If there is anything that I can say about flat sketches/cads, is to keep your files clean and organized. Remove any stray points and lines that are not needed. These will lead to more memory usage and make the design confusing. When I to sketch out CAD's, I use Adobe Illustrator with my
Wacom Intuos4. Some people prefer use the mouse over the pen, it's a matter of comfort. I like to start off with a basic patter or silhouette. I then print out several of the patterns on a sheet of in a low transparency and sketch different options of the same silhouette. The pencil sketches are then scanned and opened in AI when I do my magic. Normally I start off with sketching half of the design then I copy and reflect to get symmetrically even design. I make sure to join all the open paths. I also create custom brushes for certain effects on the designs like ruffles and stitches. Now that the CAD is completed and ready to be colored, I import the outlines and stitching separately into Photoshop. This will allow you to color the stitching different from the outlines. It's a process that take time, but is very effective. I will be posting more designs soon.
