Sculpting Gesture with an Armature
Sculpting Gesture with an Armature

Figure Sculpting Fundamentals

Capturing Gesture

Sculpting Gesture with an Armature

1.5K
Mark as Completed
Course In Progress

Sculpting Gesture with an Armature

1.5K
Mark as Completed
Course In Progress

Do 1-3 gesture studies. You can use the Posespace models found in the downloads section of the course page. Submissions due on January 21st.

Submit your assignments here
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Newest
Hengu Willemse
Hi, here's my first Gesture study as well... would appreciate your input/critique... I'm not too happy with the head (will work on it when I get to the Loomis-head section). I also feel it looks a bit like a caricature, not quite sure why it came it out like that, many thanks.
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
Yeah It has a lot of energy. I think the proportions are a bit off so the size of the shoulder width and the head are a bit too large. try sculpting thinner and double check the proportions of the body (outlined in the video on making armatures). Keep it up!
Reply
enmanuel tamarez
So here's my 1st Gesture study. You'll notice that you'll see technically 2 different ones. Well the 1st one I did I really PACKED ON the weight. So much that it couldn't stand. My suspicion was the feet or that it was too heavy for the skeleton as the wire frame couldn't even hold it up. So I took out another wire armature and did it again. Except this time I did pencil gesture studies of the ref. I'm a line guy so I figured it would help me to translate into doing more gesture than structure. I also paid very close attention to balance. Every so often I would have the model stand to make sure I was having a balanced sculpture. Unfortunately, while I succeeded in a standing model, the upper body is too flat. I guess you can blame that on being a little too LINEar with applying the gesture drawings...get it?...Cause it's kind of...flat...
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
Hey looking great! Yeah you're right I think it could use a little bit more curve in the spine. It helps to try to look for gesture curves throughout the body and limbs. The legs for example look like they are a little stiff so look for gesture lines and s and c curves of the silhouette of the legs. Sculpting thinner is also a good idea generally.
Reply
John Sumner
Gesture Study #3. I focused on the mass and weight of this pose because there's a lot of interesting things going on in the back and left art/shoulder area. I made a mistake in the armature construction, so the spine was 1/4" too short. Due to that, the rib cage and pelvis are closer together than what the model's proportions are, making the sculpture a little more squat. That said, since he's a bodybuilder, it kinda works and doesn't ruin the work. Any other notes are welcome.
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
nicely done!
Reply
enmanuel tamarez
I like how blocky you made it feel.
Reply
John Sumner
Gesture Study #2. Putting aside my poor photography skills, this study was overall decent. I think there might be room to push the rib cage on the left side so that it really offsets from the pelvis. I found that the right leg kept sagging/bending at the knee, so that leg feels a little off from the pose reference as well. Side note: The Sculpey I found for the $5 challenge is Super Soft/gummy, and it feels like it doesn't bake completely... I can definitely see why it was free. Still, I"m happy to use it for gesture sculpts because it frees me up from getting too precious with things.
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
Good job! You are doing great with these gesture studies.
Reply
John Sumner
Gesture study #1. For this assignment, I built 3 armatures at 3/4" = 1 Cranial unit which yielded 9" tall armatures. The material I worked in was white Sculpey. I chose this pose because it was the hardest one for my brain to wrap itself around. Something about the relationship of the head, torso, hips and feet were challenging. Overall, I think I came pretty close to capturing and pushing the gesture of the pose, properly identifying a center line, and sort of implying the squash and stretch sides of the torso. I think I'll add a more permanent support for this sculpture too.
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
Hey looking great! awesome job at the gesture study. I hope you'll keep going and do some more! or continue to develop the details on this one.
Reply
arnavvinod
Gesture Study
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
Looking good! as your getting into the details I'd double check the width of the hips as its looking like they might be a little too wide. A great gesture study! Keep going!
Reply
ryani
I had an opportunity to do a 2.5 hour life model session where I sculpted in plasticine around a wire armature with the oven bake clay masses for the head, torso and pelvis. I used a 1 inch cranial unit which I found too small to add the fingers but I would like to do a bigger one with the hands next
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
Really awesome! There’s nothing like working from a live model! Keep it up!
Reply
Conny B.
Gesture studies! The first one ended up a bit to lanky and stiff, but the other ones went a bit better which was nice. Any feedback is welcome!
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
Super fun! Great job. I can really feel the gesture. Go ahead and add a simple head onto the armature because the direction of the head can help show the gesture. A simple boxy head shape that’s roughly the right proportions as the head is enough to show the direction and position of the head.
Reply
Conny B.
3rd study
Reply
Jose Ardern
Gesture Study 3 with an Armature
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
nicely done! Love the dramatic lighting!
Reply
Jose Ardern
Gesture Study 2 with an Armature
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Jose Ardern
Gesture Study 1 with an Armature
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
I really like this one! Keep it up!
Reply
kalinda Witchey
Hi my names Kalinda , I did my first gesture study , would love to get your feedback :)
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
kalinda Witchey
Thanks heaps Andrew , I will work on this :)
Reply
Andrew Joseph Keith
Great job for a first gesture study! The only thing that stands out is maybe pushing the gesture just a little further than the reference, possibly by pushing the hips out away from the hand reaching out. As far as proportions it’s looking great. I look forward to seeing more!
Reply
Strahinja Milutin
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Strahinja Milutin
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
ryani
Hi, I am a bit late to the party but finally began this course and completed my first gesture study in plasticine.
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
Awesome! Keep it up and I look forward to seeing more!
Reply
jakeyboy123
Andrew, this may sound odd but I am not on any social media and do not want to be. Is there a different way for me to get images to you?
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
You should be able to post them here by clicking the image icon on the right hand side of where you comment.
Reply
Cat Moreno
Even though I do figure drawing, I had some trouble trying to ignore the details. I didn't intend for them to be smoothed at all but I was working in a warm room so they smoothed some just from handling them. I'm open to any suggestions of things to work on in future gestures.
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Andrew Joseph Keith
Hey looking great! I can really feel the pose in these. If I had to suggest one thing I might try to make the torso a little smaller, it looks like the torso might be too large compared to the arms and legs. That’s something that doesn’t have much to do with gesture though but it’s the first thing that stood out. Keep it up! You’re doing great!
Reply
Cat Moreno
gesture 2, this one is 6 inches while the other two are 9
Reply
Cat Moreno
gesture 3
Reply
Scott Camazine
I am really enjoying this lesson. Here are a few views of my work in progress. I'm using the same pose as in the video (Candle 004). I have bulked up the gesture too much, and am now working on carving back the features. I probably should have worked more slowly from the beginning!!!
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Luca Moss
there is no link for the models.
Write reply...
Drop images here to attach them to the message
Charlie Nicholson
The link has been moved to be on the main page of the course. So from here, if you scroll to the top of the page and click the text "Figure Sculpting Fundamentals," you'll see a downloads tab there with the model pack.
Reply
Gift Cards
Gift card for art students to use on anything in the Proko store
About instructor
Proko sculpting instructor from Logan Utah. Sculpting takes drawing to a whole new dimension.
Help!
Browse the FAQs or our more detailed Documentation. If you still need help or to contact us for any reason, drop us a line and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
Your name
Email
Message