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tigrin — Dynamic Figure Drawing

Published: 2005-11-08 06:47:50 +0000 UTC; Views: 78969; Favourites: 1730; Downloads: 14844
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Description It's done! I just spent pretty much all day on this. in pain. Obviously I spent a lot more time on the content than the drawings, but eh... you get the idea, right? This is going to be part of a series of at least two other tutorials I'd like to do... one on expressions, one on color environment (yeah, I'll explain this in the tutorial).

Summary: This tutorial introduces basic concepts regarding line, mass, and form and their application in order to create dynamic movement in a figure. This tutorial includes in-depth analysises (is that a word?) of how line affects the flow of weight and force in a pose, how line creates eye path, how form and weight affect movement, and how dynamic poses express emotion.

I use mostly quadrapeds for this (since I'm most familiar with the furrecat form), but I've also included information for the human figure.

This is by no means a comprehensive tutorial. Just is just what I've learned on my own. If you would like more information about any of the topics in this tutorial-

Further Readings:

Dynamic Figure Drawing by Burne Hogarth
I think everybody knows this guy. Pretty basic but accurate illustrations of generic human anatomy, in particular form and mass.

Creative Illustration by Andrew Loomis
I don't think I can recommend this guy enough. His explanations are extremely helpful, thorough, and concise. This book in particular has many, many pages on how to use line to create dynamic and interesting compositions - I didn't cover it in my tutorial just because I think this guy does it perfectly. If you can find a copy of this, it's REALLY worth a look.

"Bringing Drawings to Life" by *GoblinQueeen
This tutorial is pretty similar to mine, but is based specifically on the 12 principles of animation. I also highly recommend giving this a look, she explains and applies the principles well and professionally.

The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams
This book mainly addresses animation, but many of the basic principles of this book can still be applied to illustration. It also has several sections on weight, how weight shifts, and how movement arcs. Pretty much the whole book is illustration, there's so many diagrams and drawings in this. Definitely take a look.

Punchstock
A great royalty-free stock photo resource. I use this a lot when I need references for studying difficult poses.


Think that's about it. Hope you guys get some use out of this.
Related content
Comments: 153

Unit613 [2013-03-22 14:43:59 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for this, saved my bacon.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

FleurDeVive [2013-01-05 02:02:30 +0000 UTC]

Great Tutorial, thanks for all the hard work, and thanks even more for sharing it!

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tigrin In reply to FleurDeVive [2013-01-05 23:58:12 +0000 UTC]

Glad it's useful for you!

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tdog8193 [2012-11-03 00:52:29 +0000 UTC]

This is very interesting and definitely something to comeback to and study. Thanks!

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ShadowLyute [2012-10-27 05:28:14 +0000 UTC]

Good job, well done! This is awesome and very useful. Sorry for the very late comment only recently found it.

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KooboriSapphire [2011-08-11 03:26:45 +0000 UTC]

I'll be using this for help. Thanks for the upload.

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AlexKRD [2011-08-04 00:11:36 +0000 UTC]

Why can't I view it?

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tigrin In reply to AlexKRD [2011-08-04 03:48:45 +0000 UTC]

When I first uploaded this you could have preview images, but now you have to hit Download to view it.

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AlexKRD In reply to tigrin [2011-08-08 17:53:41 +0000 UTC]

Damn! I don't like downloading things!!!!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

tigrin In reply to AlexKRD [2011-08-08 20:17:35 +0000 UTC]

Why the hell not? It doesn't actually download, it just opens up in a new window/tab.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

AlexKRD In reply to tigrin [2011-08-29 21:28:42 +0000 UTC]

Okay! You have great art work!

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KoT4 [2011-04-04 20:42:19 +0000 UTC]

great, thanks!

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KoT4 [2011-04-02 13:04:09 +0000 UTC]

It is a dumb question for sure, but...how can i see the tutorial?

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tigrin In reply to KoT4 [2011-04-02 18:27:36 +0000 UTC]

back in the day you used to be able to just click on it. Try hitting "Download Image" in the top right.

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ChachiTonks [2011-03-15 04:17:29 +0000 UTC]

Amazing <333

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IndiaSierraBravo [2011-03-12 19:15:07 +0000 UTC]

A very useful tutorial. It's good to be reminded of these things. I'm far too lazy, and my characters tend to stand a bit too much...

I also liked the layout and illustrations. It was written well, and your examples were good.

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chullybelly [2011-03-05 23:58:59 +0000 UTC]

thank you!

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Raidell [2011-01-19 22:51:58 +0000 UTC]

Incredibly helpful! Thanks!

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ShugarShock [2010-12-02 02:55:01 +0000 UTC]

Exceedingly helpful! Thanks for sharing your advice! (:

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Cresent-Night [2010-05-19 07:16:28 +0000 UTC]

VERY nice tutorial... I enjoyed it greatly

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tryToDie [2010-05-14 16:39:48 +0000 UTC]

i think the information i get, was an important puzzle thing for my brain. i am shoked by this o.O thank you .

