Fashion Design Drawing Course [Paperback]

Caroline Tatham (Author), Julian Seaman (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764124730 | ISBN-13: 978-0764124730 | Publication Date: October 2003 | Edition: 1

A superb reference book and an ideal instructional textbook for classroom use, this beautifully illustrated guide is organized into units that reflect required courses at leading design colleges. Twenty step-by-step exercises cover methods of finding inspiration, developing observation techniques, and creating fashion drawings in both color and black-and-white media. Separate sections are devoted to getting started and understanding figure proportions, planning and designing garments, and creating and assessing flat specification drawings. The book also features cross-references to its various art instruction techniques, a designer's glossary, and a helpful index. This book guides students through their first steps in fashion illustration, covering everything that is presented in the best college-level courses. It makes a fine starting point for all students of fashion, introducing them to fashion drawing as a first step toward a career as a creative costumier. More than 250 illustrations in color and black and white.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The publication's strengths are in the clarity and verve with which the illustrations are presented."


— Arts and Activities, March 2004

About the Author

Caroline Tatham is the lead tutor in fashion at the world-renowned Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. She is well known throughout the European and American fashion industry as a buyer and designer.

Julian Seaman is an internationally recognized print designer, the author of several fashion books, and currently a visiting tutor at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series; 1 edition (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764124730
• ISBN-13: 978-0764124730
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #298,663 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing > Specific Objects

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

98 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a real course in fashion design, April 12, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Fashion Design Drawing Course (Paperback)

Unlike other fashion design books, the authors do not teach figure drawing and clothing. They start out with a visit to a museum where you need to gather information, then find a theme and make four sketches. The individual lessons build upon each other so that the beginner can easily follow. The authors require you to be active, go out and find your sources of information and inspiration. You learn to do what fashion designers do: look at architecture and find ideas for a new fashion line, look at flowers and find a color scheme, etc.
The book has 24 lessons that lead the student of fashion design from the first sketch to the fashion show. It's a good book if you are looking for a guided course that helps you to improve and evaluate your designs.

86 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the most mis-leading title ever, October 13, 2004

By 

Johnny Vespa "Johnny Vespa" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fashion Design Drawing Course (Paperback)

This book is awful, especially given it's title. Drawing is not discussed in the book in any meaningful way. the cover is dreadfully misrepresentative of what is inside. The drawing styles presented are horribly dated from a horrible fashion Illustration era. These 80's - 90's looks are awful to look at and disproportioned.

Very little if anything can be learned from this book.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars You get what you pay for, December 7, 2006

By 

M. Cooper (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fashion Design Drawing Course (Paperback)

This book was not at all helpful for new fashion illustrators. I would consider my drawing skills above average. I mainly do technical designs and decided that I wanted try fashion design for my portfolio. So I borrowed this book and another book from the library and was very dissapointed. The cover drew me in, but the pages were not instructional. The book goes through the traditional 9 heads figure and the help pretty much stops there. This book is bombarded with really abstract drawings and HINTS on ideas for fashion designs. What a waste! I'm glad that I borrowed it first!!
The other book I checked out was a book by Bina Abling "Fashion Sketchbook" from the 1980's and that was far more helpful because it gave step by step instructions and illustrations. It went beyond poses and into garment designs and it was about 20 years old!! The current edition is kinda pricey but I'm going to invest in it. Anyway, if you want to learn real fashion illustration I would NOT invest in this book.