First time I saw Fashionary Sketchbook online I knew I will love it and use it constantly. The main thing that attracted my attention was the fact it made life easier with the perfect fashion figure templates. Having a template is a life saver for every fashion designer or illustrator invested into quick sketching. You don't have to think about proportions and waste time on drawing figures but rather get to the fun part right away. I love that it has 3 figures per page because it is perfect for my favorite type of drawing- runway looks. Anyway, hope you enjoy this short Fashionary Sketchbook review from me:)
Format and Basic Info
There are two formats available with women fashion figure templates- A4 and A5 Fashionary sketchbooks. I have tried both and I prefer the A4 version as it gives plenty of space for adding details to clothing and you have more space for adding notes if you are using it for your designs. If you are more interested into portability and sketching on the go, then the smaller version may be a better option for you. The A4 size takes a bit more space in your bag and it's maybe inconvenient if you are sketching outdoor.
It has 116 pages which is more than enough to go nuts with sketching your perfect fashion collection or illustrating seasonal runway looks. I usually fill it in about 3 months with regular weekly sketching or a few months more during summer when things are a bit slower.
Fashionary has a very durable hardcover and luckily it is quite easy to wipe it. I like the elastic that keeps everything in place and the back pocket where you can store inspiration photos, brainstorming ideas or color swatches.
There are also great info pages on fashion industry things like runway and trade fair dates, seams and stitches, fabric dictionary, specs and sheets and other valuable notes.
Paper Quality and Performance
For my runway illustrations, I use a combination of Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils. They both work great on Fashionary paper. The texture of the paper is not completely smooth as with some other sketchbooks but I find it makes it more versatile. It also works good with watercolors and ink. The color of the paper is off-white so if you want to use the paper as your white in illustrations, probably would not work for you. Copic markers perform really well and the paper does not soak too much of the ink. It does bleed a little if you layer colors on top of each other while not completely dry.
Overal Fashionary Sketchbook Review
This is definitely my favorite fashion sketchbook so far. The price is reasonable for the usage and the information you get with purchase. My favorite part is the 3 figure templates per page as it makes a great composition for runway sketches. I think this sketchbook is a must have for fashion designers and students, but it is a great tool for fashion illustrators as well. The figure templates are perfect, barely visible yet very helpful for quick sketching. The only thing I wish was different is the texture of the paper, which would work better for markers if it was a bit more smooth.