07 DRAWING FOR MANUFACTURE

Introduction
This chapter deals with the working drawing. This is the standard method of communicating garment designs in the industry. It is used in manufacturing to inform designers, pattern cutters, buyers, merchandisers, lay planners, machinists and anyone else involved in the production of garments (some of whom may even be in a different country) about specic designs. Working drawings need to be clear to inform this vast range of personnel. There is some skill involved in producing working drawings and this chapter sets out to provide the tools and knowledge necessary for successfully mastering the technique. The basic equipment required for hand rendered working drawings varies from hard or propelling pencils, rapidograph/technical drawing pens in a variety of nib thicknesses (or neliner pens if budget is a problem), through erasers, ruling pens and a variety of inks. Black waterproof ink is useful as it is opaque when applied and reproduces well. Coloured inks are also available and can be used in technical pens. Correction uid is invaluable to correct any slight inaccuracies. All-purpose uids are available that can be used on photocopies as well as original art work. French curves help to produce strict and accurate line work, depending on the nal uses of the illustration. Software is being used much more extensively in the fashion industry now. It is possible to execute working drawings and render them with tones, textures and colours. After the initial investment in the software and hardware, this is ultimately a speedier way of producing working drawings. It is possible to scan in fabrics and then ood ll the drawing (as explained in Media Techniques - Adobe Photoshop - Pattern Stamp Tool) with the fabric to give a more realistic representation of the designs for presentation at buying and board meetings - see the tutorial later in this chapter for producing drawings. Drawings from the Dress Stand are provided to be used as a basis for achieving good proportion having guidelines for the centre front, back, bust, chest, waist and hips. A good, straightforward gure drawing can be used in the same way. Developing the Template shows how to achieve good proportion and how to develop a variety of garment blanks that can be used as a basis to design virtually any garment. A range of Blueprints for a ve year old child, a woman and a man are provided. Also shown is the use of computer software to achieve similar results. Designing using a Template shows how the same garment shape may be utilised in a number of ways. Developing a Stencil provides another hand rendered method of production which may be helpful if a lightbox and computer are not available. Where to use Working Drawings shows the subtleties between different uses of this type of drawing. The examples at the end of this section show a variety of contemporary approaches and uses of this style of drawing.

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Drawings from the Dress Stand
KEY: CF - Centre Front CB - Centre Back S - Size Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 1 shows the womans torso stand, dress size 12 or 40, front, side and back views. Figure 2 shows a ve year old childs torso, front, side and back views.

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Drawings from the Dress Stand

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 1 shows the womans trunk and legs stand, dress size 12 or 40, front, side and back views. Figure 2 shows a mans torso, size 38, front, side and back views.

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Developing the Template

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

The woman, man and 5 year old child torso have been selected for development. Figure 1 is a combination of womans torso and trunk and legs. The gure has been extended at the bust, waist, thigh and calf to allow for the elongation in fashion drawing. Figure 2 (mans torso) has been extended for the same reason, showing divisions at the chest, waist and hip. However, Figure 3 (childs torso - 5 years) has not been extended because this would alter the apparent age of the child and distort the proportion.

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Developing the Template

bust waist

bust waist

waist

hip

bust waist

waist

waist hip

hip

bust

waist

knee

waist hip

Blueprints - Womenswear

Front view templates are developed from the new gure shapes; back or side views can be developed also (not shown here).

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Developing the Template

chest

chest

waist

waist

waist

chest

casual sleeve

waist

tailored sleeve
waist

Blueprints - Menswear

Sleeve shapes are developed. Tailored jackets have sleeves lying parallel to the body; with more casual sportswear, shirts and dresses allow the sleeves to spread at an angle from the body - the purple outline. (This is also dependent on the type of sleeve to be constructed. For example, a dolman sleeve is an extension of the bodice and the shoulder seam continues down the outside of the arm. Consequently the template chosen should be the nearest to that type of construction.) Where space on the page is at a premium one sleeve can be folded over, this allows detail at the back of the cuff to be seen.

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Developing the Template

chest chest

chest

waist

waist hip

waist

chest

waist

hip

chest

waist

waist hip

waist

waist hip

Blueprints - Childrenswear

Each template needs to retain information regarding the centre front and back and the chest, bust, waist and hip lines, as this is helpful when plotting button wraps, double-breasted designs, wrap-overs, hipster styles, cropped tops etc. All of the Blueprints were created in Adobe Illustrator. To complete the exercise opposite a template could be scanned into Photoshop then opened and placed in lllustrator to act as a template - see Media Techniques, Vector Drawing, page 81.

