Many times students tell me that they have nothing to draw at home (yes I always find this hard to believe as well). I have often suggested that they tack a piece of cloth or a sheet up on the wall and to draw from it. Its an excellent way to improve your problem solving skills with drawing. When I teach drawing, I always set up what I affectionately call the.. "drapery study from hell" for the students to draw from, which consists of 7-8 sheets and fabric swatches of differing color and value which I twist and tack up on the wall.

The benefit of this exercise is it improves your ability to draw a complex object. I tell my students to approach it almost as an abstract. Start by blocking in the big areas of light, dark and medium value... and then subdivide these areas into smaller more complex shapes.. until you finally divide it into the smallest values. Think of it as a giant puzzle where everything has to fit together.

Its an excellent exercise in drawing and one I hope you'll be inspired to attempt.

Here are some wonderful examples of drapery studies!











Feel free to post any links to additional drapery studies out there that you may have done... I only did a brief search on DA and found these great examples. Once you master drawing drapery.. you need never fear draping a nude figure again!