LESSON XXVI
TEXTURES AND DETAIL WORK
The representation of textures comes under the general classification of detail work. It requires great accuracy to be a detail artist. Many artists devote their whole time to this type of work.
To draw the human figure correctly, and to be able to group figures, should be the aim of all students of fashion drawing; but they should be competent to do detail work as well. When filling an order in all its parts, the artist needs to be familiar with textures. He must be able to make the drawing for a silk dress convey the impression of silk, etc.
The student of this lesson needs first to be able to render good ink lines. Then study textures carefully from catalogues, and from the goods themselves. Consult the lists of materials given at the end of the lesson. If you are not conversant with them all, examine them in the stores or obtain samples.
To form a texture, the lines of the drawing must take the form of the weave, and the whole mass of lines must follow the form on which the texture is placed. Review Lesson VIII, as you must have a good foundation on which to place the lines. For example, when drawing a basket, the lines take the shape of the straw, and also of the basket, the imagination does the rest. The same kind of lines might be used for a worsted sweater, and if placed on a nicely drawn sweater, we recognize the material.
Be careful of the outline and have a good foundation of stripes or plaids on which to place the texture, unless the texture has no noticeable direction of line.
Study the eight examples given of flat
pieces of materials. Fig. 1 is chinchilla, 2 and 3 are crochet or knitted worsted, 4 is corduroy; a flat piece would not be shaded but on the figure the shading helps the form, Fig. 5 is outing flannel or cotton goods, 6 is rough cloth; if very rough, allow the rough edges to form the edge of the garment. Fig. 7 is moire silk, 8 is dimity or swiss; use fine lines for thin goods, very fine lines for chiffon. Fig. 9 is lace, 10 is embroidery; work out the pattern carefully, placing a shadow under each design.
Criss-cross the mesh in either squares or diamonds. Do not make the mesh round.
Much detail work is worked out in white water-color paint, used thick from a jar. This is applied with a fine sable hair brush. All wash drawings have the lace and embroidery worked out this way, a flat tone of gray paint being first applied as a background for the lace. Always allow this to dry before applying the white paint.
Fig. 11 represents black silk. Draw the outline of all parts to be inked in, leading high lights on top of XX. The solid ink parts fit into each other in a sort of lighting effect.