How to draw Ripped Jeans

In this tutorial, you will learn how to draw ripped jeans in your fashion sketches and illustrations. Ripped jeans are quite trendy these days, especially if you are into designing ready-to-wear clothes. This tutorial will show you how to draw distressed jeans in a few easy to follow steps. Once you get the hang of the technique, start experimenting with the denim color, the jeans cut. Try to draw skinny jeans, bootcut or boyfriend fit. You can also experiment and put the torn effect on other types of clothes like jackets, overalls, and even skirts.

5/10

10 min

drawing paper
pencil
eraser
markers
colored pencils
white gel pen

Step 1: Start with the outlines

The first step of creating a ripped jeans illustration is to sketch the jeans fit. Notice that the fit of the jeans is not skin tight. If you are drawing skinny jeans the outline would be closer to the body. Remember that it’s always better to leave some room between the body and the clothes. The two horizontal lines mark the cuff, and the wrinkles around the knee make the sketch look less stiff and more realistic.

Step 2: Draw the belt

Finish the cuffs and remember to make them roll around the legs of the jeans. Next, move to add the belt and pocket details. Pay attention to the closure detail knows as the “J” stitch. As a fashion designer you need to know that in women clothes the J stitch is always on the right side.
Last, add the belt loops which are right above the pockets.

Step 3: Add the holes

Time to draw the highlight of our ripped jeans sketch – the holes. They are of various sizes and shapes. Some are narrow, others are tall and wide. Try to avoid making them too symmetrical and even.

Step 4: Add the buttons

The tiny details make the difference. Draw the button in the center of the belt and don’t forget to mark the buttonhole with a short horizontal line behind it. Draw the jeans rivets around the pockets.  Don’t miss the rivet on the small pocket as well.

Step 5: Add the flat color

Fill in your sketch with flat color. I prefer using Copic markers in my fashion illustrations. However, you can use whatever media you like as long as it gives you a nice solid layer of color. Colored pencils, tempera and watercolors are also good choices.

Step 6: Shade the skin

This is an essential step. It will add 3 dimensionalities to your fashion sketch. Grab a colored pencil a couple of shades darker than the skin tone and gently darken around the edges of the holes.

Step 7: Add shading

It’s time to add some folds and color variation to the denim fabric. Most jeans have a lighter tone in the middle of the tights. Show this with a lighter-colored pencil, but don’t overdo it. Next, darken around the outlines of the legs and the place right above the cuffs.

Step 8: Ripped Jeans & White threads

And here is the key to successfully draw ripped jeans in your collections. Using a white gel pen or a white colored pencil, make tiny zig-zags around the edges of the holes. They don’t need to be perfect – make one side of the edge thicker than the rest.
When you’re done, add while lines across the holes to emphasize the torn effect.

Step 9: Draw the jeans seams

Add topstitching at the top part of the jeans. Use yellow or orange color and draw a double stitch around the pockets, belt, and the J stitch.
If the pose of the model shows the side view of the leg (inside or outside hem), make sure you draw stitching along it as well.

Step 10: Denim Effect

To finish your ripped jeans drawing, draw some diagonal lines across the denim fabric. Notice that there are two layers of lines: lighter and darker than the base color.

I hope this tutorial on how to draw ripped jeans was helpful and easy to understand for you. You can play with holes of different sizes and placements to create unique designs. If you liked the tutorial, check my other How to draw clothes tutorials here and especially the tutorial on How to draw folds: pants.

Happy drawing!