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neofox — Drawing References and Resources
Published: 2008-07-12 13:15:56 +0000 UTC; Views: 75887; Favourites: 523; Downloads: 0
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Updated: Aug 13 2012
EVEN MOAR SKIN SWATCHES!
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The best way to improve is to draw from real life. That's the best way to learn. If you don't know how to draw a certain angle of a hand or an arm, you shouldn't fudge it, you should always look it up and figure out how to draw it right. Hiding the hands behind the body is a no-no, people! The proof of bsing is easy to see: neofox.deviantart.com/journal/…
But often it's very hard to weed through the crap to find good stock to use as reference. So here I am, doing the work for you and naming some helpful resources.
I've been teaching my friend Kitteh how to draw, so I'm learning first hand just what steps to take to improve.
There's one very special thing you must do to improve. With this special thing you can go from amateur to pro. And that's PRACTICE. You can get all the references and tutorials you want, buy all the books, save all the tutorials and references, but they won't do you a lick of good unless you PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE.
I'm not talking about slaving over a drawing for HOURS AND HOURS. I'm talking about just taking a little time out of your busy life, fifteen minutes to an hour drawing a day consecutively. For example: take a half hour to draw a page or two full hands, and do this everyday for a week. By the end You'll be sick of hands but you'll find yourself a master at them. The practice adds up.
You can see my friend's improvement right here: 25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvz… 24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwy…
The best practice for anatomy, pose and perspective is life drawing. I always urge artists to find life drawing classes. Often art schools will have them, or there'll be sessions where you can pay $5 or so a certain day to come in and draw a nude model.
But for the some of us who can't find those courses, here's a helpful little website that does much the same. It offers resources and quick poses to draw up to get the feel of the human body. Remember, it's all about quick gesture drawings; getting the feel of pose and line.
Starting at the top: the head. Deceptively simple. Angles of the face are REALLY hard to find. Fudging them can make a pic lolzy really fast. Head stock can be hard to find. Especially JUST the right angle. So give thanks to these peoples that take the time to do these in depth stocks.
My favourite part of the body to draw, other people's worse nightmares. Here are some helpful hand poses, probably the most useful resource I can offer. Remember, hands are as expressive and emotional as the face itself.
These can be as annoying and complicated as hands, but just as important. If a foot looks weird or wrong, the entire picture just doesn't look right.
This is a harder one to reference, given that faces are different sizes and shapes. What you have to remember is that there are more than just muscles driving the expression but feeling as well, that's why they're called 'expressions'.
This is the best I could come up with, I'll definitely be touching on this one again. It's a sketchy category to help.
Full body poses / resources.
I definitely suggest exploring the full galleries of those I suggest, not just the specifics given here. c: More amazing stuff to be found.
Colours, how does they work? Slap on some blue for sky, green for grass and yellow for sun, you're golden. NOPE. You have to think about silly things like colour theory and light reflectivity and shadows and man, now your head is exploding! No, it's cool, man. It's cool. I got you covered with some sweet tuts here to help you out.
:thumb184642625:
Shading/Shadow
Thanks to all those who are the owners of said stocks and tutorials I've given reference to. You guys are helpful.
If you're copying a pose or using a photo for photo manipulation you should ALWAYS credit the picture used.
Hopefully this has been both useful and helpful c:
I'll try to update this journal with new resources if I find. So check back every often!
If you're looking for a particular reference or resource, something that you just can't find, a suggestion or what have you, feel free to ask via note.
Or if you have any reference pics or even tutorials that you think are worth sharing- please feel free! c: I love art and I love helping fellow artists improve.
Hoping to get more references on:
Related content
Comments: 49
Thanks so much, this is an invaluable resource!
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Hiya! Was wondering if you could get something for Group Hugs? Like with three people?
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I suggest checking out *SenshiStock
They have many many good ref pics
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Thank you so much for this encouraging, practical and link rich guide. This novice thanks you.
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I love this, could get some male head shots? and the " Upper male body tone" isn't up anymore.
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Thank you so much, this will really help me to improve..
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One word "bookmarked" very usefully referance page thank you
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THANK YOU! this is the MOST helpful thing i found on the internet ^_^ defiantly bookmarked 
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if you want more references on eyes, check out *moni158 . they have good references.
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DAMNIT! Why can't we favorite journals?! Thank you SO MUCH! I just got into drawing after two years...this will help so much!!
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Oh my god... You have no idea how much this helped me!! Thank you so much... Commissions seem a lot more fun now. xD
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Holy WOW you're useful with all of this. O_____O
-grabby hands- LETS HUG.
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Holy shit! 8D I doubt you'll respond to me, and that's alright but I'd like to say anyway that this is an AWESOME journal and very, very helpful to artists all around. Thank you muchly Neo.
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Wow, thanks for collecting all these in one place! *_* This is great
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If there was something to fav journals, i'd do that now.
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c: There is, it's called bookmarking
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wow thanks I really needed this...how cool of you!
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X_X I wish I could fave journals. This is radtastic.
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Wow.
This is awesome! You're the first person I've seen do something this comprehensive. *Bookmarks this journal* Thank you so much! ^_^
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c: Glad to of helped enough that you'd bookmark <3 Feel free to share the url.
I'd like to make this more detailed, so, if you have anything in particular you're looking for or you think others would, feel free to suggested or ask.
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I've always found since I learned anatomy my art advanced in leaps and bounds. I suggest everyone uses anatomy as much as possible, no matter what art style you use.
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i think i'll start usin' some'a these..
contorting for self-reference is getting lame.
MAH LEFT HAND WILL NEVER BE DECENT RIGHT-HANDED REFERENCE.
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Glad to be of help BUFF DRINK LOTS
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i use stock photos all the time. there are some really good ones out there.
I find another good way to learn to draw people is to take a sketchbook into a busy mall and doodle people in the crowd. no one stands still for very long so you need to hurry. Plus someone is eventually gonna notice you drawing and ask to see so you get the ego stroke on top of it ^_^
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Thats all fantastic. Thanks a whole bunch for the feet guide.
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You just... win. I'm going to art school in September, but most of my anatomy knowledge flew out of my brain over the last couple months. And it's impossible to find really good anatomy books... You saved my ass, I can look like I don't fail at the game of life now =3
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Glad I could help save your ass c: I'm like Spiderman of the art world. WOOSH.
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Thanks for posting this, I'm always struggling with feet.
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x8 preaching to the choir. Feets are made of evil. And it's always hard to find good references for them.
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Neofox, I love you.
Been searching on my own references like this for a while but while I found a few interresting sites, that's more like what I was looking for.
Well, it's exactly what I was looking for. :3
The pose maniac stuff is made of awsome, good stuff to practice with while I'm out of a proper anatomy drawing class untill the next winter semester.
*goes on doodleing*
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c: You're majorly welcome.
This is the whole reason I made an entry like this <3
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oh, this is useful.
very.
thanks for putting that up! c:
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