I Got Some Big Questions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RapCloudStrife]

When you guys draw do you sketch then finish it???

And who draws stick figures or shapes before drawing the human body?

Because I bought like a couple of how to draw mangas/human body(anatomy) books since a few years ago and still buys them... and i noticed that almost all of them talk about drawing really realluy basic figures like shapes and stick figures before actually getting the final piece. Ya know wat I mean??

I mean seriously who just draw from scratch, I mean just drawing the whole thing... like drawing the whole thing directly from the start with out making sketches, shapes, stickfigures, etc?

Well I do the sketches and stuff, but I was thinking that as i get better i need less sketches and guides for me to do a final piece. So any one here still do this?
PLEASE ANSWER ME..... lolz this may sound funny but i'm serious about this....
thnx :) *jumping to conclusion*

[Shiroiyuki]

When you guys draw do you sketch then finish it???

Yes. I always start out in pencil first, creating little 'ovals' for where the body parts will fall. This gives me a rough idea of where I'm headed. Then, I go over these ovals in order to make the actual body--very lightly mind you so that later I can draw on the clothing. I sketch the entire body; muscle placement, bends of arms/legs/etc, and anything else that will help me later on. After I complete the body, I go over it with the clothing, placing folds where the contours of the body would create them if it were a real person. I keep everything light so that erasing will be easier later on.

And who draws stick figures or shapes before drawing the human body?

I don't recommend the 'shape' method until after you have a basic understanding of the human form. It can get tricky--leaving your character looking awkward or deformed in areas. You should start out by sketching (get a sketch pad) actual people quickly (30-60 seconds per person) in order to train your eye to really 'see' them. These quick gestures will help you get a rough understanding of the human figure, and really improve your artwork!

I mean seriously who just draw from scratch, I mean just drawing the whole thing... like drawing the whole thing directly from the start with out making sketches, shapes, stickfigures, etc?

I used to do this--it is alright when first starting out...but if you want to do more advanced pieces...and have your figures look correct, this isn't the way to go. Seriously, it is hard to really understand where things will end up (I'm talking placement on page, how figures interact, composition, etc) if you just go from scratch. It is nice if you are just doodling/sketching, but for a piece you want to display/sell/finish up nicely, I think having a plan (i.e. ovals and shapes) is the best way to go. Again, this is after you acquire a basic understanding of the human form.

You shouldn't depend on books either. It only makes you lazy, and as an artist--this is a MAJOR downfall. Try looking to real life to help you improve your art. Look in fashion magazines for clothing ideas and fold placement. Really watch how cloth (all different materials) drapes on different body parts, especially when those said parts bend and move.

[RapCloudStrife]

You should start out by sketching (get a sketch pad) actual people quickly (30-60 seconds per person) in order to train your eye to really 'see' them. These quick gestures will help you get a rough understanding of the human figure, and really improve your artwork!
You mean actual real people? The whole body right? But can't I just draw poeple in magazines or even in mangas?
well, whatever the answer is I'll do it anyways :)

You shouldn't depend on books either. It only makes you lazy, and as an artist--this is a MAJOR downfall. Try looking to real life to help you improve your art. Look in fashion magazines for clothing ideas and fold placement. Really watch how cloth (all different materials) drapes on different body parts, especially when those said parts bend and move.
ooooooo really???? :o wow I guess your right I was being lazy. I was probably rushing of becoming a better artist... but it did kinda help me.

[sekiboku-gaka]

I've got a different way I draw depending on the subject. Whether their male/female...adult/child/ and so on. Usually I do a gesture sketch to capture their form and then block in the larger areas working my way down to the smaller ones. Hands and feet are something I consider an almost seperate thing itself because of how dynamic and strangely shaped they can be compared to the body , so they get drawn in the end. The better you get the less you'll need completely blocked in figures to get proportions right, but even the best artists always use some sort of preliminary sketches or starting points.

Really watch how cloth (all different materials) drapes on different body parts, especially when those said parts bend and move.

Well said Shiroiyuki, clothing folds drive me over the edge sometimes. :P

[bowaZi]

stick figures help you with things like proportion and placement when you're starting out ... although they're still usefull later on when you want to keep things in proportion like say arm/leg length (if you can help it don't use it for anything else unless you're animating)

simple shapes help you to figure out how to draw the basic body parts (upper arm, etc.), this gets you started down basic anatomy

over time your starting shapes will become more complex as it starts to resemble the actual muscles and eventually you'll start sketching using outlines for most body parts

personally i start with making some shapes for the head and chest (helps keep things in proportion), sometimes i'll use some lines in order to remember how long the arms / legs are (fastest way to keep track of it) afterwards i just outline then finish

note this is only for setting up a basic human body, i usually don't even bother with that much nowadays since i don't find the point of doing proper anatomy if the body is gonna be hidden (although when i draw females there's not much hidden)

ex. if i'm drawing jeans i usually just do a straight outline, same with jackets ... i don't really bother with accuracy if i'm not gonna draw in muscles as long as it looks right (which is accurate enough)

[RapCloudStrife]

wow those are a lot of informantion.... thnx,- i'll try what wat u guys said.

[manicmushroom]

when i do figure drawings in life drawing clases (not exactly the same but still applies i think) i draw a curved line showing the rough pose of the figuire, then put points where various things are, using line as a guidleline.

it also works with created figures, draw a line of the rough pose, direction of pose or whatever (basically going from head, through waist, to foot most weight will be on, or middle of both feet which ever is easiest) then using basic guides of proportion (wont right them now, can be found using amazing tool known as google) put in a line for the top of the torso, with balls for shoulder joints, lines for limbs, put in rough shape of head, hands and feet and mabey pelvis, and just begin to flesh it out with whatever. helps best for action poses really.

basically its just drawing a rough skeleton and fleshing it out.

good thing about using the line first, is it helps with putting shoulders, hips, knees, whatever in the right proportions, and great for getting proportions and pose sorted out really quickly