How to Draw Technical Flats by Hand

Did you know that before vector drawing programs similar Illustrator, way brands would draw their Technical Sketches by hand? It'southward entirely possible to depict accurate, professional Technical Flats without expensive software like Illustrator. While I practise accept a whole serial on How to Create Your Own Technical Flats in Illustrator, I realize that not everyone has admission to a figurer or CAD Software. So, I wanted to show you the skillful old fashioned manner of creating Technical Flats.

When I first learned how to draw Technical Flats information technology was by drawing them with a pencil on paper. Learning past-manus Technical Flats really helped me to understand proportion and flat styling before diving into complicated CAD Software. Once I became more advanced, I was able to pull from all my feel to develop my own fashion. Over the years I've realized that a half float, half flat fashion in proportional calibration works best for me, the factory, and my clients. So, earlier we jump into the tutorial let'due south review.

What is a Technical Apartment?

A technical sketch, which can also exist referred to equally a CAD, Style Flat, or Technical Flat, is a detailed and accurate representation of your garment. It is most ofttimes used as a function of the Tech Pack to communicate the design, construction, and sew details of your garment to the manufactory. It is fatigued to represent the garment laid apartment without any stylized illustrative elements. Read more than almost Technical Sketches here.

What is a Float?

A float is a stylized version of a Technical Flat. It is usually created for use in presentations to represent the silhouette and move of a garment. It is characterized by shading, motility lines, and inaccurate "fluid" silhouettes. The intention of a bladder is to make the sketch appear as if the garment is "floating" in an invisible body.

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Proportional Scale Vs. 1/eight Calibration

I choose to draw my flats in proportional scale instead of ane/8 scale because it creates more realistic flats. Cartoon in 1/8 scale produces flats that are skewed in appearance (even though they are accurate to how the garment measures) because you lot are taking a 3D object and making it 2D. Cheque out this tutorial if yous want to learn more about the difference between proportional scale vs. 1/8 scale and why you may want to cull one over the other.

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Watch the video below or scroll down to read the full post.

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How to Draw Flats past Mitt

Without using expensive software, like Illustrator

For this tutorial we will exist using proportional scale (but I'll bear witness you some 1/8 scale info) and a half float/half flat appearance like my signature Technical Sketches.

You volition need:

  • Grid Paper (8 squares per inch) or my Technical Flat Template

  • Pencil and Eraser

  • Fine tip marker pen

  • Ruler

  • Curve Guide (if you lot don't take this I'll evidence you lot some other means you lot tin get perfect curves with items you already have)

  • Your garment, design idea, or image

  • Optional: Garment Measurement (specs) if drawing in one/8 scale

If you need help finding any of these supplies I have them all listed right here on my supplies list (this is an affiliate link, learn what that means for you and for me ).

Before you begin

On your grid paper or the grid on your Technical Flat Template each square is equal to 1" in real life. This is important to annotation whether drawing in proportional or 1/8 scale because this gives you lot an understanding of the full general size that your apartment will be.

We will start past drawing our Technical Flat in pencil. When y'all first start drawing Technical Flats it'south helpful to accept a general understanding of how big your garment is. Here are a few general measurements to have into consideration to hone in on your perfect proportions:

  • Garment length

  • Garment width (breast or hip width)

  • Sleeve length

In one case you lot get more experience you'll be able to eyeball this pretty easily for proportional calibration. If y'all are cartoon in 1/8 calibration you will need collect all of your measurements for your garment. Then, you volition take your measurements (whether that's only the few above, or all for one/8 calibration) and multiply each of them by .125. Here's the equation:

[Garment Measurement] x .125 = one/viii Calibration Measurement

Ex: 20" x .125 = 2.5" (on paper)

 Alternatively, you can also just eyeball information technology because we know that 1 square = ane" – so if I have a garment that has a 20" chest width, and so you will know that the width of the drawing (at the breast) will be 20 squares.

footstep 1: Plotting main points

So, now that we have an understanding of our calibration, we want to start plotting some points using the grid method or a ruler. Plotting out some full general points will give us an idea of the shape of our garment.

  1. Start by marking a vertical line in the centre of your paper. This line represents the centre of your garment. We will be cartoon simply one half of our garment first.

  2. Take the main measurements from above and marking them on your newspaper. When marking widths, be sure to merely marking half of the width you calculated above (because nosotros are simply cartoon half of the garment first).

 Step two: Outline the Shape

Adjacent, we can commencement filling in the outline of our garment'due south shape. Remember to go along using your pencil so that you lot can adjust and erase as necessary!

