Creating Character Drawings with Simple Volumes
Introduction
When it comes to drawing characters, it’s important to start with a solid foundation. Professional artist Marc Brunet shares his technique of using simple volumes to create human shapes. This method is perfect for beginners and allows for easy manipulation of poses. By breaking down the body into basic shapes, you can easily outline your characters and bring them to life.
Step 1: Starting with Mannequins
To create the mannequin, draw a line at the center of the height to mark the start of the legs. Above this line, draw an egg shape to represent the torso. For male characters, leave it as is. For female characters, cut into the shape to make it look like blocky underwear. Additionally, add two egg shapes for the shoulders, centered on each side of the torso.
Step 2: Drawing the Torso
To mimic the shape of the ribcage, cut a wedge into the torso shape. Remember to leave some space above it for the hips.
Step 3: Adding the Hips
For males, leave the space above the wedge as is. For females, cut into the space and create a box shape to represent the hips.
Step 4: Adding Shoulders and Arms
Find the length of the arms by placing the wrists on the guideline starting from the crotch. Add the hands and draw spheres for the elbows. Connect the shoulders to the top of the arms, resembling a black handle.
Step 5: Drawing the Legs
From the top of the shoulders, draw spheres in the middle of the arms for the elbows. Then, draw cylinders to fill the gaps and represent the legs.
Step 6: Finalizing the Details
Add clavicles starting from the base of the neck and reaching the top of the shoulders. This area should look like a black handle from the top.
Step 7: Erasing and Refining
Once the main features are in place, erase the guidelines and unnecessary details. What’s left is a realistic and proportionate character body.
By following this technique, you can create dynamic and accurately proportioned character drawings. So grab your pencil and starting sketching your own unique creations using simple volumes as your foundation!
Marking the Start of the Legs
When creating character drawings, it is essential to start with basic mannequins made up of simple volumes. Begin by drawing a line at the center of the height to mark the start of the legs. Leave some space above this line and draw an egg shape, using only half of it, for the torso. To mimic the ribcage shape, cut a wedge into the egg shape. Below the torso, draw a box for the hips. For male characters, leave the box as it is, but for female characters, cut into it to create a blocky underwear-like shape.
Drawing the Torso
Continuing with the mannequin, add two more egg shapes for the shoulders, centered on each side of the torso. To find the length of the arms, place the wrists right on the guideline we started with at the crotch. Don’t forget to add the hands. From the top of the shoulder to the wrist, draw a sphere in the middle for the elbow. Fill in the gaps with cylinders for the arms and legs.
Adding the Shoulders and Arms
To add more details, draw the clavicles, starting at the base of the neck and reaching the top of the shoulders. They should look like black handles from the top view. Now, all that’s left is to erase the initial details, and you’ll have a nice, realistic character body.
By following these steps and starting with mannequins made up of simple volumes, you can easily create character drawings in various poses. Remember to adjust specific details, such as the presence of blocky underwear for female characters.
### Creating the Ribcage Shape
To start drawing the torso of your character, you will need to mark the center of the height. From there, draw an egg shape using half of it to represent the upper part of the torso. Next, cut a wedge into the egg shape to mimic the shape of a ribcage. This will give your character a more realistic appearance.
Drawing the Hips
When drawing the hips for male characters, leave the space below the ribcage box as it is. However, for female characters, you will need to cut into the space and make it look like blocky underwear. This will help differentiate between the male and female forms. The shape of the hips is important in defining the overall posture and stance of your character.
By following these steps, you can easily create the basic structure of the torso for your character drawings. These simple volumes will act as a framework for your character, allowing you to pose them in various positions and add more intricate details later on.
Remember, starting with these basic shapes will make it easier for you to achieve realistic and proportionate character drawings.
Differentiating between Male and Female Characters
Now that you have drawn the basic shapes for the torso and legs, it’s time to add the hips to your character drawing. The way you handle the hips will vary depending on whether you are drawing a male or a female character.
For male characters, you can simply leave the box shape you drew for the hips as it is. However, for female characters, you will need to make some adjustments to create a more feminine look. Draw an additional line at the bottom of the box to divide it into two parts, resembling blocky underwear.
Adding this subtle difference in the hip area will enhance the overall appearance and help viewers quickly identify the gender of your character.
Remember, practicing drawing both male and female characters will improve your skills and versatility as an artist.
With the hips added, your character is starting to take shape. In the next step, we will focus on adding more details to bring your character to life. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be creating realistic character drawings with ease!
Placing the Shoulders
After constructing the basic structure of the character’s body, it’s time to add the shoulders. To do this, draw two egg shapes, positioning them in a centered manner on each side of the torso. These egg shapes will serve as the foundation for the shoulder area.
