I've found that studying hands significantly enhances how I draw them in gesture drawings. To simplify something effectively, you need a deep understanding of your subject, as reducing it to basic forms requires extensive knowledge. The most effective simplified drawings convey a wealth of information that isn’t immediately visible but is suggested through the artist's understanding of the subject.
It's also crucial to remember that the principles of gesture apply to hands and other isolated body parts, not just the entire figure. I found the blog post on drawing hands to be somewhat lacking in usefulness. While it offers some tips on proportions, the way these are applied often results in rigid, stiff drawings, much like those shown.
Instead, focusing on form and using lines confidently to describe that form and its perspective will ultimately make adjusting proportions easier and more natural. Understanding and capturing the essence of the form will lead to more fluid and dynamic representations.
