Example Technical Writing Instructions PDF

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Summary

This is an example of an assignment in the class to write Instructions for a task, Professor Shinall...

Description

Table of Contents 1.

Introduction..............................................................................................................................1

2.

Technical Definition and Description.......................................................................................2

3.

Cautions and Safety Information..............................................................................................3

4.

Parts and Equipment List.........................................................................................................3

5.

Instructional Steps....................................................................................................................3

6.

End Product............................................................................................................................11

7.

Conclusion..............................................................................................................................12 7.1 Troubleshooting...................................................................................................................12

8.

Back Matter............................................................................................................................12 8.1 References............................................................................................................................12 8.2 Glossary...............................................................................................................................12

Technical Flat Instructions

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HOW TO CREATE A TECHNICAL FLAT OF LEGGINGS IN ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR 1. Introduction In this tutorial, you will learn how to apply basic knowledge of Adobe Illustrator to create a technical flat of leggings using a lay figure. A technical flat is a more specific version of a sketch or design; it is usually created on a computer, in Adobe Illustrator, and shows all the necessary construction details of a garment for manufacturers. The contents of this tutorial include: how to open and effectively format Adobe Illustrator, import a lay figure or croquis to create the basis for a technical flat, outline half the form, consider and decide design, seam, and style lines, duplicate and reflect the line, group together, and export a finished technical flat for personal or workplace applications. The tutorial will cover which tools to use as well as how to draw lines, create curves, and select objects with a mouse. The tutorial is also designed for creatives with a design in mind; therefore, there will be a step in which you can customize their style lines and seams to customize their technical flat. The tutorial will also explain what format to use, but not all steps to create a different format from Letter. You should have Adobe Illustrator downloaded before beginning. Before beginning, please have Adobe Illustrator downloaded to your device of choice. Tutorial is designed specifically for laptop and desktop users, but the mentioned techniques should apply for tablets. You also need to download a croquis or lay figure to your device; you can search the Web or use one you have hand drawn. You will learn the basics of drawing straight and curved lines and paths using pen tool, selecting objects to see available options, and knowledge of how to open and select format options for an artboard. You will also acquire of seam and style lines on garments for deciding their desired appearance of the technical flat. You will learn the following terms: stroke weight, dotted line, direct selection tool, selection tool, anchor points. However, a glossary is provided for your knowledge. This tutorial is designed for entry-level fashion and apparel employees, interns, and fashionminded high school or college students, who have not used Adobe Illustrator yet. Although these instructions are intended for those with no Adobe Illustrator knowledge, I intend for this tutorial to also be used for users who have a basic or higher level of knowledge regarding Adobe Illustrator who have yet to learn how to make technical flats. You can expect to create a technical flat from scratch, start to finish. Tasks include opening Adobe Illustrator, formatting the artboard, importing a lay figure or croquis, considering desired style of leggings, outlining half the form, duplicating the created line, reflecting the line, joining together, adding additional seams, and saving for export. The procedure should take approximately 15-45 minutes. A more complex design or style will take a longer amount of time to complete.

Technical Flat Instructions

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These instructions should be used to help learn basic Illustrator knowledge to create a customizable technical flat. These instructions should not be used as a substitute to learning all Adobe Illustrator knowledge.

2. Technical Definition and Description The practice of making technical flats is essential for informing manufacturers on how to successfully produce your garment. Most students and entry-level designers have familiarity with fashion sketching or illustration, which allow you to express a concept or design in an abstract or creative way. However, technical flats are a necessity that helps designers express their exact design and components; flats should include, at least, a front and back view (Omotoso, 2019). A technical flat is a two-dimensional line drawing that shows as much detail as possible and all the design needs for construction, including but not limited to seams, pockets, buttons, stitching, etc. A technical flat also shows the manufacturer the proper proportions for your garment to avoid inaccuracies in production. Once finished and grouped, technical flats serve as the basis for color, texture, and pattern ideas that can be proposed to a client, workplace, or manufacturer. Technical flats are also implemented in garment specification sheets, which contain all the construction details, measurements, and tolerances for manufacturing a product (Omotoso, 2019).

