DraperyDrapery

How can I possibly draw this confusing mess?

How can I possibly draw this confusing mess?

You have to think right!

The folds are not a tangled mess. There is an understandable logic to the folds. If you

think of a bicycle tire, there are spokes that all go to the center of the wheel or hub

In the same way the ridges of the folds of cloth go to a

hub.

A hub is formed when there is a stress point on the cloth. It may be

caused by something pushing against the cloth from underneath or

something laying on the top of the cloth. It can be where the cloth is

attached to something and gravity is pulling from that point.

Folds also flow from one hub to another.

Look for the hubs and you will be able to determine the main

folds.

Always draw from the larger and more general to the

smaller and more detailed.

Raphael Peale

“After the Bath”

1823

Hubs

Michaelangelo

“The Delphich Sibyl”

How does light and shadow play upon the surface of

drapery?

To know this you must first know the parts of the drapery.

The parts of draped cloth are:The ridge or top of the fold is the highest part of the fold.

This is the lightest part of the cloth.

The sides of the fold are the parts of the cloth that descend from the ridge and are middle tone in value.

The base of the fold is the lowest part of the fold at the sides and will usually be darkest in value.

The undercut is where the base and side of a fold is visually overlapped by the ridge another fold. The space is

usually darker and the ridge of the fold in front, lighter.

Ridge

SidesBase

Undercut

Undercut

Base

Sides

Ridge