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Fine Arts · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Advanced Cloth Figure Painting

Drawing the nude is a challenge; dressing it is an art form. This advanced course focuses on the complex relationship between the human form and drapery. Students will study the physics of fabric—gravity, tension, and compression—to render the seven distinct types of folds. The curriculum emphasizes how clothing reveals the gesture underneath and how to render specific textures, from the stiffness of denim to the fluidity of silk.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Analyze the "Seven Types of Folds" (Pipe, Zigzag, Spiral, Half-Lock, Diaper, Drop, Inert)
  2. Master the "Points of Tension": How body movement effects fabric stress
  3. Render distinct fabric textures: Velvet, Satin, Denim, and Sheer materials
  4. Execute dynamic compositions where clothing enhances the gesture
  5. Apply lighting strategies to drapery to create volume and deep folds
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01The Anatomy of a Fold: Gravity & Tension
  2. 02Review of the Underlying Figure (Mannequinization)
  3. 03The Pipe Fold & The Drop Fold
  4. 04The Diaper Fold: Slack between points
  5. 05The Zigzag Fold: Compression & Memory
  6. 06The Spiral Fold: Twisting forms
  7. 07The Half-Lock Fold: Bending joints
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09The Spiral Fold: Wrapping the Form
  10. 10Texture I: Heavy Fabrics (Wool/Denim)
  11. 11Texture II: Reflective Fabrics (Silk/Satin)
  12. 12Texture III: Translucency & Sheer Cloth
  13. 13Pattern & Print: Wrapping texture around form
  14. 14The Clothed Portrait: Collars & Shoulders
  15. 15Historical Costuming & Regalia
  16. 16Final Project: The Full Costume Figure Painting

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Full Costume Figure Painting

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery by Burne Hogarth
  2. Drawing the Draped Figure by George B. Bridgman
  3. Drawing People: How to Portray the Clothed Figure by Barbara Bradley
  4. The Artist's Guide to Human Anatomy (for underlying structure)
  5. Fashion Illustration: Inspiration and Technique by Anna Kiper
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