How to practice proportions and perspective?
3yr
Crystal Blue (she/her)
So recently I’ve been focusing on learning proportions and perspective. I’ve been practicing by using reference, and I found I’ve been relying on silhouettes, negative space, and using plumb lines.
the thing is I’m not sure that practicing this way will help me be better able to invent my own poses with proper proportions/perspective. What ways can I practice these skills so that I will not be reliant on copying?
How can I use my reference so that I don’t end up mindlessly copying?
By practicing the way you are, it will teach you what the body looks like. As time and effort continue, the proportions and anatomy will sink in to your mind and muscle memory. Then, when you invent your own poses, that information you have learned will be present and inform your drawing.
When I worked at Disney Animation, Fox studio, and others, we would do life drawing constantly. Then, we would go back and draw cartoons. Remember, this kind of training is teaching you how to draw, how to see. Only when you understand how it works can you then create from imagination in a way that looks convincing. That is in less you are working abstract.
Working from reference is not "mindlessly copying". If it is, then your doing it wrong.
Thanks Steve! I keep doing what I’m doing then :)
i guess I’m just a little worried that I’m not, I dunno, like thinking in 3d as much as I should, however all my brain cells are very much on when I practice this way.
