University of Technology Sydney

83622 Visualising Fashion 1

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Design
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject introduces students to the fundamentals of fashion illustration as a means to develop an essential understanding of modes of visual communication within a fashion context. In the illustration module of the subject, students examine freehand modes of drawing, and learn about the importance of technical drawing and its relationship to the human body. The digital module of this subject familiarises students with fashion and textile appropriate computer software such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, and instils the importance of creating professional visual techniques suitable for fashion print and digital presentation formats in which to present their design work.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Present fashion and textiles design work and effectively utilise various visual platforms.
2. Creatively problem solve approaches to fashion and textile design practices through illustration processes.
3. Develop an original aesthetic sensibility to illustration and visual presentation.
4. Demonstrate a capacity to use creative approaches to technology based activities for presentation and generation of fashion and textiles design work.
5. Develop appropriate technical skills for both digital and hand illustration techniques.
6. Develop an approach to illustration that displays accuracy, rigour and care in the finished outcome.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

  • Effectively communicate concepts in fashion and textiles in performative, oral, visual and written forms (C.2)
  • Develop an original aesthetic sensibility (I.1)
  • Demonstrate an ability to speculate, experiment, challenge boundaries and take risks (I.2)
  • Demonstrate an ability to adapt technology and materials creatively (I.3)
  • Demonstrate the ability to acquire, use and integrate relevant technical skills into creative projects. (P.2)
  • Accuracy, rigour and care (P.5)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject consists of a weekly computing and illustration tutorial. Assessments are project based, combining in-class demonstrations and individual learning. These are complemented by independent student reading, reflection on work completed in tutorials and individual project work alongside collaborative strategies on multimedia platforms including Pinterest and Canvas. Students are provided with weekly in class feedback in this studio-based subject.

This subject is offered in face-to-face studio sessions that incorporate a range of teaching and learning strategies, including discussions, illustration and digital demonstrations, design thinking and making, and student presentations. Each studio is complemented by prior reading, research and reflection on the collaborative and individual tasks.

Feedback:

Your Design Tutors will offer feedback weekly in your illustration or tutorial session. Students will receive on the spot instruction and support from their Design Tutors as well as having many opportunities to discuss their ideas with their peers and engage in self-evaluation.

Feedback (written and/or verbal) will be provided for each of the assessment tasks and will be available via REVIEW.

Preparatory activities:

Preparation activities will vary week-to-week. Some weeks will involve engaging with resources such as videos, websites, readings or self-directed learning exercises. As the students progress through the subject, preparatory activities may include fabric sourcing, designing lookbook mock-ups etc. prior to class. Preparatory activities will be listed in the subject outline; Canvas or they will be emailed to you the week prior. To make the most of your studio time and feedback session with the Design Tutors, it is important that preparatory activities are completed prior to class.

Engaging in Tutorials:

Students are encouraged to prepare themselves each week by addressing the preparatory activities or researching the topic. Tutorial sessions will involve meeting with the Design Tutors weekly to discuss your research, concepts and design progress and weekly feedback will be discussed with students and documented. There will be opportunities for students to ask questions, clarify issues, explore ideas and create discussion.

Independent and self-managed learning:

There is ongoing encouragement for students to learn from each other as well as reflect on their experiences within the tutorial sessions. The requirement for self-directed learning and time-management (in and out of class) mirrors the requirements of professional practice. Self-management strategies and independent learning are crucial to continuing development as a design practitioner. The subject outline will provide you with a guide regarding weekly requirements; it will be up to students to adhere to the week-by-week program.

Collaborative opportunities:

Collaborative tasks involve students engaging within small groups in the studio that will involve peer feedback sessions related to both illustration and digital work.

The format of the collaboration will be documented in your journal each week. Informal feedback will be given to students weekly in both the illustration and digital workshops by Design Mentor staff, which will help students progress within the subject. Workshop activities include visual and technical research, illustration and photography. Students will prepare an A4 journal to document their work process, visual and written research and design development of their Assessment tasks.

*Where relevant, design projects from the core study subjects of fashion are used as the basis for projects and exercises in these studios.