3. Cautions and Safety Information Please remember to save consistently, ensure your computer is charged or plugged in, and have backup saving employed to make sure that your data will not be lost if your program crashes. Adobe generally does save unfinished work if it crashes; however, you should not rely on this as a form of saving. Proper saving procedure is given at the end of the steps of instructions.

4. Parts and Equipment List -

Adobe Illustrator

-

Mouse or trackpad

-

Lay figure or croquis (downloaded to your computer or hard drive)

-

If desired: Wacom tablet or pen

Technical Flat Instructions

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5. Instructional Steps Step One: Open Adobe Illustrator and Format Your Artboard 1. Open Adobe Illustrator. 2. Select Letter on the application’s home screen. 2.1. This will provide a blank white artboard with dimensions: 8.5x11 inches. 3. Click the file tab in the top left corner. 4. Select open (Ctrl + O).

1, 2: Adobe Illustrator Home Screen

2.1: Artboard

3: File tab, top left

4. Select open (Ctrl + O)

5. Browse your computer’s files and select your predownloaded lay figure or croquis. 5.1. The file will open in a new window in Adobe Illustrator

Technical Flat Instructions

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6. Select and drag the image onto the blank white artboard. 6.1. Hold down the left mouse button and drag your mouse cursor over the tab for the white artboard. 6.1.1. When dragging the image, you will see a rectangular box and + sign (pictured). 6.1.2. When the tab changes colors to the lighter gray (pictured, lighter when compared with left tab color), move your mouse cursor from the tab to the spot on the artboard where you want the image. 6.1.3. After releasing the mouse button, your image should appear in the original artboard. 6.2. The croquis or lay figure will create a proportioned canvas of the standard fashion figure and allow you to easily see how your leggings will appear when put to production.

5: Computer files: lay figure/croquis

6: Select and drag: rectangular box and + sign symbol

Step Two: Decide Design and Style 1. Decide desired length and rise. 1.1. i.e.: high-waisted, low rise, midrise, crop or capri length, etc.

Technical Flat Instructions

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1: Common styles

Step 3: Outline Half the Form 1. Start with the middle point of the waistline and draw with the pen tool (P) towards the left side of the body (direction pictured). 2. Follow the same path with the pen tool (P) and anchor point down the curvature of the leg. 2.1. Reminder: Always select the last anchor point if you deselect and reselect the pen tool. 2.2. Reminder: Use curved lines to mimic the curvature of the legs; the more anchor points there are, the less smooth the line will be 2.2.1. To curve a line with the pen tool, click and drag before you start the line or after you have drawn the line. 2.2.2. After you click, drag, and release the cursor, you should see a curving line that will allow you to decide how the line should be.

2.2.2: After you see the handle and curved line, you can move the cursor to decide how curved the line should be.

Technical Flat Instructions

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3. Decide where the hem sits and draw with the pen tool (P). 4. Follow inner curvature of the leg up to the crotch and draw with the pen tool (P).

1: Waistline

2: Follow leg curvature 3: Decide and draw hem

4: Inner leg to crotch

Step Four: Create the Technical Flat 1. Delete, move, or hide your lay figure or croquis. 2. Select your path using the selection tool (V). 2.1. The outline should be one piece connected by the anchor points. 3. Copy (Ctrl + C) the line and paste (Ctrl + V). 4. Select the pasted path using the selection tool. 5. Click the object tab in the top left corner.

Technical Flat Instructions

1, 2: Delete lay

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3: Copy

4: Select

5: Click

figure and select

and

the pasted line

object

outline

paste

with (V)

tab

6. Select the transform bar and the reflect option within the bar. 6.1. A box with reflect options will pop up. 6.2. Ensure that the axis is vertical and the degree is set to 90. 6.3. Click OK.

