Weekly Sketch Thread -
- Thread starter EddyWoo
- Start date
fallingtowardsthesky
New member
You'll find that training and sketching are NOT mutually exclusive. You are using your powers of observation heavily in both and you use the your ability to then reproduce movements with eye/hand coordination as well. So it's not crazy to think that there is some peripheral benefit in being able to do both.
As for construction lines... a must. You really need to attack the structure. It will be a good building block. If you already have some grasp on form and by your sketches you do then you can take that exponentially forward if you just discipline yourself a bit and go for the building up the character or form step by step!
A good thing to do when sketching is to just leave off on the eraser. Once people start to erase they tend to noodle too much then in comes all sorts of shading and minute details. A the sketch stage... keep it free and light. Don't overwork it. You have all the real estate of an A4 page to work on so take it up! Also play with working bigger! Move the whole arm and elbow and shoulder... just the wrist tends to tighten everything up and the sketch quickly becomes cramped and stiff.
As for construction lines... a must. You really need to attack the structure. It will be a good building block. If you already have some grasp on form and by your sketches you do then you can take that exponentially forward if you just discipline yourself a bit and go for the building up the character or form step by step!
A good thing to do when sketching is to just leave off on the eraser. Once people start to erase they tend to noodle too much then in comes all sorts of shading and minute details. A the sketch stage... keep it free and light. Don't overwork it. You have all the real estate of an A4 page to work on so take it up! Also play with working bigger! Move the whole arm and elbow and shoulder... just the wrist tends to tighten everything up and the sketch quickly becomes cramped and stiff.
Oh, right there with you. I guess it was just a matter of finding the right kind of inspiration.
At the very least... sketching out techniques like that REALLY helps to pinpoint the crucial points of execution. Otherwise it just looks off.
Sir, yes sir!
You know... I never thought about it like that. You learn something new every day, I guess. Gonna give it a try, thanks.
At the very least... sketching out techniques like that REALLY helps to pinpoint the crucial points of execution. Otherwise it just looks off.
Sir, yes sir!
You know... I never thought about it like that. You learn something new every day, I guess. Gonna give it a try, thanks.
LisaA
Member
A trick I was taught about losening up was to draw a ton of circles inwardly, outwardly, with your dominant hand, and with your opposite hand. Works pretty well and, once it really clicks, you can do ambidexterous figure drawing (which is a great way to eerrmm..well...cheat..when you only have 5 to 10 seconds to try to kick out a presentable gesture/figure drawing ).
Of course, the same person who taught me that also instilled in me the idea of "Done is GOOD!" so I don't think it'd technically be "cheating" as long as your drawings get done on time.
Of course, the same person who taught me that also instilled in me the idea of "Done is GOOD!" so I don't think it'd technically be "cheating" as long as your drawings get done on time.
Thisismyalias
New member
Ok less chit chat more sketch! 
Here goes a quicky on the subject. I need to broaden my range and work different angles. I also tried not just human subjects... but an old delivery truck into an old telephone post!
FWIW this is scanned at 1:1 size - from a square sketchbook. Go figure it was a gift usually my sketchbooks are rectangular.
Here goes a quicky on the subject. I need to broaden my range and work different angles. I also tried not just human subjects... but an old delivery truck into an old telephone post! FWIW this is scanned at 1:1 size - from a square sketchbook. Go figure it was a gift usually my sketchbooks are rectangular.
Hannahtt_xo
New member
^ ... is that guy at the bottom running headfirst into a wall?
Also, currently in the process of filling out page three. And I DO mean filling out.
Also, currently in the process of filling out page three. And I DO mean filling out.
AlexisInfectious®
Active member
Okay, page three and then I actually have to go out and get stuff done. Damn thee, everyday life, damn thee to hell!
I got the second picture right - at least to the extent I'm happy with it - on the first try. The one in the upper right corner took some doing, as you can probably see. The one at the bottom, well...
Itapuã e Gibi - Roda Lavradio - YouTube
Freeze-frame at 1:47 and you'll see what I was going for. I WILL get back to it, make no mistake.
I got the second picture right - at least to the extent I'm happy with it - on the first try. The one in the upper right corner took some doing, as you can probably see. The one at the bottom, well...
Itapuã e Gibi - Roda Lavradio - YouTube
Freeze-frame at 1:47 and you'll see what I was going for. I WILL get back to it, make no mistake.
Gretta
New member
Nice! This thread is shapin' up! Everyone got their pencils out and went for it! Nice!!!...
