AuthorTopic: Anatomy Practice  (Read 15972 times)

Offline 0xDB

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Re: Anatomy Practice

Reply #20 on: January 01, 2017, 02:30:07 pm
About practicing with a pencil, I know that's what I should do. I just find no motivation to do so. It's like I don't know where to start and I therefore have no will to do so. I'm also used to the grid in pixel art so going free form feels weird. I know, I know, it's what I should do. Maybe if you guys could suggest some exercises instead of just: "practice with a pencil". I know it's the right thing to do but I don't know where to start and the whole thing feels huge and daunting.

Also, when I practice with a pencil I don't feel like I'm improving in any way so it feels like a waste of time. Anyways, judging from the progress I'm making in this pixel art endeavor, it's clear I have no choice to go back to the basics and work on my pencil so ok, I give in, I will do it.

I just want to know where I should start based on your opinions then I'll go ahead and do it.

I'd rather start with something simple and work my way up than go for realistic anatomy right from the get go.
Well... that's because it IS huge and daunting. Anatomy is like one of the most involved topics to study, so don't expect to get good overnight. I recommend checking Stan Prokopenko's videos for a structured approach starting with "gesture" as 32 says:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtG4P3lq8RHGuMuprDarMz_Y9Fbw_d2ws

useful study tools/links:
https://line-of-action.com/practice-tools/figure-drawing/
https://www.quickposes.com/en/gestures/random
http://www.onairvideo.com/croquis-cafe.html

Offline king_bobston

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Re: Anatomy Practice

Reply #21 on: January 01, 2017, 02:52:28 pm
Proko is great, like 0xDB already suggested. Drawing gestures can help you a lot to improve your figures poses!

Other than that I suggest drawing boxes and other really simple 3d forms to gain confidence and learn to think 3D (even if what you draw is 2D), ideally look around for objects around you to draw on paper.

You can then try to arrange simple forms like these to make figure dummies, like a ball or egg for the head, a cube for the torso, etc. There's a lot of possibilities here! (also this is construction, Hamptons book is really great in this category and you can apply what you learn from it to any kind of figure).

Also make simple stickman like figures to study the overall proportions and from there go to more details.

Offline Zizka

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Re: Anatomy Practice

Reply #22 on: January 03, 2017, 06:04:15 pm
Not sure why I suddenly stop receiving notifications for topics on pixelation.  ???

Anyway, I watched this:
Quote
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtG4P3lq8RHGuMuprDarMz_Y9Fbw_d2ws

My first reaction was: "Ok, again, too abstract and not practical enough but around 5:00 it gets more interesting (to me anyway).

So I took this picture of Michelle Ang:


So first: I need to draw a line that connect from the head to the toes. I don't know if I'm supposed to  draw the action curve from which foot exactly for one thing. So right away I'm stuck and don't know how to go from there. I feel this is too advanced for me.

Then I check mikeymegamega's video (dpixel's link). I don't like the idea of dividing everything in squares. I don't think that system is for me at all.

This is sort of what I was talking about when I said starting from somewhere. While Proko provides interesting ideas he doesn't give me enough information so that I can start practicing on my own and mikeymegamega's system doesn't appeal to me at all.

Anyways, I practiced drawing 3d shapes for about an hour today. Nothing convincing to show just yet (and it's not like looking at spheres is all that fascinating anyway). I'll keep on trying however.


Offline lachrymose

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Re: Anatomy Practice

Reply #23 on: January 03, 2017, 06:19:20 pm
Id pick another picture that is more dynamic if you are going to practice how ro find the line of action, use a dancer

Offline Seiseki

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Re: Anatomy Practice

Reply #24 on: January 03, 2017, 06:26:24 pm
Also, when I practice with a pencil I don't feel like I'm improving in any way so it feels like a waste of time.

Don't let feelings come in the way of improvement.
Or try to find a way to change how you feel.

Maybe it's because your not seeing the progress you're making, or you're not using a reference with which you can compare your progress, so you're just drawing blindly. Either way you need to be able to judge what is an improvement and what isn't.

If you just get over that initial obstacle of doing something you don't want to and start focusing on the goal of drawing good anatomy you'll soon start comparing your old and new drawings and you will see progress.

Offline Zizka

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Re: Anatomy Practice

Reply #25 on: January 04, 2017, 01:47:04 pm
@seiseki: Wise advice, I'll keep it to heart. Technically, there's no way to get worse by practicing anyway.

So I haven't found a system which I find appealing or which is explained in a way which is inclusive to me yet. So I'm going with the advice of building anatomy from basic shapes for now.

I'm practicing drawing shapes an hour a day. I could invest more time but I don't want to become fed up with it so I'm starting slow and consistent and see where it'll take me.

This, I think, is my best one so far:


I find it still lacks volume however. It still comes across flat to my eye but I don't know why! It's drawn 210 spheres but I'm still having trouble getting the depth across.

What do you think? I'm really, really, really interested to read why.

Offline eishiya

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Re: Anatomy Practice

Reply #26 on: January 04, 2017, 01:50:51 pm
Zizka, the lighting on the sphere is from the upper-front-left, but the shadow is directly to the side and rectangular, which is probably why the whole thing doesn't feel right to you.

Offline dpixel

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Re: Anatomy Practice

Reply #27 on: January 04, 2017, 02:13:30 pm
I'm practicing drawing shapes an hour a day. I could invest more time but I don't want to become fed up with it so I'm starting slow and consistent and see where it'll take me.

That's perfect! 

Offline Zizka

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Re: Anatomy Practice

Reply #28 on: January 05, 2017, 12:48:16 pm
Thanks for the encouragements!

Here's today's version:


It still lacks volume to my eyes however. It doesn't seem like it's "jumping" out of the sheet. Why is that? School me O Pencil Masters!  :)

I want my art to have volume dammit!   :'( :blind:

Offline Seiseki

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Re: Anatomy Practice

Reply #29 on: January 05, 2017, 01:47:18 pm
You have to iterate and try things.
You need both curiosity and patience.

Others can help you for sure, but you'll reach the furthest when you keep trying and trying.