A croquis is a fashion design tool for drawing bodies. It is essentially a body template that can be used over and over again without having to redraw the body from scratch. While many designers and illustrators create croquis of their own, I have several croquis available for download including a free pack here. This tutorial will focus on using croquis for traditional art mediums and techniques, but the process can easily be converted to suit digital art making needs.
To start off, print out your croquis. They should be printed one sided and the size that you want to work in. I kept my croquis sized for a standard 8.5x11 sheet of printer paper. Layer your paper over your printed image and lightly trace over the lines. Once traced, you can draw the clothing directly on top.
When I start designing, I like to start with regular printer paper. This way I can make mistakes and it’s not a big deal. I work my sketch until I am happy with it, and if I want a more finished design, I can transfer the design to better paper later.
Sometimes when I design, I look at reference images, but for this design I just went with my intuition. I will create more fashion design tutorials in the future to cover design specifics, but for now just go for it! If you want to look at an image for inspiration while you are designing, that's totally fine too. If you are really stuck, you can draw what you are currently wearing or your favorite outfit.
Now that my sketch is complete, I am going to make a finalized version on a nicer sheet of paper. To do that I use a light box, but transfer paper works if you don’t have one. Or you can hold your paper up to a window and use natural light. The light allows the original design to shine through the thicker paper. I lightly trace and leave out the small details for now. It is easier to add those on when adding the final touches.
I like to lightly erase before I put down any color. Graphite can mix with other art supplies and muddy up the colors. You should still be able to see your lines on the paper, but they should be faint.
I am using alcohol markers to drop in my color. I like using these for my designs because it allows me to fill in large areas quickly, and I don’t usually get streaks like I would with a water based marker. I have used other materials in the past, and I recommend experimenting with different supplies until you find what works best for you. Just remember, the supply you decide to use should influence your paper choices. The wetter the medium, the stronger your paper should be.
Usually, I pick my colors based on what I am in the mood for. In the future, I will cover some color theory basics that will make it a little easier to choose. For now, pick what feels right to you. Picking colors that don’t work together will teach you just as much about color as picking ones that do. Don’t overthink it.
I put my colors in first before I line my work. This helps prevent my line work from smudging, especially since the pen I am using is not waterproof. There is also something really magical about watching the work come to life during this final step.
Once my lining is done, I let it dry for several minutes before erasing one final time.
Did you give this a try? I would love to see it! Tag @prettiestpear on Instagram and Tiktok
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