New D and D character. Please give your input.

[MOO]

I am doing some characters for a friend for her D and D group. It isn't a paying job but I am taking the opportunity to try an improve my skills in an area that I am not usually comfortable with. This is my final for this character. I see things that could be much better but, at this point, I need to move on to the next...HOWEVER, I appreciate input on ways to improve so that I can hopefully do better on the next one. Thanks!

This is a half elf-half human. 4' 11'' and 108 lbs. She is 38 years old. She has a book of eternal knowledge, a short sword, a rapier (had to look that up), a bow and small quiver of arrows and three knives strapped to her leg (that part was kind of tough. If I would have put her in a different position with her leg exposed I think it would have been better. ) The big challenge is that I am not great at firgure drawing in the first place and then I need to add these costumes from completely different resources Anyway, if you can give some tips I will appreciate it!

[Nathan]

The main thing I can see is to focus on the proportions of the body. The arms are a little too short and the head a little too large.

Elves are also 'idealistic' in their body proportions. If you need a guide, I would use the "Fashion" proportions that Andrew Loomis used. Pictured Here

Here is a video that could be useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_GhKAgfAQ0

I hope that helps

[MOO]

@concept Thank you!!!! I will look those over! I actually did look at those loomis charts but somewhere along the way I mucked up a bit. I actually had one arm quite a bit longer than the other and I shortened it to match the other. I probably should have gone the other way around Ha! I'll look at the video later as it is almost 1 am and I need to go to bed. I really appreciate your input!!!! Hopefully I'll do better on the next one!

[Kristin Wauson]

@marsha-kay-ottum-owen Hi Marsha! This is a nice first attempt. Dont’ forget to ground your characters. Figures need to be standing on something. If you can draw in the ground plane where their feet should touch, it will help with positioning the feet and legs in a way that makes characters look like they are actually standing in 3 dimensional space. Good luck! This sounds like a great way to learn!

[braden H]

When you start the drawing, how do you approach figuring out proportions and such? Do you just start sketching the outline of the figure, or do you start with a gestural?

[MOO]

@kristin-wauson I wish it was my first attempt! Thank you for your input. I need to spend a lot more time getting the body proportions, grounding, etc. I will watch the video suggested by @Concept today and see if that helps. I'm supposed to try and get 10 done by the end of the month. Thankfully, it isn't a paying job and my friend knows it isn't my strength. I also might not get 10 done! Thanks again1

[MOO]

@art-of-b Hi Art of B, Thank you again for your input. I did look at some proportion charts and gesture before I started. I think, with all the trying to fit on the costume, weapsons, get the face to look like her (only from a 62 year old to a 38 year old), I got a bit off It's a big challenge! Which is good. It forces me to improve and work on it harder. It got the head down to a more normal size. The head was pretty big, I was tryin gto make her look short but I think I made her look more dwarfish in the body instead of normal proportions. The feet are always a problem too.

I started by dividing the paper into about 8 equal sections. Then I tried to do a rouogh gesture following the tips I lerned last time I was looking, 2 heads down for chest, 3 heads down for belly button, 4 heads down for just above pubic area and then legsand feet for the rest. The wrists should land at the hips, So, in gesture, she looked pretty good but somehow she got a big head and a super long torso and short legs and arms.

I was trying to add a bit of animation as you suggested last time. In bending the arms, etc. I suppose I didn't estimate the measurements very well. The last two characters I did I could basically copy the stance and costume of the resource and add in the head and extra weapons, etc. but this one was much more challenging because my resources were very different looking. Well, I am talking too much! Maybe I will share what I was working with.

I'm also working on a pretty small 8.5 X 11 paper because that's all I have. Ink dip pen and prismacolor. I do the rough on a piece of lined notebook paper then transfer it to a piece of drawing paper (medium quality I think), ink it, and then color and sometimes add a bit more ink.

[MOO]

I just bought the Stan Prokopinko Figere Drawing class for life so, hopefully I will improve! I'll work on it anyway.

[Kristin Wauson]

@marsha-kay-ottum-owen so sorry. I guess when I read that you had started doing some characters and it was not an area you are comfortable with, I assumed this was the first one. My mistake! I’m new here and had not seen your others. I love Proko courses. You will not regret that purchase and I would love to see your progress as you complete more of these. I bet you will see a lot of improvement by the time you finish the series.

[Nathan]

@marsha-kay-ottum-owen Proko's stuff is great. I'm currently doing his anatomy course...10/10