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xxASKxx [2010-04-07 18:10:41 +0000 UTC]

Wow, this tutorial helped me a lot, thank you~~ :3

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LinolRose [2010-03-30 20:13:41 +0000 UTC]

Great tutorial on dynamic poses! ^^ this should be quite helpful! And thank you so very much for the further reading section!

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URESHI-SAN [2010-03-29 20:10:39 +0000 UTC]

oh! nice!! thansk you
so much!!

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GoldenOath [2009-12-29 05:56:13 +0000 UTC]

Wow. I think I found this at least two years ago and it brought me to a completely different level. Now I look at it again and I'm still learning. I think that's a sign of an amazing tutorial.

So This is a three years thank you. Thank You

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

tigrin In reply to GoldenOath [2009-12-29 06:09:03 +0000 UTC]

Well I'm glad it is still helpful! Thanks!

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GoldenOath In reply to tigrin [2009-12-29 06:16:52 +0000 UTC]

No problem. C; I sorta wish I rediscovered this and your other guides earlier though. Some of the links aren't as helpful as they probably would have been then. Some of them are just done.

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JobbytheHong [2009-09-27 02:42:50 +0000 UTC]

Wow...I feel so, uh, EDUCATED! THANK YOU.

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DizABellProductions [2009-09-06 20:20:34 +0000 UTC]

I always feel like my images are really flat and lifeless, this tutorial will defiantly help me out with that i think. Thanks a bunch!

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wazl [2009-07-31 07:02:08 +0000 UTC]

Very cool mate! I am only just starting to get the hang of figure drawing, but this has already helped me out. Thank you.

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Gluevah [2009-06-24 00:59:31 +0000 UTC]

Oh my goodness this is so helpful, I've been trying to do more elaborate poses but I'm bad at it D: I'll refer to this really often, thanks for putting so much time into this!

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OmgItsVeda [2009-05-08 23:37:36 +0000 UTC]

Nice tutorial.
I'll ve using this in the future.

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ErnestoVladimir [2009-04-18 23:54:35 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much for this, examining this and trying it out a little more, I think I may be able to come up with some poses now XD

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Tristan-the-Dreamer [2009-04-08 06:22:47 +0000 UTC]

Yeah! "Live a little," I like that! Be bold, don't worry about mistakes, go for it!! This was great, I'm going to try these tips in my next drawing. ^^ The silouette part was especially helpful where you show how to give a pose attitude!!!

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bloodyrose83 [2009-03-28 04:03:40 +0000 UTC]

Very well done!, helped a lot!

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thatSake [2009-02-20 15:57:14 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! This really is a great tutorial. I think I understand dynamics better now. At least a bit.
Really, thanks!

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Evelwyn [2008-11-17 10:46:50 +0000 UTC]

cool.

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fritchie [2008-10-16 19:16:57 +0000 UTC]

Wonderful tutorial for summing up everything i was thinking!

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orange-hybrid [2008-10-08 03:22:14 +0000 UTC]

the black it out to test its dynamicness is Genius! ....or at least i never looked at it that way before. All in all awesome tutorial! very helpful!

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tigrin In reply to orange-hybrid [2008-10-08 03:53:26 +0000 UTC]

lol it's an old method in animation (might be Preston Blair?) so I can't take credit for the idea, but it's effective and worth passing on. Glad you got some use out of it!

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Wise-Wingz [2008-09-06 04:20:28 +0000 UTC]

Awesome tut! Ill remember this next time im drawing my crappy figures..xD

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field-scarecrow [2008-07-30 10:24:29 +0000 UTC]

Excellent tutorial, been going through Loomis' figure drawing book myself, probably would have taken me a while to figure all this stuff out for myself if ever at all! (unless it's in there later on) thanks for sharing

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Licorice-Whippins [2008-07-11 00:56:48 +0000 UTC]

really nice. Very useful, and I love the silhouette idea C:

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Bovar [2008-06-29 23:28:47 +0000 UTC]

I really like the part about the silhouettes. What an excellent example

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jack07 [2008-06-20 12:45:43 +0000 UTC]

very good work

i may use this later


too bad it didt get as many comments as favs though

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nightsongdw [2008-05-31 11:06:42 +0000 UTC]

wow this is really good favs

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grimlette [2008-04-29 14:38:52 +0000 UTC]

ah my,.. all your tutorials are so very helpful indeed. ^^

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Mr--Bravo [2008-04-26 20:37:16 +0000 UTC]

Very very nice i am so gonna use this
"goes faving"

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theamishpiscodemon [2008-04-13 04:06:54 +0000 UTC]

Wow, I love this. Such simple concepts combined to make beauty. Awesome.

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Essenceofnight [2008-01-22 14:04:46 +0000 UTC]

You are teh wonderful <3
*adore*
*fav*

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