@ Rand86 - yeah man! Keep it up. You just have to start knocking them out! Fill up the whole page. No masterpieces just works in progress! I noticed you started some with the stick figures. Great place to start constructing your figures from!
@ PASmith - Niiiiiiiiiiiice! Diggin' those! Man you should be keepin' a regular sketchbook! Even just as a log of ideas and things you're thinking of. Good work... keep postin' 'em up... very inspirational for everyone! The boxing theme works well with the 'IMPACT' theme for obvious reasons! And yes Muay Thai does away with much of the having to render clothing and folds.
@ FuBag - yeah man some of those are interesting! I've got a ton of projects I'm working on so I probably won't do it.. but it's well worth reading up on and seeing what's going. I've been mad busy with doing more stop-motion animation. There couldn't possibly be a more time consuming form of animation with less monetary payoff and a the huge satisfaction that you get when you complete even a few seconds of footage as stop mo is. I must be completely out of my mind.
@ Rand86 - yeah man! Keep it up. You just have to start knocking them out! Fill up the whole page. No masterpieces just works in progress! I noticed you started some with the stick figures. Great place to start constructing your figures from!
@ PASmith - Niiiiiiiiiiiice! Diggin' those! Man you should be keepin' a regular sketchbook! Even just as a log of ideas and things you're thinking of. Good work... keep postin' 'em up... very inspirational for everyone! The boxing theme works well with the 'IMPACT' theme for obvious reasons! And yes Muay Thai does away with much of the having to render clothing and folds.
@ FuBag - yeah man some of those are interesting! I've got a ton of projects I'm working on so I probably won't do it.. but it's well worth reading up on and seeing what's going. I've been mad busy with doing more stop-motion animation. There couldn't possibly be a more time consuming form of animation with less monetary payoff and a the huge satisfaction that you get when you complete even a few seconds of footage as stop mo is. I must be completely out of my mind.
EdithLeShank
New member
Trying not to be intimidated by PA, here's a couple more.
Next question to the more experienced folk: how do you get the exaggerated sense of movement in your drawing without making them look distorted. When I draw characters in motion, they tend to look frozen - even if I photo reference them from pictures of how people actually look when they're in motion. Any hints and tips?
Next question to the more experienced folk: how do you get the exaggerated sense of movement in your drawing without making them look distorted. When I draw characters in motion, they tend to look frozen - even if I photo reference them from pictures of how people actually look when they're in motion. Any hints and tips?
TitusPullo
New member
Some more scribblings. Some more on a boxing theme (one inspired by Marciano KO'ing Walcott), then a samurai crept in for some reason (he's meant to holding a sword reversed but his arm is too long), then thought about people falling (how their bodies might look all rag-dolling about).
Then a zombie popped up.
Then a zombie popped up.
seamus1066
New member
Well...personally I try to get a feel for where the movement is going, where the limb/body/whatever was first off, where it is now and where it went inbetween. Often this will come through in a sketch as construction lines, movement lines and other ghosty scribblings.
For example in the boxer hitting the guy at the top right of my first page of sketches there a line running from his fist through the the other guy and back to the left.
That's where his fist travelled.
There's also curved lines running up the spine of both guys, in the guy who's been hit it's because his head has been forced across.
Often these lines don't really correspond to something physical in the picture but add to the effect. Often they key in the main axis of the figure (spine, across shoulders, arms, across hips etc).
These sorts of curves are really important.
In your Thai boxer I see a main curve through the kicking leg and up the spine, another one down the arm, another up the support leg. Get those curves acting dynamically together and what you draw over the top (the structure, the clothing etc) will then have the movement underpinning it.
Sorty of anyway.
For example in the boxer hitting the guy at the top right of my first page of sketches there a line running from his fist through the the other guy and back to the left.
That's where his fist travelled.
There's also curved lines running up the spine of both guys, in the guy who's been hit it's because his head has been forced across.
Often these lines don't really correspond to something physical in the picture but add to the effect. Often they key in the main axis of the figure (spine, across shoulders, arms, across hips etc).
These sorts of curves are really important.
In your Thai boxer I see a main curve through the kicking leg and up the spine, another one down the arm, another up the support leg. Get those curves acting dynamically together and what you draw over the top (the structure, the clothing etc) will then have the movement underpinning it.
Sorty of anyway.
myredneckg
Member
BTW...big daddy belly flopping onto the two boxers wins this thread.