  1. Follow the shape dictated past the points y'all plotted in Step 1. If using proportional calibration, fill in the other details of the shape by eyeballing the overall expect of the garment. If using 1/8 scale you can simply connect the dots.

    [ PRO TIP: Even though we are just creating half of our sketch showtime, I like to reflect my outline right abroad and then I can see and adjust the proportions as necessary. ]

  2. Always start with the outline first. Don't add things similar stitching, armholes, or necklines just yet. If it helps you visualize the proportion you lot can definitely add together some details lightly in pencil.

Step iii: Details

One time all of that looks proportional and proficient to yous, then y'all can motion into the details.

  1. Start past calculation the details for the openings of the garment first. For instance, the bottom hem opening, sleeve opening, and neck opening.

  2. Next, you can add stitching and other small details similar attachment pulls and pockets.

    [ PRO TIP: Use the Bend Guide or other household objects to get the perfect curve or shape for details. In that location are so many objects around your domicile that can be used in identify of a Bend Guide. For instance, you could use a thread spool, bobbin, or thumbtack to make a perfect circle. ]

Step 4: Reflecting

Once you're happy with the overall proportion and details, then you lot can move into reflecting your fully illustrated half into a full garment. There are several methods you can utilise for reflecting your cartoon:

  • Plot the same points in reverse and draw in the details as you did for the first side.

  • Darken the graphite on the side you've already created. And so, fold the newspaper in half at your center line and rub the drawing from the back. The graphite will transfer as a reflection of your original drawing. You can then go back and clean up the lines in preparation for inking the cartoon.

  • Outline your ane half in night graphite. Fold it in one-half at the center line with the drawing facing out. Place the page over a light background or light box and trace the other side.

Step 5: Inking

At present that you lot have a full sketched garment, take a moment to double bank check all the details. Make any changes necessary. In one case you move onto inking you won't be able to brand changes, so be very thorough! If you exercise decide you need to change something you volition either need to start over or retrace the original. For that reason you may consider keeping the pencil draft and simply inking over the superlative on a clean sheet of paper. Using a clean sheet of non-filigree newspaper is platonic if using your Technical Sketches for the Tech Pack.

  1. Advisedly trace the outline of your garment using a wider tip marker pen (I have a pack with different size tips that's great for this, it's linked above under the supplies). You can choose to go direct over the drawing y'all've already created or tracing it on a new piece of paper.

  2. Side by side, go in with smaller tip markers to trace the details and add things like stitching.

  3. Finally, if you've drawn over the original you tin erase your pencil lines.

  4. All done!

As you can see, drawing Technical Flats by hand really isn't much different from using a CAD program like Illustrator. I would say the biggest con to drawing Flats by paw is the time investment and the inability to make changes easily once the drawing is inked.

So, I've created a template to make cartoon your Technical Flats much quicker. The Technical Flat Template features proportional scale silhouettes of common garments on a 8-squares-per-inch graph paper background. This template allows you to rapidly see accurate proportions and and so adjust for your unique pattern. Y'all can see from the video that this shortened my drawing fourth dimension by A LOT!

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INTRODUCING

Technical Flat Templates

Features:

  • Proportional Scale based on ladies size Medium and mens size Large

  • Low opacity to easily draw over the elevation

  • Major measurement points are marked (chest, waist, hip, etc.)

  • Marked with center line for ease of reflecting your drawing

  • Printable

  • Or tin can exist used in any program that accepts prototype (.jpg/.jpeg) files such every bit (but not limited to) – Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, and more!

  • 8 squares per inch graph paper background

Bonus: Getting your Drawing Set up for the Tech Pack

To go this drawing prepared to put in the Tech Pack or use it digitally, you volition need to take a photo of information technology or put information technology through a scanner. You tin and so put it into a photograph editing software to darken up the lines and whiten the background. If you don't want to come across the grid newspaper lines you can either remove them in a photograph editing software or trace the drawing on to plain white newspaper.

And that'south information technology! I hope that this quick tutorial showed yous that drawing Technical Flats past mitt can still produce beautiful and authentic Technical Flats to use in your Tech Pack. AND that you lot don't accept to spend a ton of coin on expensive software to create professional Flats for your budding brand or business!

If you enjoyed this tutorial it would mean so much to me if you would share it so that other designers like yous tin detect it too. For more than awesome technical and design tutorials be sure to subscribe to get notified when new tutorials come up out.

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