Determining the Length of the Arms
To create realistic proportions for the arms, you’ll need to determine their length. Start by placing the wrists right on the guideline that we previously established at the crotch. From there, draw a sphere in the middle for the elbows. Finally, draw cylinders to fill the gaps between the shoulders and the sphere for the elbows, and the sphere and the wrists for the forearms.
Adding Hands and Elbows
Don’t forget to add hands to complete the arms. You can start by sketching basic shapes for the hands and then refine the details later. From the top of the shoulders to the wrists, draw a sphere in the middle to represent the elbows.
With these simple volumes in place, you’ll begin to see your character taking shape. Remember to give the clavicles a start at the base of the neck and extend them to the top of the shoulders. They will resemble black handles from a top view. Once you’re satisfied with the overall structure, erase any unnecessary guidelines to reveal a nice and realistic character body.
Creating the Leg Shapes
To create the leg shapes of your character, start by putting a line at the center of the height to mark the start of the legs. Then, above this line, draw an egg shape using half of it to represent the torso. Cut a wedge into the torso to mimic the shape of the ribcage. Leave a bit of space and draw a box to represent the hips. For male characters, it can be left like that, but for female characters, cut into the box and make it look like blocky underwear.
Filling the Gaps with Cylinders
Next, add two more egg shapes for the shoulders, kind of centered on each side of the torso. Find the length of the arms by placing the wrist right on the guideline that we started with at the crotch. Don’t forget to add the hands. Then, from the top of the shoulder to the wrist, draw a sphere in the middle to represent the elbow. To fill the gaps, draw cylinders for the arms and legs using the same idea.
By following these steps, you will easily create the basic volumes for the legs of your character.
Remember, the final details like the clavicles start at the base of the neck and reach the top of the shoulders, giving the impression of a black handle from the top. Once you have completed all the details, you can erase the initial shapes and lines to reveal a nice, realistic character body.
Drawing the Clavicles
To complete your character drawing, it’s important to add the final details that bring it to life. One crucial element is drawing the clavicles, which are the bones that connect the shoulders to the base of the neck. Start at the base of the neck and extend the lines outward until they reach the top of the shoulders. The shape of the clavicles can resemble a black handle when viewed from the top.
By including the clavicles, you add realism and structure to your character’s upper body. This gives a better understanding of the pose and enhances the overall appearance of the drawing.
Remember to take your time and carefully erase any unnecessary guidelines that may still be visible. Once you’ve completed this step, you will have a nicely proportioned and realistic character body.
Now that you have learned how to create character drawings with simple volumes, you can confidently tackle various poses and create dynamic and compelling characters in your artwork.
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Finalize the details
Once you have sketched out the basic structure of your character using simple volumes, it’s time to refine and add more details. Start by erasing any unnecessary lines and cleaning up the sketch. This will help make the character look more polished and realistic.
Adding the finer features
Now, it’s time to add the finer features to your character. Start by drawing the clavicles, which should start at the base of the neck and reach the top of the shoulders. They will give the character more definition and make them look more lifelike.
Perfecting the proportions
Next, focus on perfecting the proportions of your character. Pay attention to the placement of the shoulders and arms. Use the guidelines you created earlier to determine the length of the arms and position the wrists and elbows correctly. Don’t forget to add hands to your character as well.
Refining the legs
Finally, refine the legs of your character. Use the same concept as you did with the arms, drawing cylinders to fill in the gaps and adding details such as knees and ankles. Ensure that the legs are in proportion to the rest of the body.
By following these steps and refining your character drawing, you will end up with a nice, realistic character body. Remember to practice and experiment with different poses and proportions to improve your character drawing skills. Happy creating!
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Video By Marc Brunet
Conclusion
In conclusion, creating character drawings with simple volumes is an effective technique for both beginner and professional artists. By starting with a basic mannequin made up of simple shapes, you can easily draw characters in various poses.
To begin, you’ll want to mark the start of the legs by drawing a line at the center of the height. Above this line, you can draw an egg shape for the torso, cutting a wedge into it to mimic the ribcage shape. For the hips, leave space and draw a box. For male characters, you can leave the hips as is, but for female characters, you can cut into it to create a blocky underwear shape.
Next, add two egg shapes for the shoulders, centered on each side of the torso. To find the length of the arms, place the wrist on the guideline at the crotch. Don’t forget to add the hands. From the top of the shoulder to the wrist, draw a sphere in the middle for the elbow and fill the gaps with cylinders for the legs.
Finally, add the final details such as clavicles, which start at the base of the neck and reach the top of the shoulders. Once you’ve completed your drawing, simply erase the guidelines to reveal a nice, realistic character body.
Using this method, you can easily create dynamic and lifelike character drawings. So give it a try and have fun exploring the world of character creation!
