Anatomy of a Character

[Seth]

I have this real big problem where I can't draw a characters anatomy well. Heads? No problem! Necks? Easy....anything below the neck? Impossible.

Doesn't matter if it's an animal or human, once I draw anything besides the head it looks terrible.

Does anyone have any advice? I practice all the time but it doesn't seem to help. I'm just an anatomy failure.

Thanks

[johncbeggs]

practice pratice practice :laughing:,probably best to start off with a big cirle for the torso and work the limbs around it I think :D - just really comes down to time you spending trying!

[jtq3]

Seth,
Post some of your drawings.

[Moneyguns]

I'd highly recommend getting reference when you draw.

From what I've figured drawing is a lot like writing, acting, and writing music in the sense that I usually can't create what I haven't seen, experienced, or felt my self.

I'd try copying characters Don Bluth has drawn.

I get some of my reference from Star Wars miniatures stat cards I used to collect in high school.

I hope that helps.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=69&pictureid=472
http://www.rebelscum.com/SWmini/SWminiRShoth1cardbk.jpg

[jeremyhopkins]

Here's a link to Seth's work on the forum: http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=452
I think you're a bit too hard on yourself. Your drawings aren't a complete failure. Your biggest issue is context and putting the character in a thoughtful, emotive pose. Don't worry, you're not alone in this particular struggle and Don and others have given me some great advice to work on improving the same thing. Practice alone isn't enough, you need vision, a clear plan to achieve that idea and then you can work towards accomplishing what you see in your head. Take some time to understand your character and put them in a scene or show a discussion that's taking place. Then start with your line of action that clearly describes the action you want. Build around the line of action with secondary rhythms, then major masses, minor masses and finally detail. If you start lightly with the line of action, and get the main idea across, then you can go in add the rib cage or pelvis. Since your characters are quite caricatured anyways, you don't have to get crazy about the anatomy, unless you want to draw the original Jungle Book characters, but adding just enough to suggest structure and weight would be helpful.

You should probably contact IzzyS, HenriekeG, Lizzle or DNethery on the forums because they probably have the unique qualities you're seeking in your drawings.

[jeremyhopkins]

I'd also add, you're a bit tight and you're probably trying to do too many things at once. Separate your process a little more, think character, emotion, entertainment first, then tighten up and detail your drawings. It'll save you a ton of time in the end.

[arif]

i think, anatomy is very important for understanding the character`s structure.....but, don't need to stick with real anatomy of the subject too much..just understand what is the basic shapes and where the joints are would be....once, got the basic idea then need to draw it from different perspective....after that the main focus would be to put felling in the characters....what is he doing of feelings.....my drawings were fully anatomical in nature....but after got the advice from Don my eyes are open now and i found my way to put feeling in every drawings.....it is so important to draw characters with feeling and it would be great if the character has a basic shapes ...........

Regards,
Arif:)

[Seth]

Jeremy: Thanks for the advice. I'm kind of a melon head so forgive me for asking, but when you said "you're a bit tight and you're probably trying to do too many things at once." Do you mean I'm using up too much of the page and trying to use too much detail? Or are you saying I need to plan out my drawings better? Am I on the same page with you?:confused:

Thanks Again.

Thank you to everybody else who shared their advice. I appreciate it.

[jeremyhopkins]

Well, I what I was referring to was separating your creative processes a bit more. A first loose pass that focuses on storytelling, entertainment, character, & composition rather than neat, detailed drawing will get your ideas down quick. If the idea is working then its easier to tie down (detail) the drawing. If you try to do both at the same time, it can be more time consuming and usually the drawing suffers by being too stiff. I tend to over detail and under think my drawings so keeping a road map of the process is helpful to know where I've gone off the rails. Also, the more time spent on a drawing, the less willing we are to put it aside if something isn't working.
Don has some great drawing tutorials up where he demonstrates this or check out Sandro's loose sketches and then some of tied down sketches in previous posts:
http://inspectorcleuzo.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-first-pass.html

[arif]

Thank you Jeremy for sharing the blog of the artist...now, i have understood the what is meaning of Loosen up and tied down...Don has said me several times that my Drawings are loose...but, i didnot get it clearly what is exact meaning of Loose quality in the sense of Drawings ( sorry for my poor quality for understanding).....

