Difference Between a Fashion Illustrator and Fashion Designer
Drawing for fashion design and drawing as a fashion illustrator are two different things. Did I ruffle your feathers? Let me explain.
Fashion illustration is a whole industry on it’s own completely separate from design. The purpose of a fashion illustration is to capture the mood of a design. To offer up a fantasy for the viewer. It evokes an emotion through its detail and movement.
An illustrator typically uses more artful mediums like watercolors, acrylics, gauche and charcoal; Markers with detailed shading and pen line work details can be used also. Illustrations tend to take a long time and can be redone several times if the right mood or detail isn’t captured properly. Illustrations usually convey preexisting design ideas and are used for presentations, ads, campaigns, trim, packaging and the like. Rarely is the illustrator coming up with the design themselves.
Fashion designers on the other hand use fashion sketches as a means of communication. Sketches can be precise or loosely drawn with notes and arrows that point out details. The purpose of a sketch is to quickly translate a design idea to the designers team.
Because sketches tend to happen quickly, the medium of choice is a pencil or pen and markers or color pencils for color. Shading and depth can take place but isn’t required, especially if it’s a simple design being communicated. Beyond sketches, designers will also use a computer program like Adobe Illustrator to create technical flats. These flats are more precise and are used to communicate the construction of the design, or how it will be sewn together.
It took me a quite a while to realize this difference. They weren’t talked about as different entities in school, but probably because I was majoring in fashion design. Anyways, for a while as I was trying to build a personal brand, I called myself both a fashion designer and fashion illustrator. I followed various illustrators thinking, “I am like you. I am a member of your tribe.” But if we’re being honest, I would only draw out illustrations a couple times a month. Nothing that showed I was serious about learning what it took to be an illustrator or how to improve my drawing skills or learn to evoke emotion through my artwork. So I was definitely no one’s fashion illustrator.
Like sewing and designing clothes, being a fashion illustrator takes time and practice. It’s a skill you build on and grow as you continue to move through your profession. I no longer have the delusion that I wear both titles and me and my fashion sketches are doing just fine over here. I definitely put more respect on a fashion illustrators name though.
Have you ever falsely claimed something that wasn’t meant for you? Share in the comments and let’s chat!