The Use of Line in Fashion Drawing

Line Positioning

In fashion drawing the usage of line in better way make it more appealing and give more meaning to it. Lines give movement to our eyes; it gives direction to our eyes in which way it has to move. The most important characteristic of fashion drawing when we have to capture the appearance of the garment when the body is in motion. The direction and positioning of line can lead the eye and reinforce the sense of movement in a drawing in the way we want. Horizontal lines suggest the lack of movement, stability and equilibrium and diagonal lines shows the movement and vitality.

Line and Color

In figure drawing made with lines, usually created with a pen or pencil – the information in the drawing is conveyed solely with the use of line. Many times one line has to convey more than one types of information so the use of line have to be more precise to avoid confusion. When colors are used, much of the information conveyed in a line drawing of a garment is provided by the usage of color. Through shading the drawing through tints and shades the expression is showed.

The information that is provided by line on shape, size, proportion, and detail is convey mainly by the location and direction of straight and curved lines. The width and weight of a line also shows a different type of information about line. The width and weight of the line can mainly be used for representing the difference between fabrics and subtle visual effects of the three dimensional garments on the figure, the drape lines, nuanced lines indicating depth and shadow and lines within the garment.

The principles ways to vary width and weight of line and their applications in fashion drawing are as follows-

LIGHT, THIN, CRISP (CLEAN EDEGED) LINES

These lines are drawn with a sharp, hard graphite or mechanical pencil and are useful for indicating light, crisp fabrics such as linen, taffeta, laces, tulle and polished cottons.

LIGHT, SOFT, (FUZZY EDGED) LINES

These lines are drawn with the edge of a softer pencil and are useful for indicating knits, boucle, angora, embroidery and ribbing.

LIGHT THICK LINES

These lines are used to indicate the fit of a garment, the position of the figure under the garment.

DARK, THIN, CRISP LINES

These lines can be used to draw seams, shadows under buttons or other small details such as sequins, edges of jeweler, joints in accessories and shadows in crisp fabrics.

DARK SOFT LINES

These lines can be used for soft fabrics in shadow and other items that are soft such as thick wool, quilts, heavy shoes and purses.

NAUNCED LINES

This the lines that can change in thickness and width along their length, switching from light to dark to thick to thin, to crisp to soft edged and sometimes disappearing and appearing as the lines move into and out of the areas of light.