I guess that it should be obvious what you need—any type of drawing utensil and a place to draw. But for learning, I always recommend that you keep either a pencil and eraser handy, or use a program such as Photoshop to practice drawing. Why? Both ways, you can erase/”undo” if you make a mistake or two. But, any type of drawing tool will be Ok.

I am assuming that you know the basic properties of drawing, including shading, perspective, and the basic anatomy of the human body. If you do not know of these, I recommend that you find some other tutorials that teach those things first, because this tutorial does not talk about those.

Why do we incorporate folds?

Folds are nothing more than the pulling, pushing, stretching, draping, or bunching up of fabric. Fabric can be manipulated to do many sorts of things. Drawing clothing folds are important to both realistic and cartoon (including anime) styles. Clothing folds can show many things, like if the clothing is baggy or tight, and if there is a wind, a strange force, or a show of motion, pushing, or pulling. It also adds a touch of detail and beauty to a picture.

The amount of fabric or the thickness of fabric counts in how it will be shaped and formed. If there’s a lot of fabric, or it’s thicker, it will be heavier, and more difficult to manipulate. If it’s lighter or thinner, it can be moved and formed easily, even by forces such as a breeze of wind. You’ll be able to see a thickness or thinness in clothing, especially in white. If the tee-shirt is thin, you’ll be able to see skin from beneath it, (or a bra on the lady, especially if it’s black). Thickness and thinness can also be seen in the sleeves and collars. The size of the person in accordance to how much fabric was used in the clothing also makes a big difference. Because detail is always important, you have to consider where the fabric has been sewn together. Sewing will pull or push the fabric because the thread is not always perfectly sewn into the fabric.

Things to keep in mind?

Remember, the only way to learn is by example, and executing. If you do not draw what you’re trying to learn, you’ll never get it right. Have a pencil and paper handy; copy any and all that you want. Another great way to learn is to use reference pictures. Find a good picture that has an interesting pose or interesting clothing, and just take extra time to make sure that you understand why the clothing folds that way. If you do not understand why, then you will never be able to draw it from your mind.