pg 8

This is the first page that trys to explain the use of blending modes within a fashion illustration. I decided to outline my badic process (nothing too specific) so that the reader can understand how the front cover image was formed.

In terms of layout, I wanted to use a mix of text and supporting graphics. I struggled to know what kind of graphics to put in. This page was about the use of the pen tool to create shapes that you will then fill and add blending modes to. Given that I am not actually doing the pen tool as my topic is seemed a little bit tangential (if that is a word) to explain exactly how to use it. Also beause logically I would then need to explain clipping masks, gradients and all the other tools I used before actually applying blending modes. So I decided to just state where the pen tool was located and then direct the person to use the pen tool to outline the shapes. If they are looking at a blending modes instruction booklet I'm sure they can look at a pen tool one as well!

As for the specific graphics. I wanted to show the basic idea of creating shapes, and then the final product. So I settled for a zoomed in picture that shows the use of a background image and then the first pen line on top.
I think this provides a clear indication of how you would begin to build shapes.
After this I wanted to show how the shapes would overlap with one another throughout the whole dress. Initially I thought I would take a similar screen shot to the one above, just with all the lines on it. However I ran into some problems. With that many lines on top of the already busy dress it was quite hard to distinguish things and work out what was happening. The use of multiple colours was also a bit distracting and I don't think it actually helped make anything clearer.

This was when I thought of the idea of just the outline. Although you can't distinguish specific shapes, you wouldn't be able to in the end fashion illustration. I think this shot is the clearest in demonstrating the overlaping of lots of shapes across the dress form.