From where do you usually start drawing bodies?

MST3KFan 2017-01-13 23:08:55 UTC #33

I always start at the head like many people seem to here. I draw the circle type shape, then add the nose, then eyes and mouth, hair...and then it goes from there.

Michelle 2017-01-13 23:49:19 UTC #34

Usually it's head circle/loose expression, --> torso --> arms/hands --> legs/feet, then I go back and refine things. However, if there's part of the pose that's really exaggerated, like a prominent arm gesture or torso movement, I start with that.

I prefer to leave the details of the face for last, because I know it's my preferred area and if I detail the face first I risk getting lazy with the rest of the body. Kinda like eating your veggies before dessert D: in general my drawings look better if I move around all parts of the figure in stages, rather than fully-rendering one section at a time.

Mharz 2017-01-14 01:32:38 UTC #35

I start with the head because I use at as a unit of measurement for the proportions of the body. Then torso and hips so that I can define the pose of the character.

SleepingPoppy 2017-01-14 01:37:48 UTC #36

In a figure drawing class from ages ago the teacher pushed me to start with the torso first, and build on top of it. Buuuuut I went right back to starting with the face.. I think its a good idea to get some gesture lines down for the body before you jump into any details, though.

Ambat 2017-01-14 04:02:40 UTC #37

I literally start with stick figures that look something like this:

Most of the things I think about when I'm drawing a character aren't really related to the technical anatomy, but rather the gesture and silhouette of the post I'm drawing them in. I'd rather have a drawing that was really dynamic and that feels "alive" as opposed to hyper technical correct anatomy and whatnot. Past this stick figure phase I'll draw the volumes and details on top and just go ahead and take it to the final pass from there.

davidlhickmon 2017-01-14 04:08:32 UTC #38

I almost always start with the head. I find that suggests the rest of the figure.

SirGutsalot 2017-01-14 04:54:59 UTC #39

I every now and then challenge myself to draw a really anatomically correct figure from the feet up - it's damn hard. But a part from that i'm a head person starting from the eyes (But I used to always start from the nose).

williamjbowles 2017-01-14 04:58:17 UTC #40

outline of the head, and I work my way down from there. (just gotta make sure the feet end up at ground level...)

WakaXO 2017-01-14 05:57:04 UTC #41

I start from the head, then add the rough outlines of the neck, shoulders and torso. Everything else is done in no particular order. Though a lot of the time I will draw hands before arms, because it's easier to figure out the proper proportions that way. (I don't do the same thing with feet/legs however.)

Vanesalisa 2017-01-14 12:00:30 UTC #42

head first then the body

Starfestival 2017-01-14 23:44:07 UTC #43

The head, though sometimes I start off on other areas like the chest or hair to see if I can still draw the image right.

VikiKuli 2017-01-15 00:46:33 UTC #44

Generally, the neck/shoulder, then the body then the head then the eyes/mouth then the nose then the hair (always the same process )

Greg_Dickson 2017-01-15 01:11:37 UTC #45

Normally I start with the head, like most people, and do a general outline of the rest of the body's proportions. Then I sketch more lines over the body, kind of 'sculpting' the shape I want, and eliminating the unwanted lines in the end. However, occasionally I will start with something like the legs/rear, if the legs are in a bent/raised position. I find it's so much easier to do those parts first in that instance, since they are the hardest part of that kind of shot (and then work my way up from torso to head). This is quite difficult to do, but it's far worse for me creating a great upper body, and then struggling with the legs. Also, sometimes it works well to do the legs first if you want the legs/feet entirely in-frame. Sometimes, I do the upper body first, and then won't have enough room for the lower body, as I underestimate how long the legs really are.

gateofselidor 2017-01-15 01:14:57 UTC #46

I mark out the position of the head with an oval, and then do a brief sketch of the pose. I generally start refining around the neck and shoulders first. I don't like to fill in the details on the head too quickly because sometimes the initial oval ends up being completely out of proportion with the body and I have to redraw the head, and that's hard to do if I've gotten attached to the expression.

sophiajlorenzo 2017-01-15 02:13:05 UTC #47

I usually start from the head, unless I'm drawing them in a scene then I do a quick gesture and start with the hips :>

ryoko 2017-01-15 02:19:37 UTC #48

The eyes...I've always started with the eyes.

thekinginthesun 2017-01-20 17:51:22 UTC #49

I always start sketching the face, then start working my way down. Face shape first, followed by the eyes. Then eyebrows - nose - mouth.

Mari 2017-01-26 16:45:27 UTC #50

I always start from simple balls and triangles, but to refine I always start with the nose. It's center to the face, rest features just fall to place after :3

almondjoy445 2017-02-07 22:39:22 UTC #51

I usually start with the head then go from their.

Hel 2017-02-08 16:26:42 UTC #52

Always the head, usually from the nose and/or eyebrows., but sometimes from the jaw if I'm really familiar with the face shape of the character I'm drawing. I find it impossible to draw the head correctly if I don't start with it.