Getting form help (Thanks Fox, and JM)

[Drewbacca]

Okay Fox. I'll update the title to give you credit too. We all know that's what you want

[FuryFox]

Damn straight.


Seriously though, one thing to consider is to not over-emulate Hogarth's style...just about everyone I know who's into art is familiar with those books, and can spot a mimic really easy. Hogarth's hands and feet are something that people get called on quite a bit, at least at the art school I went to.

[Drewbacca]

I'm just starting the hand chapter, so I'll keep that in mind.

[cigsthecat]

I'm not that impressed with Hogarth myself. I have his Dynamic anatomy book, and it's way too over the top.

One of my favorite figure drawing books is by Andrew Loomis, and sadly long out of print and quite rare. It is online however.

http://www.fineart.sk/page_01.htm

Any of Bridgeman's books are also great, and cheap.

Vilppu is a god, you should definitely buy his figure drawing book while you're at it.

http://www.vilppustudio.com/

At the end of the day though, there is no substitute for actual life drawing.

[FuryFox]

Eh, to each their own...Hogarth's books aren't really meant for gospel anyway, just a way to conceptualize anatomy on a structural level. That's what I meant when I said to beware emulating Hogarth, since his instructional books have such a distinct, and in some cases, marginally inaccurate look to them. Even Hogarth's actual art is quite different than the illustrations in his book.

The way forms and mass is translated in dynamic form though is extremely helpful, especially if you're into drawing super-hero stuff. I agree though that actual life-drawing is invaluable, and one of the main draws of enrolling in an art program.

[cigsthecat]

I see your point about the superhero stuff, but I still don't find his drawings particularly pleasing to the eye.

Everything in his books has been idealized/ distorted so much that it loses value for me as an instructional tool. After seeing the Loomis book it's hard for me to take Hogarth's work seriously.

[Drewbacca]

Originally posted by FuryFox
Eh, to each their own...Hogarth's books aren't really meant for gospel anyway, just a way to conceptualize anatomy on a structural level. That's what I meant when I said to beware emulating Hogarth, since his instructional books have such a distinct, and in some cases, marginally inaccurate look to them. Even Hogarth's actual art is quite different than the illustrations in his book.

The way forms and mass is translated in dynamic form though is extremely helpful, especially if you're into drawing super-hero stuff. I agree though that actual life-drawing is invaluable, and one of the main draws of enrolling in an art program.

You're both absolutely right, but there's nothing more to life in my room at nighttime then drapery over chairs, which I have done to death. Plus that doesn't make very convincing character art Although I could probably pull it off because I'm such a asshole.

Yeah... it's tarpchair man.

Anyway. Thanks for the help. The one thing I like about Hogarth is that he encourages you to find your own style. He also has a very good idea of how form changes with generations. The form of a woman in the 1940s is different then nowadays... and he mentions to experiment with the parts of the body to express your own ideals.