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ABSTRACTING YOU
WHAT WE ARE DOING
WHY WE ARE DOING IT
Research the newest designs and technologies in fahsion
To build a library of examples that we can learn from and use to inspire our own fashion designs
ACTIVITY MATERIALS
We’ll start with a short exercise to practice abstraction.
1st
~90min
2nd
20 min
8 mins
ACTIVITY STEPS
You will get a cube and draw or write things that represent you
3rd
4th
30 min
Take what you’ve drawn or written and simplify it. Turn it into colors, shapes, textures, and patterns. No realistic drawings—keep it abstract.
Use your chosen elements to create a moodboard (digitally or on paper). This will become the visual foundation for your future fashion design.
20 min
WHAT IS ABSTRACTION?
Abstraction
- is the process of taking away or removing characteristics from something in order to reduce it to a set of essential characteristics...Abstraction hides details we don’t need.
DEFINITION
In Drawing
PRACTICE 1
Find an object (anything with interesting shapes).
Define its parts – break it down into 2-4 parts
Take an A4 sheet and divided into 4 equal part. Make 2/4 drawings (each in a box) for each part.
On a new sheet combine all the shapes to represent the object
1
2
3
4
1
3
2
4
PRACTICE 2
30 seconds
1 minute
5 minutes
Draw an image in
5 mins
1 mins
30 seconds
1
PRACTICE 3
Pick one emotion
Make a quick sketch using only lines and shapes to represent that emotion. No colors & realistic objects!
1
2
Joy . Anger . Fear . Love Loneliness . Calm . Hope Sadness . Excitement . Confusion Peace . Frustration . Freedom . Anxiety . Happiness . Grief . Surprise Nostalgia . Jealousy . Relief
START OF THE ACTIVTY
Creating our cubes
2.1
You will be drawing shapes, color, patterns, words that represent you
The outside shows how people might see you. The inside shows what’s truly you — the things not everyone can see.
Creating our cubes
2.2
Outside of the cube → “What People See”
Draw or write visible parts of your identity: how you look, what you like to do, your hobbies, where you live, favorite colors, style, etc.
Inside the cube → “What’s Hidden”
Draw or write things that are less visible: Your values, beliefs, feelings, things you care about deeply, dreams, fears.
You don't have to fill all the sides.
Select up to 3 sides
Selecting your sides
2.3
Those 3 side have drawing or word that you will abstract. Meaning you will draw simple shapes that represent them. Using tracing paper you will try to draw over the shape and abstract them.
Abstracting YOU
2.4
Those 3 side have drawing or word that you will abstract. Meaning you will draw simple shapes that represent them. Using tracing paper you will try to draw over the shape and abstract them.
Abstracting YOU
3rd
Mood board
4th
A moodboard is a visual collage of images, keywords, materials, sketches, forms, and contextual information that inspires the look and feel of a project. Fashion designers rely on moodboards to ideate on aspects of the pieces they plan to make; moodboards consider emotional expression as well as details like texture and patterns.
Mood board
4th
Composing these mood boards can be composed using Canva (refer to the toolbox for tutorials). For finding images, Pinterest is a useful resource for collecting inspiration and reference images. Students should also use AI image generators (Canva or Midjourney) to visualize ideas that they cannot find online.
Prompt
Abstraction means taking something and simplifying it into its most important parts. Instead of showing every detail, you focus on the feeling, idea, or essence.
In this activity, you will think about yourself and choose a few words that describe who you are (your personality, interests, values, or mood). Then, you will transform those words into shapes, colors, lines, and patterns.
Ask yourself:
- If this word were a shape, what would it be?
- If it were a color, what would it look like?
- Would it be soft or sharp? Calm or energetic? Organized or chaotic?
You will not draw symbols or literal objects. Instead, you will create an abstract visual language that represents you without showing you directly.
The goal is to move from words → feelings → visuals.