Creating the illusion of soft, flowing drapery in unyielding bronze is one of sculpture's most remarkable technical feats. Master sculptors employ multiple sophisticated methods to achieve this paradoxical effect.

The lost-wax casting process begins with meticulous clay modeling, where artists sculpt fabric folds with anatomical precision. These temporary clay draperies inform the final bronze form. Many Renaissance sculptors studied real fabrics soaked in plaster to understand how cloth behaves under gravity.

Surface treatment proves equally crucial. Artists use chasing tools to refine cast bronze, creating varied textures that catch light differently - smoother for taut fabric areas, rougher for deeper folds. The Florentine technique of "schiacciato" (flattened relief) creates optical illusions of depth through subtle surface variations.

Patination adds the final deception. Darker tones in fold recesses enhance shadows, while highlighted ridges appear illuminated. Bernini famously combined all these methods, using bronze's reflectivity to make his ecclesiastical vestments shimmer with implied movement.

Contemporary sculptors continue innovating with digital modeling and 3D printing, yet still rely on these centuries-old principles to make metal transcend its material nature. The enduring magic lies in transforming rigid alloys into visions of weightless elegance.