The Mechanics of Folds: Cloth Returns to Flatness (a b c)
Cloth desires to lie flat; fold only where hands and arms hold it; draw each fabric from nature
Leonardo gives the physical reasoning behind fold shapes: because cloth is of equal density and thickness on both faces, it naturally desires to stay flat, and where it is constrained into a fold the part furthest from the constraint reduces most toward its original extended state. He proves this with a lettered example, a b c, where a b is the constrained place and b, being furthest from a c, makes the fold widest there; a small pen sketch of a folded cloth labelled a, b, c accompanies the text. A further chapter warns against a confusion of folds, advising folds only where hands or arms hold the cloth and letting the rest fall by nature. He closes by insisting each fabric be drawn from life, with wool, silk, fine cloth, peasant cloth, linen and fleece each given its own folds.
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Cloth desires to return to flatness; the fold is widest at b
Because cloth is of equal density and thickness on reverse and face, it naturally desires to stay flat; where a fold constrains it, the part furthest from the constraint reduces most toward its extended state. In the example, let a b c be the fold and a b the constrained place; b, being furthest from a c, makes the fold there wider than in any other place.
Pen diagram of a folded cloth labelled a, b, c
A small pen sketch of a hanging, folded cloth is set into the middle of the text column, its parts marked with the letters a, b and c to which the surrounding argument refers. It visualizes the widening of the fold away from the point of constraint.
Fold cloth only where the hands or arms hold it
A cloth should not be given a confusion of many folds; make them only where the hands or arms hold it back, and let the rest fall simply where its nature draws it, without traversing the figure with too many lines or breaks of folds.
Draw each fabric from nature
Cloths should be drawn from life: for woolen cloth use its own folds, and for silk, fine cloth, peasant cloth, linen or fleece diversify the folds proper to each. One should not fashion a garment over models covered with papers or thin leathers, for that greatly deceives.