Sijun Forums :: View topic - Beginner - advice on anatomy. Inspired by vebjorn ;-)

ceenda · member Member # Joined: 27 Jun 2000 Posts: 2030

Hi there,

Anyone who has seen any of my pics with people will know that I'm not particularly skilled at anatomy.

I saw vebjorn's latest warrior pic and wanted to start improving my people drawing skills. Could anyone give me a bit of advice as I think some of the proportions might be strange. Especially the lower left arm and the way he is holding the axe.

BTW - Sorry for so many posts in a week but work's getting busy now and I may only have time to drop by on the forum now and again for the next week or so.

EDIT - I should point out that I am just improving the proportions just now - he _will_ be wearing clothes! Phew!

[This message has been edited by ceenda (edited July 11, 2000).]

Tinusch · Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2000 5:40 pm

I think it looks pretty good. I don't know anything about anatomy and correct proportions, but the only thing that looks odd to me are his hands.

I like that background. Very SNES-ish.

Fred Flick Stone · Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2000 5:49 pm

ceenda-there is somethng you can remember when plotting figurative images that will help bigtime:
The hips and shoulders always work in opposition to one another, or if you draw a straight line to connect the two shoulders, and you draw a straight line to connect the two hips, when you put the two together, if the persons shoulders are leaning to the left, the hips will tilt the opposite direction. Think of these two lines as the greater than, less than symbols you learned in math. This is the way the body works to help counterbalance itsself from collapsing to the ground.
Also, to avoid the michelin man look, remember that muscles don't buldge out on both sides of the limbs the way you have represented them. The muscle groups on the anterior of each feature work in opposition to the interior etc. This is known as active and passive lines. If the arm is flexed, the inside line will have all the muscles rippling and buldging, and the other contour line of the arm will be straighter and less buldgy. The reason is that the interior muscles are making the arm bend, the exterior muscles are relaxed, or not active. This works for every part on the body.
The bicep on the left arm is out of proportion to the rest of the body...

Hope this helps, and good luck.

SushiMaster · Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2000 6:04 pm

This is a site I've found pretty useful, as far as the tutorials go...
http://draw.itgo.com/

Fred Flick Stone · Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2000 6:13 pm

ceenda and sushi master-be wary of comic artists making tutorial sites. I have found that there is more bad info than good info. I just went to that draw.itgo.com site, and oooof, bad stuff. Not that it is all that bad, but there is so much misinformation on that site. There is a lot described, that is very obvious that the author doesn't completely know what he is speaking about. I would just keep looking for tips here on the forum, until a really good site pops up with the right tutorials to work with. Like my soon to be site...I will only post the right stuff, as I only teach the right stuff, and I am out searching every day for new info...
Like I said, this forum, given you ask the right questions, will give you plenty to work with , if you ask the right way. If not, you may end up with all sorts of hot off the cuff replys like Tom Walker is getting...good luck on your search.

If you are really that desparate, get the George Bridgman book on anatomy. What I have previously mentioned, as well as way too much more is well described in that book.

DeathbyDuplicity · member Member # Joined: 29 Jun 2000 Posts: 183

I agree with that point! I love comics but most of those guys don't have as much knowledge in the arts as the average person! I'd follow and study real people and classic painters! Heck! Record the Olympics, sheya!

Farwalker · Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2000 9:05 am

Wow, Fred Flick Stone that is some awesome advice and info!

I really appreciate all the effort you put into replying to messages.

I learn so much.
Great art teacher... top notch artist...

what more could we want?

----- www.gamingvault.com

ceenda · member Member # Joined: 27 Jun 2000 Posts: 2030

Wow! Thanks Fred!

With all that info I think I will start that pic again.

Thing is, anywhere else I would have to be paying for that amount of advice. ;-)

[This message has been edited by ceenda (edited July 12, 2000).]