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Developing the Template
Figure 2

bust waist

Figure 1 1. The bodice template is opened in Adobe Illustrator (Figure 1). 2. A new layer is created and named blouse design. The template layer - Layer 1 is locked (Figure 2). 3. Begin to draw the basic garment shape, on one side only (Figure 3). 4. Select the drawing with the Selection tool, copy and paste it, then select the copy (Figure 4). Double click on the Reect tool - it shares a tab with the Rotate tool (Figure 5). The pop-up dialogue box asks you to select a vertical or horizontal axis, or an angle (Figure 6). Choose Vertical and the image reects itself; keep it selected and move it in position over the template, using the arrow keys for precision (Figure 7). 5. Click on the Eye icon on the Layers palette and de-select it, this makes the template invisible, showing only the design drawing (Figure 8). 6. Copy and Paste this shape and use it for design development, adding stitch lines and other detail - see next page. Figure 3 Figure 4

Selection Tool

Figure 6 Figure 5

Figure 7

Figure 8

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Designing using a Template

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 1 shows the garment design ood-lled with colour in Photoshop using the Paint Bucket tool, Figure 2 shows the garment lled with pattern using the Pattern Stamp tool in Photoshop, the inside of the garment has the opacity reduced to look more realistic. Figure 3 has a Graphic Style of Parchment (to give a more distressed look) added in Illustrator. Figure 4 shows blocks of colour added in Photoshop, the Opacity is reduced on the Paint Bucket tool menu bar to achieve a feeling of Transparency.

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Developing a Stencil
Figure 1

Figure 2

PRINTS 1. Select the elongated dress stand drawing or a clear front view of the gure (Figure 1). 2. Trace over one half of the torso to produce a swimsuit shape. Mirror the other side of the drawing and include the centre front/back, chest/bust, waist and hip lines (Figure 1). Adjust the shape slightly until it looks as required. Cut out the basic stencil in lightweight card for durability (Figure 2). Further stencils may be created by working one on top of another. 3. To design, draw lightly around the basic stencil, marking the centre front/ back, chest/bust, waist and hip lines as guides in pencil. 4. Design the garment over the tracing and render as required, here with prints; erase all pencil lines (Figure 3).

Figure 3

A stencil shape is useful if a lightbox or a computer and software are not available. It is important to use an H value pencil to keep the traced shape as accurate as possible.

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Where to use Working Drawings
KEY DETAILS: racing back reversible tops neon prints
Figure 1 The drawing is at but could show movement, dependent upon the fabrication. The fabric representation is important. It is used here to illustrate items for fashion prediction work - new ideas not yet manufactured. Often important details will be highlighted in an exploded drawing. Figure 2 This is a slightly stricter version of the drawing, used by fashion prediction and design studios. The garment sample has to be accurately observed and recorded. It could be derived from a trade fair, exhibition or could be from a retail outlet anywhere in the world. There has to be additional information such as the source or designer, country of manufacture, colour, fabric, price and market level (Snow Dwarf is ctional). The prediction company uses such information to advise of directional garments corresponding to their previously predicted themes. The designer (dependent on market level) may use the same directional information but is more likely to use the drawing to record comparative information, that is, nding out what the competition is producing and comparing products.

Figure 1

Figure 2

SOURCE: Snow Dwarf COUNTRY: England COLOUR: Pink print mix with pink/peach contrast print. FABRIC: Viscose mix PRICE: 75-99 MARKET: High street

The working drawing has a variety of uses and approaches. All of them require the drawing to communicate clearly, with no ambiguity, as this could cause problems in either the projection of key directions for future trends or in the garment manufacturing process.

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Where to use Working Drawings
Figure 3 Figure 3 The drawing has the addition of measurements. The garment/accessory would have been chosen for its directional qualities and would have been analysed and measured as a sample. Further information is added regarding the size, colour, price and market level. Figure 4 The drawing has to be clear with some key measurements, to aid the pattern cutter, on a specication sheet. It will also be used when costing out the produced garment sample. If more accurate drawing is necessary french curves may be used to construct lines. Also there are a number of software packages that may be used, such as Adobe Illustrator. SIZE: NA COLOUR: White/Petrol FABRIC: Canvas/plastic PRICE: 30-00 MARKET: High Street BACK VIEW

Figure 4

STYLE NO. COLOUR SIZE TRIMS THREAD LINING INTERL... COST: FABRIC:

FRONT VIEW

DESCRIPTION: Updated Rugby shirt with overblown dragony logo back and front, slightly pufer sleeve than usual

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