FA+
Shop
Does Anyone Know...
15 years ago
General
Of some really good (meaning detailed and clear) tutorials on:
a.) muzzles and human faces (angles and such)
b.) male anatomy (angles and such)
c.) female anatomy (angles and such)
d.) dynamic poses
e.) drawing multiple characters in one image, interacting
I really want to start developing a set style but I keep flip-flopping between two general styles: the kinda chunky, chibi-esque style and the fine-lined detailed style. I don't feel comfortable in either of them because I am constantly hitting knots that I can't overcome, so I jump back and forth. With the detailed style, I find it hard to stay consistent as far as my characters' bodies and facial structures so they always end up looking different in every image I make. With the chunky style, it's the same, really, but mostly with the head and eyes. Even though there isn't *so* much emphasis put on proportion, I tend to let that run away with me because I don't have a proper grasp on facial structure. It's the same with anatomy, as well. My women look too much like men, and my men look like funnels. And because I cannot get the body right NO poses ever come out right, either. It's very frustrating.
Lastly, I need help drawing multiple characters in one setting. You wouldn't believe how many great comic/artwork ideas I have but I am too damn scared to start them because I have a very. very weak grasp on multi-character interactions. I know, I know....you wouldn't think it's that hard but because of my aforementioned trouble areas, it really is. I will never forgot my senior art show in high school when I said in my artists statement that I liked "creating characters and world all my own" and when I got a review from one of my own friends, it said that he couldn't see any worlds, just characters. It kind of hurt because I had known him for two years and he knew all of my stories and ideas but he was just being honest, and right. I realized that I had no actual creations of my characters all together. Not one. I could talk for HOURS, and HOURS about how they react to each other and feel about each other and tell you their histories, and personalities and all this other stuff, but I couldn't put a pencil to paper and make it appear. I don't know how two or more characters' bodies will look when pressed together whether it be for a hug, a shove, or just touching each other, and it bothers me so much... I feel like my art is single-celled and it causes me to hate it sometimes...I feel like such a failure as a artist. I see amazing creators like Jay Naylor (whose work I recently discovered), and always say "Wow, I wanna draw like him/her", and they do inspire me to get up and practice but once I hit a stumbling block, I get lost, and discouraged and fall into a block.
I have no one to blame but myself though. I don't stray out of my comfort zone. I find something that I am okay with doing and I stick to it. That's not how to grow as and artist, and trust me, I know, but I am just so anxious and pessimistic about venturing into anything new because it takes me so long to get comfortable with what I am "good" at. I've been drawing for eight years now but I realize that I know almost nothing. I don't even have my basics down, and that's sad. I just feel like I am starting from square one, and I need some help... So somebody, anybody, please help me.
a.) muzzles and human faces (angles and such)
b.) male anatomy (angles and such)
c.) female anatomy (angles and such)
d.) dynamic poses
e.) drawing multiple characters in one image, interacting
I really want to start developing a set style but I keep flip-flopping between two general styles: the kinda chunky, chibi-esque style and the fine-lined detailed style. I don't feel comfortable in either of them because I am constantly hitting knots that I can't overcome, so I jump back and forth. With the detailed style, I find it hard to stay consistent as far as my characters' bodies and facial structures so they always end up looking different in every image I make. With the chunky style, it's the same, really, but mostly with the head and eyes. Even though there isn't *so* much emphasis put on proportion, I tend to let that run away with me because I don't have a proper grasp on facial structure. It's the same with anatomy, as well. My women look too much like men, and my men look like funnels. And because I cannot get the body right NO poses ever come out right, either. It's very frustrating.
Lastly, I need help drawing multiple characters in one setting. You wouldn't believe how many great comic/artwork ideas I have but I am too damn scared to start them because I have a very. very weak grasp on multi-character interactions. I know, I know....you wouldn't think it's that hard but because of my aforementioned trouble areas, it really is. I will never forgot my senior art show in high school when I said in my artists statement that I liked "creating characters and world all my own" and when I got a review from one of my own friends, it said that he couldn't see any worlds, just characters. It kind of hurt because I had known him for two years and he knew all of my stories and ideas but he was just being honest, and right. I realized that I had no actual creations of my characters all together. Not one. I could talk for HOURS, and HOURS about how they react to each other and feel about each other and tell you their histories, and personalities and all this other stuff, but I couldn't put a pencil to paper and make it appear. I don't know how two or more characters' bodies will look when pressed together whether it be for a hug, a shove, or just touching each other, and it bothers me so much... I feel like my art is single-celled and it causes me to hate it sometimes...I feel like such a failure as a artist. I see amazing creators like Jay Naylor (whose work I recently discovered), and always say "Wow, I wanna draw like him/her", and they do inspire me to get up and practice but once I hit a stumbling block, I get lost, and discouraged and fall into a block.
I have no one to blame but myself though. I don't stray out of my comfort zone. I find something that I am okay with doing and I stick to it. That's not how to grow as and artist, and trust me, I know, but I am just so anxious and pessimistic about venturing into anything new because it takes me so long to get comfortable with what I am "good" at. I've been drawing for eight years now but I realize that I know almost nothing. I don't even have my basics down, and that's sad. I just feel like I am starting from square one, and I need some help... So somebody, anybody, please help me.
Your art really is adorable, though. :)
For "a to c" the best I can think of is the anatomy art books by Andrew Loomis.
Personally i've got my Grandfather's "Figure Drawing - for all it's worth" dated 1949 (really old) and it's amazing, even includes all the muscle groups laid out in accurate detail - including face, hands, feet, etc... (need to properly study it but i'm lazy) X3
Since his books are old, rare and therefore expensive, finding one for sale will be hard.
Might be reprints though, as it would seem such a waste to keep such detailed info unavailable.
If not then there's always a chance Google will have some scans available.
For "d" i've heard a full-size mirror helps, since you can physicially feel a pose.
Also Mannikins in both physical posing models and quickie sketches, as you can do lots of different ones until you find one you can commit to.
For "e" I'm guessing you mean putting them together in relation to one another?
If so then a good book on perspective will help. A quote from a Loomis book: "Since every figure is related in size to every other figure and all must be drawn in perspective to the same eye level or horizion" (i'm kinda a little lucky as that part is also in my book) ^^;
Personally I try to stay fixed on 8 heads high (+2-3 if anthro) for characters, and try to keep it all based on a single ref pic. ^^
Teehee! I know that pain of sudden change all too well, heck i'm still going through it... but instead of comfortable it's long, far too long. X3
You need to be careful with developing a set style though, as it's possible (like me) to end up with one that's more hard/troublesome.
One should be easy and more importantly, fun to do. Don't want to end up with a tech that takes a year just for a single pic. :P
Oh, a Mannikin sketchbook is your friend, it always helps to spend some refreshing times with both him and her. ^_^