Chapter 3: Photo & Diagram Studies

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Photo & Diagram Studies — Orthos, Pattern Overlays, Labels

For costume concept artists on both the concepting and production sides

Why photo & diagram studies matter

Photo and diagram studies convert raw reference into shareable, testable knowledge. They reconcile what the camera sees with how garments are actually built and how they must be simulated, sewn, and animated. Done well, they compress hours of research into a single page that any teammate—cutter, rigger, shader, or director—can act on. This article lays out a practical workflow for building high‑quality orthographic studies, pattern overlays, and labeled diagrams drawn from fieldwork, archives, and vetted online sources, while honoring ethical and legal constraints.

Study types at a glance

  • Orthographic (ortho) study: A set of front/side/back (and top/bottom if needed) images drawn to a common scale with posture controls, used to read silhouette, proportion, and collision zones without lens distortion.
  • Pattern overlay study: Semi‑transparent pattern shapes sketched over photos to explain seam logic, grain, ease, and closures; communicates construction intent without publishing full patterns.
  • Labeled diagram (callout) study: A plate that annotates materials, stitches, trims, wear zones, and understructures with short, functional labels.
  • Motion/fit strip: A narrow band of sequential photos or sketches (walk, sit, crouch, reach) to map garment behavior.

Ethical foundation: consent, rights, and cultural respect

All studies begin with permission and context.

  • Source logging. Every image carries creator/collection, accession number or URL, date, license, and usage notes. If license is unclear, tag as “study only, no publication.”
  • Consent. For living models, obtain written consent that covers study, internal sharing, and any publication; offer opt‑out and respect revocation. Avoid scraping people’s photos without consent—even if “public.”
  • Cultural protocols. Some garments and motifs are sacred or restricted. Consult community stewards before capturing or diagramming. If permission is denied, document the decision and pivot to alternatives.

Fieldwork capture for studies

Fieldwork gives you controllable baselines for clean studies.

  • Environment. Use even, neutral light; place a mid‑gray background with a taped floor grid. Mark a standing line for consistent feet position.
  • Camera discipline. Use a 70–85 mm equivalent for people (or 50–70 mm for mannequins) at chest height to reduce perspective distortion. Lock distance; shoot with a level tripod. Include a 10 cm scale and a ColorChecker in the first frame of each series.
  • Shot plan. Capture front/left side/back/right side; add 45° three‑quarter views if silhouette quirks exist. Add detail plates: collar inside/out, cuff, closure, waist stay, hem finish, vent construction, pocket bag, lining, gusset, kick pleat, and understructure.
  • Motion strip. Record short clips or burst photos of sit, reach, kneel; note where strain lines appear and how hems lift.

Archive work for studies

Archives provide authenticated garments with known provenance.

  • Requests. Email ahead with accession numbers, research purpose, and a shot list; ask about handling, imaging, and rights. Request interior/flat photos and any available pattern tracings.
  • Handling. Follow conservator instructions; never pin. Use supports for fragile areas. Photograph with permission only; log every restriction on the study plate.
  • Reading historical sources. Cross‑check fashion plates and portraits against extant garments; note exaggerations and idealizations.

Making an ortho study: step‑by‑step

  1. Select the base. Choose the cleanest, least distorted front/side/back captures. If working from online sources, correct for lens skew only if you’re confident; otherwise mark unknowns.
  2. Normalize scale. Place a scale bar and align key landmarks (shoulder height, waist, crotch level, hem). If the model’s posture varies, draw a consistent centerline and ground plane.
  3. Silhouette tracing. Trace outer edges in black; fill with flat gray to create a silhouette bank. Add a dashed centerline plus verticals for shoulder, true waist, and knee.
  4. Measure & mark. Add dimension ticks for key proportions (collar height, sleeve cap rise, skirt sweep). For game/film, include common camera distances and line weights that survive at each distance.
  5. Collision planning. Shade zones that threaten rigging or cloth‑sim: high collars, wide sleeves, long hems, stacked layers at the hip; include mitigation notes.

Building a pattern overlay study

Pattern overlays teach construction without giving away IP‑sensitive or culturally restricted patterns.

