Fashion CAD: Adobe Illustrator Fundamentals

MODULE 1 — Introduction to Fashion CAD & Illustrator

2 Hours

• What is Fashion CAD?
• Role of Illustrator in fashion design
• Vector vs raster graphics
• Illustrator interface and workspace
• Artboards
• Layers and object organisation
• Fill and stroke
• Selection and Direct Selection
• Zoom, navigation and shortcuts
• RGB vs CMYK
• File formats
• Saving and exporting

Exercise: Create a basic Fashion CAD workspace and organise a fashion project using layers.

MODULE 2 — Illustrator Drawing Fundamentals

2 Hours

• Shape tools
• Line tools
• Pen Tool
• Pencil Tool
• Curvature Tool
• Anchor points
• Handles
• Joining and cutting paths
• Pathfinder
• Shape Builder
• Align and Distribute
• Grouping and compound paths

Exercise: Create a library of basic fashion components.

MODULE 3 — Fashion Silhouette Development

2 Hours

Students begin applying Illustrator specifically to fashion.

• Basic garment silhouettes
• Proportion
• Symmetry
• Creating half garments
• Reflect Tool
• Developing complete garments
• Necklines
• Sleeves
• Skirts
• Trousers
• Dresses
• Jackets
• Basic garment construction

Exercise: Create 5 basic garment silhouettes.

MODULE 4 — Technical Flats

2 Hours

• What is a technical flat?
• Front and back views
• Garment symmetry
• Construction lines
• Seam lines
• Stitch lines
• Darts
• Panels
• Pleats
• Gathers
• Yokes
• Pockets

Exercise: Create a complete shirt technical flat.

MODULE 5 — Advanced Garment Details

2 Hours

Students develop more sophisticated technical drawings.

• Collars
• Cuffs
• Sleeves
• Plackets
• Zippers
• Buttons
• Waistbands
• Pockets
• Fastenings
• Top stitching
• Hem details
• Decorative details

Exercise: Create a detailed jacket or dress technical flat.

MODULE 6 — Fashion Illustration in Illustrator

2 Hours

• Fashion figure templates
• Creating silhouettes
• Garment placement
• Line quality
• Creating folds
• Shadows
• Highlights
• Transparency
• Clipping masks
• Texture effects
• Combining vector and raster elements

Exercise: Create 2 digital fashion illustrations.

MODULE 7 — Colour & Colourways

2 Hours

• Colour theory for fashion
• Swatches
• Global colours
• Colour groups
• Colour palettes
• Recolour Artwork
• Creating multiple colourways
• Colour combinations
• Seasonal palettes

Exercise: Create 4 colourways from one garment design.

MODULE 8 — Textile & Motif Development

2 Hours

This is where your textile expertise becomes a major selling point.

• What is a textile motif?
• Geometric motifs
• Floral motifs
• Abstract motifs
• Organic motifs
• Vector motif development
• Editing and manipulating motifs
• Combining motifs
• Creating motif collections
• Colour variations

Exercise: Develop a 6–8 motif collection based on a theme.

MODULE 9 — Stripes, Checks & Pattern Development

2 Hours

• Creating stripes
• Horizontal and vertical stripes
• Uneven stripes
• Multicolour stripes
• Checks
• Plaids
• Grids
• Geometric patterns
• Pattern Swatches
• Pattern editing
• Scale and proportion

Exercise: Create a mini textile pattern collection.

MODULE 10 — Seamless Repeats & Print Application

2 Hours

• Understanding repeats
• Basic repeat structures
• Straight repeat
• Half-drop repeat
• Creating seamless patterns
• Pattern Swatches
• Editing pattern scale
• Colour variations
• Applying prints to garments
• Clipping masks
• Placement prints

Exercise:

Motif → Repeat → Textile → Garment Application

MODULE 11 — Fashion Collection Development

2 Hours

Now students bring everything together.

Students develop:

Theme

↓

Mood/Concept

↓

Colour Palette

↓

Motif

↓

Textile Design

↓

Garment Designs

↓

Technical Flats

↓

Colourways

This teaches them the actual fashion design workflow, rather than isolated software exercises.

MODULE 12 — Final CAD Portfolio Project

2 Hours

Students create a complete mini collection.

Final submission:

1. Concept / Theme Board

2. Colour Palette

3. Motif Development

4. Textile Repeat

5. 3–4 Fashion Illustrations

6. Technical Flats

7. Colourways

8. Final Presentation Board

🎓 FINAL PROJECT

I'd make the final assignment:

"Digital Fashion Collection – From Concept to CAD"

Students create a 3-look mini collection.

For each look:

Fashion Illustration
→ Technical Flat
→ Colourway
→ Textile/Print Application

And then present all three looks as a cohesive collection.