Need help with starting a fight scene in my comic

[droidmonkey1]

In one of my comics (https://tapas.io/series/deadhunter)
I'm starting a battle scene. I'm doing a lot of research (reading comics/manga. it's a hard job but some one have to do it)
but my main problem is the poses. I know the fighting style of each character, but not how to start drawing the fight.
so any ideas, general advice that can be apply to any comic, good references?

[HGohwell]

Good manga I like to use as references for varied fight styles and interesting set ups:

• Lyrical Nanoha particularly Vivid (which is about martial art tournaments)
• Symphogear
• Bungou Stray Dogs
• K (most of them apart from Lost Small World and Dream of Green have a decent amount of fight scenes)

In general, just go through anime/manga/series in general and gather up screen shots or stills, either taken by you or someone else (it's fine to save them to a reference file as long as it's just for you) and try to look at similarities in poses. And also keep the everything in your reference file. Lots of artists do this, anything you see that's cool, even if you don't need it now, save it.

For fight scenes specifically, motion and flow is more important that correctness. Try to keep everything moving in one direction and make sure there's weight. If there's an impact, make sure to show it. You don't need to show every detail, often too much makes it drag. If there's a punch, show a fist fly and then show it connect. You really don't actually need to show much. Less of very often more.

[unknown_user]

I have problems with action poses as well. Some of the people on this forum (I'm sorry, but I don't remember who) have said that this book may help:

How to draw manga. vol. 23. illustrating battles from Bruno Marques

I haven't read it entirely, but already have taken a note of some drawing techniques from it - those ones, which look consistent with my drawing style.

[droidmonkey1]

Thank very much. my problem most of the time is how to start.
I know the end and some of the middle, but the beginning is always a problem for me.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

I always suggest Burne Hogarth. I traced his artwork constantly and still do. His best book is "Dynamic Anatomy" it's not specifically for fight scenes but the concept will work after enough practice.

[droidmonkey1]

Thank you, but my problem is more from what to start. how I start the fight scene.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

I understand that feeling. Been there myself recently. I usually just go for it and try not to repeat moves over too many times. I suggest imagining the environment too and see if anything can be used as a weapon there.

[droidmonkey1]

I can imagine he battle it moves in my head like in an anime, but it's like I walked in the middle of the fight. I don't know how it started.

[droidmonkey1]

The research sketches I'm doing.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

One thing I started doing was finding fight scenes that stood out to me and just roughly copied them. Just keep working it will come to you.

[ble]

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[droidmonkey1]

I always starts with stick figures, then starts to layer in every thing.

[HGohwell]

Ok so I think the reason you're getting so many people giving you advice on fighting and to draw is you're asking in your title for help on action poses. If you're asking for help on how to transition into a fight sequence, you might want to make that a bit clearer in your title and starting post.

If that is the cast, again look at how the anime and manga you're researching starts. 9/10 there's talking and stillness, then one person just goes for the other. There's very little needed for a start of an action sequence. The sudden movement from stillness is part of an action sequence, it should feel different and contrasting.

How Nice starts most his fights (this is 9/10 stock footage but a good example of an explosive start).

[rmdooley]

Body-kuns are well worth the investment. They have greatly helped me with more dynamic poses

[droidmonkey1]

Thank you, changed the title.

[icarusmask]

Do you mean the moments leading up to the fight?

From a story stand point, there are a few options.

1: "Wild West" : You have tension building in the scene. Like in a wild west movie. Establishing shots, showing tense expressions, reaching for their weapons. Then a sudden action from the aggressor.

2: "That escalated quickly" One word can set off this scene! Causing it to quickly transition into a fight.

3: "Flashback" Characters reminiscing on the past and a hard cut to the present, they're fighting!

Thats all I can think of right now, I'd suggest a simple formula: Tension > First move > Second move
If someone is thrown they can have a dramatic panel of getting up and getting back into the fight.
You can also incorporate SECRET MOVE!! inner dialogue.

[skicoak]

I like what @icarusmask said about...

Tension > First move > Second move

I got a lil' background in the violent arts and so much of how most fights begin is based on watching your opponents "small" movements before the fight truly begins.

The shifting of their back foot, squaring of the shoulders and changes in facial reactions.

One could say it's those micro movements being exchanged back and forth between opponents is where the fight actually begins.

[Shanny8]

READ comics- action/superhero/manga comics; study how the artists setup & create their fight scenes. Use reference photos if you need to...sketch out poses and adjust them to your liking. Dont just draw scenes from one view- capture scenes/shots from different angles; it keeps the readers interested.

Then, thumbnail your fight scene out...use a variety of panels & shots to gauge the intensity of the battle.