Practice Sketch 5
© 2022 NeurofarmThis was a 5-minute sketch in the practice round. I think I was trying too hard to get the form down, and not hard enough to actually grab the motion, which feels like an "S" to me.
There's a hint of the nude in this, from the original which was a nude.
Showing off skill isn't why I'm here--I'm a beginner who hasn't done hand sketching in 30 years. I mean, if you can recognize it, that's important, yeah. But I'm mostly looking for ideas about how to improve technique, so if you comment or critique this, that's what I'm after. If you can give me some ideas about what I might look for, that's exactly what I'm after: cultivating an artistic eye.
I'll consider the feedback as a whole, and if I can apply it constructively, I will.
Thanks in advance for your input!
Emery
I'm a beginner too, so take this with a grain of salt haha. Many sources I've read (including LoA) have reccomended starting with a wire frame - using a single line to suggest limbs, and using dots or circles for joints. From there, you use ovals to map out general forms and musculature. I'm not seeing a whole lot of that underlying structure to your above sketch, so maybe try to incorporate more of that? Hopefully this helps!
- Emery
Neurofarm
Yeah, I wasn't doing that, I was "gesture drawing" and that's entirely different than sketching. It's one of those other building block exercises meant to reinforce muscle memory. But I've just watched a video of someone who actually works in comic art who does it this way, rather than what the tutorial here says ... not that one's "right" or anything, there are multiple ways to get to the same end.
The more we learn, right?
Still, I do have a line confidence issue, my lines are hairy and I don't really feel confident in them. A gesture sketch can be light or heavy, but shouldn't be both ... the lines should be even.
Thus, you're still right about what you said, even if the "why" wasn't accurate.
Hey! I’ve noticed in your drawing there are a lot of lines. You should try to make long, confident lines. This will help you to know what lines you need and what lines you don't. :) Good luck with your journey!
I have only just learned the term "line confidence" and will work on that. My lines on my new tablet are harder to make than on paper, and a lot of the lines which I intend to be light are interrupted and broken, so I wind up going back over them. But you're right, that's a bad habit, and one I should work on breaking.
This is great feedback! Thanks!