How to Draw Folds, Clothes and Drapery

In this lesson you'll learn:

• What cloth is, and how it behaves.
• How folds are created.

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Before we can start drawing amazing folds and clothes, let's understand what we are working with.

Cloth (or textile) is the material used to create clothing. It is made by weaving threads together, mostly in a warp pattern.

Here is a single thread:

And here is an example of the warp pattern that the threads are being woven into:

Cloth, being made of woven threads, is flexible in comparison to standard solid materials. This is important to understand, because it implicates that the cloth will be heavily influenced by the object wearing it.

Here is an example for an object covered in cloth:

Can you guess the shape of that object?

Of course you can! It is a cube, or it even might be a table. Anything rectangular. We can see and understand this because the cloth is flexible, and takes the form of the object underneath it.

Here is a different example of a cloth conforming to the shape underneath it:

The cloth is influenced by the staircase's shape beneath it.

In this lesson we'll cover the four main principles that govern cloth and folds:

1. The force of gravity
2. Anchor points
3. Other forces influencing the cloth
4. Type and quantity of clothes

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Principle 1: Here is a towel hung to dry. The towel is influenced by gravity, pulling it downwards.

Principle 2: The anchor points here are the hands, holding the towel. Notice how the folds radiate horizontally, from one anchor point to the other.

Principle 3: Here are the forces that influence this towel, and what the result is, in terms of the folds created. The clothpins (C-left and C-right) as well as gravity, all influence the cloth.

Principle 4: Here are two examples of different types of cloth. The first is thick and the second one thin. Notice how this influences the folds.

In this lesson we'll learn how to draw the drop fold.

The drop fold occurs when cloth hands freely, from one support point or support area.

Here is an example:

And here is an example of an anchor area:

In this lesson we'll learn how to draw the diaper fold.

The diaper fold is similar to the drop fold. The main difference between them however, is that the diaper fold is supported by two anchor points.

Here is an example:

And here is a side view of the shapes of the folds:

The pipe fold is a sub-fold, under the drop fold family.

Check out the final drawing from the video, in the attached file.

In this lesson we'll learn how to draw the zigzag fold.

This fold occurs when cloth is lightly squeezed on top of itself. It is the most common in raised sleeves and in bent elbows.

Here is an example:

In this lesson we'll learn how to draw the spiral fold.

This fold occurs when cloth is REALLY squeezed on top of itself. It is like an extreme form of the zigzag fold. It is also common in raised sleeves and in bent elbows. In fact, it is most likely you can see one right now, if you are wearing a long sleeve...

Here is an example:

In this lesson we'll learn how to draw the spiral fold.

This is another fold related to the zigzag and spiral folds. The half-lock fold is created when the object wearing the cloth changes direction in an abrupt way.

Here is an example:

In this lesson we'll get a basic idea of how to draw the inert fold.

The inert fold is the most challenging type of fold to draw, as it seems to NOT adhere to any rules or principles. This is partially true, but there is still some order within the mess. In this lesson we'll learn how this unique fold works, and how to approach drawing it.

Here is an example:

In this drawing lesson we'll put everything together and draw a full clothed female figure.

Check out the final drawing from the video, and some more extra examples in the attached files.

In this drawing lesson we'll put everything together and draw a full clothed male figure.

Check out the final drawing from the video, and some more extra examples in the attached files.

In this lesson we'll look at a few examples of figures in motion, and how that affects their clothes, and the folds that are created within them.

Here is an entire walking cycle, and how it influences the folds in very baggy pants:

And here is a man running. Notice the stretching cause in his training shorts.

In this lesson we'll conclude everything we've learned, and briefly discuss ways to continue growing in your art, and learning new things.