Fashion Design Drawing

Animal Pelts Furs.

All genuine pelts are the skins of wild animals of various sizes. These are placed together in numerous ways, sometimes to form one continuous even mass, and at other times to make decorative designs, either by reverse arrangement of the pile or direction of the strands.

They are used for many purposes, coats, wraps, ties, muffs, and trimmings. Rugs are also made of the larger pelts, such as tiger, leopard, and bear. Smaller ones are generally joined together for ornamental effects or simply used to enlarge the appearance of a pelt. Inferior ones are frequently treated to resemble costly furs, and are now defined under such titles as " skunk opossum," " seal coney," etc.; in former years simply called " imitation " or " mock."

In the case of " skunk opossum," the latter part of the name, being termed after an inferior pelt, implies that it has been treated to resemble the more expensive skunk pelt. The same applies to " seal coney," the imitation in this case implying that " coney," which is " rabbit," has been treated to resemble seal.

Light and shade plays an important part in their effective treatment, as, being sleek and silky, they abound in light and shadow. This will be found to give great variety and interest, especially in the even-toned pelts.

Play of light and shade will also help to break up the harshness and monotony of set designs, giving them the artistic grace of natural appearance.

Furs should be represented as soft, rich and cosy, enveloping the form in a rich and opulent manner.

The folding of the wraps should be soft and natural, yielding to the figure and avoiding stiffness in their folds.

Fashions change and there will always be new names and different varieties of pelts, formed by clipping, cutting, curling and dyeing ; but, having taken careful notes and diagrams in the same way as for garments, the student will be able to adapt them to show a fair representation when once the ruling principles of fur manipulation have been mastered.

Fox's Head (Plate 42, Fig. 2).

The profile drawing of the fox's head will be found useful for reference in sketching the different pelts. They vary very little in size and shape, and accord very much to the general characteristics of this animal head. Carefully drawn head, feet and brush are a great asset to the sketch, and these details should be accurately rendered.

Fox's Head (Fig. 2).