Content (topics)

  • Technical fashion sketching
  • Development of illustrating garment components, construction, and finishes specific to fashion design
  • Freehand rendering skills
  • Exploration of illustrating the human form as well as creating fashion specific illustrative work
  • Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
  • An understanding of the importance of communication through creating professional fashion layouts

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Technical Hand Illustration Portfolio

Intent:

This assessment is designed to familiarise students with detailed technical representation of garments on the body, including proportion and garment construction details. While fashion technical sketches can be created digitally, it is through hand drawing that you can develop a stylistic approach to the technical sketch work. Accuracy and detail are highly important, using hand drawing techniques you can also create a greater sense of the garment through a precise stylistic approach.

Students are assessed on their ability to illustrate internal and external garment components accurately, including attention to detail and understanding representation of 3 dimensional garments on the body.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3, 5 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, I.2, I.3, P.2 and P.5

Type: Exercises
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 30%

Assessment task 2: Technical Digital Illustration Portfolio

Intent:

This assessment is designed to develop essential illustration techniques within Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop in which students will create digital technical sketches using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop programs. Students will also develop digital specific techniques for rendering, digital layout and utilise brush and pattern tools to create technical illustrative work for a digital portfolio.

Students will be assessed on the technical skills and understanding of digital technology needed to support and communicate their work creativity and professionally.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 4, 5 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, I.2, I.3, P.2 and P.5

Type: Exercises
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 30%

Assessment task 3: Combined Illustration and Digital Submission: Lookbook

Intent:

Students will be assessed on their ability to accurately communicate fashion design and garment details using technical sketches, fashion illustrations and page layouts based to create a 'Lookbook' on themes students have developed within class. For the final assessment, students will be presenting their work visually and orally to the class. The dates and location will be confirmed closer to the date.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 3, 4, 5 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, I.1, I.3, P.2 and P.5

Type: Portfolio
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 40%

Minimum requirements

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.
This subject requires students to attend a minimum of 80% of face-to-face classes for both Illustration and Digital components of the subject. The subject has 3 assessment tasks which are to be submitted by the published due dates which can be found on the subject outline within the week-by-week program and the project briefs. Copies of the subject outline and project briefs can be accessed and downloaded from Canvas in the subject documents folder.

Attendance for student presentations is a pre-requisite for assessment in this subject.

Required texts

Project briefs and handouts are available to download from Canvas. Resources are in the Modules section arranged week-by-week and students are expected to read each week's notes or watch selected video tutorials prior to class.


Please also refer to LinkedIn Learning Tutorials (available through the UTS library – Services For Students under Free stuff: https://www.lib.uts.edu.au/services/services-for-students)
LinkedIn Learning is a vast online library of courses and instructional videos covering the latest in technology, creative, and business skills. Taught by accomplished teachers and recognized industry experts, LinkedIn Learning is a high-quality resource for students, faculty, and staff looking to develop skills in Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, business skills, English grammar, web design, programming languages, project management, 3D design, animation, video, audio and much more.

Recommended texts

Burke, S, 2003, Fashion drawing techniques: basic drawing techniques to portfolio presentation, Burke Publishing, Norwich, UK

Burke, S, 2006, Fashion artist: drawing techniques to portfolio presentation, Burke Publishing, Norwich, UK

Burke, S, 2006, Fashion computing: design techniques and CAD, Burke Publishing, Norwich, UK

Centner, M & Vereker, F, 2011, Fashion designer's Handbook for Adobe Illustrator, John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Davies, H, 2010, Fashion Designers Sketchbooks, Laurence King Publishers, UK

Donovan, B, 2012, Advanced fashion Drawing: Lifestyle Illustration, Laurence King Publishers, UK

Hopkins, J, 2009, Basics Fashion Design 05, Fashion Drawing Basics, AVA Publishing SA

Hume, R, 2020, Fashion and Textile Design with Photoshop and Illustrator: Professional Creative Practice, Bloomsbury Visual Arts (available soon)

Kiper, A, 2011, Fashion Illustration: Inspiration and Technique, David and Charles

Lazear, S, 2009, Adobe Photoshop for Fashion Design, Prentice Hall

McKenzie, S, 2020, Creative Fashion Illustration: How to Develop Your Own Style, Bloomsbury Publishing

Suhner, A, 2012, Technical Drawing for Fashion Design, Pepin Press

Szkutnicka, B, 2010, Flats: Technical Drawing for Fashion, Laurence King Publishers, UK