The strong point in comprehensive illustration, artistic design and, specifically, in comics is professionally managing the drawing of figures and faces. The human figure is a major part of any artistic work. You need to learn to make the figure move, jump, run, sit or stand with absolute realness. Achieving this requires thorough knowledge, which is gained through dedicated and constant practice. You cannot waste time with futile efforts that come from poor practice habits that lead you to nowhere. m= SE It is not enough to teach someone techniques for doing this or that; it is essential to teach the person how to practice with these techniques and provide them with the necessary and specially designed training materials so that they can obtain the most satisfactory results in the shortest possible time. That is the objective of TRAINING FOR COMICS, approached fro self-taught draftsman and eliminating all that does not serve to emphasize what works to learn.» ene) utes It is our intention - through years of experience - to reach aspiring artists who do not have previous experience and help them become professional illustrators, so that they can work in the different branches of illustration: Artistic drawing, comics, manga, cartoons, graphic design and everything that represents expressing yourself through a simple pencil. Beginning with the basics for those who never picked up a pencil, and combining these with progressive exercises that will become more complex as the student advances in this training course, we will prepare the complete course with monthly packs and Training Sheets that can be downloaded and printed. It is up to you to manage your time and practice as much as you can. If you combine all of this with your desire to draw professionally and persevere, then you have won half the battle. It is our deepest desire that you become a part of this great community of future artists and a professional in the field of illustration. As such, we welcome you to the new DRAWING COURSE FOR BEGINNERS!, SudyjRals G 4ne) UTE) © EXERGISES: FOR!) SOF Ses VYOURIRAND As this is all new for you, we are going to provide you with some exercises that will help soften your hand, called REGULARITY GRAPHICS. These will help you to quickly develop confidence with your pencil. You can use an ordinary, black HB pencil or a number 2. An eraser will not be needed for this part. INSTRUCTOR’S TIP: Trace the lines with ease and do not press down with the pencil too much. Get accustomed now to using a soft stroke...imagine the pencil dancing on the paper. That is what you want to go for. Do not work your drawing with small, closely drawn strokes; try to draw the line correctly from the start, without fear, with ease and determination. e 0 Here are some examples of your first exercises:TARY, Sich bedsil CII etad] TOS) You will find these activities in the practice sheets that are distributed throughout the WORKBOOK, which you can download and print. Remember to always keep a clean sheet handy in case you need to make more copies of that particular exercise. All the exercises that we are going to offer you have a corresponding WORKBOOK. This guarantees that your practice times will be organized and focused. YOU NEED TO TRAIN EVERY DAY, JUST LIKE A SPORTS PROFESSIONAL. REMEMBER, DRAWING IS ALSO ABOUT TRAINING YOUR MIND AND MUSCLES. THE STICK FIGURE SIMPLIFIED STRUCTURE FOR LEARNING THE HUMAN FIGURE SHOULDER . LINE 1. Chin 2. Nipples + = 3. Navel + E [=| 4. Pubis 5. Half thigh 1 6. knee base { 7. Shins 8. Ankles \If you find that the stick figure we are suggesting is too complicated for you, try drawing a simpler version as shown in Figure 2. Remember that the stick figure is only a guide that we will later leave behind in order to allow for more intuitive drawing. An advanced illustrator usually uses this figure to create a quick visualization of the scene as a whole. As ideas come and go (and we rarely stick with the first one), it is not logical to create a very intricate drawing on the first go, because if we change our mind, that first draft gets thrown into the trash. Many artists draw the scene on a much smaller scale, while maintaining the proper proportions, in order to more clearly visualize the distribution of elements, placement of characters, types of planes, as well as the focus and composition in general.lt is most important, then, that you pay very close attention to this stepjin your study plan because it is the pillar Upon which professional figure drawing stands: All the time that you can dedicate to this “good sir”, therefore, will be the best-invested time in the whole course.Usually, when the beginner is in front of a blank sheet, they do not know where to start. What should they do first...? While there is not set rule for this, there are common ways to begin plotting your drawing. We insist, however, that this is a personal matter. If the final outcome is to the illustrator’s satisfaction, it is the same as entering through the main door rather than the window. That said, let’s