Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

F indingyourfashioninspiration

Creativepeoplehaveoverwhelmingexpectationsplacedonthem.Tofindfashiondesigninspirationscanbeadauntingtask.Itcanbeintimidatingtocomeupwithnewartisticworksandfindouthowtobeginyournewmasterpiece.Thefirststeptoputtingpentopaperisobservingtheworldaroundyou.Applyingthisknowledgetoyourfashiondesignsisthenextstep.Sowheredoesonefindfashioninspiration?

Fashioninspirationforcreativeworkcanbefoundinanyplacearoundyou.Lookinyourgarden,inyourgarage,in

theofficeoratyourcolleagues.Ifyouhavetoborrowthebasicideafromanotherartist,thendon’tfeeltooputoff.Thereareveryfewcompletelyuniqueideasoutthere,butafinelineexistsbetweencopyrightinfringementandpayinghomage.Thetrickistoaddyourownpersonaltouchandtoprovideauniqueinterpretationofthatidea.

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

Anycreativepersonneedstokeephis/herfingeronthepulseofwhatisnewandtrendy.Makesuretoreadthelatesttrendymagazines,watchthelatestfilmsandkeepaneyeoutforinteriordecorationtrends.Anartistshouldalwayshaveeitheracameraorasketchbookhandytorecordtheseinspirationalideas.Ifyou’reinaconstantlychangingenvironmentsuchastravellingtoothercitiesorcountries,thiscouldbeagreatsourceoffashioninspiration.Whenyou’retravelling,trytoobservethedifferencesinculture,dressandcuisine.Youconstantlyneedtobeuptodatewithworldevents,televisionandmovie

releases.KeepintouchwiththebigcitieslikeLondon,Paris,Italy,NewYork,TokyoandCopenhagenandtrytoapplythelatesttrendsinyourdesignwork.

Visitmuseumsandartgalleriesonaregularbasisasfashiontrendstodayhaveusuallycomefullcirclefromthefashiondesignsinyesteryear.Forinstance,the1920’sfashionflareisvisibleinthe2000’sweddingattirerunwayexamples.

Eveninyournormalmundanedailytasks,youmustattempttodrawdesignerinspiration.Seekouttheshapesinthetreesinthelandscapingofgardensor

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

simplyadmirethearchitectureinyourstreet.Somethoughts,smells,soundsorvisualscaninvokeamemoryoraninspirationalthoughtordesign.Emotionalmusiccanassistinthisregard.

Becomeacollectorofinspirationalitems,althoughtosomeitmayseemlikejunk.Fashioninspirationcancomefromeventhemostunlikelysources.Keepbuttons,fabricscraps,books,magazinearticles,retropostcardsorbitsandpiecesofthingsthatstimulateyouvisually.Acollectionofsimilarthingscaninspireabackgroundorprintforagarment.Collectingbooksisgreatalthoughmagazinesaremore‘now’andaregreatforup‐to‐the‐momentinformation.

T heme

creationandmind‐mapping:

Totakeideasoutofthinairandmakethemintoarepresentativemasterpieceisalwaysintimidating.However,thebestwaytoachievethisistocontinuouslydevelopyourknowledgebasetocultivatefreshideas.Imaginationisvital,butknowledgeisthebasefromwhichtowork.Thefirststepinanycreationistochooseafewthemestoresearchandpursue.Itcanbeanythingyouareinterestedin,fromEgyptianculturetoflowerarrangements‐anythingthatbringsaboutinspiration.FashionSketchescanbestartedfromanysource!Trytosticktoafewthemesthatyoudeemimportantandviableandlettherestfallby

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

thewaysidewhenusingthistechnique.Toomanyunfinishedideaswillonlyservetoconfuseyouandsurroundyouinchaos.Ifyouarefindingthisorganisation

methoddifficult(asmanyartistsandcreativepeopledo)thentheuseofamindmapcanbehelpful.Ifindoubt,callonafewfriendstoassistyouinbrainstormingideas,anddisregardingideasthatarenotusefulorcommerciallyviable.Friendscanalsobeagreatsourceoffashiondesigninspiration.