6: Select transform > reflect

6.1, 6.2, 6.3: Reflect options, OK.

Technical Flat Instructions

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7. Select and drag either path until the waistlines are parallel to each other. Leave a little bit of white space between the two lines. 7.1. You will know that the lines are parallel when a purple dialog text says ‘intersect.’ 8. Select the two anchor points at the crotch point using the direct selection tool (A). 9. Click the join option in the options tab or type Ctrl + J. 9.1. Joining the two lines together creates one object from the two outlines next to each other by filling the white space between the anchor points with an extension of the line. 9.2. By joining the lines and creating one object, the technical flat can be used to create a clipping mask in further applications. 10. Select the two anchor points at the waistline with the direct selection tool (A). 11. Click the join option in the options tab or type Ctrl + J.

7: Outlines

8: Select

10: Select

9, 11: Join

12: Copy

dragged together

anchor

anchor

(Ctrl + J)

and

leaving white

points at

points at

to fill white

paste

space

crotch

waistline

spaces

12. Copy and paste the joined flat path. 12.1.

This copy will act as the back of the flat.

12.2.

Drag one of the paths to be parallel and to the side of the other (pictured).

Step Five: Specify and Save the Technical Flat for Industry Application 1. Draw additional seam and style lines using the pen tool (P). You can choose to add these however you want to customize your leggings. Think creatively but remember that you can use your own clothes as a reference point. 1.1. Reminder: Think about how a garment looks lying flat, the waistline of a pair of leggings would drop lower in the front than the back; remember to show this using a line (pictured with arrow)

Technical Flat Instructions

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1.1.1. A great way to figure out what style lines and seams you can use is to use a pair of pants or leggings you have as a reference. When laid out flat, you can clearly see where the stitches and seams are. 1.2. Reminder: Do not draw lines that extend out of the outline 1.3. i.e.: Front/back or side seam, style lines at waistline, stitching at waistline or hemline, etc. 2. Check that all stroke weights are appropriate. 2.1. Standard for industry: 2.1.1. Outline: 2pt 2.1.2. Interior: seam lines: 1pt 2.1.3. Stitches: 0.5pt 2.2. This can be changed in the stroke tab. 2.3. Dashed lines can also be applied in the stroke tab for stitching. 2.3.1. You can adjust the dash gap by changing the point measurement. A dash of 1 or 2pt is preferable for the proportion of this flat. 3. Select all paths for front flat, including the outline, using the selection tool (V). 3.1. When selecting one or more paths, they will light up blue (pictured).

Technical Flat Instructions

1: Add seams and style lines

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2: Check Stroke weights

3: Select all using (V)

4. Click the group option in the options tab or type Ctrl + G. 4.1. This groups all of the front flat so it can be moved as one object. 5. Select all paths for back flat, including the outline, using the selection tool (V). 6. Click the group option in the options tab or type Ctrl + G. 6.1. This groups the entirety of the back flat so it can be moved as one object. 7. To resize to fit page, select one or both and hold down Shift while dragging the corner with the selection tool (V). 7.1. To drag, hold down your mouse button while clicking on the corner and move until it is the desired size. 7.2. Reminder: if you do not hold the shift key, the flat will become distorted 7.3. Ensure that flats are parallel or offset in such a way that it fills the page.

Technical Flat Instructions

4: Group

5: Select all (back)

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6: Group

7: Resize to fit page, drag corner

8. Save your work to your computer as an .AI file. When the Illustrator options box pops up, hit OK. 8.1. Reminder: if you used red as your stroke outline, change to black for industry applications. 8.2. This type of flat allows you to reopen and rework your technical flat. 8.3. For further applications, always save as an Illustrator file.

