**I’m moving! Please visit my new blog: Ink Epiphanies. All the Serpents and Doves content is being moved, and any new posts will be made there. Thank you so much for visiting**
Not too long ago I posted a tutorial on blocking out the basic fashion figure. If you use the proportions and measurements I gave you, we can take the process one step further: giving your figure pose or movement.
Giving a pose to the croquis evokes mood, emotion, and movement. The more interesting the pose the greater visual effects you can achieve when rendering fabric on top of it. Multiple methods exist in regards to how to move your figure around, but I prefer to start out with stick figures! Ah yes, those wonderful little twiggy humanoid elements everyone has drawn since elementary school. With a stick figure I find you can capture the essence of the human form without having to worry about details. You can determine whether a position looks natural and balanced, and if it is going to enhance whatever style of clothing you decide to create.
Things to remember:
- Physics. Make sure your figure is balanced. Draw a line from the center of the head straight down and try to keep the figure’s weight centered around that. This doesn’t mean the whole body is on that line. In fact, often only the head and one lower leg are positioned exactly on the line.
- Work quickly. These aren’t works of art, they are stick figures.
- Remember the fashion aspect. Don’t put an evening gown on a figure that appears to be sprinting. In general, the more formal the attire, the more formal the pose.
This provides a wonderful excuse to doodle!
Technically, I was planning to type out an actual tutorial, but I found an AMAZING one from elfwood.com that uses the exact process I was going to explain, but in greater depth:
hi i m designer nice to see and read about figure illustration i love illustration its very lovely
wondering if you were still around…would like to discuss design work I need done
Why yes, I am still around
It’s been a long time coming, but things are starting to pick up once again in regards to Serpents and Doves. If I don’t hear from you again in the next day or two I will attempt to email you, and it will be either from serpentsdoves or ink epiphanies.
Hope you have a fantastic day!
Please e-mail me to discuss in detail. I’ll look for either of the 2 sources…thanx