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

S ketchbooks:

Asketchbookcanbekeptinthesamemannerthatyouwouldkeepadiary.Thisbookcanbearepresentationofthethingsthatyouseearoundyoueveryday.Asketchbookcanbekeptinanyformat:keepscrapsoffabricandpiecesvisualinformationthatyoucomeacross.Youshouldusethebooktopracticeyourdrawing,recordthingsyouseethatyouwanttorememberandalsotoonedaysparkthatinspiration.Sketchingpeopleandanimals,aswellastheflora,canbeagreatwaytospendtheafternooninyourlocaltowncentre.Anyideasorfashioninspirationsareviableforinclusioninthesketchbookasyouarealwaysabletoreferbacktoitinfuturewhenyoumaybestuckforanidea.Thesketchbookcanbeasneatorasuntidyasyouwish.

Neverthrowyoursketchbooksaway;oftenyouarerequiredtoprovideitinconjunctionwithassignmentsorportfolio.Ifastoryboardisyourdestination,seethesketchbookasyourjourney.Yoursketchbookshouldbeveryimpulsive,messyandexplorative.Thisshouldtrulybeusedasatoolforexperimentationandcollectingyourideasforinspiration.Don’tlosespontaneitybyattemptingtokeepitorderlyandneat.

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

Startyoursketchbooktodaybycollectingphotographs,collages,randomobjectsandexhibitionpamphlets,colourswatchesforpaints,fabricswatchesormagazinecut‐outs.Buyasmalloneforyourbagandalargeoneforwhenyouhavethespace.Keepthegoodqualityhardcoverones,sothatthey’dlastyoualifetime.Updateitregularlyandrememberthatfashioninspirationcancomefromanywhere!

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

S toryboards

Afashionstoryboardwillusuallyconsistofafullcolourillustrationofafashionfigure/severalfigures(maleorfemale)wearingthegarmentsthatarebeingshowcased.Thisstoryboardtutorialwillshowyouhowtocorrectlyformatandcreateafashionstoryboardforassignmentsorprofessionally.Aclearlylabelled,sizableswatchofyourchosenfabric/sshouldalsobeincludedontheboard.Thestoryboardshouldbethoughtofasapictorialrepresentationofyourproposedclothingdesigninfullcolour,alongwithtechnicalrenderingsofeachgarmentindividually.

"Afashionstoryboardisasummaryofyourcollection'sinspirationandtheme.It'sadesigntoolthatwillhelpyouremainfocusedandconsistentasyourlinedevelops.It'salsoagreatcommunicationaidwhenexplainingyourvisiontoothers(retailers,mediaetc.).Magazinetears,fabricswatches,oldphotos,buttons,ribbons;basicallyanyvisualreferenceyoudesirearemountedontoa

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

hardboard.Besuretogiveyourstoryboardatitle,likeabookorfilm"‐fashionincubator.com

Justthesketchesindividuallycanlookdull,lifelessandveryuninteresting.Youneedawell‐plannedlayoutandastrongtheme‐yourideasmustseemcommerciallysuccessful.Designersneedtolearnhowtousedifferentpresentationtechniquesinordertoenhancetheirartwork.

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

P lanningyourpresentation

Thedesignbriefwilldictatethestoryboard’sobjective‐trendsforecasting,fashiondesign,athematicboard,andsoon.Dependingonthetargetmarket,thebriefandthepurposeofthepresentation,yourstoryboardshouldincludethefollowing:

• Afashionfigure,clothedinyourdesignsonaflatworkingfigure

• Swatchesofyourfabric(allthefabricsused)

• Colourpalettes(allthecoloursthatareusedinyourdesigns)

• Anytrimsused

• Photographsofthegarments

P resentationTechniques:

Thefashionstoryboardmusthaveastrongthemerunningthroughoutwhichcapturesthemood.Additionally,thepresentationmusthaveatitle,evenifitisaworkingtitleatthatstage.Thethemeandtitlecanbedeterminedbythefabrics(NaturalLinens),theseason(SummerBlues),orthemerchandise(Metamorphosis),forexample.

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

Stance:Choosethecorrectandappropriateposeforyourstoryboardtemplateswhenyoustartdrawing:classic,sophisticated,funky,moodyorsportyareallappropriatemoodsforaboard.

