How do you start your drawings

[Misty L.]

If for instance you're about to draw a person jumping, do you start by drawing light circles/shapes where the various limbs and stuff go to sort of get the overall shape down, or do just just start from the top (or whereever) and draw from there?

I've tried both methods and found the first works better for me... if I don't sketch some kind of guidelines my drawings end up being very out of proportion... is this just due to lack of practice/experience and understanding of what the subject really looks like or is it normal not to be able to draw without some kind of guidelines?

[Meli Hitchcock]

I usually construct my figures in stages: first a mannequin to get the proportions and the pose right, then I start to fill in the figures shape, and last doing some block shading to get the lighting down. If I try drawing the human body sequentially, I mess up proportions really badly.

[kovah]

i always seem to draw a circle for the head then everything else comes after in a mixture of sketchy lines and shapes. Then once i have what ever i am drawing figured out i make a background up behind it.

[Elwell]

If for instance you're about to draw a person jumping, do you start by drawing light circles/shapes where the various limbs and stuff go to sort of get the overall shape downyes, or do just just start from the top (or whereever) and draw from there?no

I've tried both methods and found the first works better for me... if I don't sketch some kind of guidelines my drawings end up being very out of proportion... is this just due to lack of practice/experience and understanding of what the subject really looks likeno or is it normal not to be able to draw without some kind of guidelines?it depends

[Seedling]

Misteh - there are endless ways to begin drawing human anatomy from imagination. And they all boils down to two things: it takes a lot of practice drawing people from life and studying anatomy, and it takes a lot of practice, period.

There are some figure-drawing assignments over in my Concept Art 101 thread, if you are interested. The link is in my sig.

[otis]

You have to learn FORCE. Go buy the book "Force" The key to capturing life through drawing."

It's the only book of it's kind.

[Farvus]

Agree with Seedling.

I also cast a spell over my piece of paper before I begin drawing. It usually works :).

[tomwaits4noman]

head first for positioning then spine (s curve) to get the attitude of the pose a box for the body and the lines for arms and legs positions then then I pick the point or detail that is most clear and build up detail by sketching loosely then trace off a clean version

[Misty L.]

Thanks for all your words of advice.

@MeliHitchcock: Is block shading where you divide what you're drawing into blocks that sort of follow the shape of the surface and then color the blocks of the areas that need to be shadowed?

@Seedling: I think I'll print out the things you have to say about drawing humans (because I hate reading on the computer), it seems really helpful advice!

@Otis: Looked up the book on google. It looks like something I could really use... now I just have to find somewhere I can order it from online...

@Farvus: Spells, huh? Didn't think of that... perhaps I should try it too.. XD

[Brendan N]

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showpost.php?p=726364&postcount=545
^ This exercise has taught me a huge amount on figure drawing and is indispensable to me when drawing the human figure. Read it carefully and thoroughly and apply.

[HunterKiller_]

Thanks for linking that thread. I'm always at a loss for poses.

[Misty L.]

Wow that's a great exercise!
Thanks for posting the link, Brendan N!!

[SenseofTouch]

If for instance you're about to draw a person jumping, do you start by drawing light circles/shapes where the various limbs and stuff go to sort of get the overall shape down, or do just just start from the top (or whereever) and draw from there?

I've tried both methods and found the first works better for me... if I don't sketch some kind of guidelines my drawings end up being very out of proportion... is this just due to lack of practice/experience and understanding of what the subject really looks like or is it normal not to be able to draw without some kind of guidelines?

People who tend to draw figures with incorrect proportions unintentionally usually don't see the whole picture before drawing the whole picture. If you were to draw someone jumping, you would need to lightly sketch the gesture.

Check out this page for examples of gesture drawing:

http://orbikart.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6&page=1

In these gestures drawings, you'll see many bizarre lines that just don't look right, such as lines flying across the the middle of the page and missing lines for some body parts. But this is what you must learn first. All those professionally drawn figures began with gestures.

Many people focus from section to section while drawing, which many times screws up the proportions. You should lay it all out instead, so you can actually see the whole picture.

[chaosrocks]

oh dear
there is a difference between drawing a gesture.
and gesture drawing

the first trys to capture a motion

the second uses a motion to capture a form

the example shown is a drawing of a gesture

Both practices are very very usefull in action drawing

a gesture drawing , would use the motion of the artisdts body to make lines that indicate the movement and weight of the positio of the model. NOT the outlinse of the movement of the form.
this is a damnably difficult thing to explain
but until you totally grok gesture drawing. your moving figures will tend to be static and stiff.

chaos

[Misty L.]

@chaos: Drawing a gesture is easy to understand, gesture drawing is... well a bit harder to understand.. ahaha!
Do you look for the line of action when doing gesture drawings?

[Elwell]

Chaos, I think you're making an unnecessary distinction. Here (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52023) is an old thread where Briggsy, Mentler and I discuss gestures, what they are, what they aren't, and what they should be.

[chaosrocks]

yeah... as usuall I obliterate what Im trying to clarify..
But we had a 100 gesture drawing competition on irc and thersult were almost universally drawings of gestures.... action figures
mostly outlines. I have read Nicolaides... theres a copy around here somewhere. if you really want to work on gesture (short pose warm up whatever you want to call it).... follow a cat around for a while. try to draw it when ever it stops.
Its an interesting read that thread... and oddly it makes it perfectly clear... but say gesture drawing td on irc...see waht you get?
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=78025
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=78727

great practice but.....
chaos

[Joshua Fountain]

I start with the chest box first. Always. As long as you know your head-chest proportion perfectly, this is a flawless technique. It's much easier to maneuver the rest of the body around the chest, then say just starting with the head and moving down. I draw (all so light you can barely see) the chest box, then the head shape on top, the waist box and the spine connecting it, and then the outer limbs. Then I really focus in on my model and put -THEIR- features over my guide I've created. Make sure you change things around to fit their bodies. Most people don't fit a perfect proportion. They might have a bigger chest, or wider hips, or slightly longer arms (believe me I've seen my share of monkey arms!) or hands than the "average".

Just how I go about doing things.

[Charkk]

im not all that great an artist, still learning, but what I usually do is I outline the figure and slowly add in more details, like hair, faces, ect.