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How to Draw Unique Fabrics

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2021-05-14 20:09:34
Fashion Drawing For Dummies
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Many of the clothing pieces you draw will be made of everyday fabrics — denim, different weights of cotton, and so on. But sooner or later, you’ll want to draw something suitable for a special occasion or made out of higher quality materials.

You can show that a fabric is more than the run-of-the-mill cotton by employing the techniques you read about in this and previous chapters. Shading, adding texture, and hinting at shine are all part of the fashion artist’s technique arsenal. You can also add character to these fabrics by paying attention to details like folds and fit.

Draw a little leather jacket.

Draw a little leather jacket.

Draw the top half of a female fashion figure. Map out a short and tight little jacket. Add folds on the side where the waist might bend, on the elbow of the sleeve, and coming from the top of the sleeve.

Use the side of your pencil to block out the darkness of the leather and leave areas white for shine. Darken around the folds to show the depth of the fabric.

Try to draw a bouncy little tulle skirt.

Try to draw a bouncy little tulle skirt.

Draw a female fashion figure. Map out a large, wide skirt with lots of gathers at the waistband. Draw the hem of the skirt with some waves to show the depth of the fabric. Draw a grid system on the skirt, being careful to leave some areas blank.

Add some lines that angle in toward the middle of the skirt from where the waves of the hem turn upward to indicate folds in the fabric.

Draw sequins on a short and sassy dress.

Draw sequins on a short and sassy dress.

Just how fun are shimmering sequins? These glinting little discs on your fashion figure’s clothes make any outfit totally glam, provided you don’t go overboard — which is quite tempting!

Draw a female fashion figure. Map out a simple cocktail dress. Draw sequins by drawing little circles scattered across the dress. Add sparkles along the outline of the dress to show the light reflecting off the sequins, and add random dots for some more texture.

About This Article

This article is from the book: 

About the book author:

Lisa Smith Arnold teaches art and drawing, including fashion illustration, at Norwalk Community College. She has also served as creative coordinator and fashion editor at several major publications.

Marianne Egan teaches fashion illustration and design, apparel construction, and more.