Positioning:Don’tallowyourfashionfiguretolooklikeit’sfloatingonthepage;useshadowingandshadingtocreatetheillusionofstructure.Ifyoufeelcompetentenough,drawyourcharacterinascenewheretheclothesenhancethesituation.

Figures:Whenusingmorethanonefashionfigureonthefashionstoryboard,youmayvarythesizeofeachfigure.Thiscreatesperspectiveontheboardandlooksvisuallyappealing.Onelargescalefigureintheforegroundandtherestinthebackgroundpoints

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

outtheimportanceoftheclothingaswellasgivingthevieweravisualtreat.

Fabrics:Cuttingthefabricwithpinkingshears(zigzagcutonedges)looksprofessionalandwillgivethestoryboardaninterestingfeature.Usedoublesidedtapeontheedgestokeepthefabricfromfraying.Youcanalsocrumplethefabricsintolittlerougedballsandstickthemdownwithdoublesidedtapetocreateadifferenttextureandlayeringeffectforthefashionstoryboard.Sometimesthefabricswatchesshouldbeabletobefeltwiththefingers,sotrytoleavethestoryboardopen.

Heading:Unlessyouarecompetentatnumeralorfontdrawing,usethecomputertodesigntheheadingswhereverpossible.Itwillsaveyoualotoftimeandeffort.Trytokeepthefontthesamethroughoutthestoryboard,soastokeepwithinthechosentheme.

Labels:Wherevernecessary,printlabelsforanyspecificobjectsthatyouneedtodrawattentionto(forexample:"ExtraWideJeans"or"LongCoat").Again,unlessyoufeelcompetentindrawingfont,useacomputertodesignandprintthese.

Collages:Anythingthatyoufindinmagazines,onyourcomputer,incraftstores,fabricshopsoryourgarageisfairgame.Useanythingthatwilladdtotheoverallthemeofyourstoryboard,butpleaseremembertonotgooverboard.Toomuchadditionalmaterialonafashionstoryboardcanlookmessyandunprofessional.

Borders:Togiveyourfashionstoryboardasenseoffinalityandperspective,surroundyourstoryboardwithacontrastingcardboardframe,usingdifferenttexturesandcolours.Cutneatlyanduseruledlines,unlessyouwishtoachieveafree‐flowingmood.Borderscanbehand‐drawn,cutfromcardboard,acollageormadefromdifferentfabrics.Whateveryouchoose,remembertomakeitneat.

Backgrounds:Ifnecessary,useplainormildlytextured/printedboardasa

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

background;don’tallowittodrownthefocalpoint,whichisofcourseYOURCLOTHING.

Everyfashionillustratorhastheirownstyle;thesestoryboardtemplatesareexamplesfromtherelevantillustrator’sportfoliosofftheinternet.PLEASEdonotcopytheseideasortrytomaketemplatesfromtheirdrawings,asyouwouldbeinfringingcopyrightlaw.Trytoeventuallyproduceyourownfashiontemplatesfromscratch.

Fashionstoryboardsaremostoftencoupledwithamoodboardaninspirationboardcontainingacollectionofpicturesorcolours,cardandfabricthatevokeanemotionalresponse.Designerscanusemoodboardstodecideontherightcoloursthatevokethesefeelings,asthemoodboardenablesyoutoseeathemethatrunsthroughoutyourselection.Youcanmakeuseofvariousmediatocreateinterestonthemoodboard:buttons,ribbon,wool,sand,corrugatedboardetc.

Beascreativeaspossiblewhendevelopingyourstoryboardtemplate,useyourimaginationtoitsfullpotentialHoweverpleasebearinmindthefollowing:

• Alwayspositionyourfigureasthemainfocus

• Don'tallowyourboardtobecomemessyandunstructuredinyourendeavourtobecreative–keepitsimpleandfocusedonthethemeandfigure

• Usethecorrectfashiontemplateforyourtheme.Forexample,ifthethemeisclassicVictoriandon'tuseanoutlandishfiguretemplate.Ifyourthemeiscontemporary,usetheappropriateposes

• Remembertoillustrateaccessories,bagsandjewelleryalongwithyourclothingasthiscreatesapolishedfinish

