Experimenting with folds

DemonLamma · Post by **DemonLamma** » Sat May 07, 2005 9:14 pm

Well I really want to up my quality of art and that means that I have to learn folds, so im experimenting on this picture(hope I don't mutilate it)

Anyway, I've only gotten a few folds but it feels like I'm overdoing it, plus I'm not sure the folds are even correct.

Please help.

The Neko · Post by **The Neko** » Sat May 07, 2005 9:26 pm

I think the reason you might be thinking you're overdoing it is because the clothing your're drawing seems to be sort of skin-tight. If the clothing was just a teensy bit looser, I can see folds in a few more places.

The area where the collar feeds into the chest needs maybe a line or a fold to show how the collar creases at least slightly.

Taiwanimation · Post by **Taiwanimation** » Sat May 07, 2005 11:08 pm

Folds are caused by gravity and other forces, so think about which way the forces are acting and draw accordingly.

The simplest case is a straight fold, which is what a piece of fabric will do when hung from a single point. (Figure 1)

When hung from two points, you get a parabolic fold. (Figure 2)

A heavier material will create a sharper parabola. (Figure 3)

Motion, or gravity plus a horizontal force will create a fold in the shape of half a parabola.

DemonLamma · Post by **DemonLamma** » Sat May 07, 2005 11:23 pm

thanks, that makes things a simpler.

Meep the Greek · Post by **Meep the Greek** » Sat May 07, 2005 11:25 pm

If her dress is supposed to be super-skin-tight, there would still be some bunching and folding at the waist and especially at the elbows and armpits to allow for mobility. Otherwise she'd pop a seam every time she tried to bend over or move her arms. Also, I'd say there would probably be some horizontal stretch folds across her breasts and hips, since those are the widest parts of her body and are therefore putting the greatest amount of stress on the fabric (if you pull a piece of fabric really taut between your hands you'll see what I mean - it wouldn't be as dramatic on her body, but it would still make a little ripple, I think).

Ida · Post by **Ida** » Sun May 08, 2005 9:40 am

The main problem I see with your image is that you've only really put folds in one place. That those folds are a bit over-done is a minor problem, IMO, however, the skirt falls incredibly straight down. Since it's the only truly loose part of the dress, it would logically have at least some folds. It also seems unlikely that the dress would only fold on one side of the buttons and not at all on the other. Similarly, the neck and breat area need some more, subtle folds, even if it is supposed to be skin-tight.

That being said, I actually like the look of the folds in the drawing. You can draw folds to look like folds, which is more than some people I've seen - now all you need to learn is where to put them.

For further help, I'd recommend this tutorial.

DemonLamma · Post by **DemonLamma** » Sun May 08, 2005 11:36 am

Ok I kinda killed those uber folds i put on. still trying to get this. on a side note there is no cloth on her shoulders or arms except the peice on her left arm.

Still not sure if I've got this... and can anyone tell me how to do the cloth on her arm that is held up by the belt?

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Sun May 08, 2005 12:38 pm

I did a quick tablet trace.

Don't have time to annotate though.

DemonLamma · Post by **DemonLamma** » Sun May 08, 2005 1:08 pm

Wow... that visual really helps. That's awesome.

Phact0rri · Post by **Phact0rri** » Sun May 08, 2005 2:54 pm

would there not be some straight line "cupping" folds where the skirt hands down where its not supported by any part of her body? It seems its almost "caped" down her stage right side, cause it pushes off her leg where its bare.. much like how a curtain has the horizonal like folds when it hangs.

I'm by far not an expert on folds, and I expect it depends how she's standing.. but it seems like her balance is on the stage left side.

KODAMA · Post by **KODAMA** » Sun May 08, 2005 6:46 pm

hmm.. instead of on her thighs, I'd imagine the biggest cloth folds would be where her waist meets her hips, and under and between her boobs.

>__>; just be careful not to use your usual 3px wide line to draw in these cloth wrinkles. if your usual pen thickness is 3px or 4px, the wrinkes in the clothes should be only 1px wide (or something very much skinnier/lighter than your usual ink lines). The use of thick heavy lines for cloth folds will make the folds look extremely unnatural.

DemonLamma · Post by **DemonLamma** » Tue May 10, 2005 6:50 pm

Finished a character picture, and I *think* I actually did most of the folds right... but think is being emphasized. Lemme know how I did? Only the front girl. I got lazy when the time came to draw the background characters...

KODAMA · Post by **KODAMA** » Tue May 10, 2005 7:52 pm

don't wanna write esays/study for tests/cry.
Here's some umm.. I don't know what I should call this. A sketch....? A doodle. yeah.. yep..
as long as I don't have to find the sum of the series for this and prove whether it's convergent or divergent..

oh.. you can totally see how Iwas trying to fix her right armpit in photoshop.. heh. (goes back to being terrified of finals)

Thirdworldvillian · Post by **Thirdworldvillian** » Wed May 11, 2005 2:21 pm

hehe shes got HUGE eyes

its good though