Anatomy, poses and so on

**Dadi** · January 28th, 2009

Hi

Im trying to learn to draw the human figure and there are so many ways to go about it. so i was wonderin what tactics you used? What you focused most on in the beginning and all..

thanks

(First language not engilsh)

**riceface** · January 28th, 2009

signed up just to ask? google it theres millions of tutorials, or buy some books

**Sloas** · January 28th, 2009

I've still not gotten very adept at human anatomy, but many artists suggest: http://www.fineart.sk/
As well as looking at relatives, or even in the mirror. The key is to keep your references real, no anime or others' drawings.

**pitabread** · January 28th, 2009

Drawing from life is the best way. Either classes w/ live nude models or even drawing yourself in the mirror. This way you can properly observe the figure in 3D to understand its structure and form.

Photos are okay, but imho not as useful in learning form so much as what specific poses look like projected onto 2D space.

Books with tutorials on figure drawing aren't bad. They usually take the same approach of deconstructing the figure into simplified forms (cylinders, spheres, wedges, etc). I think a decent figure drawing book coupled with live drawing would, imho, be the best way.

**IIKII** · January 28th, 2009

Focus on Proportions and big shapes. Train your eyes to see whether your figure does look realistic.

Actually there's a grid method that allows you to draw better and more accurately. Example. the head and the feet are on the same vertical line.

**Serpian** · January 29th, 2009

Do life drawing, and don't listen to riceface.

**Farvus** · January 29th, 2009

I learned by drawing from life, drawing from photos, analyzing figures of other artists, copying/reading anatomy books from Andrew Loomis, George Bridgeman, Burne Hogarth. Mostly with focus on proportion and structure but later also gesture and simplification. During that time I also experimented a lot by doodling my own figures and learned on commonly made mistakes.