation and 3D rendering to produce a more immersive preview of their creations.
Technology is advancing at a dizzying pace. In fashion design, digital tools help save time, as well as promising precision over pencils and paper. Stroke widths, brushes and swatch libraries can all be preset, enabling designers to maintain certain standards and fostering a highly connected design process among teams, facilitating collaboration from different sides of the planet. In addition, these digital tools also enable designers to showcase virtual versions of products prior to purchasing materials, driving down waste.
3D visualisation of sketches offers an abundance of options for materials, lighting and backgrounds, enabling luxury brands to release digital clothing for preorder prior to the manufacturing stage. AI is increasingly being fostered in fashion design, with Amazon already having developed an algorithm to analyse troves of fashion images, imitate styles and apply this blueprint to new items.
Standing as a testament to the design journey, the fashion model sketch plays a pivotal role in bringing fashion goals to fruition, from the initial creative spark to the fine details of each garment.
