Fashion Illustration – Head Theory, Croquis “Sketching or Illustrate designing is a skill drawn with the assist of number of lines and the design is produced with help of lines and strokes but it differs from drawing.” The focus in fashion illustration is to illustrate the fashion facts or croquis used for draping the clothes.
These Croquis were sketched for a Designer as a freelance project! Illustration Techniques Illustration Mode Fashion Illustration Sketches Fashion Sketches Fashion Illustration Tutorial Fashion Drawing Tutorial Croquis Fashion Dress Sketches Fashion Design Sketchbook. 9 head Fashion figure.
Fashion Illustration is considered as the most fundamental component of Fashion Design. It is used to present the design ideas; Fashion illustration can be presented through many forms and textures with plenty of creative themes and impressions. The combination of Fashion Design and Fashion Illustration is known as “ART”….. Sketching is the foundation of making original pieces of work in Fashion network. Fashion illustration begins with the sketching of a croquis, the extra notation of the garment, and also a technological representation of the garment, before it is produced. Designers frequently sketch out their thoughts and impressions in notebooks before they create. Fashion performers have segregated a grown up human body into eight equivalent parts, which are identical in height to that of the head. Each part is known as ‘head’.
All these eight heads are as follows:
1st Head = from top head to chin of neck
Measure the head, either with your pencil or the ruler. Using this measurement, draw nine small dashes equal distance apart, then number them from the bottom of the chin (#1) down to the bottom of the feet (#10). For the top half of the body, draw lines extending from 1 1/2 heads, 2 1/4, 3, 3 1/2, and 4 1/4 heads, as outlined below.
2nd Head = from chin of neck to bottom of armhole
3rd Head = from bottom of armhole to hollow of waist
4th Head = from waist to fork
5th Head = from fork to the end of fingers
6th Head = from the end of fingers to below knee
7th Head = from small to lower leg, just above the ankle
8th Head = from lower leg to the end of foot
How to create a Croquis? A croquis is an eight-headed figure outline which is the basis of fashion illustration. The method of creating Croquis is:Stick Figure -> Contour figure -> female or male Croquis. To create Croquis, first we have to choose perfect textured sketch book which should not have smoother surface, then all croquis handouts, ruler, pencils, coloring tools. The purpose of using “Eight head” theory of Fashion Illustrations are to identify the figure exactly. 1.) Draw the balance line from neck to ground , it should be straight 2.) Add the shoulder and hip line 3.) Fill the body shape – chest, waist, hip 4.) Then draw hands, feet, faces and at the end finish by drawing hairs 5.) Then sketch a high fashioned street wear or casual outfit using pencil or fine pen, for reference we can use magazines The main important components of Croquis are:
- Balance Line
- Hip Line
- Shoulder Line
The human figure is based on guidelines defined by mathematical formulae establishing the ideal human proportions. The classical canon is derived from the Greco-Roman ideal. In Leonardo da Vinci’s Virtuvian Man circa 1487 we see a visual representation of these proportions. Leonardo’s drawing correlates the ideal human proportions with the geometry of Roman Architect Vitruvius in his book Treatise De Architectura expressing his theory that man is the measure of all things.
There are numerous mathematical consistencies in the body. Our wingspan is equal to our height; our foot fits from elbow to wrist, our face is the length of our hand and on and on. The measurement of the head plays the pivotal role as the basic module for measuring the human body. This average is 8 heads tall, 2 heads wide. Therefore the total height of an adult is eight times its size.
The Fashion Illustration Croquis is elongated to 9-10 Heads tall. This distortion of the figure lengthens the legs and lower torso. They are also drawn slimmer, 1 1/2 heads wide instead of 2. The body itself is divided in half- the torso equaling the length of the legs. The basics canons tend to remain the same.
Female Nine Head Croquis Outline
Now the croquis can be stylized and will often change over time as fashions change. Everyone has their own variations, perceived ideals.
In comic books and Manga the figure is closer to 8 heads high and superheroes are often drawn with increased muscularity. Fashion schools often use a 8 1/2 head croquis for woman and 9 head for the male.
I tend to make the legs longer than the torso (opting not to split the figure in half), the shins elongated and the shoulders a bit broader. But at 6’1″ with a linebackers shoulder this makes sense. In my world Men just are not taller then woman so I use the 9 or 10 head figure for both.
The Dalai Lama says you have to “know the rules well, so you can break them effectively”. Like with music you learn the scales first before playing variations on the tune. So here we will start with the basics. Once you master these you can manipulate the croquis as you see fit.
So let’s start by looking at the basic building blocks. The body is broken up into sections each in relation to one another. These sections are then put together to create a balance figure.
Creating the template for drawing the croquis:
First draw a line down the center of your paper.
Then Draw parallel lines every inch for ten inches.
Drawing the croquis:
If drawing the average proportions of the eight head figure the chin falls at 1,the bust line at 2, the elbow & waist at 3, hipline at 4, fingers tips at 5, knee at 6 and heel at 8. By using the head-length units we can assure the right balance when drawing poses. The shoulders are 2 heads wide, waist is I head, and hips 1.5 heads. The arm from elbow to finger tip is 2 head. Knee to ankle 2 head, foot 1 head, hand ¾ head.
The nine head figure is drawn in the same fashion as the eight head. The shoulders and hips are still 1.5 heads wide and the waist is 1 head wide, etc. as listed above. But as we said the nine head figure is elongated and slimmed. It is drawn as follows:
Female Croquis:
- The head is drawn from 1 to 2.
- The neck is from 1-1 1/2.
- The shoulders at 1 1/2.
- High pointof bust at 2 and bust line at 2 1/4
- Waist and elbows at 3.
- High hip at 3 1/2.
- Hip at 4.
- Crotch at 4 1/4
- Finger tips at 5. (Generally mid thigh)
- Top of knee at 6.
- Widest part of calf at 7.
- Ankle at 9.
**Some people draw the crotch at 4 1/2 and the knee closer to 6 1/2 and the widest part of the calf at 7 1/2. Like I said there is variations.
Male Croquis:
- The head is drawn from 1 to 2.
- The neck is from 1-1 1/2.
- The shoulders at 1 1/4 to 1 1/2.
- Pecsat 2 1/4
- Waist and elbows at 3 1/4.
- High hip at 3 1/2.
- Hip at 4.
- Crotch at 4 1/2
- Finger tips at 5.
- knees at 6 1/2.
- Widest part of calf at 7 1/2.
- Ankle at 9.
Here is a fabulousvideo tutorialon Drawing the Fashion Croquis by Elidada84
I have created a blank practice template for male and female figures. Here’s Thread Magazine’s template for a croquis family.
9 Head Croquis Template
Going forward I hope to bring you more information on drawing faces, hands and feet as well as various silhouettes, poses and body types. We will explore ways to create balance, movement and manipulate the figure.
I promise to have more templates and resources for you to explore and use but in the meantime practice practice practice.
9 Heads Book
Images: (1) Leonardo da Vinci’s Virtuvian Man- Wikipedia (2) Bina Albing’s Fashion Sketchbook