This is my part 6 follow along attempt on the left and my own attempt using a different reference on the right.

I have a question about the approach to shoulders as a 'shoulderpad' block. I understand how shoulders vary independently of ribcage, however a lot of poses that trip me up also show shoulders varying independently from each other - one shoulder can be pushed forward or upward while the other is neutral, or both can be pushed forward making a C shape, breaking the idea that there's a block going through them. At this point keeping a square structure for the shoulders (including warping it or trying to 'hinge' the shoulderpad block) trips me up more than it helps. I've resorted to just throwing in basically a sphere or egg shape for shoulders in these cases, floating to the sides of the neck above the ribcage where I see the main shoulder mass, and as a connecting point for upper arm cylinders. Usually it ends up getting pushed around with the upper part of the deltoid which might be helpful - it doesn't show perspective the way the blocky shape would, but maybe that's better than showing the wrong perspective. Anyone have any other suggestions or examples for a shorthand different shoulder representation? I can go toward anatomy (scapula + clavicle + traps + deltoid etc.) but I'm looking for a good consistent mannikin notation.

Following along. By the way, I think the video cuts off before it is supposed to be over.

The shoulder structure made it obvious that I need more practice with cutting into forms!

Hey, I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out the torso and pelvis box directions, proportions, and angles. I think i have a habit of trying to use 1 point perspective, but i know the loose rule is to keep them 2pt most of the time. Any feedback or suggestions would be much appreciated. I feel confident when i do the gesture, but then i try to cut away the egg shapes for the corresponding shapes and everything goes sideways.

Don’t realize the should griddle is slightly tilted form the rib cage

Front view constructions. I wasn’t sure about the top right one. The proportions seem right, but I feel like there’s too much space between the rib cage and pelvis boxes. Any thoughts?

Wanted to ask in the previous video about the orientation of the box but I'm delighted to know it's been answered in this one! Took a jab at doing the shoulder ridge, moved it forward so it's easier to see. Fun exercise!

Honestly really appreciate these lessons after some art block, just helps make art fun again.

Here are my notes and drawing from this lesson. Using shape construction to help depict the anatomy of the figure makes so much sense. Especially for a pose such as this one that has a little perspective to it.

Notes from the lesson. Heavy emphasis on how the clavicle/ shoulders are connected to the ribcage but operate independently.

I thought I had lost my mind again when I looked back up at the video while drawing and all of a sudden there were all these hand construction drawings on the sheet. Nope. Just an edit. Anyway, a couple more things clicked for me in this lesson. The biggest thing: The landmarks are as you have said, places where the bones are visible through the skin, right? So when doing the tilts and masses the obvious thing is that they are great indicators of the angles of the masses and to some degree the extent of the mass. BUT WAIT! THERE's MORE! I kept getting stuck on contour when doing the gesture, something that has always been an issue for me when doing FORCE gesture a la Mike Mattesi. But suddenly, after having to go back and fix some of the earlier stages, to really lock in the idea of using the pencil/stylus as a sculptural tool, it suddenly clicked! When thinking about the perspective of the arms and legs, and using boxes and cylinders, these landmarks, like the edge of the ulna and the distal end of the radius for example, these dictate the extent of the form we'll use to tack the anatomy onto. So keeping the forms in 1 and 2 point perspective, not tapering to show depth but using 'above/below; towards/away' thinking, instead, we set ourselves up really nicely for that. I was always drawing the forms much wider or larger than they needed to be. MY BRAIN KEPT TRICKING MY HAND! It wanted to get to the drawing of the model, and stick with the abstractions that will serve the overall final result much better than trying to go straight at the model as a model. I hope that makes sense.

Great lesson. I like the simplified thin shoulder girdle - less clutter. I am beginning to understand the customisabilty of this approach and not getting hung up on any particular step. Less stressful approach for me especially when drawing in pencil as it reduces the number of marks piled on top of each other.

Current progress and personal practice so far.

I'm gonna go for more personal studies after this. I'm also thankful that I have an idea on how to use this method in the various angles.

Some more studies. Seeing the drawings of the palm of the hand helped my understanding with some other parts, also remembering to have fun in practice.

I’ve been a bit confused with the shoulder girdle concept when you’ve used it in previous lectures, but you’ve explained it perfectly in this one! Being shown how they can move independently with the little diagrams made it immediately click

Current progress in course