Fashion Design Drawing

It is nice to have two drawing boards, a small one (about 20 X 14 inches) and a big one (3X2 feet or even bigger). The latter is the more important, if only one can be afforded, and it is essential that it have at least one end inlaid with ebony, or at any rate made so that you can rely on its being true. A good drawing board is expensive and is really the only part of your equipment that is ; but, if it is any consolation, treated properly it will last almost literally for ever and may become an heirloom.

You will also want a T-square, a set-square and some kind of a scale for measuring. The best kind of scale I know of comes from Winsor and Newton and is called an Armstrong Scale and costs about 1s. 6d. Without a good drawing board, T-square, set-square and scale, it is absolutely impossible to do a drawing a given size or in a given proportion and to be sure that the sides are parallel, the right angles 90 degrees. If these things cannot be relied upon to be right there will be endless bother when it comes to setting a rickety drawing in a square page, for none of the sides will line up with anything else. Supposing an editor gave you a rough lay-out like that on pl. 5 or pl. 26 and gave you the exact proportions, without good tools you could not possibly comply exactly with his directions.

These tools of precision must all be kept in a dry, cool place. Do not leave your drawing board leaning against a damp wall, nor yet too close to the stove. The T-square must be kept hanging, when not in use, from a nail in the wall. If your scale or T-square get dirty, as they must in time, you can sponge them and dry them with a towel, as it will not do them any harm if carefully done, and dirty tools can spoil a delicate drawing.

But whatever your materials are like you must have a big table to work on, if possible by a window ; and also a good artificial light which shines on your work and not in your eyes.