Figure Drawing Fundamentals
Gesture
The Bean
Structure
Landmarks
Robo Bean
Mannequinization
Balance
Exaggeration
Proportions
Measuring
Shading
Figure Drawing Demo
Closing Thoughts
Mannequinization Assignment Example 3
Lesson by
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Mannequinization Assignment Example 3
Lesson by
196K
Mark as Completed
Another example of drawing the human figure with a focus on structure.
Newest

Eveline Rupenko
1mo
Samuel Sanjaya
1mo
i still draw the ribs too wide.. i think the convergence of the box is not enough. What do you guys think ?

John Harper
1mo
So, this is your brain tricking you into making the body wider because it tapers away from you. I had to draw it three times before I got it right. Her ribcage is nearly upright in her seated position, which is not what we usually see (The ribcage tilts back and the pelvis forward when we stand upright). Also, her pelvic bucket tilts slightly back in this pose because Sekka is seated.
Retry in this order and priority. I'm interested to see if the second try is easier:
#01. Gesture
#02. Robo-bean
#03. Volume
Show all replies (2)
Chris Martin
4mo
3rd example
Gian Amir Calibuso
5mo
kotka
4mo
Hey, just wanted to compliment you on your super clean and accurate linework and mannequinization. Seems that we are working on this topic at the same time, I'm wondering where you find your poses? Best of luck to you, let's keep going :D
Show all replies (2)
asgota
9mo
Hey, those are some of my manequins, let me know if there is something to improve
Thieum
9mo
Very nice mannequins! Looks very fluid and balanced. Your first one seems to me to have a little short legs, but great job!
Lucka
9mo
Hi. I see you get too much into secondary forms. I don't know if you are actually going for that but maybe some simplification could be useful. Anyways, keep an eye on how the perspective of the main masses (head, ribcage and pelvis) interact and change the limbs perspective from pose to pose.
Also, I think doing two or three times the same pose is better than a bunch of different ones. So give it a try a see if with each time you discover something different that you didn't observe in the last one. Timed practice is useful to not get off of your goal and actually doing it
Hope it helps! Keep up the good practice!
Ps: timed practice is useful at your speed. Between being able to do something and not being able to think too much. Hope you have a good practice!

capslock0802
9mo
your gesture and structure is awesome! the proportion of some of your limbs seem off however, maybe try and improve proportions
faye zhang
10mo
I could not for the life of me figure out the robo bean for this one and resorted to covering up the top box with muscles. I can see in Stan’s version, the right leg looks much more natural and balanced.
Maayan
1yr
Mannequinization assignment 3:
lifeflame
1yr
#1 is own attempt, #2 is copying the Proko version.
I then used layers to check how they compared to the original.
Things I noticed:
The proportions are better when I freehanded it, probably because I went for a rough outline before adding the detailed robo forms. Whereas when I directly copied Proko's, the forms are a lot clearer, but I lost the proportions.
In both cases the head and neck proportions in relationship to the torso caused me a lot of grief.
Foreshortening of his left leg threw me off; my instinct is to bring it inwards when it needs to come straight out to the viewer more. I noticed though that proportion-wise Stan's left leg is taller than the actual photo. I don't know whether the higher crouch was a stylistic choice, but this difference is noted.
Sandra Süsser
1yr
Mannequin exercise 4
lifeflame
1yr
well done really working on the torso until you were satisfied. that part was super tricky for me.
Show all replies (1)
Mathew Patterson
1yr
Fairly fresh off the anatomy course so I knew I was going to shoehorn anatomy but when I looked at the example I realized how simplified I need to get to lol
lifeflame
1yr
my instinct after stuffing my head with anatomy was to go back to gesture, just to make sure I had the whole spectrum covered. Figure drawing is such an art, so many components to master...

joseph_maxwell
1yr
I am trying a different approach. I try two pictures then try the example to watch what proko does. I think I need to work on clean lines. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.
1yr
Hi @joseph_maxwell, nice drawings! There's a lot of good stuff going on in these. I think the last one is really well simplified!
- You seem to understand the concepts of 3D form and gesture, I would say that what you need to do now is to become more fluent in them. Something about the line quality and the loss of gesture in 2nd drawing (note how the c-curve from left leg to left arm is much stronger in the photo), tell me that gesture and form could be come more intuitively ingrained.
I would recommend revisiting the gesture quicksketch exercise. The gesture exercise was were I grew familiar with the human figure and my pencil. I find this to be the most important exercise in the course, upon which everything builds. Post your drawings and tag me, and I might be able to help :)
I would also recommend practicing drawing cylinders and boxes from different angles. The point is to get really comfortable with them so that you can focus on analyzing the form when drawing the figure instead of how to draw a box correctly. Remember to draw through the forms, especially on a cylinder so that the crosscontours are proper ellipses (Structure Basics – Making Things Look 3D 07:56).
Hope this helps :) Keep up the good work!
PS I attached an image with some pracitice tips that helped me a lot when I took the course. Hopefully they can be useful to you too :)
Show all replies (4)
Melissa Gebauer
1yr
It's a bit messy but I'm pretty pleased with the gesture and perspective. Feedback is highly appreciated!

Simeon Kotov
1yr
Hi! I will glad critic and comments on my work =)
William Horton
1yr
Boobs.

alirenatobo
2yr
Now I've done it! Example 2

Simeon Kotov
2yr
I never get on time, I can do one sketch for an hour or more. And if it’s worth a timer, the sketch doesn’t work. I did this sketch for over an hour, just like always I lost track of time in the work process. this is my big problem
Warren Bonett
2yr
Great exercise! I’m finding it pretty difficult I have to say. I’ve uploaded these in reverse order. My first two crouching man and twisting woman. Pretty stiff looking, but teaching me to look harder. I reckon I could spend a year just doing these figures. I won’t but they may be all I concentrate on for the rest of the year. We’ll see.
lifeflame
1yr
using two different colours for the lines is so smart !!
Nihi Sus
2yr
I even like the one I tried on my own first better, chest area tricky tho
Peter Tinkler
2yr
This is my effort for the third mannequinization assignment. I'm really enjoying these, and I've included my initial gesture sketch as well. Maybe I still need to think more in terms of structure though, as sometimes I put too much emphasis on contour.
persona937
2yr
CHARLES DEIGHAN
2yr
Example 3.
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Founder of Proko, artist and teacher of drawing, painting, and anatomy. I try to make my lessons fun and ultra packed with information.