For the list of challenges see part one.

This particular model has had experience modeling for Disney animators. He’s such a professional when it comes to expressive and dynamic poses. The gestures were a lot of fun.

As an Animal

I thought of drawing him as an animal at the last minute, so unfortunately, I didn’t get to ask for his favorite one.

Already having taken 20 minutes to draw his pose, I thought it would be fun to transfer that into the anatomy of an animal, and a giraffe seemed challenging enough. My sketchbook already had giraffe sketches from a recent sketching trip at the zoo, and they served as a handy reference.

For the list of challenges see part one.

Anatomy

When I’m in a more logical mood, I’ll take the long-pose opportunity to deconstruct the model’s pose to the muscular level. I look up anatomical reference images on my phone, and recreate the model to the best of my ability. I challenge myself to see all of these fibers in a three dimensional and animated way. I ask myself:

• Where do these muscle fibers connect?
• How do they twist around the form—the bones and other muscles?
• When this muscle contracts, what exactly does it move?

With my animation goals in mind, I do my best to visualize this marionette movement in my head and internalize it.

For the list of challenges see part one.

Ambidexterity

Developing the ability to draw with both of my hands was first on my challenge list because it allows me to be even more of a Leonardo Da Vinci fan girl. Da Vinci could draw forward with one hand while writing backwards with the other—talk about talent!

I dove in, taking a 20 minute figure drawing session to draw solely with my non-dominant left hand. As to be expected, drawing with my left hand is a slow and clumsy process, but what I didn’t expect was how good it felt.

I made this list of figure drawing challenges, because who would’ve thought that drawing naked people could get boring?

The studio I’ve been attending is organzied so the nude model is in the same pose over the course of four 20 minute sessions—the long pose as it’s called.

Now for me, I’m much more engaged during the quick gesture poses before the long pose. My mind just seems to work better with fast and dynamic poses that are only a minute long. I like being on my toes and it helps me channel my intuition.

But since I was paying for the full class, long pose included, I wanted to curb my tenancy to leave early.

I realized that if you aren’t engaged in an activity, especially a routine one like this, then there’s no point to putting in the time. I simply had to make these four 20 minute sessions more challenging. And thus, this list of challenges was born!

When embarking on my first animation project, I quickly learned that I did not possess the drawing skills required to execute at the quality I wanted.

Now begins a series where I chronical my progress from eight months of consistent drawing practice—specifically drawing people, naked or in public, but typically not both. (Haha.)

I’ve been drawing since a young age, so much of the technical skill comes to me as second nature. This post isn’t about the technical aspect of drawing, but the intuitive side that comes once you’ve reached a certain level of proficiency. Once you no longer have to focus all of your conscious thought on the small movements your hand and wrist are making to make marks on the page, this is what you can do to grow next.

This is about getting to the place beyond conscious thought.

Recent work:

Before practice and mindset shifts: