Clothing Designs for Characters

#1

How much fun do you have designing the outfit(s) your character is going to where when you depict them? Do you design of the outfits before you paint a character, and do you draw them out on paper first? Do you absolutely love doing designing them?

I find that I have loads of fun just thinking up outfits. Sometimes they are for no character in particular, sometimes I come of with many designs just for one.

So what I would like to see is any characters you have that you just absolutely love the clothing of, or that your are really proud of. I’m just interested to see. :slight_smile:

#2

Hey, why don’t you consider making a career of selling 3D outfits for other people’s models? eh? I think you can have fun.

#3

i actually suck at designing clothes, as much as i enjoy it. i wish i could do it. cause i think its awesome. but yeah. thats just not my department.

#4

[i]Glad to hear I’m not the only one who likes doing the outfits on characters. I almost never design them outside of a piece. I will choose the pose I want, and then spend time during the sketch putting together details, deciding on colors, on differenet accessories. I spend a lot of time collecting pictures of unique outfits and jewelry, anything to help inspire my work.

These are two of my favorite outfits, even if the artwork itself could be better.

[/i]Varyan
Kyra

#5

I love fashion design and try to do as much of it both in artworkds and in real life as possible. I’ve design clothes for my wife, including the evening gown she wore during our wedding. Some of my real life designs:

The evening gown for our wedding:

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/c3030z_portfolio/elena/wedding/evening_gown-05.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/c3030z_portfolio/elena/wedding/evening_gown-02.jpg[/img]

The actual sketches for the gown, patterns, jewelry:

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/c3030z_portfolio/elena/wedding/design-pattern.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/c3030z_portfolio/elena/wedding/design-gown.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/c3030z_portfolio/elena/wedding/design-jewelry.jpg[/img]

  Some Chinese styled outfits:
 
 [img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/1DMKII_portfolio/elena/elena_couture-02/elena_couture_2-01.jpg[/img]
 
 [img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/1DMKII_portfolio/elena/elena_couture-02/elena_couture_2-05.jpg[/img]
 
 [img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/1DMKII_portfolio/elena/elena_couture-03/elena_couture_3-01.jpg[/img]
#6

(continued)

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/1DMKII_portfolio/elena/elena_couture-03/elena_couture_3-06.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/1DMKII_portfolio/elena/seduction_of_red/seduction_of_red-01.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/1DMKII_portfolio/elena/seduction_of_red/seduction_of_red-13.jpg[/img]

A simple summer dress:

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/1DMKII_portfolio/second_look_IV/elena_couture-10.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/1DMKII_portfolio/elena/elena_couture-01/elena_couture-04.jpg[/img]

In artworks, designing the clothing is one of my favorite parts. Here are some of my designs:

Lucifer's daughters:

[http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/film&animation/promise/concept_art/lucifer%27s_daughters.jpg](http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/film&animation/promise/concept_art/lucifer%27s_daughters.jpg)

A couple of angel designs:

[http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/film&animation/promise/concept_art/angels-quintess.jpg](http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/film&animation/promise/concept_art/angels-quintess.jpg)

[http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/film&animation/promise/concept_art/angels-icca.jpg](http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/film&animation/promise/concept_art/angels-icca.jpg)

Chinese martial chivalry fantasy designs:

[http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/film&animation/scythe_wolf/concept_art/chen&xiao-hong.jpg](http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/film&animation/scythe_wolf/concept_art/chen&xiao-hong.jpg)

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/paintings_drawings/new/illustrations/scythe_wolf/scythe_wolf.jpg[/img]

Fantasy characters:

[img]http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/paintings_drawings/new/illustrations/ordinary_heroes/ordinary_heroes.jpg[/img]

There are a lot of other designs I've done--you can find them in my website.
#7

Clothes design IMO is a girls prerogative, but still, yeah, sometimes it’s a great fun to invent something special in this area (I’m not a big fan of anime, but I think that majority of anime clothes/character designers are just gifted with kind of majic fantasy from birth, creating wear which is classy weird and beautiful at the same time).

#8

Good god Lunatique…those real life designs are awesome! I’m sure my girlfriend would love dressing up in some of those dresses.

I’m not that great with fashion design, it’s something I’ve been striving to improve in. The sort of style I’m going for is like Yoshitaka Amano/Tetsuya Nomura. I generally don’t draw anime style of any kind, but I just love their fashion designs, especially Amano’s. One thing I’d like to improve in is drawing logos and little filler designs on clothes and armor and the such.

#9

Designing the outfits is always half of the fun for me, I’m embarrassed to say. Sometimes, I make paintings only because I want to paint clothes. Yes, I know, I’m pathetic.

It’s just fun. Doing the little details. The patterns and the way the fabric falls or folds can keep me occupied for hours. I don’t like overdone designs and I don’t like too much of everything, so for the most part, the clothes are discreet and graceful.

