Customer Reviews

Fashion Sketchbook

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is The authority on illustrating for fashion. Abling's attention to detail and artistic ability make her a perfect tutor on the topic, and every explanation is clear--it's the sort of thing where you look at the example, and it clicks in your head, "Oh, Now I see!".

The book goes over Everything you need, but in case you want to know exactly what is inside, here is a quick summary:

Ch 1: Fashion Figure Proportions
Figures on grids broken down in several ways, extensive work on proportion. Abling divides figures into geometric shapes: foot, head, hips, chest, upper arm, thigh; she then puts them together, showing how they fit and relate to one anther. It then goes further and shows how different poses and types of movement affect the torso (upper and lower), as well as different types/shapes of figures, from the elongated fashion figure to petite and full. The chapter also features a figure map, interpretations of anatomy, different poses and artistic approaches, balance, and movement.

Ch 2: Basic Figure Forms
Drawing legs, arms, feet, shoes, hands, fingers, and foreshortening. There are so many helpful diagrams from multiple perspectives, numerous poses.

Ch 3: Model Drawing
Gesture drawing, exercises on isolated sections of the body, angles, and more; balance line, supporting leg (where the weight is distributed so the figure looks planted to the ground, not floating around or unevenly/awkwardly perched), arms.

Ch 4: Fashion Heads
Faces, different ethnicities, facial features, dissection of the head with a map on the placement of eyes, nose, lips, etc. The head in different positions, from different angles; techniques to maintain proportion and balance: diamond technique, working with angles and planes of the face, shading/highlights/shadows. Hair: styles, hairlines, period styles.

Ch 5: Drawing Men
Comparison to female figure, legs, arms, hands, hair, gesture, dressing the figure, suits, and details on how the fabric falls, where to put certain features like the cuff, armhole, etc. Proportions, classic menswear techniques, fashion croquis technique, vintage styles.

Ch 6: Drawing Children
Proportions by age, with many dissections and comparisons, tons of helpful illustrations and examples. Infants, toddlers, children, tweens; heads, facial expressions, hairstyles, arms, hands, legs, feet, vintage styles.

Ch 7: Garment and Garment Details
Necklines, collars, sleeves (different types, lengths, etc), skirts (folds, fall of fabric, gathering, flaring, volume, pleats), pants (folds, gathering, lengths, fit), blouses, blazers, jackets, coats, ruffles, smocking, shirring, cowls, fur, quilting, formal gowns, applying the concepts to garments.

Ch 8: Accessories
Jewelry and how they sit on the body, eyewear, hats (male, female), belts (types, fit), trims, notions, closures, handbags, shoes (different angles, heel heights, types).

Ch 9: Basic Rendering Techniques
Working with stripes and other fabric types/prints. Shading, highlighting, rendering with marker, fall fabrics, more fabric types: shiny fabrics, flat/matte, sheers, layers, velvet, satins, chiffon, etc. Working with all black fabrics.

Ch 10: Color Rendering
Chapter features color renderings to show skin tones, menswear with marker, children; using gouache, using watercolors, rendering hair in color.

Ch 11: Drawing Knits
Necklines, knit patterns, treatments/embellishments.

Ch 12: Designer Sketching and Fashion Illustration
Poses: I-pose, S-pose, X-pose, T-pose. Attitude, "look" and feel, style, emphasis.

Ch 13: Drawing Flats and Specs
Layout styles, freehand sketching, proportion, chart on measurements by size: Women, Men, Unisex, Belts, Hats, Socks. Gathering, buttons, closures, top stitching. Mixing croquis and flat drawings.

Ch 14: Layout
Combining multiple drawings, elements, or figures; groupings,

Appendix
More necklines, collars, sleeves, armholes, tops, dresses, skirts, pants, jackets, coats, sleepwear, underwear, design details, ties, hats, waistlines, pockets, handbags, shoes, collars, cuffs.
One of the neatest sections in the book is titled "problem spots" and features examples of the right and wrong way to do various details. Showing examples of how amateurs or beginners make mistakes and then showing the correct way works So well! Better than explanation, this simple and clear approach is crucial.

This book is filled with immensely helpful diagrams, exercises, and demonstrations. Every part of it is useful to students and designers, and because it is so comprehensive, this could be the single most important book in fashion illustration. If you could only have one book on the subject, get Fashion Sketchbook by Bina Abling.

