Project - Dynamic Shapes

6.2K
Course In Progress

Project - Dynamic Shapes

6.2K
Course In Progress

Download the photo reference images of seals and sea lions.

Level 1 - Draw from Reference

Draw their gesture and design dynamic shapes using the concepts from this lesson and the previous lesson.

Remember that gesture is not the contour, so don't just copy the outlines. Look for the movement and energy throughout the shapes. Use your whole arm and use the looser sketch line that we learned about.

Level 2 - Draw from Memory or Imagination

Start with the level 1 project and after 5 to 10 poses, turn the page, put away all the reference photos and do more drawings from imagination or from memory.

You can try to invent your own poses and design those shapes to be dynamic. Or you can try to remember the poses you already drew and use those as inspiration. Try to push and design with a focus on drawing dynamic shapes. It doesn't matter how accurate you get to the original photo, it's more about designing the shapes to look dynamic and interesting.

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Deadline for submissions to be included in the video critique is next Thursday (8/24/23)

* Because of the large amount of reference images, it would help a lot of you include the reference you used for each drawing. I'm more likely to select your submission for the critique. Thank you!

Newest
Mounir B
22h
Is there something wrong with the seals file ? I can't download it I have the message below
Martin M
7h
It downloaded for fine for me. Try to log out and log in again and then navigate to this lesson again.
Toosh Shtoosh
Hello! This one got me hooked in thinking about shapes like I never did before. I'm sure i'll probably want to retry the seals after i'll see the demo. The Raccoons i'm drawing since the simplifying animal portraits, and I just wanted to keep drawing them, I love the result :] Anyway, great course I love it!
Ash
5h
I really like the raccoons! You capture expression and body language so well in these.
Carlos Pérez
raccons are so nice
Daniel
5d
This was a great exercise, I felt more confident every new try at finding this dynamic shapes and pushing the silhouette into something new. On the second drawing this poses where what came to mind and did a dynamic shape that could represent them. I still think I could push more the dynamism on the shapes to get more interesting forms instead of getting too close to realism shapes. Open for feedback!
Melanie Scearce
These look awesome @Daniel. You're definitely on the right track. I agree with your sentiment that you could push the dynamism more, and a good way to do that is to study the weight and energy of the pose. Where the weight rests can be simplified to straight lines typically and the energy to C and S curves. In the pose I picked out, I determined that most of the weight is being put on the left flipper and the tail. Hope this is helpful, you're doing great!
Styrbjörn Andersson
Here is my attempt at the dynamic seals/sealions. I tried to focus less on accurate proportions and more on getting some kind of flow.
Martin M
4d
I love the control of line weights.
Brad Hewitt
Want to try level 2 deliverables but sadly staying on level uno.
Lau Dabo
7d
Here's my assignment, turned out it was more challenging than I though it would be! definitely felt more confortable after the twentieth seal... but good practice exercice... I feel like I will come back to it :) the last page is Level 2, from imagination, which could use some improvement...
Lau Dabo
1d
Thank you all for the nice feedback !
Brad Hewitt
Nice job!
@brimarie
They all look great!
Lib
10d
Julia
14d
mike mcdonald
I did this many times, this is probably my third attempt. Would love feedback
Thomas Nolan II
I had intentions on drawing many more, but would likely get caught up spending too much time this summer drawing blubber bodies. Thinking critically, my tapered strokes need improvement which a meticulous hand is likely at fault for. Replicating the referenced image rather than capturing the gestural energy is a chronic mistake of mine. PS. The referenced image is numbered next to each sketch.
Rachel Dawn Owens
These look great! The variety of soft and sharp lines looks really cool.
@chikki
18d
Rlly good!
Natalia
19d
Pat Lou
22d
I tried sketching references 1 to 10 while focusing on gestures, but I don’t think I’ve fully grasped it yet. I really enjoyed it and I plan to sketch more of the references. Please feel free to share any feedback or critiques!
@ryandt21
23d
Up till 15 was before the demo, the rest after an the unnumbered were from imagination. While they could be better, I think I improved when comparing the first set to the last.
Tori Tempo
24d
Abitha J
24d
Here is My Level 2 - Draw from Memory or Imagination
Abitha J
24d
Here is My Level 1 - Draw from Reference
Mattia Ferrari
Thats my attempt to the drawing seals and sea lions in an intresting
Elijah R
29d
This one was very loose, it certainly wasn’t clean and honestly I felt like there was something I was doing that didn’t align with the point of the project. I felt that I had not properly conveyed the gesture. A little confused but looking at everyone else’s job as an example I’m sure I’ll get it soon. The number represents which image it was based off of. Still found the entire thing entertaining :)
Elijah R
28d
I did these after watching the critique and after taking note of other people’s drawings. Both of which really helped, hope you can see the improvement I saw.
Merry Lee Sharin
Drawing Basics- Dynamic Shapes- Seals Hi all, sorry I was off course for almost 2 months. Glad to be back! A little rusty, but excited for seals! I might try some from imagination tomorrow.
@jjones
1mo
A few pages of seals. I think I was more focused on the gesture and lines versus shape design. But I tried and had fun.
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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.
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