Hanging Folds

Hi,
We've been covering basic folds in class and here some lecture notes regarding two types of hanging folds. The first and probably the easiest are called Pipe or Tube Folds. These folds happen when material has one point of origin while the rest of the cloth is effect by gravity's pull. Curtains, capes, and dresses show these type of folds.

I love marble statues, especially classical examples. I would love to possess the ability to make stone look like cloth. Take time to look at statues that exhibit drapery to see what to simplify and leave out. Here's Perseus with some pipe folds...and Medusa's head and a sword and not much else but those pipe folds sure are cool.Here's how to get started drawing in costume drapery. The first step is to recognize and draw the figure supporting the cloth underneath. Now you certainly are not expected to render the form under the material, just understand the planes that provide support. Though I have gone a little overboard in the next series of drawings, I hope you get the idea. Let's take an American icon-the Statue of Liberty. I have drawn her according to volume of her arms and neck, taking into consideration the accepted body type of a female from the late 1800s.I then found the direction of the topmost portion of the toga that covers her.

The cloth is thick and spills off the shoulder, here it's effected by gravity and angles toward the weight leg.

Then it is just a matter of seeing how much cloth is making its way down her trunk. Notice how it falls down to the left foot or area of most support. Look at the compression of the pipes as it comes in contact with the hard masses of the body.

Fill in the details. There are at least three layers of cloth covering the form but look how close they come in contact to right side of the body following the weight of the body.

Here's the topmost drapery rendered to obscure the figure. I know the shadow paths of the figure and cloth are going different directions, that was intensional to separate the two. If you don't see that, why not? Plot them.

Just the cloth for less confusion.
Here's a reference picture.
The other easy hanging fold is the "Hanging Sheet" or Diaper Fold, so called because they create a look like the material is hanging on a line to dry.
Here are some examples in marble that express pipe folds as well.

I don't really know what these two folks are doing here, but that is some crazy drapery sculpting. Look at how the 'cloth' spills down their backs accentuating the forms below. Hanging Sheets to the left, pipes to the right.


Now go draw your togas, folks.