Drawing Fashion Flats: Designing Construction Details

Class Preview

Make hand-drawn technical garment drawings to scale with professional tips and tricks. Discover how to create sketches that highlight dimension and construction details.

Drawing to Scale

Meet designer Laura Volpintesta and learn how fashion flats are used in the industry and by home sewers. Use these detailed sketches to experiment with designs, bring unity to a line of clothing and record ideas. Warm up with some sketching exercises, then dive into drawing a skirt to scale!

Shift Dress & Pants

Start working with a croquis, or body template, to sketch garments. Laura has included three with your class materials. You’ll see how varying line weights convey different aspects of the garment and also add depth to your sketch. Practice drawing a shift dress and pants along with Laura.

Bodice, Necklines & Sleeves

Turn your shift dress drawing from Lesson 2 into a bodice sloper and begin adding design details, playing with seam lines, armholes, sleeves and necklines. So much faster than sewing mockups! You’ll also want to design the back view of your garments. Laura shows you how.

Classic Shirt

Tackle a classic shirt design, beginning with a scale drawing. You’ll “map” the shirt, then add the finer details: collar, button placket and buttons, sleeves and cuffs. The same drawing can be the launching pad for myriad designs!

Notched-Collar Jacket

Now you’re ready to tackle the complex construction of a tailored jacket. Begin with the foundation details of the neckline, center front, notched collar and sleeves. Then add shaping details with side panels and seam lines or create fun variations such as a double-breasted or skirted coat.

Pleats, Flares & Gathers

Pump up the volume of your sketches with Laura’s guidance, adding structured pleats, carefree ruffles, playful gathers, wavy flares and elegant cascades. You’ll be amazed by how much depth and dimension you can add to your designs with a few simple lines.

Waistbands, Pockets & More

Laura shares techniques for adding critical finishing details such as fly fronts, cuffs, belt loops, zippers and pockets. Finish class with Laura’s suggestions for labeling and storing your designs, and ways to get even more creative with your drawings. Let your imagination soar!