Regards,

Arif

[Seth]

~Jeremy

Thank you for posting that blog. I realize now that I'm spending too much time on my characters heads and not their bodies. I usually sketch out the head and than darken it with final lines before moving onto the body. I'm going to try this new approach of sketching everything out first. Hopefully it will work out for me.

Thanks Again.

[AnimatorX]

It is practice practice practice :} Loosening up for sure, not falling in love with your drawing, and being willing to crumple it up or toss it aside and begin a new one without worrying or regretting messing up the prior. THAT, is how you improve.

You are at both times AWARE of what you're doing, and INDIFFERENT to failure. Everyone screws up drawings. Even professionals. We chuck hundreds of drawings a week.

[Diego]

well friend you are in the same problem than me, i drawn heads and i try to draw the body too,yah its dificult if u dont think in the pose first. what u need is think in the main pose, try act your pose, then put in to the paper. yeah first sint very good but if u try and try, u will improve ur structure.

well i actually have that problem too but try to study another illustrations, take that poses and put into your character, dont copy all just draw and put ur character on it. its a good practicing exercise.

"don says: study from comic books.." check dRAW AS YOU PLEASE"

WELL , happy animating and happy drawing ! se ya!

[roxyryoko]

I recommend anyone that is having problems with anatomy to take life drawing classes or at least look at books on the subject. There are great photography books with many poses for you to practice drawing. Also the web is full of "stock photography" in which people take pictures of various poses.
Also try to build a story for what you are drawing. What is the personality of the character? What is the situation?


Hope that helps! : )

[Don Bluth]

I have this real big problem where I can't draw a characters anatomy well. Heads? No problem! Necks? Easy....anything below the neck? Impossible.

Doesn't matter if it's an animal or human, once I draw anything besides the head it looks terrible.

Does anyone have any advice? I practice all the time but it doesn't seem to help. I'm just an anatomy failure.

Thanks

First of all, you're not a failure; you are a work in progress. I suggest that you try working the overall figure in rough pencil before you detail the face or any other part of the body. You've heard the term "Body Language." Watch for it in the people you see around you. For example, how does a proud person stand versus a person that is fearful. You get the idea, I'm sure. Post examples of your full figure drawings and I will critique them.

Don

[Seth]

First of all, you're not a failure; you are a work in progress. I suggest that you try working the overall figure in rough pencil before you detail the face or any other part of the body. You've heard the term "Body Language." Watch for it in the people you see around you. For example, how does a proud person stand versus a person that is fearful. You get the idea, I'm sure. Post examples of your full figure drawings and I will critique them.

Don

Thank you for the encouragement, Don. Encouragement is something that I have not received a whole lot of in my drawings.

Here is one of my latest roughs. As you can see I'm having a real difficult time with her arm on the left side. I also feel that there is something wrong with the placement of her feet on the ground.

I had this picture of her in my mind where she is throwing her hat up in the air and letting out a good ol' fashioned "Yee Haw! " It was exciting looking in my head, but I feel if I have so much trouble with a boring pose like this, how can I get the picture out of my mind and on paper?

Thank you for your time and interest Don. I appreciate it.


http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv113/Sethro89/SophieSheriff.jpg

[joedorsey]

Hey Seth!

Your construction and attitude look great! Having the hip up slightly gives the drawing just the right body language. Good job. Clap! Clap! Clap!

[segun]

Hi Seth,
another thing you can do is get up and feel the pose out. Stand in front of the mirror and get into that pose, it will help you better understand what is happening with the character's body parts both separately and as a whole.
You could also get a family member or friend to pose for you, you could pose out an action figure or a mannequin. It's not cheating, illustrators do this all the time.
Don't forget to have a strong line of action, or at least a good silhouette.
It's good to worry about your drawing skills, but don't give up because you're not yet where you want to be, everyone struggles with drawing issues at some point.
Take care