Hit 100 sketches in my notebook and it made me question my whole design process

I was cleaning my studio yesterday and flipped through my main sketchbook, you know, the one with the blue cover. I actually counted the pages and found I've done exactly 100 rough fashion sketches in there since January. That number kind of shocked me because I always thought I was a slow, careful designer, maybe doing one good idea a week. Looking back, most of those 100 are terrible, like the weird puff-sleeve jumpsuit from March or the dress that looks like a melted candle. But a few, maybe 5 or 6, are the core ideas for my current collection. It's got me thinking: is it better to push for a high volume of quick, messy ideas to find a few gems, or should I focus on making each sketch a perfect, finished piece from the start? I feel like the messy way helped me break out of a creative block I had in February, but now I'm wondering if it's holding me back from refining things. For those of you who sketch a lot, what's your ratio of throwaway ideas to keeper designs?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix_lane9913d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, you counted all 100 pages? That's some serious dedication. I'd lose track after like ten.

lindaowens13d ago

Ever wonder if they number the pages first or just hope it works out? (I'd be the one messing it up halfway through for sure.)

dixon.spencer13d ago

Oh man, I messed up a booklet last month. I started numbering from the center pages out, like a pro tip I saw online. Still put the 7 and 8 on the same sheet. Total disaster.