Anatomy Impaired

[deadmaniac]

I'm pretty new to the forums and I have a question that I'm sure has been posted a lot. My problem is I'm anatomy impaired. I've tried just about every approach with proportions in a character. I've tried the stick man approach and the geometry (cubes, cylinders, spheres) approach, but I just don't get it. You would think I totally understand anatomy being a nurse. Lord knows, I've taken so many science courses dealing with musculature, bones, etc.

What do you guys recommend? How do you approach your initial design. Also, I'm tired of drawing static characters. I need more motion. Can someone explain motion lines, weight bearing lines, and center of gravity lines for me please.

Thanks for helping the new kid out.

[SylkX]

Anatomy is a tricky thing to understand. The best way to learn anatomy is the way you learn how to draw, repetition. Drawing from shapes is helpful if you can draw them 3 dimensionally and imagine the body in space. Drawing certain parts of the anatomy repeatedly will also build memory of them. Try drawing them a few times and then draw them from memory. Quick gestures of the figure is a good way to start out and understand the motion of the figure. Hope I helped :)

[DavidCousens]

The most beneficial method IMO, is to draw from life.

If you draw actual people you will start to subconsciously pick up proportions. Remember to keep looking at your subject about every three seconds so that you don't start 'creating' anatomy.

Life classes are ideal, but drawing anybody around you will help. You can even draw a friend or relative if they sit still for more than 30 seconds! :)

Hope that helps buddy.

[R_M]

Dave is right! sign up for a life drawing class.

at first it is really hard and frustrating, especially if the BG music is crappy pop radio, but after a couple of tries you get the hand of it, and is extremely rewarding.

you learn to draw better, you relax, you make some cool works.

try it.

[otis]

The most important thing to remmember is to STAY LOOSE! Don't get cought up in the details or accuracy..just realize that there are curves everywhere in the human form, and just flow with it.

Your eye will see more than your mind can process. Don't over analyze it w/ technicallities, your eyes will always find what looks right.