Clothed Figure Drawing Unit Plan

September 13 to October 10, 2021

For full context, see the description of my Art Home School Curriculum. If you were inspired by this post, consider leaving me a tip.

Resources

There are several resources on this topic, and I assume that most of them contain similar information. I’ll try to skim them all and then choose my favorite to go deeper into.

Videos

New Masters Academy: How to draw the costumed/draped figure. This course has over 35 hours of content.
Moderndayjames (youtube): Cloth and drapery I and II
David Finch (youtube): How to draw clothing and folds
Sinix (youtube): Clothing, folds, and you

Books

Drawing the Draped Figure by George Bridgman.
Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery by Burne Hogarth.

Art Parent

Alfredo Alcala. He was the inker on many of my favorite issues of The Savage Sword of Conan, and I really like the way he renders billowing cloaks and puffy shirts. His style is suited to the kinds of medieval clothing I want to draw in my own art.

Exercises

Learn, copy, invent.
Week 1— Gestures of clothed figures.
Week 2— Linear lay-ins of clothed figures
Week 3 — Lay-ins of clothed figures with mapped shadows
Week 4— Fully rendered clothed figures.