The Final Project Assignment

Lesson by

David Colman

inDrawing Dynamic Creatures

173

Assignments 28

Downloads 1

The Final Project Assignment

Lesson by

David Colman

in Drawing Dynamic Creatures

173

Assignments 28

Downloads 1

Create two stages of a design

Stage 1 - Exploration Sheet: This is the initial stage where you are exploring and experimenting with the design. Try to show evidence of structure volumes, believable anatomy, and poses that feel true to your source material (which are apes in this case).

Stage 2 - Finished Design: Once you've found a design that works well in the exploration stage, refine it to a more finished state. This does not necessarily mean full color or setting it in a specific environment. It could simply be a cleaned-up line design where the shapes are more defined and not as loose or rough as in the exploration stage.

The assignment should demonstrate effort and intention to push beyond "good enough." Don't settle for the bare minimum, prove your capabilities with each task.

Compare your final design to a design you created before you started the course. This will serve as a control group to help you see the improvement in your work after taking the course.

@drusk

•

9mo

Decided to combine a gorilla and a big horn sheep. This is just a head shot right now but I hope to have some more full body shots soon. This was a fun exercise and I want to try this with other critters.

@drusk

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9mo

continued with body design combining the gorilla and mountain sheep. It looks a bit like a satyr.

Eve A. Bear

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1yr

Still in phase 1 I included a list of my ideas on the creature I think i like to show it over the canopy, to gater the fruits. The fruits are goin to float over the trees that is why the creature need to float to take them.. neext i am going to do the final drawing . Hope to have a little bit of mouvement and life like feeling in it like you try to teach us ... :)

Ian Gregory

•

2yr

For this assignment I tried combining the ape with…. frogs. The first stage has helped me explore and study the animals loosely without worrying too much to make it like the actual reference picture. The last picture is the finished design. Will definitely implement the exploration stage for more creatures in the future. Thank you David for the course and the feedback!

David Colman

•

2yr

Super fun combo- smart choices. I love the final. I think you could push the length of the arms to be more ape dominant. And maybe using frog feet but give them the dexterity and spacial relationship of apes- so can latch on its environment. The exploration sketches need to be more extensive. Loose is good but they lack the information needed to make the proper design choices. I think you did a great job in this course. See you in the next one.

Linus Lehmann

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2yr

This is my stage 2 drawing. @David Colman Thank you so much for this course! Especially the feedback was invaluable. I think of all the drawingbooks and courses i have taken so far(and most of them where great), this one has helped me the most! I am very much looking forward to future courses. I personally hope for big cats or bears (but I really like all animals).

David Colman

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2yr

I LOVE hearing this. Wow I am honored. Okay so the body feels good. I like he is a setting. One that works for his angular ecology but the lightbulb appendage feels stuck on. It took me a minute to register what was going on. Needs to be more cohseive. And ask yourself would it be this long ? how could he survive with this length? Maybe he has to slam his face in water and has gills allowing him to breathe under water but also typical mammal lungs to survive outside of the water. Think through the creatures evolution- to make it convincing you have to create a life that can actually exist. I look forward to seeing you in the next class

Linus Lehmann

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2yr

More Explorations and Orang Utan poses.

David Colman

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2yr

I love how committed you are. Just need to deep dive further into structure - to make definitive choices. The exploration on page 4 bottom right seems to be the one that inspired the final design. The shape relationships and proportions work better here than in the final because you pushed the volumes and went for dominant shape sizes even with a realistic creature.

Kassjan (Kass) Smyczek

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2yr

After I added lion studies to the ape and monkey studies I started again to make sketches for my lion/mandrill cross-over: The Mandrillion. :) So the first picture was trying out to find the right posture. It was a little tricky since on the one hand I wanted it to feel really dynamic - like you are being attacked. On the other hand when you face the mandrillion head-on you can't see much of his features (like his lion like legs). So I added a little explanatory sketch depicting the length of the arms and his lion legs. I hope this is showing some progress compared to the other sketch, where you said the mandrill and the lion are too close to each other. @David Colman are you planning to do more classes? I really enjoyed this one. Regards!

