Illustrating Fashion: Concept to Creation [Hardcover]

Steven Stipelman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1563670801 | ISBN-13: 978-1563670800 | Publication Date: February 1996

A step-by-step guide on how to draw the basic fashion figure and render garments and
the elements of a garment while at the same time maintain spontaneity and excitement.
Author and noted illustrator Steven Stipelman helps the student understand a specific
concept, the designer, and the garment s place in the history of fashion. He imparts his
philosophy that without knowledge of the past, it is impossible to design for the future.
Stipelman hopes that as students understand the basic and advanced concepts of fashion
they develop their own talents and their own personal style.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steven Stipelman is a professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and has taught at Parsons School of Design and Marist College. In addition to teaching, Stipelman has worked as a fashion illustrator for Henri Bendel, Estee Lauder, Vogue, and Lord and Taylor. Stipelman also spent 25 years working as a fashion artist for Womens Wear Daily, producing drawings that were highly regarded for their look of effortless elegance. Stipelman has won many awards for his work and has exhibited throughout the United States. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Fairchild Books & Visuals (February 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563670801
• ISBN-13: 978-1563670800
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #210,242 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful techniques and easy to grasp concepts, July 30, 2002

By 

"aesthetica" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Illustrating Fashion: Concept to Creation (Hardcover)

I did not realize how resourceful a book this was until I actually sat down and looked through it. I had this book and another fashion illustration book (by Kathryn Hagen) for six months and all this time, I was referencing the other book only to gain insignificant knowledge of fashion illustration. While the other book contains beautifully drawn illustrations, it did little to enlighten me to the techniques, which is important when learning.

I didn't look through Steven Stipelman's book before because I deemed it boring and uninteresting based on a brief flip through. When I actually sat down to start reading it, it all seemed to make sense. What Mr. Stipelman does that other books on this topic fail to really do is to talk about technique and concepts. He outlines standards for drawing croquis (working sketch) in steps, which is a must because a croquis is a foundation for fashion illustrations and will eventually lead to a final drawing.

He also applies the step by step explanation of how to do different poses and how clothing rests on the body in different ways. A big bonus is that he also provides a historical background wherever he can to each section because each period of time had its own ideal for "the" silhouette or body type. It really just ties in well because you get a broader understanding of fashion's past and its relation to the current ideals of fashion.

Whereas some fashion illustration books merely display pages of illustrations done by the author or professionals in the fashion industry, this book is written and arranged in such a way that you feel you're actually in the classroom being taught one-on-one all that it takes to illustrate fashion effectively and beautifully.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent reference for fashion students, August 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Illustrating Fashion: Concept to Creation (Hardcover)

This book is very thorough guide for students to develop their own fashion illustration. His illustrations are excellent and detailed examples of apparel parts are priceless. The only thing lack in this book is showing different illustration styles of other artists (which do not make the quality of the book any less). I highly recommend this book for everybody who is interested in fashion drawing.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great guide to illustrating the clothed figure, April 5, 2002

By 

Reanna (Oz) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Illustrating Fashion: Concept to Creation (Hardcover)

This book is a great resource for anyone who wants to learn figure drawing and clothing. I am studying costume design and found this book to be a great help to me though it is written for fashion illustration. He shows how to draw the basic figure and head as well as other details such as patterns and knits. There is even a chapter on Jewelry!

When I recieved it I was pleased to find that it is a well-bound sturdy (text)book that will survive frequent use and reference on my desk. Though there aren't any color drawings or examples (you will have to find another place to learn about painting and such) this a fantastic book that includes everything else. Another reviewer pointed out that all of the drawings in this book are from the author, which is maybe a bit disappointing, but you don't have to look very far to find other books or magazines with examples.

Though these few things are missing, this book has everything that you need to know to draw the fashion figure, especially if you already have some experience with the art media you wish to use.