Clothes: see where fabric pulls, falls and folds

Dress a body in four steps

1. Step 1The body first

   Start with the mannequin, even a simple one. If the pose works without clothes, it will work with them.

2. Step 2The points of support

   Find where the fabric really touches the body: the shoulders for a T-shirt, the waist and hips for pants or a skirt. The whole garment hangs from these points.

3. Step 3The air around the body

   Between the points of support, move the outline away from the body. The looser or thicker the garment, the bigger the gap.

4. Step 4The lines that go around

   Collars, sleeves, hems and belts go around the body: draw them as ellipses. They are what gives a garment its volume.

Why folds appear

Three forces explain almost every fold. Before you draw one, ask yourself which one is at work.

1. Step 1Tension

   When a joint pulls the fabric, folds leave from that point and radiate, as at the armpits, elbows or crotch. They are long, taut lines.

2. Step 2Compression

   Inside a bent elbow or behind a bent knee, the fabric bunches up. The folds are short, tight and often change direction.

3. Step 3Gravity

   Where nothing holds it, fabric falls. It forms long vertical folds under a point of support, or a U-shaped curve between two points.

The five folds to know

1. Step 1The pipe fold

   Parallel tubes hanging from a point of support: curtains, capes, long skirts.

2. Step 2The zigzag fold

   Fabric piling up on itself: a trouser leg on a shoe, a pushed-up sleeve.

3. Step 3The spiral fold

   It wraps around a cylinder: a tight sleeve, a narrow trouser leg.

4. Step 4The locked fold

   In the crook of a joint bent all at once, the fabric jams into a sharp angle, like at the knee of a seated character.

5. Step 5The U fold

   Fabric hanging between two points of support: a scarf, a wide collar, the sleeve of a raised arm.

Fabrics and manga outfits

The same fold isn't drawn the same way on every fabric. That is what makes a jacket, a dress or a uniform believable.

1. Step 1Thin fabric

   Silk, a light shirt: many long, thin folds that hug the body. A light, supple line.

2. Step 2Thick fabric

   Coats, jackets, jeans: few folds, wide and angular. The garment keeps its own shape and stands away from the body.

3. Step 3The pleated skirt

   Draw an ellipse at the waist and another at the hem, then join them with pleats that open downward. The hem makes a regular zigzag that follows the ellipse.

4. Step 4The school uniform

   Sailor collar or jacket, the collar rests on the shoulders and follows their slope. Place buttons and ties on the center line of the torso: they follow its curve.

5. Step 5Fabric in motion

   Capes, scarves and coat tails lag behind the body: start them from the line of action and carry the movement out to their tips.

The coach's tips

• Draw each fold from its starting point and ease off the pressure: a line that thins out looks more natural.
• Don't close every fold: a line that stops before the outline lets the drawing breathe.
• Look for folds where the body bends. On flat areas, like a torso seen from the front, leave the fabric alone.
• Bend your own arm in front of a mirror or take a photo: your T-shirt is a free reference.
• An outfit tells a story: an open collar, rolled-up sleeves or a loose tie say a lot without a word.

Practice right now

Once the lesson is read, draw this exercise: it takes about 15 minutes.