How to Draw Accessories in Fashion Illustration

Fashion illustration is all about making the perfect drawing to depict the perfect outfit. However, most outfits don't stand alone well without the proper accessories, and fashion illustrators instinctively know this. Drawing accessories properly in fashion illustration is an integral skill. Learn how to draw accessories in fashion illustration and complete your drawing, bag and all.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Start with the basic drawing of the figure, and pay special attention to make the figure standing in a position where you can add accessories such as a belt, handbag, bracelets and eyeglasses. Look through fashion magazines and notice how figures are posed to showcase accessories. Mimic this look in your illustration.
2. Practice drawing various accessories separately before adding them to your template. Draw a page of handbags, a page of eyeglasses and a page of bracelets, rings or belts to get a general feel for the shape and dimensions of these various accessories. Again, look at a fashion magazine for inspiration and perspective.
3. Use a soft lead pencil or a pen and sketch a handbag around the wrist of your template. Sketch lightly so you can erase in case the proportions or perspective looks wrong. Show the 3-D dimensions of the handbag by utilizing the principles of perspective. Draw sunglasses, earrings, necklaces or other accessories to add to the overall statement of the outfit.
4. Make sure that the accessories that you add are not out of proportion to the fashion figure itself. For example, most large bags typically fall at about the midleg level of a figure when models are holding it on their wrist or forearm; glasses typically fall just under the cheekbone. Study pictures of figures donning accessories and really notice how they work with the body.
5. Indicate the change in fabric that occurs around different accessories, such as items like a belt around a waist. The fabric will typically cinch a bit around where the belt is tightened. It will give your drawing a more accurate portrayal of how accessories affect the clothing.
6. Be creative and experiment with different bags, belts and glasses and tailor them to your specific template. Remember, they should enhance the overall look, not overpower it.

Tips & Warnings

• Draw a few extremely overstated accessories just for fun to get accustomed to drawing various items, like a huge belt or oversized sunglasses.
• Get a friend to model a handbag, bracelets or earrings and practice the perspective of rendering those aspects on a template. Really pay attention to the dimensional qualities that the eye can see and give a realistic perspective.

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