I got this question in my email InBox the other day and it’s not the first time I’ve heard it. I figure it may help some of you awesome Fashion Brain readers if I answer it here for all to see. If you have advice to add, please leave it in the comments below!
Q: “Hi, I purchased your new designer course and it is great! There are just a few questions I have. First, you mentioned I have to sketch out my designs. Well, I’m not a good artist and I have never sketched out any design in depth. I always just visualize it and try to make it. Is there any way around this? Or do I have to become good at sketching and take some lessons? Please help!” -Thank you, Bianca
A: Hi Bianca! Thanks for your question. Here are a few options for you:
1) You can just keep doing what you’re doing. If you don’t need to show the ideas or sketches to anyone else right now then don’t worry about it. While I absolutely LOVE that you’re taking the New Designer Program advice to heart, if your system ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Generally, what I teach are guidelines, not rules.
2) Learn to sketch your ideas with the help of a fashion croquis. A terrific resource for you is Designers Nexus, which is a website where you can get croquis, illustrations, flat sketches, and other fashion design templates to help with your portfolio, fashion design sketches, and other projects. Even if you don’t sketch, when you put the croquis underneath you can slowly but surely bring the details for your design to life.
3) Hire someone to sketch for you. Cheapest and easiest is to contact a local college and find an advanced student. My rule for interns or student workers is to include in your job posting that you’re only taking those with a GPA of 3.5 or above. This will help you weed out people who are less likely to show up and do the work thoughtfully. It may sound harsh but it has definitely saved me a lot of time interviewing the wrong people.
Now it’s your turn! What advice or resources can you share with Bianca? I’m sure there are things I’m not thinking of right now that could help so many designers so will you let me know in the comments below please!
Thanks!
Jane
8 Responses
My name is Dupe I have loads of sketches which top fashion designers will be interested in.whats the procedure. and also I can design bag and shoes.What do you think?
Thanks.
Hi Dupe,
To be honest, my opinion is that top fashion designers have loads of great ideas and great sketches already. It’s not the ideas that make a successful business, it’s the execution of those ideas.
Jane
Hi Dupe, I am searching for a sketch artist to sketch some bags. Maybe we can network
I have a lot of fashion sketches, but I can’t make them to become products. How can I find someone buy my sketches?
Hi Trinh
Are your sketches of bags? I may be interested in buying
Hey I have some sketches I want to find someone who wants to work with me how can I get that person……?
I’m looking for someone to collaborate with and someone who’s good at creating sketches!
First question you need to ask yourself is: are you going to wear the sketch? Professional designers like Prada don’t even know how to draw…but she can convey her idea into creating something great….same for Polo Ralph Lauren. The big names you hear today most of them don’t even know how to draw and some do not have a degree in fashion design. That is why fashion is considered as art and anything that has to do with art is creativity. So my advice is whichever system works for you kindly carry on with it and ignore the tradition of sketching.