Chapter 1 | CLOTHS AND CLOTHING

In this chapter you will get tips on how to draw clothes that fit loosely around the body, but also how a cloth “falls” when hanging for example on a clothesline.

Exercise 1: Try copying the following examples. Pay attention to the wavy lines at the bottom, for example with a curtain or when the cloth hangs from one point. Sometimes it’s easy to first draw this ‘S-line’ and only afterwards finish the fabric with the lines upwards. If you’ve drawn these examples you can try it out with real pieces of cloth on a clothesline.

Hanging cloths

Wavy S-line at the bottom of a hanging fabric like a curtain.

In the following examples you can see how a cloth or clothing fits around something round such as a neck, arm or tube.
Try to draw each example.

In the following examples it really starts to look like clothing with realistic folds.
Try to draw these examples as well.

In the sleeve of a shirt, sweater, jacket or trousers you see all kinds of folds, especially if the arm or the leg bends. After all, fabric is not metal or hard plastic.
Try to pay attention to the folds when drawing something like this.

Sleeve of a jacket

Trousers

When clothing is tied together by a belt, buckle or button, folds are created. You often see that in images of Roman emperors. Note how the clothing fits loosely around the body and disappears behind the neck of the Roman emperor.