Hands & Feet, 30m class Critique

https://imgur.com/a/v7ehSSa

Hi, I did one of my first hands & feet classes today (have done a decent amount of figure/portrait in the past). This was very challenging for me! Especially with hands, the complexity of the fingers really challenged my ability to visually organize shapes. I think this is more obvious in the shorter duration sketches. I try to simplify sometimes, but find it hard to strike a balance between too simple (and the emotion/complexity of the subject disappears) and too complex (no time to render). In my head, I either get caught up with thinking of 15 segments (5 fingers x 3 bones) or I'm thinking in terms of broad lines that leave me kind of in a dead end.

I think in my 2nd 5min piece and my 10min piece, once I was able to calm down and really dive deep on focus, I could punch out a good shape. I learned a lot of lessons, namely the complexity of the wrist area. There's a lot of subtle curves that are difficult to imagine without reference. Overall, I'm fairly satisfied, but I'm left wanting of more concise takeaway lessons. I feel like other than learning "this is hard!" I havent walked away with much concrete ideas.

All the best,

ZX

Good morning, Zhaoxiong and welcome aboard to our website, Line of Action! I'm Polyvios, Polyvios Animaitons and how are you doing this morning? I love how much of the broader strokes and lines of gestures of strength and ambition of the hands and all of the feet. However, I feel they seem a bit farthest too rigid in the exaggeration. Kindly satirize the hands and feet even most with 1 hour of 30 second scribbles of various appendages with our custom timer? As a result, your poses and gestures will be the least weakest and the most strongest with the caricatures of hands and feet and shoes and crocs and sandals and sneakers that you can find around your house, apartment, online, or whatever. For complete details, please be sure to look into the Andrew Loomis book of heads and hands and the Nicolaides book and the Edwards books.

Hope this has helps you out the most and have the nicest day!!

• Polyvios Animations edited this post on December 13, 2022 12:46pm. Reason: Spelling and grammar

I relate to this post so much. I recently did a class session with feet and hands and felt the same way, that I panic a bit with the 30 seconds and end up scribbling a lot, then calming down during the longer ones. I think the critique I would give you is the same critique I'd give myself; slow down, and try slower, more deliberate lines for the 30s hands. They don't have to be complete, but taking a breath and going slowly may help you organize those shapes better. That's my hope for me, anyway. Your longer sketches look really great.

your shading is impressive, especially in the torso! id focus on giving the joints in the arms and legs a bit more movement, they look a little stiff at the moment. even just utilizing different line quality would make a difference. cheers!