How to not stress over a fight scene (i solved my problem)

[BobbyjoeX]

and honestly, i don't know how to write this thread, im so messed up in the head, i got a headache writing just this from stress.

Royal, My comic has stopped, it is at a stand still because i have no clue at all how to do fight scenes. people have told me how, and tried to explain with words, even sent videos and non of it helped at all.

none of it helped because of my mental condition, i was always a one on one visual learner, like have the person focus on me while visually showing me how to do it... so i figured a way to help me in the future is to get someone to help me choreograph and thumb this scene but that hit another issue.

on another forum people were shamed for asking for stuff like this so right now i am just terrified... im always terrified....

i guess i feel like i'm cheating but i was told by someone on this forum before to not be afraid to atleast ask

even if i dont get help, someone told me a good idea but im afraid i will abuse it

EDIT: My issue was that i was over complicating the scene in my head, the good points i have taken was the focusing on certain areas instead of full view of the fighters... and to not stress over every little movement...

the craziest thing is... my mom tried to tell me this but i refused to listen to her since "she wasnt a comic artist and is an elderly woman" i told her what i was told here and she responded with "I WAS TRYING TO TELL YOU THAT BUT NO, YOU DON'T LET ME FINISH!!" she said she has read enough action comics in her life time to know how the choreography worked.... guess its true to actually listen to your parents o-o.

[joannekwan]

Is it necessary to show the entire fight from start to finish with every step laid out?
Perhaps if you show a series of disconnected panels of the fight, like one shot a person is throwing a punch, another panel a dodge, another panel a hit to the ribs connects, etc. it could add to the feeling of frenzy and chaos.

Like unless you're required to show off a character's fighting ability and prowess, and only need your readers to know a fight occurred, some basic panels should do you fine.

[BobbyjoeX]

OAO thats actually a good idea

and no, the fight is like part way through when you cut back to the scene but yeah... never thpought of that

[joannekwan]

See? Asking for help on the forums isn't so bad~

[vothnthorvaldson]

I can't help you with fight scenes as I have no idea how to draw these (I think Joanne idea is great though).
But I'd like to say something else: I know it's not the easiest to do, but we have to remember that if we are shamed/made fun of for asking questions or requesting help, we are not the ones doing something wrong. There is nothing wrong about asking questions; even the most evident thing (which is not even the case here).

[Maps]

Try using some visual references of fight scenes from other artworks and even from google images. Sometimes just seeing how bodies are positioned, etc. can help you get an idea of how to draw your character’s stance. From there you can worry about the backgrounds and other movements.

[soyasholm]

I agree with Maps. Mangas like One Punch Man has a good variety of fight scenes with different styles. You can also look at clips from action movies with long cut fight scenes and take some screenshots from that if you wanna practice.

[unknown_user]

You can try this scheme.

1. Find a referece:

• make photo of yourself or your friends in action pose, which you needed (but beware: if your pose on photo will be static, it will be hard to make anything dynamic from it; I myself had a lot of trouble at this way!);
• find the photo with needed pose in the internet, which is allowed to use without restriction;
• screenshot the pose from a computer game, if needed pose is represented in it;
• make a 3D model in needed pose and screenshot it;
• if you draw dynamic things on paper better, than on computer, draw a pose on paper and make a photo.

2.

Plan a) Draw scheme of the pose, using gained in p.1 photo/screenshot as a reference. Try to catch the key elements of the pose from reference and draw them in your style.
Plan b) If plan a have failed, just draw over photo/screenshot, to get the foundation for pose.

3.

Complete the scheme of the pose: stylize it (if needed) to your style; draw your character's face, clothes, correct body type (if needed), etc.

---

I've myself tasted everything, mentioned here, at practice. It didn't entirely compensate lack of skills, so it didn't allow me to draw cool action scenes (as you can see from my comics, LOL). BUT it allowed me at least BEGIN to draw them, when I had no idea, how to do it.
In parallel, I try to extract and remember features, which form the basis of the pose, which I've used. Also draw them by myself from memory; and, of course, read and practice tutorials. These tutorials become more understandable and useful, when you'll get out of stupor and begin to draw at least somehow. At least, it works so for me.

[lartianmartian1]

Scott Eaton's Bodies in Motion might be a useful site for you. There's even a Martial Arts category for some good fight pose reference (linked below). I myself have never drawn a fight scene, but I would honestly start here.

https://www.bodiesinmotion.photo/browse?page=1&order=created_at&type=motion&order-direction=desc&category=3

[Maps]

This is gonna be useful for me! One of my characters is going to be a fighter 🏼

[silverraven0]

Just wanna say this but there's a way to completely cheat out making the fighting scene.

By making time skip.

Just as example, your characters are ready to fight, they're on their stance, expression taut and determined, winds blowing the dust away, and then, they jumped to each other in the same time, yelling their battle cry, and suddenly-

Time skip to after they're black and blue from the fight after.

Do remember that you probably only need to do this when the situation suffice and a fight that already happened before this method is done will bring a better result.

[BobbyjoeX]

the problem is that it skipped the beginning on the fight and then returns to the fight, thats where the production is right now, at the start of the cut back

[silverraven0]

Hmmmmmm... (confusion)

Based on your words it means that you made a flashback or something before they're fighting and then the flashback is ending so they must continue the fight? Then I could only recommend joanne method for you. ^^;

Sorry I can't help at all.

[BobbyjoeX]

nah, its cool, i actually found the problem... i was trying to over complicate the scene itself

and actually, the scene plays out where you see the "confrontation" of the 2 fighters, then it switches to a different set of characters before it switches back to the middle of the fight. even tho that doesnt really help a point

[mrtoontastic]

XD Well at least things figured itself out on its own.