Fantasy Reference Assignment
Fantasy Reference Assignment
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Drawing Dynamic Creatures

Learning from the Masters

Fantasy Reference Assignment

290
Course In Progress

Fantasy Reference Assignment

290
Course In Progress

Create an anatomical breakdown of ape-based creatures like we did in the lesson!

We'll provide some images for you that you can draw over for an anatomical breakdown, but if there's an ape based creature from a piece of art that you admire or a film you like, practice on those images as well! Post an image of the original along with your studies so we can see how you interpreted the creature's anatomy.

If you're looking for screen-captures from a film, here are a few websites that could act as a resource,
Fancaps
Moveie-Screencaps
Screen Musings

Newest
Sofiya Ilchuk
Well this was different. Definitely out of my comfort zone, but I loved it. What do we think?
Sofiya Ilchuk
loved doing the trolls, there is a lot of weight to capture in them
@korsola
1yr
I tried to break down the anatomical structure and think the structure with different angle.
Ash
1yr
these are looking good! You have the torso and heads, but I notice you're missing feet! Try to imagine how the creatures are standing and where their weight is.
@korsola
1yr
@korsola
1yr
Kassjan Smyczek
I picked Cull Obsidian as the ape like fantasy figure and did some tracings. Was really fun!
Anh Lê
9mo
Can you sketch for me an image of an Asian dragon?
David Colman
Very cool... I would like to see you now draw this character out of your head... that will show what you learned and what you need to work on
Linus Lehmann
Here are some of my newer breakdowns. I started with the breakdown, than did some breakdowns of some of the details, when i felt that it might help. Than i drew different angles or poses from imagination. I tried to follow the feedback and make the breakdowns more clear, and tried to take my time with them. For some reason it was hard for me to not go too fast (I often had to remind myself to take the necessary time) but I tried to do my best. Feedback is always very welcome.
David Colman
breaking the mold is good for you.... how you grow
Jesper Axelsson
Some anatomical breakdowns. I chose to do one over Kerchak from Disney's Tarzan as well, even though he's just a normal gorilla, but I wanted to analyze how the Disney artists would design one. I think Glen Keane is the artist.
David Colman
Nicely done.. Actually Glenn did animate Tarzan but I am unsure he did that one right there. I see some of your notes and its important to realize dont let anatomy draw your drawings , use it as a guide and take artistic liberties as your own. Its only there to keep you on the tracks. Especially when dealing with animation friendly designs the anatomy is present but it never dictates the design choices. I think you need to revisit some of the breakdowns to see how the under structure conveys weight for the final topical image. Try to understand the angle of the pelvis better..etc
Eve A. Bear
Another study from the masters. This time I used characters I love from movies (Oz and Labyrinth) and from one of my favorite artist Jean-Claude Mézières (Valérian). I did squelette from memory. Sooooo hard! My fellow learners, you have to try this. it's a good exercice...
David Colman
Nice but pay attention to volumes and weight. Youre losing some essential form and surface area of the understructure- dont just copy but analyze and problem solve. The pose in each final model conveys weight so the study should do the same.
Ian Gregory
These are my breakdowns that I managed to do. It is eye opening to be able to study these instead of usually doing human breakdowns. I look forward to study more of these soon.
David Colman
LOVE that you are breaking your mold. I think you could go a little further to learn even more Nice job on the cave troll- alot of weight but then on Bernie Wrightsons Swamp Thing it becomes a little too ambiguous . Try to simplify from the final look model Each nook and cranny doesnt have to be caught in the breakdown just the objective forms
Eve A. Bear
It is an interesting exercise. I tried to make lines more gestural (looser). For the moment I have not worked on other angles, but that will come. It's so much fun to study beautiful creatures like these!!! I LOVE seeing the work of other students, it's stimulating!
David Colman
Nice job on these. Very diagrammatical and clear. I like seeing the flow youre finding too. It does get a little too simple at some points indicating knowledge not fully there but it will come. Good job all around- This will help your personal design work.
Michael Gutierrez
Michael Gutierrez
David Colman
Hi...well nice and loose. But you either ran out of time or lost interest. Either is fine but suffer a little bit and you will grow and benefit from this exercise. Finish these off- explore, discover, endure the pain of growth. You have a great loose lively style- I would love to see you finish these to completion.
Mariusz Stefanowski
Starting out, more to come :)
David Colman
SOLID.... chiseled.. Really great!! You fell in love with this process I can tell. I want to see more because this shows so much of what you know. No need to do more now but it will be evident in your work moving forward
Mariusz Stefanowski
Mariusz Stefanowski
@hunt4animation
Working on Demogorgons from imagination. Any feedback is welcome
David Colman
