Product Description

A long-time instructor at New York’s Art Students League and one of the foremost teachers of figure drawing offers expert, illustrated advice on depicting draped figures as well as cloth in still lifes. Students learn the characteristics of seven different kinds of folds and how to render them, including pipe, zigzag, spiral, half-lock, diaper pattern, drop, and inert folds. Mastery of these principles is the key to realistic portrayal of garments. The straightforward, easy-to-follow text is illustrated by the author’s own pencil sketches and diagrams. 200 black-and-white illustrations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #196809 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 64 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780486418025
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews

Good basics, sketchy illustration, intermediate
This is a basic, intermediate-level effort on wrinkles & drapery- parts of which can be clearly seen in the popular title by Burne Hogarth: Dynamic Wrinkles & Drapery. The 7 laws of draped figure folds listed here: -pipe folds, -zigzag folds, -spiral folds, -half-lock folds, -diaper pattern folds, -drop folds, and -inert folds. Burne Hogarth basically takes all of Bridgman's ideas and tries to improve on them. Critics still debate the effectiveness of Hogarth vs. Bridgman- but I believe Hogarth's work, in this particular case, has far exceeded that of Bridgman. Which book to get? The price of Bridgman's book is very attractive- But is it effective? Maybe. I think it depends on how you use it. In conjunction with photographs, Bridgman's book *can* be effective. Still, I have to admit: Bridgman's drawings here are not exactly clear. It takes a real concerted effort to figure out exactly what he's trying to teach. Also worth considering is that the best parts of this book were eventually included in what is now called Bridgman's Complete Guide to Drawing from Life. If you're trying to decide between his Complete Guide and this, I recommend the Complete Guide by far.
P.S. There's a brief, excellent section on wrinkles & drapery for *beginners* in Jack Hamm's Drawing the Head and Figure- check it out!
*A better book worth considering*- Barbara Bradley's Drawing People: How to Portray the Clothed Figure, available here on Amazon(!).

Two Different Books?!
After reading the other very positive review, I'm wondering if we have two different books!

I was looking forward to receiving this book as I've been experimenting drawing folds and clothing lately, but needed some guidance. I thought this book would provide it. It didn't.

There are several problems.

1. The drawings are almost incomprehensible line drawings that give no clear picture of exactly what's going on in the various kinds of folds.

2. There's a lack of useful photographs.

3. The poor printing quality doesn't help.

4. The text gives no "laws" of folds (such as: The fabric will always bend this way if it hangs that way, etc).

In a bookstore in Italy recently I saw a book by Hogarth on the same subject. Though it was in Italian, the drawings showed much more clearly exactly what's going on with clothing in various positions and movements. With text in English, I can only imagine it will be far more helpful to me than this Bridgman book.

I'm just happy the Bridgman book was inexpensive.

Oh, Art - the object of my obsession. Have I seen it all?!
After reading the other very NEGATIVE review, I'm NOT wondering if we have two different books! (Isn't it stated clearly in THE OTHER VERY POSITIVE review that there ARE two books?)

Anyway, with all the intentions of trying to avoid a war here, I do feel myself owing it to all the late teachers and mentors, to explain to other readers what on Earth is going on here.

Oh, and by the way, speaking of the late teachers and mentors, I mean the late artists the teaching of whom we can only inherit from their books. These include (but not limited to) Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Peter-Paul Rubens, Ingres, to name a few; also those of more recent times, such as Bridgman, Robert Beverly Hale, and others. But I digress. However, you DID notice I did NOT mention the name Burne Hogarth, didn't you? (With all due respect to Mr. Hogarth, for the reason mentioned below.)

About this book, and all the NEGATIVE comments given to it, perhaps it helps to clarify to other readers the following:

In my opinion, there are AT LEAST two different kinds of "artists" who bother themselves with figure drawing and drapery studies.
The more popular one nowadays, perhaps, include folks who are interested in drawing comic books (the "Marvel way", and whatnot). (You know, those interested in learning to draw Batman, X-men, Catwoman, Spider-man, etc., and other comic characters with humongous fists thrown at you in stunningly forshortening, and heart-stopping poses.) For those folks, the book series by Burne Hogarth, Marvel, and perhaps Loomis, are of favored choices.

And then come "another" group of artists that make up the second kind, aka the "fine artists". These are the ones that are obsessed with the Old Master's approach of training, with emphasis on life drawing, good draftsmanship, and such matters. For this group, the book in discussion, in my opinion, is of priceless value. If one happens to own this book, think about it every time one looks at a statue by Michelangelo, Frederic Hart, and other Masters. Only then will these "rules of folds" be appreciated. Better yet, set up the drapery oneself. Experiment it! Draw it from life!

With all that said, perhaps it is time to sum it up:

1) If one wants to learn to draw drapery in a "dynamic", "comic book" way, then get a book by Burne Hogarth. The same style by the author in drawing figures can also be found by searching for all the books by him.

Oh, and by the way, one needs not have to go to Italy or read Italian to learn from Hogarth. The book mentioned in the other comment, I believe, is available RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, from Amazon.com, at the click of your computer mouse. (Oh, did I mention, it is written IN ENGLISH!) Need more info? Here it is:
"Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery" by Burne Hogarth
Watson-Guptill Pubns; ISBN: 0823015874 ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.49 x 10.98 x 8.28.

2) If one claims oneself a "fine artist", books like this one (no matter how little...") is priceless. Never mind the fuzzy drawings, the lack of photographs, "indistinct" rules, or poor printing (although, not really!). The reason, I believe, is that this book should only be considered a guidance, not the replacement of lots of practice, observations, and drawing from life, in the quest to perfecting oneself in the rendition of drapery.

Need more convincing proofs? Then readers should read comments about Burne Hogarth's books written by other reviewers.

As for this book, it is a FIVE-STAR in and of its own right, I believe!

STILL STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!

P.S. Disclaimer - Since a lot of pointers (and plugs) for Amazon.com were given in this review, I thought perhaps it'd be necessary and appropriate for me to say that I am not working for Amazon.com; therefore, all the references are simply for the sake of clarity. Also, when I bought books from it (Amazon.com), I did pay regular prices like anybody else. So, there you had it!