Drapery Workshop - Brea - Marshall Vandruff

Went to Brea this week to study drapery drawing with Marshall Vandruff.

These are my notes:

There are 7 basic folds. (Glenn Vilppu also talks about this).

1. Diaper Fold
- isn't a simple tube like a drop fold. Folding of pipes with overlap. The birds eye view would be a series of zig zags.
- a diaper fold is a fold that starts to twist or fold on itself.
- there is a crunching on the z axis.

2. Zig Zag Fold
- zig zags are everywhere in nature
- happens where the cloth bunches up
- Jack Hamm is a good reference to show eyelets and hooks
- Lorenzo di Credi another reference

3. Pipe Fold
- pipe folds can give a rhythm of verticals
- pipe folds can fork into another pipe fold
- pipe folds can split in 2

4. Spiral Fold
- encircles
- forms helixes
- Bernie Wrightson talks about how clothing must go around

5. Drop Fold
- a pipe fold that drops and goes back up but remains a tube
- it changes direction without getting too complicated

6. Half Lock Fold
- folds fold on to each other but not completely
- something that bends on itself
- can see folds on an acute angle
- bunches up on one side but not the other
- usually one fold overtakes the other

7. Inert Fold (I think Glenn Vilppu calls this the dead fold).
- random placement of folds
- fabric without form underneath

SOME BASIC TIPS

Folds and Wrinkles are not the same! Wrinkles are usually left out when drawing.

You need to consider the amount of cloth. Drawing a leotard is not the same as drawing baggie pants.

You need to consider the weight of the cloth. Drawing silk is not the same as drawing canvas.

You need to consider the forces acting on the cloth.

You need to edit the amount of folds you draw. Too many folds create visual chaos.

Folds are intrepretive. Folds effect the feeling of the drawing. Folds tell us about the figure.


In drapery we are not bound by what we see:

There are 3 Factors

1. Form (the body beneath the drapery)

- cross contours tell us what we are looking at. Look at Bellini as an example of an artist who has awareness around he form. He also mentioned Claire Windling (spelling?). Look at work of Benozzo Gozzoli.

- the body is an accordian - but there are hard parts.

- drapery is like an extra skin.

- consider Economy of Cloth vs. Excess of Cloth.

- Drapery has no form of it's own. It just conforms.

2. The Cloth Itself

- the cut of the cloth
- the amount of cloth
- the weight of the cloth

3. The Forces on the Cloth


There are lines that radiate from small stress points to large on a body. There are places of stress. Armpits and crouches are natural pinch points so are Elbows and Knees. The point to an area. Consider how they radiate. There is a difference between a baseball and a beach ball.

Consider Stretch vs. Squash.

Use metaphors when drawing cloth. Canvas can be likened to cardboard. Burlap can be likened to carpet. Find similes and metaphors find opposites. The main secret is have fun. Think of it as recess not homework!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1



Some References

- Muybridge
- Hogarth "Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery:
- Paret
- Gregory Bateson (philosopher)
- Lorenzo di Credi
- Bernie Wrightson
- Jack Hamm