Tips and Techniques for Drawing the Back View of a Flat Garment Sketch

You’ll notice that throughout The Fashion Design Book & The Curvy Fashion Design Book, there are not many back-view sketches. There is a reason for this! It’s because it’s quite easy for you to draw the back view once you have the front done. At this point, it will be excellent practice for you to draw the back views of your styles on your own.

Now, let’s break down the process. In the video, I’ll guide you through each step to ensure your back-view sketches are on point. The first step is to trace the outer line of the front sketch. The outer line of the front and the back are the same. This is often referred to as the silhouette. 

After you draw the outline, fill in any design lines or design details that you want on the back.

As a designer, sewist, or patternmaker, it’s important to draw both the front and back views of garments before you start sewing. This process helps you think through the entire garment for the construction and design before you cut out the fabric. 

Once again, it’s much easier to erase a sketch than it is to adjust an already cut-out garment. This process can save you from a costly and time-consuming mistake! 

In case you aren’t sure about how to draw certain design details in the back view, grab garments with similar designs from your collection and reference those as you sketch. 

Make sure to think about the garment openings, design lines, and design details like pleats, gathering, darts, ruching, or tucks. If the front of the garment is plain, do you want to make the back more enticing? If the front has a lot going on, maybe you want to make the back more simple. Or you could find that middle ground for both the front and the back views. You’re the designer!