• Figuresshouldbepresentedsymmetricallywhereverpossibleasitkeepstheeyefocused(Seethefashionstoryboardbelow).Usingalargerfigureamongsttwosmalleronesontheleftandrightcanalsolookgood.Itwillseemlikethetwosmallerfiguresareinthe

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

background.Sometimesit'seffectivetousethesamefigureforallthedifferentoutfits,creatingarepetitivetiledeffect:(ReferenceDiptriIrla)

• Alwaysremembertohaveamainheadingsuchas"Trendsforwinter"or"BlackandWhite".However,ifyoudateyourboard,itwillmakeitshortlivedastrendschangequickly:(ReferenceJustinGloston)

• Usingswatchesthatareneatlycutoutbutirregularinshapewillcreateaprofessionallooktoyourstoryboard.Usingstickytapeonthebackofthefabricpreventsfrayingandgivesagoodendresult.Youcanalsousepinkingshearstocreateazigzagedge:(ReferenceTheresiaFanda)

• Don'tusetoomanyunrelatedcolourvarietiesononeboard,suchaspastelswithbrightcoloursaswellasneutrals;dirtyandcleanshadesshouldbegroupedtogether.Therehastobeathemeorcollectionofcomplementingcolours.Thisisthegeneralrule,unlessyouarespecificallygoingforamulticoloureddesign:(ReferenceAnnieKim)

• Buypaintsampleswatchesfromthepaintstore,usethoseasacolourpallet,butdon’thavetoomanythingshangingoffyourboard;thisseemsuntidy.

• Useasmuchdetailaspossible,drawinthetexture,beading,trims,

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

fabricprint,andweaveinyourdesign.Useasmuchvisualornamentationasyoucan.Useshadingandhighlightsfortheskinandhairtogiveamorerealistictouchtoyourdesigns:(ReferenceSarahLouisePetty)

• Yourtechnicaldrawingscanbepastedontherearoftheboard,orneatlypastedonthefront,althoughthiscansometimeslookcluttered.

• Youmayusecomputerprintedheadingsandlabels,butdon'tforgettocolourcodetheseheadingswithyourtheme.Don'tjustprintoutablack&whiteheadingifitwillclashwithyourboard.Printtheheadingaslargeaspossiblewithoutinterferingwiththeoveralllook;asmallfloatyheadingwhichisdifficulttoreadwilllookunprofessionalandpossiblybeoverlooked.Thepapershouldbeashighqualityaspossibleifyouareprintingyourdesignontothismedium.

Creating Fashion Storyboards- E-book

• Whynotusefoamwithdoublesidedmountingtapetostickyourfiguresdown?Itcreatesaraisedlookforyourfigure.Itlooksveryprofessionalandgivesyourboardathreedimensionallook:(ReferenceChristineDauguet)

• Findbitsofmaterial–feathers,edging,embellishmentorbeadstostickontheboard–thatgowithyourtheme.Keepthisadditiontidyandwithinthebordersofyourstoryboard.Materialthatflapsorhangsovertheborderlooksmessy,unprofessional,andgivestheimpressionthatyoudon’tcareaboutyourproject.

• ALWAYSsticktotherequirementsofyourbrief:theduedate,amountofoutfitsrequired,themeetc.Usethecorrectboardsizethatisstipulatedandtrytobuyrigidboardwhichwillnotbendundertheweightofyouradditions.1200microniscommonlyused,butyoucanuseslightlythinner.Theruleshouldbethatyoucanrestitupagainstastandwithoutitfoldingandwarping–thisisnotimpressiveduringpresentations!

• Havealltheinformationregardingyourboardtohand,orhaveitmemorised.Youmightbeaskedaboutfabrication,targetmarketsegment(sportswear,eveningwear,readytowear,coutureetc)andyoushouldknowallofthisoffhand.Fabricsarethemostimportantaspectstoremember,don'tjustsay"cotton"ifitsviscosecotton,Lycracottonorstretchcotton‐bespecific.

Bearinmindthateverythingyoudofromnowonhastobeshowcasedinyourportfolio.Lookafterthefashionstoryboardsthatyoucreate–coveringtheminplasticwrapisusuallytheeasiestandcheapestwaytogoaboutthis.