Alot of fun energy and poses but they become a little cartoony at times and thats okay yet it loses believability. Drawing from imagination is hard and you did a great job . I would attempt this exercise again and be willing to let go a little bit. It doesnt have to be perfect. Some great weight on bottom left and love the hands on bottom right
Bernard
2yr
I think there’s good potential in it, but two things you could consider: - the leg of the figure top right is very human like, now it is difficult to accept that the foot has another structure, with the mid foot joint serving as a heel. Keep it, but try to sell it more convincingly. - the head is quite original and has enough options for conveying moods, but now it is too much a narcissus flower, which ridicules the figure a bit - the figure would be served better by a stronger structure. Maybe a more aggressive plant would be more appropriate.
Mathias Ragnarsson
My assignment. Not too many drawings this time, however I understand the value of a breaking down and studying the anatomy of a made up creature like this.
David Colman
You did the assignment and thats what counts Youre gaining knowledge too. Good volumes but they lack straights. Introduce more straights to add strength to your work
Samuel Lemons
David Colman
SOLID work Samuel.. very impressive. This step is really going to help your own work. AND I love you even are implementing some nice form design like on the iliac crest of the Pale Man. Some areas start to lose dimension like on the Frazetta Nightstalker. But cant win them all.
Thomas Vang Pedersen
playing around with the swamp monster, trying to imaging what it will do after the pose from the reference drawing
David Colman
GREATl.. love seeing you push yourself. Design tips- watch the parallels on the arm to leg on your second one. And with foreshortening use line weight to show the spacing and distance. So is hand woiuld be heavier line and his body would be lighter and less detail, Its basically using the camera as a tool to execute the foreshortening.
Thomas Vang Pedersen
nice exercise. I like how the very different characters have the same underlying figure structure, just the proportions and details are different. Also thank you for intruding me to Bernie Wrightson, his drawings are amazing. I will try to draw the swamp monster from different angles and poses tomorrow.
David Colman
Good steps for you. Glad you see the value. Sometimes learning this way can be tedious but it helps connect the dots for your overall skill level
Jeff Arsenault
I plan on attempting some figure rotations over the next week! Thanks!
David Colman
SOLID work... Try to implement more straights at the joints. But overall youre approaching this spot on
Linus Lehmann
I would always first draw the pose from the picture, and than try to imagine it from another angle. Sometimes it was quite hard to imagine another angle but it helped alot to get a better understanding of the threedimensionality of the forms. I think i will focus on further muscle- and life/videofootage-studies for now, but will do some more fantasy reference-studies soon again. Feedback is appreciated
David Colman
Slow down a bit on the breakdowns and with this exercise clarity is key.
David Colman
GREAT.. this is what I hoped to see. I think you need to spend more time on the breakdowns but this is what drawing from your imagination will do. It points out what you need to work on,.
@hunt4animation
I attempted Demogorgons from Stranger Things. The likeness of apes was not apparent at first but as I progressed I could find similarities and definitely leaned on what I could remember using the skeleton and my new knowledge as a guide. The parts that were different gives me new insight in what to pay attention to during future animal studies. Now I need to get to the extra credit and get to drawing from my imagination and see how that goes. Any feedback is appreciated.
David Colman
looking good .... You seem to have a good grasp. Go the extra mile and draw from your head now.
Bernard
2yr
Nice exercise. Tried to guess the skeleton structure, redraw it with that in mind, and redraw it from other angle as well in another pose. Of course I’m not satisfied with the results, but that’s seldom the point of course exercises - I learn a great deal with this.
David Colman
GREAT but I think you need to do more thorough breakdowns as its evident in the imaginary step youre losing the structure and weight. They are becoming more cartoony. Which is fine but lack the volume and understructure that you should be learning from the initial exercise. Have a look at some of the other students work- note the clarity of forms in their breakdowns
@hunt4animation
Thanks for sharing your drawings! I think drawing #2 ( Frazetta) and drawing #3 (Wrightson) are finding a great rhythm and saying a lot without saying too much. Drawing #4 ( 2nd Frazetta) - Love the dimensionality and force coming from the legs. The redraws from different angles are super fun. I would love to see more of the elements from the over drawings come across in the new drawings.
@hunt4animation
Additional practice attached this time using a wacom. Going digital was easier for this. Any feedback appreciated.
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About instructor
Illustrator working in film as a designer and storyboard artist- known as the "animal guy" for my passion for doodling animals. insta @davidsdoodles
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