The Ethnology Notebooks. 2026. № 2 (188), 515—521
UDK 7.021.22:687.01:[004.9]
DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/nz2026.02.515
- Received: 06.03.2026
- Accepted: 18.03.2026
- Published: 27.04.2026
ARTISTIC SEARCH AS A METHOD OF VISUAL (FINE-ART) THINKING IN FASHION DESIGN
OLENINA Olena
- ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4442-1192
- Doctor of Arts, Professor, Head of Department Fine arts and Design
- of Academic and Research Institute of Architecture, Design, and Fine Arts,
- O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv,
- 17, Chornoglazivska Str., 61002, Kharkiv, Ukraine,
- Contacts: e-mail: Olena.Olenina@kname.edu.ua
BRATSYLO Dmytro
- ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7651-211X
- Master’s student of the Department Fine arts and Design
- of Academic and Research Institute of Architecture, Design, and Fine Arts,
- O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv,
- 17, Chornoglazivska Str., 61002, Kharkiv, Ukraine,
- Contacts: e-mail: koutanart@gmail.com
Abstract. Introduction. In contemporary culture, fine art is not only a separate field but also a way of thinking. In this context, artistic search becomes a key method that connects imagination, composition, and meaning with the practical need to turn an image into a real object. Fine-art thinking helps a designer develop visual ideas through observation, selection, and transformation of forms and symbols.
Problem Statement. In many discussions of fashion design, a sketch is seen mainly as a technical step before production. Because of this, the fine-art role of sketching is often underestimated: sketching can be visual thinking, experimentation, and work with cultural references. As a result, composition, stylization, and references to art movements are sometimes treated as «inspiration» rather than as a clear method that can be described and analyzed.
Purpose. The study aims to define artistic search as a method of fine-art thinking and to explain how this method works in design.
Methods. The research uses analysis of academic sources on fine-art thinking, sketching, and the use of artistic methods in applied creative work.
Results. The article shows that artistic search works like exploratory practice in drawing and painting: sketching helps test composition, rhythm, silhouette and surface, contrast, and accents, and it also helps build a clear visual story. Digital tools (digital sketching, textile printing, and 3D visualization), as well as AI-assisted tools, are viewed as supporting media that help generate and compare design variants and transfer complex imagery into material form, while the fine-art core of the process remains central.
Conclusion. Artistic search is important in fashion design when clothing is treated like art. It helps make the idea clearer, adds meaning, and gives the designer their own style. It also helps use composition and references more thoughtfully, so clothes are not only useful, but also have a message.
Keywords: design, fine arts, fashion design, artistic search, sketching, visual image, artificial intelligence.
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