The Three Manners of Folds; Varying Drapery in a Scene
How thin, middling and thick cloths move; three schools of fold-drawing, with two illustrative pen diagrams
Leonardo describes how the different weights of cloth move: thin cloths follow the figure most, middling ones less, and thick ones barely at all unless a wind contrary to the figure's motion drives them. He notes how the extremes of the drapery gather or draw away at the feet and joints according to standing, bending, twisting, stepping, running or leaping, and how folds must suit transparent or opaque fabrics. A chapter on 'opinions of cloths and their folds, of three natures' distinguishes painters who prefer sharp crude angles, those who prefer almost imperceptible angles, and those who avoid angles altogether, a contrast illustrated by two small pen diagrams labelled A and B in the text column. He advises putting all three sorts in a narrative, together with old patched, new abundant and poor garments suited to the wearer.
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How thin, middling and thick cloths move
The whole drapery draws away except the trailing leg; middling cloths make lesser movements and thick ones almost none, unless a wind contrary to the figure's motion helps to move them. The extremes of the cloth gather or draw away at the feet and joints according to standing, bending, twisting, stepping, running or leaping, and the folds must suit fabrics transparent or opaque.
Two pen diagrams contrasting angular and rounded folds (A, B)
In the lower middle of the text column two small pen sketches are set into the writing, one marked A and one marked B, illustrating the alternative fold-drawing manners the text describes, from sharp crude angles to soft angleless turns. The transcription itself notes that in place of angles some painters 'make' such a form.
Mix all three fold-manners, suited to the wearer
Some love pleats with sharp, crude, quick angles; others with almost imperceptible angles; others without any angles. Follow all three opinions, putting some of each sort into your narrative, adding garments that seem old and patched, new and abundant in cloth, and some poor, according to the condition of whom you dress, and doing likewise with their colours.