take a look: You can observe in the picture of the stick figure, a dotted line drawn down the middle, beginning with the center of the head, passing through the spinal column and ending at the central base of the pubis. This is called the LINE OF ACTION, and it marks movement and pose. If the stick figure is in a straight, upright position, the line of action will be perpendicular to the floor. If the the figure executes movement, the line will incline in agreement with the pose. 1 - Be sure to observe this point in each of the examples that you will find on the practice sheets, as you will see the drawn Line of Action and will become accustomed to “seeing” it’s trajectory and inclination. Print one of the sheets provided in the WORKBOOK that is specifically used for proportions of the stick figure. Once you have the sheet printed and ready, you may proceed to practice in the following manner:2 - Very gently draw the lines of action in the blank space that is to the side of the original drawing on the practice sheet, always being careful of correct inclination (You can compare it with the original drawing). 3 - Draw the circle that will be the head, leaving a small space for the neck, and then draw the circle that corresponds to the torso. In the middle of the eight spaces, you will want to draw the oval for the inguinal cross (pubis). 4- Next, add the rest: arms and legs. Keep in mind how far to extend each one. (The practice sheets contain detailed instructions for the respective drawing.) PAY ATTENTION TO WHERE EACH PART OF THE BODY IS PLACED The middie of the body is at The elbows are located at the cross ofthe inguinal the height ofthe belly (pubis) (at 4 heads button (at 3 heads coun- distance), and the figure is ting from above). approximately the height of Pay attention tothe length ofthe arms (at § heads counting from the top), The length extends to the tp ofthe fingers stretched to ‘one-half ofthe thigh, When you have to perform poses in which your character is not completely standing and facing, you must rely on your eyes to adjust the proportions of arms and legs, since there is a distortion by the effect of perspective. But do not worry about that topic yet as we will study in depth in future packs of this same course.TRAININGS TUdu|Packs] BENS THIS IS A MATTER OF PAYING ATTENTION TO THE POSITION THAT BOTH THE SHOULDERS AND THE HIPS ADOPT. If they are indeed rigid structures, you will find flexibility in the waist, which rests between the shoulders and the hips and allows them to swing individually, thus creating the movement that we see reflected when drawing the famous “line of action”, the same line that travels through the body from the head to the pelvis. IN ORDER TO CLEARLY SEE THESE CHANGES IN POSITION, TRY THIS OUT: Imagine thrusting an iron rod through the shoulders of the figure, from side to side, and then doing the same through the hips. (Ouch! That hurts!)oe se |e The rods are tilted to either side, depending on the position adopted. Observe the measurements and proportions, and pay particular attention to the last two drawings, and how the shoulders and hips are inclined when the weight of the body rests on one leg. You will note that the inclination changes in any position where the body is not upright. Putting it all together: The Line of Action, the shoulder line and hip line, marks the basic outline of the proposed pose. Do not forget... The more inclined or exaggerated these lines, the more dramatic and dynamic the pose Is usually.TUAININGNES ruduy|Packs eo? eM Gea) The curvature of the Line of Action can go from an average inclination (Fig. 1) to an exaggerated one (Fig.2), or it can be an ondulated line as seen in poses where there is usually a twisting of the body (Fig. 3). In poses where the body is in a vertical position and the line is perpendicular to the floor, a slight curvature can be appreciated as it contributes to a more dynamic feel when there is a lack of exaggerated movement. Not only will we achieve a free flowing and proportional execution when using our stick figure, we will also be able to sketch a figure spontaneously, and we will begin to discover the foundation of what we call... RHYTHM. THE SENSATION OF RHYTHM IS OF EXTRAORDINARY IMPORTANCE IN FIGURE DRAWING: Rhythm is the flow of continuous lines that are linked to others, creating a sense of unity and composition that with constant practice can raise your skill level to a higher degree. When you feel stuck, it is most likely because of a lack of fluidity, disorder in the lines drawn, and the crossing of contours. This is why we say that a drawing, however correct in proportion it may be, is still a difficult one when it lacks rhythm.BWApe Studipacks) Ae a The Line of Action, therefore, is the first step in studying and understanding these concepts. You must dedicate time and attention! These three primary lines are marked with dotted lines on the each stick figure on the practice sheets, so that you can easily recognize them and see the angle that they are drawn