This is an excellent and comprehensive book for all fashion design students who wish to learn the art of fashion illustration or for anyone who desires to perfect their skills.
As a fashion figure drawing instructor I suggest that if one's budget only allows them to purchase a single book I would highly recommend this one. In addittion to the female croquis, it touches on the male and juevenile croquis as well as illustration techiques, flats and portfolio presentation.

If you can't draw but you really wanna be a fashion designer this book is for you it explains things so well and it has great drawings to help you!!!!

being a fashion illustration student I was very apprehensive about purchasing another fashion illustration book written by someone who thinks they know how to teach illustration but instead this book is a real treat!! it couvers not only women and men but children also which is very rare. YOU SHOULD BUY THIS BOOK if you're serious about illustration!!!

The first time I saw his book, I was amazed. It is a wonderful book for fashion illustration which includes male, female and children's positions and facial features. Also, it shows seam lines in great detail. I encourage everyone interested to buy this book, it's worth it.

This book is really great if you want to learn how to draw fashion models and their clothes. It covers everything... basic shapes, poses, faces, clothes, hair, hands, feet and much more. I also loved the fact that it was spiral bound because it lays flat. I think Bina is a great artist and I would definately buy more of her books. If you can only afford to buy one book- this is it. This book has it all! Trust me...buy this book!

If you are a beginner or need assistance in learning to draw croquis this book is a must have. This large, detailed,in depth book is a great resource for your fashion library.

I recently took an illustration class that required 4 (yes, four, and ridiculously expensive..) textbooks, and this was one of them. I had already bought this book after checking out the first (1980s edition) from the library, but never really used it. Since I had to buy all those books, and am a beginner, I realized more the pros and misgivings of this book.

My main complaint, and one major reason why I never felt "into" this book is that the croquis you are learning from is shown mainly from the side view. Most people don't draw directly head on, but I think it's a lot easier to remember proportions if you practice them from the front view. The book illustrates the relation of the parts to each other from the front view, but then you draw the full figure from the side view! Also, the figures are already stylized, which is nice, but not if you don't know how to draw a really good basic figure yet! It just doesn't make sense to practice a figure who's 3/4 turned, legs crossed and arms in different position without a solid foundation first.

This book is probably best for refining your illustration skills, because Bina Abling does it so well. The figure is very feminine and fluid. It's also great reference for rendering and types of clothing. But I really didn't learn much from using this as a beginner, I just found myself more frustrated. However, I will keep it to use when I develop my skills further. So if you have it, keep it. If you can borrow it from a local or college library, that's better than buying it first.

Better Beginner Books:

I like Stephen Stipelman's Illustrating Fashion: Concept to Creation (3rd Edition)book better for beginning, because it's a front view, and if you mark the lines straight across a large piece of paper, after lots of practice you eventually "know" how long the figure should look for each body part.

Another great beginner's book is by Bill Thames Drawing Fashion, but you'll have to buy it used because it's out of print. It's outdated (1985) style-wise, but it's the best step-by-step book I've encountered. He also offers one great tip that none of the other books mentioned: draw on a raised/tilted NOT flat surface! Can't tell you how much easier it is to see what you're doing. All my regular art classes drew with the board propped against a drawing horse, or on an easel, so I wonder why it's not more common for fashion illustration! Also, he shows you how to draw the figure in proportion to your paper!

Another good beginner's reference is by Gustavo Fernandez Illustration for Fashion Design: Twelve Steps to the Fashion Figure because the way he instructs on how to turn the figure for each part of the body is easy, and it comes with a DVD instructional! But like Bina Abling's book, it shows you how to draw from the side first. Again, you probably won't be drawing from the front most of the time, but I think it's easier to start out that way.

I was really frustrated that my instructor required so many books, but she must've been frustrated because she couldn't find a 'perfect' one! If you're able to, borrow as many different fashion drawing books you can, you'll be surprised at the content, info, similarities/differences and how little things make it better/worse. And don't give up!

This book is excellent for someone who struggles with drawing every aspect of a fashion illustration. This book shows you how to draw feet and hands in different positions along with different poses. This is an excellent book and great tool.

This sketchbook is very comprehensive and great for all levels of fashion sketching. It is a wonderful book if you are trying to conquer the croquis. I was an absolute beginner and this book has developed my skills greatly and the step by step lessons in the book are extremely helpful. This book is spiral-bound which makes a big difference when practicing, especially if you like to using tracing paper prior to your sketching attempts. Not all fashion drawing books are spiral-bound so make sure you take note, it makes a big difference when working on your art.