How do I make my art look less flat?

[JoshRaed]

So I made this pose in pose maker as a reference for my art.

So I could edit this drawing.

But when I tried to add the butt part, I ended up with it looking very off, and I quickly realized it was because the upper body had no sense of depth to it, so the butt cheeks don’t look like there’s one in front of the other.

[GodbreakerComic]

Connect the cheek to the front leg. That gap makes it look a bit confusing.

On the elbow make the forearm line go IN a little bit towards the tip of the elbow in front of the bicep. Like how you did with the armpit. Use the same logic with the crease on the elbow.

[JoshRaed]

This isn’t the version of that drawing i’m referring to as the one with the butt edit. That version is on my computer.

This version is what’s published, and what I plan to edit.

Sorry. I’ll get the new one when I can.

The lack of connection is there because it makes the butt cheek feel less weird and noticeable, and makes the divide between the legs look less visible, the way it would look in a pair of jeans.

[Kelheor]

You will still see the butt cheek definition in jeans. Google "running in jeans" and look at photos.
The upper body doesn't make sense because basically it's a pose that doesn't make a lot of sense. What is the character doing, running like this with the arm up? And even more important, where is his second arm? We don't see it, but in this pose, with him running quickly, we should. Right now the pose lacks any movement, you can see how it's just a 3D model being posed in vacuum.

[LouisWinter]

Adding elements that suggest the 3rd dimension help me. Also, since you has an application that has poseable models, try to challenge yourself with unique and dymanic angles. This has help me in the long run.

I still use aids to help me from time to time

[Legendofgenii]

I would double check the hand, because I think the thumb could be on the wrong side.

[aqua03]

Some shading might help too

[cherrystark]

Highlight and shadow. There is no light source in the picture. You have a flat character on a flat background. The darker purple lines also kind of obscure the figure though I will admit I don't know what you were intending with those.

With the jeans, for example, if your character is running toward the light source - the lighter blue would be facing the direction of the light and the darker shades would be toward the back of his leg. You would also apply the same idea to the background to help add dimension.

This picture is an example we used in art class when doing highlight and shadows.

[thecrystalrook]

its shading you gotta work on - shadows add depth

[IndigoShirtProd]

A great way to make your artwork look more three dimensional is to start with a foundation of understanding 3D shapes, including cubes, spheres, and cylinders. Then further using that understanding to add form to character drawings. You start building figures out of boxes and tunes rather than flat shapes. But that takes time and practicing getting used to drawing with those ideas in mind.

A great way to fudge it when it comes to drawing people to to be considerate of how clothes lay on the body. A fundamental understanding of anatomy and how clothes fold really helps this, but again it take time and practice. Basic, easy to implement advice would be:
1. Unless someone is wearing a skintight suit, and even then a skintight suit will have wrinkles, clothing will lay on top of a person. Meaning sleeves will look like this second hand

2. Placing wrinkles/folds in the right place and also not over doing it. Your going to find folds where you find joints. Joints at the elbow, the shoulder, the knee, the hip, the ankle, the neck, and not forgetting the spine resulting folds along the torso. Folds don't only occur at joints, but that's the main place you'll find them. Example:

With these two tips, at least for character drawing you, can get way with making your figures look more three-dimensional. And also, and I don't say this to undercut anyone, but you don't need to shade. Not if you don't want to. Yes to it helps, especially with making the art more dimensional to an outside viewer. However, since you seemingly don't understand how to build a form from 3D shapes or aren't experienced enough to just wing it, adding light sources and figuring out how shadows would fall my just be more work than it's worth and might make the artwork look even flatter than you would want. I'm not saying don't learn how to do shade, but don't feel like you have shade in order to make your webcomic.

[JoshRaed]

What 3D modeling software is that?

[JoshRaed]

What is the character doing, running like this with the arm up? And even more important, where is his second arm?

He’s doing a lunge lunch thing, like the anime leap with just his fist instead of a ninja sword.

His second arm is at his side. I didn’t know how to make it visible without it being weird and distracting, since he isn’t doing anything with it.

[JoshRaed]

I meant to do that at some point but I forgot.

[KSlinger]

Would you be able to find an image reference of the kind of lunge you're talking about for us non-anime watchers?

[LouisWinter]

Easy Pose from Steam. It's like 15 bucks

[Lensing]

Draw with simple shapes and use contour line, this will make it easier to make it look 3 dimensional,
to add shadow and light and to draw the clothes.

You can see the highlights on the head and arm of the reference picture, you can add the highlights
to your drawing and it will already look less flat.
You can do the same with the shadows, the reference picture is not good for that though because
you can´t really see many shadows. I would change the light on the reference picture to have better, visible
shadows and then try to copy what you see

[Katzalcoatl]

It is also available for free on the play store.

[Katzalcoatl]

It's not really anime. It is more of an action thing. There is no set reference since there are so many varieties but here are some examples.

On the first image the pose on the far right fits what Josh is trying to do. Although in the image that pose was made using female superheroes.

[KSlinger]

Ahh thank for the pics! Maybe OP will find them helpful too. I was so confused, I couldn't understand what someone could be doing with one arm up over their head like that and the other one static at their side (as described by OP). I was imagining something like a fencing lunge??

[Kelheor]

You use word "distracting" a lot try to think about other parts of the character as helping, not as distracting. In this action pose the body will be positioned a bit different, mostly due to the fact that we really use our whole bodies doing something in that much action. If you will record how you move on phone, you will see something like @IndigoShirtProd sketched, depending on the position of the moving arm. Like you don't run and punch someone with your upper body and one arm being completely static.
If you're going for action comic, try to do more action sketches it may be hard in the beginning, but you will work it out.