The humble apron may seem simple, but it has a rich history involving butchers, bakers, chefs and candlestick makers, and took on many forms before the traditional uniform we see today. Let’s learn how to draw one of your very own in the simple steps below!
Tutorial Video
Step-By-Step Images and Instructions
1.
Start with a brown pen and ruler, and create a short, straight, horizontal line around an inch from the top of the page, roughly in the center.
2.
Now, use a pink pen and a ruler to create three other, longer lines – one at the bottom of the page beneath the brown one, and two on either side of this heading up vertically.
3.
Use the pink pen to connect all of these lines together with curved corners at the bottom, and lines which curve inward towards the top brown line.
4.
Now, use your pink pen to thicken the top right-hand curve, and add a small love heart shape just beneath the initial brown line.
5.
Use your pink pen and ruler to create two more horizontal lines – the lower slightly shorter than the upper – around halfway down the shape.
6.
Then, connect these two lines together with a curve on either side- this is the pocket of your apron.
7.
Use the pink pen to repeat the love heart shape all across the surface.
8.
Then, fill in these hearts with the same pink shade, and do the same to the pocket.
9.
Now add small “bumps” all around the bottom and sides of your apron, to create a “frill” effect.
10.
Use a dark pink pen to fill in the rest of the surface…
11.
And add a curved, wavy line to either side, followed by a semicircle joining the two ends of the initial brown line.
12.
Use a red pen to add some detail to the outside of the pocket…
13.
And fill in the shading with a dark pink pen to complete the look.
And there we have it – you are ready for any domestic chore life has to throw at you!
They may seem like an everyday part of uniform, protection and hygiene, but aprons have actually been around for hundreds of years, appearing in several different forms and types.
Even the word has a rich history, originating from two separate sources – the Indo-European word “mappa”, and the old French “naperon” – both of these are translated as cloth, towel or napkin – a perfect description of the appearance, material and design of a modern apron.
While we now tend to associate aprons with housekeepers and waiting staff, they were originally worn by men, primarily for hygienic protection.
Aprons allowed workers to be identified according to their trades – stonemasons wore white, cobblers wore black, butlers were identified by green, gardeners by blue, blue stripes showed that someone was a butcher, and barbers were identified by black and white checks.
The association with women came later, during the 1940s and 1950s, when depictions appeared of the ideal “domestic goddess”, complete with neat, tidy apron, typically adorned with detailing such as lace and frills to create an overall impression of generosity, dealing with the home and family, and offering excellent hospitality.
The apron remained popular as time passed, falling out of fashion in the home as an increasing number of women joined the workforce, and becoming more commonplace in food, drink and hospitality industries, where they remain common and popular to this day. In addition, an increasing number of chefs were depicted with aprons, creating a strong association which remains recognizable and identifiable in the modern world.
