The learning process [NSF56k?]

Scops

Well, I figured it was about time for me to stop cluttering up the doodle thread with my posing practice and make my own thread.

The story so far...






Right now I'm trying to get more complex and dynamic in my sketches, here's one from this morning (the circled one was copied from Loomis).



I'll post samples of what I'm working on every now and then to gauge my progress by.

MagicToaster

I almost don't dare say this, mostly because I'm no master at it myself, but your lines seem very stiff. Loosen up a bit, shake that wrist!

Scops

I hear the same thing all the time from my art teacher, I'll try my best.

NightDragon

Try to keep your "base forms" consistent, and check some references if you need to. I know these are just basic forms, but certain forms - the "ribcage form", for instance, change in shape and structure pretty frequently throughout these sketches. This could become a problem if you end up using this method of sketching to build up more complex figures, as you'll be building off of skewed forms.

Check to make sure that the "scoop" on the lower part of the ribcage is correct - in some of these drawings, the size and structure seem generally okay, but the scoop is way too high, or too low.

I think overall, pose-wise and in general, these are some decent sketches, and I would encourage you to continue doing them. Just watch out for a few things - proportion (a few issues in the limb-section ratio...upper arm and forearm; thigh and lower leg), the ribcage thing, and paying close attention to the bend of the spine, and where that occurs.

Scops

Yeah, I've been getting slack on checking my proportions. Thanks for the tips.

Tweaked_Bat_

Ah good 'ol Loomis...

Yeah, most points have been covered, keep it up!

MufasaJoe

I feel like you might be obsessing a little. These are fine. The point of mannikins, as I see it, is to be "shorthand" for the figure. Trying to draw perfect the mannikin without drawing from life or good references, strikes me as a little self defeating. They're a good exorcise and a valuable tool, I just worry when they're all your showing us.Pat on the butt for due diligence, but feel free to play a little. Allow me to quote from Loomis in his intro to the mannikin.
It would be both tedious and superfluous,if, every time we drew a figure, we went through the whole procedue of figure drawing.
I admire your stick-to-it-iveness. It seems to me your doing the mannikin for the mannikins sake and not the mannikin for the figures sake.

Toji Suzuhara

Scops, if you're having a hard time loosening up your drawings, switch your pencil/charcoal/whatever to your nondominant hand and try some drawing with that.

Get a gigantic newsprint pad and spend one or two minutes drawing a single figure, from life, on the page.

Regarding the mannequins: They are useful at times, but what Mufasa said is so right. If you willing to stick with those things for so long, it seems like you would spend your time better drawing people in coffee shops or what have you. At the very least, photograph yourself in the poses you're trying to accomplish and build the mannequins based off of those reference photos. That way you have a good guide showing you realistic weight distributions and the effect of gravity on the human form.

It'll be a lot easier to invent dynamic poses after you've observed how they work in reality.

Scops

Many thanks for all the advice guys, I really do need all the criticism I can get.

As for life drawing... Well, here are the results of a few attempts from photographs I found on DeviantArt.



I've got a way to go yet, but it's a start.

(Man, I'm beat. I think I'll go off and slip in to a mild coma for a few days...)

Flay

I've been getting a little slack with drawing, but at least I got this done today. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this shading thing.



(Any tips on cleaning up my scans? They always turn out so dirty)

Blue Is Beautiful

study real bones and joints and how they actually bend and connect, and use that as a base instead of those shapes and lines you're using now.