  1. Seam map. Lightly draw all visible seams, darts, and panel breaks. Use a different line for probable hidden seams based on silhouette logic.
  2. Grain & ease. Add grain arrows where inferable (warp/weft or knit ribs), and mark ease zones (back shoulder, sleeve head, waist). Note bias‑cut areas and their behavior.
  3. Closure logic. Indicate button placements, lacing paths, hooks/bars, and overlap directions. Show how understructures interface (bone channels, waist stays, pad‑stitch regions).
  4. Layer stack. Add a small exploded inset: outer cloth, interlining, interfacing, lining, with typical weights.
  5. Ethical filter. If the garment is contemporary designer work or culturally restricted, abstract to principle level (e.g., “panel count: 6 + side godets; bias front; frog spacing: 25–30 mm”) without copying motif drawings or unique pattern shapes.

Crafting labeled diagram plates

  • Caption style. Use short, functional phrases: “Twill weave, 10–12 oz; matte; high recovery,” not adjectives like “sturdy, cool.”
  • Material callouts. Fiber, weave/knit, weight, finish, opacity, stretch; include a neutral‑lit swatch.
  • Trim & hardware. Piping width, frog density, toggle length, button shank height, stitch‑per‑inch ranges, rivet spacing.
  • Wear & repair map. Mark abrasion, sweat salt bloom, UV fade, darning/patch types; specify repair cultures (sashiko, blanket stitch) if relevant.
  • Understructure & support. Bone types, channel placement, pad‑stitch regions, padding densities; illustrate with simplified hatching.

Motion & fit strips: make behavior legible

Combine 3–6 small frames showing sit, reach, turn. Overlay arrows for strain directions and numbers for lift distances (e.g., “hem lifts +45 mm on step”). Add a “decision” caption: “Add 20 mm ease at back shoulder; change vent to inverted pleat.”

Color management and legibility

Calibrate monitors; embed ICC profiles in masters. Shoot and include a gray card reference; use neutral lighting. Keep line weights and label fonts readable on print and screen. Use one highlight color for callouts; avoid rainbow chaos. Ensure color‑blind safety by pairing hue with line style or icons.

Versioning, storage, and templates

Name plates consistently: Period_Culture_Garment_View_V#_YYYYMMDD. Keep masters (TIFF/PSD) read‑only; export PNG/JPG for decks. Build reusable templates: ortho grids, callout arrows, grain arrow icons, stitch type swatches, and a rights box. Record changes in a change log (who/what/why).

Collaboration with downstream teams

  • Cutters & tailors. Need seam logic, grain, ease targets, and closure clarity. Provide a note on pattern tolerances and intended ease at chest/hip.
  • Tech art & cloth‑sim. Need material behavior targets (bend, shear, damping), collision watchouts, and motion strip data.
  • Shader/lookdev. Need macro texture cues, luster ranges, normal/roughness hints, and how specular should roll.
  • Animation. Need clearance at shoulders, collars, hems; identify stiff vs. fluid zones.
  • Camera. Need moiré risk notes, reflective trim flags, and value contrast at expected distances.

Quality checks & ethics audit before publishing

  • Accuracy. Do proportion checks against known body metrics or a standard mannequin. If unsure, mark with confidence levels.
  • Rights. Verify every image’s license and consent; remove or replace anything unclear. List cultural guidance and any restrictions.
  • Respect. Avoid exposing internal structures of sacred garments if stewards disallow. Replace with textual guidance.
  • Clarity. Can someone new to the project reproduce your conclusions? If not, tighten labels.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

  • Lens distortion. You can’t fix a 24 mm full‑body shot into a true ortho. Reshoot or treat as vibe only.
  • Over‑detailing. Plates drown in labels. Prioritize decisions over trivia; put extras in a second page.
  • Copying patterns. Do not publish proprietary or restricted patterns; abstract construction logic.
  • Floating callouts. Every arrow must land on a clear feature; avoid clutter over high‑frequency textures.

Starter checklist for a study plate

  • Written permissions and licenses recorded
  • Clean front/side/back at consistent scale
  • Silhouette trace + key measurements
  • Seam map + grain arrows + ease zones
  • Closure and understructure logic
  • Material and trim callouts with swatches
  • Motion/fit strip with decisions
  • Collision and moiré watchouts
  • Rights & cultural notes box filled in

Conclusion: make reference actionable

Photo and diagram studies turn research into production fuel. By pairing ortho accuracy with construction logic and crystal‑clear callouts—and by securing permissions and cultural guidance—you give everyone downstream the confidence to build, simulate, and film garments that behave and read exactly as intended. The result is a library that doesn’t just show clothes; it explains them.