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Rating: 
Summary: Oh, Art - the object of my obsession. Have I seen it all?!
Review: 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!
Rating: 
Summary: Two Different Books?!
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: examples poorly printed
Review: As I was reading this book I kept thinking this must be a reprint of something written in the 1950s. The writing style had that cumbersome approach of much older 'how to' books. In fact the book is a reprint of another book called "The Seven Laws of Folds", and I suspect it was orignally a book meant for sculptors. The examples are charcoal(?) drawings. Most of well known statues. The descriptions really don't seem to apply to drawing at all. I tried looking through the eyes of a would-be sculptor while I read. Only then did the book seem useful. Unfortunately, I have another complaint. The example sketches are, well, terrible. Many of them I could not make out. There are photographs in the book as well that are so badly reprinted I really have no idea what they're sposed to be. There needs to be a better book to help people draw 'the draped figure.' This one really doesn't help.
Rating:
Summary: examples poorly printed
Review: As I was reading this book I kept thinking this must be a reprint of something written in the 1950s. The writing style had that cumbersome approach of much older 'how to' books. In fact the book is a reprint of another book called "The Seven Laws of Folds", and I suspect it was orignally a book meant for sculptors. The examples are charcoal(?) drawings. Most of well known statues. The descriptions really don't seem to apply to drawing at all. I tried looking through the eyes of a would-be sculptor while I read. Only then did the book seem useful. Unfortunately, I have another complaint. The example sketches are, well, terrible. Many of them I could not make out. There are photographs in the book as well that are so badly reprinted I really have no idea what they're sposed to be. There needs to be a better book to help people draw 'the draped figure.' This one really doesn't help.
Rating: 
Summary: OK, but not great
Review: Bridgeman is an indispensable teacher of human anatomy (even though he worked in the early 20th century), but this isn't the best book out there. The drawings are too loose and sketchy to see clearly what he is describing. He goes through the seven typs of folds all right, but they need to be illustrated more three dimensionally. I'd choose this over Hogarth's book, though, because Bridgeman's written descriptions are to the point, and at least the drawings aren't overdone. And it's [inexpensive]. The world cries out for the definitive book on drapery: one that is concise, accurate, and with good drawings. I saw one once on a guy's desk in an animation studio, it looked like it was written in the '50s, but I can't remember the name; it had superbly elegant drawings and lean, no-nonsense explanations of the 7 folds. I made some copies, but not of the title. Oh well, Bridgeman will have to do.
Rating:
Summary: OK, but not great
Review: Bridgeman is an indispensable teacher of human anatomy (even though he worked in the early 20th century), but this isn't the best book out there. The drawings are too loose and sketchy to see clearly what he is describing. He goes through the seven typs of folds all right, but they need to be illustrated more three dimensionally. I'd choose this over Hogarth's book, though, because Bridgeman's written descriptions are to the point, and at least the drawings aren't overdone. And it's [inexpensive]. The world cries out for the definitive book on drapery: one that is concise, accurate, and with good drawings. I saw one once on a guy's desk in an animation studio, it looked like it was written in the '50s, but I can't remember the name; it had superbly elegant drawings and lean, no-nonsense explanations of the 7 folds. I made some copies, but not of the title. Oh well, Bridgeman will have to do.
Rating:
Summary: This little book fulfills my big dream, and I love it!
Review: First of all, let me say that all figure drawing and anatomy books by George B. Bridgman are worth reading and collecting. However, the only drawback about these books is that some of the drawings' reproductions are rather poor (due to poor retracing lines on faded original pencil drawings, I guessed). As a result, it is somewhat difficult to make out these drawings to satisfaction for readers who have no experience in figure drawing, anatomy, or in this case, drapery drawing.
Now, about the book, in my opinion, the following groups of readers will benefit from it:
1) Readers who'd like to know how to draw/paint clothed figures from life or still life that involves curtains, tablecloths, etc... on the background.
2) Readers who'd like to draw clad people without a live model, such as those doing illustrations, etc.
In both cases, this little book is a real gem to own. With only 64 pages, the book covers the seven laws of folds (pipe, zigzag, spiral, diaper, half lock, drop, and inert) to certain lengths, then moves on to arrangement of these folds and how they appear on draped figures.
Being an active artist myself, I understand that in most cases, drawing and painting from life allow the artist to set up clothing and fabrics by him/herself, hence to common belief, the artist may simply "draw or paint what you see in front of you". In reality, however, exact copying all of the wrinkles and folds from the object is neither possible nor necessary in order to render the desired effects.
As an example, I recently painted a painting with a PLASTIC GROCERY BAG in it. The wrinkles are really challenging, but I managed to render the transparency of the plastic bag and the randomness of its wrinkles. In another painting I did, I used an old white T-shirt on the still life table along with other objects. Although I'd like to believe I have managed to render convincingly the softness and texture of the T-shirt, I still feel ashamed thinking that if Leonardo da Vinci were paying me a visit (because someone had given him the wrong address of someone else), he would have knocked me in the head and made me redo it. Therefore, I had to get a copy of this book for myself.
For readers who, like myself, are doing life drawing/painting on a regular basis, this book is a good guideline to explore the next level of drawing people, i.e. those with clothes on. You will soon come to an agreement with me that although drawing nude is difficult enough, drawing draped figures sensually using fabric folds to embrace the human body is even more challenging!
As for myself, I am happy to own this little book. It fulfills my big dream of learning (and eventually being able) to draw/paint "my" beautiful ladies elegantly yet sensually with their clothes on!
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!
P.S. One warning, though: If you get a copy of the book "Bridgman's : Complete Guide to Drawing from Life" by George B. Bridgman, Howard Simon (Editor), the contents of this little book is included in the last chapter of the former.
Rating:
Summary: This book is NOT the original
Review: This book is a poor representation of the original hardcover book, with better representations of the drawings, printed in 1942 -- thus the one 'glowing' review, and the other less enthusiastic ones. Find an older hardcover copy and save your money on the paperback ....!
Rating:
Summary: Good basics, poor illustration, incomplete
Review: This book offers some basics as to types of fabric folds and falls that one would encounter in trying to draw a draped figure. While the writing is lucid though incomplete, this book suffers from a serious flaw of terrible prints of drawings of such folds which do little to elucidate the writing in a substantial manner. More illustrations would have been helpful, as would have been covering close focus photographs of the draped figure as painted by some of the masters excelling in the same. It would not be possible to master or even come close to mastering the aspect of drawing fabric folds on the basis of this book
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