First time Getting Critique, my 2 Month Gesture practice Journey

https://imgur.com/a/8monNtO

Hi guys,

I started practicing Gesture drawing 2 Month ago, a totally beginner. After few Drawabox Lesson and watching Proko's Gesture Drawing Vedio I had some progress. (I know they're still wonky and weird but accetable as I only practcing for 2 Month) .

But Recently I feel like stuck at same place and didn't know how to set my practicing goal. There are a lot of room to improve here and there but I don't know what and how.

So that's why I'm here seeking for some advice. Any thought will be appreciated!

p.s. I also put up my FIRST gesture drawing pratice (around May) Just to let you know How NEW I am with drawing haha.

• Windylamay edited this post on July 26, 2021 8:26am.
• Windylamay edited this post on July 27, 2021 4:31am.
• Windylamay edited this post on July 27, 2021 4:32am.
• Windylamay edited this post on July 27, 2021 4:44am.

You have made some really good improvements compared to your drawings in May. You defiantly have the idea of rhythm for the body's gestural movement. I would suggest looking into the anatomy of arms and legs. I've noticed some of them are a bit off. Understanding the shapes of arms & legs will definitely help in the long run. Once you understand their basic structure, you can simplify them while keeping the proportions of your drawing as well.

I hope this was helpful and keep it up, these look really good so far. ^W^

Hi Denkobu

Thanks for you suggestion！

I will definetly work on arms and legs and yes my anatomy sucks :(
My propotion always went off but the weird thing is it tend to GET WORSE when it comes to longer time sketching（like 5 mins or 10 mins）

• Windylamay edited this post on July 27, 2021 4:31am.

OK, let's address the feeling of being stuck first: Say hello to your new friend and be prepared, that they will never leave again. I think I drew at some level my whole live, but I started to develop some real ambition about 3 years ago, and "You are stuck" and "You don't really improve at all" have been more or less constant guests in my head at least since then. Sometimes they leave me for a few moments, when I finished a new piece, but they certainly will be back, when I look at it 10 minutes later. I heard Norman Rockwell suffered from imposter syndrom throughout his life, and he earned big money with his work and defined a whole generation of illustrators' works. "you are stuck" is just the dark shadow of the ambition that drives you to get better as an artist, and it regularly misbehaves.

The link shows quite a large number of drafts, which is good in itself, and they vary in quality, which is just the way it goes. If I had to find a common theme on where to focus your attention next, I think getting an even clearer idea of the anatomy of ribcage and hip next could lend your sketches some more substance in their construction. Especially the tendency to overestimate the distance between ribcage and hips shows up in some of your weaker sketches.

As you generally include hands and feet in your drafts, you might look out for finding a simplified construction for them too. Especially feet aren't very complicated, once you overcome the urge to assemble them from details and look at their simplified geometric shapes instead. They usually aren't the star of the show, but they can bring down the final result until you found a set of clean lines to handle them.

Windylamay, I am so enjoying your first and current attempts of your practice for 2 months, of figure practice. Great job on our perpection of edges and gestures. Great job on your perception of positive and negative spaces. And more importantly, the greatest job on your perception of the relationships.

If I was to point out one issue or regret about your quick sketches generally, though your 30 second and 60 second (1 minute) poses are the greatest, but I feel that you're using too many excessive lines, as a result of the stiffest drawings in the ruffest stages. Would you please loosen up your hands with another 30 minute class mode of figure studies, all flipped normal, horizontal and/or vertical? (all found in our class mode section)

As a result, you'd be able to tap into drawing the figures from the right side of your brain, from your heart. And, to make your drawings the least stiffest and the most dynamic, energetic, vital and fluidest. If you're really, completely and totally curious about that drawing, please check out this link here.

Hope this link helps.

Hi Aunt Herbert

Thanks for sharing the right mindset for learning drawing, this really helps.

I will look more into the landmark of the body and simplified line for hand & feet as well. Thank you for pointing out！

• Windylamay edited this post on July 27, 2021 4:28pm.

Hi Polyvios Animations

you are right, I did use a lot of excessive line. Because I'm afraid my line will become weird if my hand slow down or adding unnecessary details. I think I will look into anatomy then try the long session sketching (30 minute, never done that before haha).

Also, thanks for your kind words and the link you share is really cool. Defintely gonna try it out sometimes.

I believe you have the line of action down just fine. You can start with a line of action for your figure. Then add a stick figure to get the relationships sorted out and everything lined up. When everything is to your liking, proceed to flesh out your figure.

The hand as you know is composed of 4 fingers plus the thumb. The fingers are composed of 3 parts each of which can bend. This makes the hand very expressive. I would recommend you start with a stick structure of the fingers to arrange the fingers in a manner pleasing to you and your needs. Once you have this done, you can fill out the fingers and the hand. The ends of the fingers are arranged in an arc (not aligned straight across).

With feet, you are dealing with a triangular shape with the big toe on the inside (both legs) and the 4 toes arranged in an arc (not straight across).

Rendering hands (fingers) and feet (toes) correctly will make your works much more believable.

Remember: Practice makes better. So, practice, practice, and then practice some more.

Not to worry, with time and practice you will improve without a doubt.