We all get those days where we feel totally uninspired. Nothing seems to be working, every design is not quite right, every outfit is out of proportion, every colour not quite accurate… To help you through these days, we have compiled a list of what we would recommend you do when you feel like this, to get you back into drawing and help your creativity to flow…

1. Watch fashion shows

Nowadays you are only one click away from watching the latest fashion shows on YouTube. Most of the time, these are all high quality and accompanied by incredible music scores. However, if you are a fashion illustrator who is more into older designers there are many collections you can find from the 80s and 90s which are equally as inspirational.
When you are watching them make sure to not think too much about the designs. Instead, enjoy what you are watching and let the ideas come spontaneously.

We’d recommend going to these channels to find videos:
Fatale Fashion Channel
Catwalker
Bayou Cool 2
SHOWstudio

2. Think about what made you want to do fashion illustration

Was it a passion as a child? Maybe you went out of art school and decided then it was what you wanted to do? Throughout your time as a fashion illustrator, you have been coming up with ideas for your models and the clothes they are presenting. Think carefully about what sparked this interest. Take our recent interviewee, Zhenya Z. Coco Chanel was her biggest inspiration growing up. She could have watched a Chanel documentary to remember how she came to be where she is today. There is so much variation between designers and that’s why there is, after all, so much variety in fashion illustration.

3. Just draw an outfit

Take any outfit from any catwalk ever. If you have the time, you could use a random generator to pick a brand for you. Sometimes just doing it (as Nike would say) can get you out of a negative, fixed mindset and help generate new ideas. Alternatively, you could look at one of your favourite fashion illustrators and copy one of their designs. Remember if you choose to do this and post it to give credit to them and any of the brands they use.

4. Look back through your old drawings

It’s surprising how we often come up with ideas in drawings and don’t develop them. Anything from a pattern on a jacket or a colour combination on some shoes can trigger your imagination. You could even look at some other fashion illustrators and their old designs. Is there something on their work that you would have done differently? Sketch it out, think about the proportions, the feel of the fabric (if it is clothing)…

5. See the world around you

In our interview with Hollywood VFX artist Christopher M Anthony, he told aspiring visual effects artists that from the moment they wake up in the morning to start looking around them. And not just looking. They needed to pay attention to everything, whether that was the light reflecting off surfaces or listening to another person in conversation. This is exactly the same for any fashion illustrator. While introspection can be useful, it is important to understand that inspiration is an external process that is internalised later on and developed subconsciously to generate new ideas.

6. Read a description in a book or a poem

Book descriptions are awash with rich vocabulary and imagery. Go to your favourite book or poem and read it. Think about the feelings it inspires in you. If you are not into reading, then you could listen to some music or watch a film. Generally creative fields lend themselves to imaginative musings and thought processes. Understanding how you can switch between these fields may open up new avenues in your design process.

7. Do something completely different

Taking a break from the pen and colours can be one of the best ways of resetting your mind. Many artists often find inspiration in nature itself. Outside, there is so much scope for inspiration in the leaves, trees and wildlife. Even in a city there is so much to explore. Graffiti and wall art are all artistic pointers, just take our interview with David de la Mano. Or you could look at skyscrapers like we analysed in Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings. Often illustrators feel they need to be in a haven away from the bustle of their everyday lives. But sometimes the place that you know best can be your greatest muse…