Here are some of the outfits I’ve come up with over the past few years, most are just cut-outs from larger paintings that aren’t at all just about the clothes, but some were, yeah, just me having fun, painting clothes.

So, yes, lots of fun :smiley:

#10

Lunatique… I love those designs! Very elegant and natural looking. Do you also make the clothing by yourself or do you bring the designs to a clothier or something?

Personal favourite style of clothing would be the mens clothing of the 1830/1840 period. Maybe should try and design clothing with victorian influences.

~ Reinier

#11

Beautiful work, both of you! :thumbsup: I love that head piece in the bottom middle piece Linda. I would love to see a close up of that.
Lunatique: Do you make the clothes as well? Those are some beautiful designs!

I struggle with designs of clothing, but I would have to say that if you are looking for inspiration, fashion magazines come in very handy or a quick google image search helps too if you are looking for clothing from a particular era.

I would love to be able to paint stellar clothing. There are so many moods you can create with a simple line of cloth.

Cheers,
~Ela~

#12

Thanks. I don’t have the time, or else I’d make them as well. I basically design on paper, pick out the fabrics and parts, and then give to a seamstress to make. I’d then look at the work in progress and make changes as needed at each step. Usually there would be 3~6 changes made during the steps so that the cut would fit my wife perfectly.

#13

I hope it’s not in poor taste for me to say that your wife is friggin’ hot. If it is, I won’t say it. :stuck_out_tongue:

#14

Hahaha, no, not at all. People actually email me to profess their love for her, so nothing surprises us anymore.

#15

Wow! I didn’t expect such a wonderful turnout of replies!
Morrigana: Those are really neat costumes, they’re so full of wonderful colors, and the designs are really cool. I especially like Kyra’s. :slight_smile:

Lunatique: Wow, the dresses are beautiful, I really loved the wedding gown for your wife, it is so gorgeous. I also really liked those sketches. I’m gonna check out the rest you mentioned were on your website as so as I finish writing this post. Thank you for showing all the wonderful peices that you did!

Linda: Wow! Some of those designs are just incredible. I really like the faery dress one in the upper left corner, and the headdress pic in the middle of the bottom. Those are really cool.

Oh, I am so inspired now, I can tell I’m going to be designing outfits for a few hours today! Thank you all for posting!

#16

Lunatique, congratulations on landing such a beautiful wife. I hope you two are happy together. Btw, you should not refer people to your website without warning them that they can get drawn into it for hours! What a time nabber! Its just like this forum. So much to see! Nice site though and nice designs. You must be a busy guy to have so many hobbies! Hard to believe all that is possible! Do you ever sleep? JK.

#17

Thanks! Actually, that one’s the evening gown for the reception. The actual wedding dress we bought in Hong Kong. You can see the entire wedding album here: http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality_website/photography/c3030z_portfolio/elena/wedding/wedding_album.htm

Thanks! Trust me, her looks is the least special thing about her. Her inner beauty totally outshines her outer appearance–that’s why I married her. She’s the most kind-hearted, compassionate, responsible, hardworking, and caring person I’ve ever met in my life–a total angel. We get along so well that it’s almost unreal.

Since I’m pretty private in real life (I keep to myself mostly), I tend to share more on the internet to balance out that lonewolf nature. I have a lot of crap on my website because I kinda see it as a virtual version of me, ready to be known by strangers. It’s far more than just a portfolio site–it’s really a condensed version of who I am as a person. I don’t have many non-creative hobbies (except airsoft and video games), so all the things I enjoy doing tend to be creative–thus the site gets filled up with a lot of the stuff I do creatively. I don’t exactly kill myself by staying up or anything. You’d be surprised how much you can do when you manage your time or immerse yourself completely. I actually slack off a lot–to the point where I feel guilty most of the time. :smiley:

#18

You’ve really been blessed! A great wife, super talent, getting to do hobbies you love - I’m inspired by you!

I hope to learn to manage my time expertly. That is always a struggle for me to do! So many distractions. My aim is to do as much constructive things as possible and spend time with friends and family as much as possible. I also try to read my Bible as much as possible. Its all about balance and moderacy.

Back to clothes… this thread has impressed me and opened my eyes. I had no idea how much passion is out there for clothing design! I don’t know, maybe I should look into my own interest for it. I have never even considered designing an article of clothing. For my next character, I’ll have to make something completely original in honor of this thread! :slight_smile:

#19

hey there, im new to this thread, and thought i would post a WIP character design im doing. she’s going to be a sort;'ve femme fatal. an elektra kind’ve character, and this is one of the concepts i have for her outfit, any pointers anyone can offer, or things they would like to see?? she’s a very particular character, hence the really slicked hair, and sort’ve neat outfit, with leather features on the wrist waist and boots.
lunatique, your work is brilliant, love it!!

](http://imageshack.us)[/IMG]

#20

Great drawing, great clothes, great character! What more can I say. Another example of a talented clothing designer. Good work!