with. Take a look at the following group of drawings a Co Ral) varying angles that each pose requires. It is not only about drawing a stick figure in all its possible positions. The more you draw this guy, the faster you grasp the concept of pose and proportion, and the easier it will become for you to draw Tarel lel WA Be sure to use the practice sheets, in which you will find a variety of poses. Remember to make several copies of each sheet. You will see this repeated frequently in TFC. If you want to see if you have drawn a stick figure well, you can perform a test by drawing one on transparent paper and then placing it on top of the original drawing to check measurements and proportions. This serves as a control method in which you can quickly discover your most common mistakes.l ery WERE DLO VOLUME AND POINT OF VIEW A SOMEWHAT OVAL CIZCLE TO STAZT WiTHeee You may experience some complication when trying to draw the torso and head of a figure that is not entirely ina front-facing position. If you want to give the sensation that the figure is in % profile and also inclined upward or downward, you should keep a few points in mind regarding the deformation of the midline on account of the perspective. LET’S TRY TO KEEP IT SIMPLE: We had mentioned that a circle, somewhat oval but not too much, represents the torso, and a Sarna yet smaller one represents the ead. To see the effect this causes when these foures change position, we suggest you create a simple and useful element that will help you quickly understand this point.Find a Once this is done, hold the ball at eye level and look directly at it. You should see something like this (Fig.1): spherical object or create one using putty or the like, then Now try to rotate it and draw a line ar rad around its vousnouid circumference. a something Tike this... Now, if you rotate, the sphere toward one side or the other, and if you lower or raise ita little, you should see it taking on the following forms...ARDY, 1 estudy|Packs} S a eme|Urehin) ths RAINING) SEAMS If you look closely at the torso and the head on the stick figure, you will notice that the lines are drawn in the same way as in the circle; with the middle line of the body represented in the torso and the baseline of the pectorals. Look at other drawings and try to find and visualize the construction lines (Even if they are not drawn.) You will notice that when Pay attention to how changing positions, these these lines are lines are also changed or are Ee : modified, just like when you rotated the circle you were holding. In fact, you will use these guides countless times when you want to draw the features over the cranium. It is from the intersection of these lines from which the different traits are distributed, thus establishing the distances between them. The position of the cross drawn in the circle that represents the cranium will indicate the direction that your character is looking in. This will vary according to where you locate the cross, be it centered, a little higher or lower, or profile.WRAWUINGICONR SF ARIBEGINNERS RAINING RES tercdey USE THIS AS THE STARTING POINT FOR DISTRIBUTING THE OTHER FEATURES: EYES, MOUTH, NOSE, EARS, ETC. Se SOMETHING SIMILAR HAPPENS WITH THE ROTATION OF THE TORSO; THE CROSS THAT FORMS THE INTERSECTION OF THE PECTORALS WITH THE VERTICAL MIDLINE SHOWS US ITS POSITION, L.E., WHERE THE CENTER OF THE CHEST IS POINTING. IN THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES, THE CROSSES ARE DRAWN IN GREEN SO THAT YOU CAN EASILY SEE THEM. Carefully analyze each example by monitoring the direction of each line depending on the position of the torso ... ?EOPR Do not worry if at first it is a bit complicated for you to draw the torso and its lines in proper perspective. This is normal as you have not yet fully developed a sense of volume. There will most likely exist small errors that you may not pick up on at first sight, and yet you may have a sense that something is not right with your drawing. You have nothing to worry about as practice fixes everything. Our hope is that you can grasp the main idea of how all this works and the usefulness of correctly placing the lines.RAS, Somes BCS In Pack #2 of this course, you will study and practice this same topic, but from another point of view, in which you will acquire the ability to clearly see the three dimensions: hight, width and depth, and their correct placement in the drawing space. ay VO TIO ONTES ap Ye WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER WHEN | @).- e ( PRACTICING WITH STICK FIGURES? | Ce » ONE: Pay attention to the direction (inclination) of the Line of Action, shoulders and hips. TWO: Pay attention to the position of |, the cross, which willindicate | ~ direction in which the center of the head and torso are pointing respectively. That said, you know what you need to control when practicing. NOW, YOU HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO START PRACTICING AND PREPARING FOR THE NEXT PACK. GOOD LUCK!TRAINING eX PINTS Sea CHT PremiumZone WU Te