Design Process: Fashion Cutouts

Hi everyone!

This isn't an uncommon technique when it comes to designing or gaining inspiration for fashion, but I would still like to talk about it. Making cutouts is especially handy if you're not very comfortable with drawing just yet, or just want to experiment with an idea quickly without spending extra time making little details.

Cutouts are almost like reverse paper-dolls. Normal paper-dolls (or Stardolls, for example) have a flat body/base, where clothing can be layered on top. The cutout technique is very similar, but you either cut-out the clothing shape from a model, or use a 3-D material to create a new kind of clothing.

Let's get right into the technique!

You can use:
- Magazines
- Comics/books
- Your own drawings
- Photos of yourself/friends
- Stardolls! (just as a fun extra)

**and just as a quick note, everything I express here is all for personal/practise and free use only**

1. Magazines/Photos
My fashion school has a large collection of fashion magazines just for this reason. If you like reading magazines, comics or have photos of you and your friends... print, photocopy or rip them out!

(Also, do your best to remember where the images came from, the cover was already ripped out of this magazine, but it seems to be from the early 2000's)

You may also need a craft knife or something similar. Have a cutting board or heavy card backing available, such as the back of a sketchbook.

Cut out the garment, or a part of it - so it leaves an open space. You can also leave in edges, folds, belts.. it all depends on what you like about it!

For this one, I left a few lines for the belt and skirt.

I liked the shirt print here, so I only cut out the pants.

Then, collect up some inspiration, images and objects to create into a new design or print. Place your cutout on top, move it around a bit and see how it looks on the model.

(I have a tutorial on gaining inspiration here if it helps)

This really is just playing around with your images until you find something that works. It takes me quite a while to find something I like, so keep trying!

There are other things you can try, like photocopying something in black/white instead of colour, or tracing an image to show only the outline, which is what I have experimented with below:

You can make the final creation look very different from the original inspiration!

2. Drawings/Your own work.

Using your own drawings can work just as well. By taking your own photos, or drawing up shapes, art and croquis (fashion templates).

Here are a few simple templates I have used to demonstrate, you are welcome to use these too!

Once again, print and cut them out, and see what textures, colours and effects you can apply to them.

The cover of my binder for fashion school

A flower picture turned upside down

3. Using a Stardoll!

This is just a fun little extra for Stardolls. While we always see our doll in the digital realm, I think it would be pretty cool to bring it into the real-world too!

For this, I printed out various versions of my doll wearing different types of clothing. Then, did the same as before, cutting out various parts of the clothes.

I added a card boarder to some of them because the images were pretty small and needed some support, but this isn't entirely necessary.

Another great part of using a Stardoll is that you can print out the base (without clothing). This makes it a lot easier to overlay objects and things to make some interesting shapes and ideas!

Autumn leaves from the garden

A flower pot in my house

Holding it up to the sky

If you have any leftover easter egg foil, this is another way to reuse it!

From my holographic backpack

Use your own doll, or a friend's doll. I think it would make a lovely gift to design something inspired by what they love.

Get creating!