David Colman

•

2yr

YES planning on doing more classes. We have some in the planning stage but we wont film until next year. Stay tuned. More info coming soon. (Thank you for your kindness I am happy you enjoyed the course and sharing that sentiment. )

David Colman

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2yr

Thisis great... IT does feel dynamic. AND I LOVE that youre thinking this way. For submission t a client you would definitely benefit from showing these. Now youre losing the connection from head to body. The mane is acting as a crutch for lack of thinking the neck attachment through. Design it with full body in mind and then layer the mane over that- its becoming less dynamic and believable because the head/mane feel disconnected from entire body. Make it more cohesive and find a harmony

Eve A. Bear

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2yr

Stage 1 ... some exploration on animals with "bubble" parts(fish bird) and different kind of apes/primates (mostly baboon). Some tests of combinations.

David Colman

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2yr

Interesting I admire you thinking out of the box. The thought is great but implementation isnt reading as well. I just think the gland idea becomes a little foreign to the viewer despite being correct. Ask yourself how can I make this part of the design in a more appealing way. Is it used as a defense mechanism- like a blow fish? And maybe its around the gullet of the ape like some birds. I look forward to seeing how you take this further.

Linus Lehmann

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2yr

These are my explorations of an orang utan - anglerfish. On the last picture are the referencepictures i used for the breakdowns. On the first page are the breakdowns. @David Colman I tried to follow your feedback to really workout the forms and to take the necessary time, to take it a step further, and i think it is very helpful! Looking at my explorations now I think that in some of them the attachment of the legs and pelvis to the upperbody seems a bit weird, I will give more thought to that in future drawings. I think I will start to work on a finished design next. Any Feedback would be very welcome!

David Colman

•

2yr

Hey Linus- apologies for the delay in replying. I admire your challenging combo but its the right way to go. Two completely different species.I think you should go more ape dominant with the head being more angler in structure- maybe a fin down the back and def the lightbulb trait of that source. I am really speaking to the second page lower left. I think you have something there. Spend more time exploring that one and take your time. It only takes one to get it working- but to get it right it takes many explorations . Look at more orangutang poses to help mitigate the oddness of the pelvis. And since I suggest keeping the body more ape like it should help. Find the flow- search for harmony so as to avoid frankensteining...

Samuel Lemons

•

2yr

Stage 2. I really enjoyed the course. I would like to thank you David for the course and all your feedback. Thanks!

David Colman

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2yr

even thought you cant see it doesnt mean its not there... would at least see some smaller pat of the form

David Colman

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2yr

Thank you Samuel for the personal comment. Glad you liked the course. There are more in the planning stages. I think in your final piece you lost some structure- screen right shoulder

Samuel Lemons

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2yr

This is stage 1 will have stage 2 soon.

David Colman

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2yr

hmmm Okay but it very formulaic computer approach of creating iterations. Its not realy exploring as much as just drawing over and changing minor details. Find it...draw it form various angles... dont lock it in this early. You cut yourself off at knees by approaching variations this way. ITs okay to be uncomfortable and unsure- thats how you grow

Jeff Arsenault

•

2yr

I will submit my stage one in the next week or so! Here is my stage 2... Thank you for the course, it has been fantastic! I am sure I will be revisiting this course frequently in the weeks, months and years to come! Thank you!

David Colman

•

2yr

Well your last combo sketch was great I would like to see your explorations. I do think you have the skill to make a more dynamic pose that is fully alive and more engaging. This is good but I know youre better. The tattooing etc is nice but it feels flat And the expression can be more engaging even in his resting position. Seated poses can tell stories too. Whats he feeling- whats his story...

Bernard

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2yr

David, Hereby my final assignment. I’ve chosen a comic style, for comics is the destination I am aiming for. Drawing two characters make the drawing more interesting, I like to see some story emerging. Still a lot to learn, but your lessons and the assignments have helped me a lot in growing as an artist, so thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge and giving us the critiques we needed.

David Colman

•

2yr

LOVE the narrative.. and youre doing what you want. When dealing with a little more of a cartoon it still needs to possess some evidence of basic structure( like where is his neck - even from this angle you might see a "hook" communicated with sterno muscle to pit of neck- by "hook" I mean a 2D trick to hook or connect two forms together) Also form design- especially with more cartoon styles the forms take on a specific design and not just drawn. Glad you liked the course. I love your loose sketches- so much life

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David Colman

Illustrator working in film as a designer and storyboard artist- known as the "animal guy" for my passion for doodling animals. insta @davidsdoodles