DRAWING FROM A GARMENT

Flats can also be developed from an existing garment. If you are speed designing, you may also be drawing from an existing garment, using it as inspiration or using its basic silhouette as the foundation for your own designs. Using garments from your wardrobe is also the best way to practice your drawing technique, especially if you are unsure where to position styling details.

Begin by laying out the garment on the floor. You should always draw from a "plan view," from a head-on perspective, therefore you will need to stand directly above the garment. You may need to stand on a chair to view it correctly. Lay the garment down naturally. If you force it into an unnatural position your drawing will be distorted.

Sometimes a back view of part of a garment is required, such as the back of a sleeve. Working with your garment laid flat allows you to manipulate it in ways that would not be possible were it on a hanger.

Do not view the garment from an angle as your drawing will be distorted by perspective. This may occur if you lay the garment on a table and sit on a chair in front of it—you will not be able to see the silhouette properly.

Hanging the garment on a hanger will introduce the effects of gravity, which will also cause distortion. Garments do not "hang" symmetrically.