HOME | DD

Description
I've been asked about this a few times. How do I draw what I post? Well, to me, it's simple. Granted, I've been drawing most of my life, so I have practice just putting pencil to paper. However, most of the recent works (over the last year) have been based on a "bubble" system I found on the net.

In the picture I've posted (click on the Download link to see a much larger version), I demonstrate this system. Using a series of bubbles, I can pose a model in almost any position. Some are more difficult than others due to perspective or "camera angle".

Using a series of bubbles, drawn for the head, neck, chest, upper abs, lower abs to crotch, each buttock, each thigh, each knee cap, each calf, each ankle, each heel, each foot, each toe, each shoulder, each upper arm, each lower arm, each wrist, each hand, each thumb and each finger (and sometimes, each segment of each finger), I place everything.

As you can see in the left most sketch, I've only included bubbles for the parts of the body that will, at least, have some part showing.

Next, I draw darker lines, using the bubbles as a general guide for where everything is, their shape and what parts are cover what other parts.

Then I erase (yes, I said erase) the bubbles. Sometimes I may leave them within the lines, but everything outside the lines are taken away.

After that, I draw the face, using the cross lines I added to help guide where the eyes, nose and lips will line up. I also draw the outer edges of the head - forehead, cheek, jawline, chin and ear.

I consider the body fairly easy to draw, especially compared to the face. So basically, if the body isn't turning out the way I had hoped, I'll stop before working on the face at all. This is because if I've put any detail into the face, I may lose interest in finishing the body - I've got a few unfinished drawings of a great face, with only a half finished body (if that).

Once I'm sure that everything will work out, I'll go on with facial details and begin work on the hair, clothes, etc.

Obviously in this drawing, I've not added clothes. This is normal for all my drawings. The addition of clothes is always last for me, even if it will be a long flowing dress that leaves virtually no detail of the legs. I want to know how the body will interact with the clothes.

Like the details of the hair, I will add lines to guide where the clothes cut across the body. Once I've got the general idea, I'll make those lines darker and - yes, again - erase the body lines that are hidden, if any.

Now, I know this is a quick and generalized run down of how I draw. The only additional piece of advice I can offer anyone who wants to improve their skills is...

Practice!

Nothing worth doing well comes instantly, so if you are especially good at something, draw that and then add something to it for a challenge. However, again, practice.

I'll make more postings soon regarding the face, the hands and feet. These are areas I'm asked about a lot by other artists. I'm not the best in these areas, but if something I offer can help someone else improve their efforts, then I'll feel that much better about it.

Enjoy!

Description
I've been asked about this a few times. How do I draw what I post? Well, to me, it's simple. Granted, I've been drawing most of my life, so I have practice just putting pencil to paper. However, most of the recent works (over the last year) have been based on a "bubble" system I found on the net.

In the picture I've posted (click on the Download link to see a much larger version), I demonstrate this system. Using a series of bubbles, I can pose a model in almost any position. Some are more difficult than others due to perspective or "camera angle".

Using a series of bubbles, drawn for the head, neck, chest, upper abs, lower abs to crotch, each buttock, each thigh, each knee cap, each calf, each ankle, each heel, each foot, each toe, each shoulder, each upper arm, each lower arm, each wrist, each hand, each thumb and each finger (and sometimes, each segment of each finger), I place everything.

As you can see in the left most sketch, I've only included bubbles for the parts of the body that will, at least, have some part showing.

Next, I draw darker lines, using the bubbles as a general guide for where everything is, their shape and what parts are cover what other parts.

Then I erase (yes, I said erase) the bubbles. Sometimes I may leave them within the lines, but everything outside the lines are taken away.

After that, I draw the face, using the cross lines I added to help guide where the eyes, nose and lips will line up. I also draw the outer edges of the head - forehead, cheek, jawline, chin and ear.

I consider the body fairly easy to draw, especially compared to the face. So basically, if the body isn't turning out the way I had hoped, I'll stop before working on the face at all. This is because if I've put any detail into the face, I may lose interest in finishing the body - I've got a few unfinished drawings of a great face, with only a half finished body (if that).

Once I'm sure that everything will work out, I'll go on with facial details and begin work on the hair, clothes, etc.

Obviously in this drawing, I've not added clothes. This is normal for all my drawings. The addition of clothes is always last for me, even if it will be a long flowing dress that leaves virtually no detail of the legs. I want to know how the body will interact with the clothes.

Like the details of the hair, I will add lines to guide where the clothes cut across the body. Once I've got the general idea, I'll make those lines darker and - yes, again - erase the body lines that are hidden, if any.

Now, I know this is a quick and generalized run down of how I draw. The only additional piece of advice I can offer anyone who wants to improve their skills is...

Practice!

Nothing worth doing well comes instantly, so if you are especially good at something, draw that and then add something to it for a challenge. However, again, practice.

I'll make more postings soon regarding the face, the hands and feet. These are areas I'm asked about a lot by other artists. I'm not the best in these areas, but if something I offer can help someone else improve their efforts, then I'll feel that much better about it.

Enjoy!