8: Save

8.3: Save as .AI file

Technical Flat Instructions

6. End Product

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Technical Flat Instructions

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7. Conclusion Your technical flat should be your customized design appropriately specified for apparel industry standards if all steps were completed. In finishing this tutorial, the you should feel confident in drawing and creating your own technical flat of leggings in Adobe Illustrator. This product can be customized and applied to your needs in the apparel industry, whether you are a student, intern, or working designer. The tutorial provides you with the knowledge of how to open and format Adobe Illustrator, decide on style, outline half a form, create a technical flat, and save for export and industry applications. This tutorial also serves as a brief summary of the skillset needed to create other technical flats; therefore, the tutorial was created in the hopes that this adds to your basic knowledge of Adobe Illustrator.

7.1 Troubleshooting If any disparities occurred in the making of your flat, consider the following: -

Review images to ensure that your path and anchor points align with your lay figure. Ensure that curved lines were used when necessary. Ensure that curves are equal on both sides. You can also draw half a curve and copy, paste, and transform to create a perfect curve or use the curvature tool. Review steps to make sure all were followed. Reconsider your design and style lines. Research others’ basic technical flats to get feedback from a wider scope as to how your flat could look. Use the Adobe Help Search bar for further clarification of basic Adobe Illustrator knowledge.

8. Back Matter 8.1 References Golding, M. (2018, October 15). Apply stroke on an object. Retrieved from https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/stroke-object.html#:~:text=Create dotted or dashed lines,-Adobe recommends&text=You can create a dotted,from the Stroke panel menu. Jacobs, M. (2019, August 16). What Is a Croquis? Learn How to Draw Croquis With Detailed Step-by-Step Guide - 2020. Retrieved from https://www.masterclass.com/articles/whatis-a-croquis-learn-how-to-draw-croquis-with-detailed-step-by-step-guide#what-isincluded-in-a-croquis-sketch Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Lay figure. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved June 10, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lay%20figure Omotoso, M. (2019, February 6). What is a Technical Drawing in Fashion Design? Retrieved from https://fashioninsiders.co/toolkit/top-tips/what-is-technical-drawing/

Technical Flat Instructions

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Smith, J. (n.d.). Adobe Illustrator CC's Selection Tools. Retrieved from https://www.dummies.com/software/adobe/illustrator/adobe-illustrator-ccs-selectiontools/ What are Paths and Anchor Points in Adobe Illustrator? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.spellbrand.com/paths-anchor-points-in-adobe-illustrator#:~:text=A path is the black,direction of the curved path. What is the Direct Selection Tool in Illustrator? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.shutterstock.com/support/article/what-is-the-direct-selection-tool-inillustrator#:~:text=With the Direct Selection tool,part of the object's path. Wood, B. (2018, October 15). Illustrator Artboards Basics. Retrieved from https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/how-to/artboards-basics.html#:~:text=When you create a document in Illustrator by default, you,sizes, and even different orientations. Wood, B. (2016, January 14). Working with Basic Shapes in Adobe Illustrator CC (2014 release). Retrieved from https://www.adobepress.com/articles/article.asp? p=2253413&seqNum=7#:~:text=Every shape and path, by,well using the Stroke panel.

8.2 Glossary Artboard: the white box(es) seen when creating a document in Adobe Illustrator; they “define the area that can be printed” (Wood, 2018) Croquis: ‘sketch’ in French; “a quick sketch of a human body that serves as the template for a piece of clothing or outfit” (Jacobs, 2019) Lay figure: often refers to a wooden model of a human body, but also refers to a flat drawing of a 9-head croquis with proportions for applications in the fashion industry (Merriam-Webster, n.d.) Path: “the black [or other selected color] line that appears when you draw a line in Adobe Illustrator;” “made up of a series of points called ‘anchor points’” (“What are Paths and Anchor Points in Adobe Illustrator?,”n.d.) Anchor points: “a series of points” that makes up a path; have “control handles” on either end which “can be used to control the direction of the cur...