How to draw poses

This tutorial is a must-have for aspiring illustrators and artists eager to elevate their character design skills to a whole new level. We'll help you grasp why dynamic poses are so crucial when designing characters, and equip you with some practical skills to make your characters truly pop with personality.

In this exciting video tutorial, Maddy is back with another insightful lesson on infusing life into your illustrations and characters. The focus of the day? Poses. Have you ever created a character design only to find that it looks a tad rigid? Maddy shares her wisdom on how to break free from static poses and make your illustrations more dynamic and engaging.

Maddy starts by highlighting the importance of gathering references to guide your creative process. She recommends looking at fashion and sports photos for similar poses, observing still-life sequences to understand angles and proportions, and drawing inspiration from fellow artists.

Once you've collected your references, Maddy takes you to the drawing board, guiding you through each step. She demonstrates how to create a dynamic character by starting with a basic skeleton using geometric shapes, explaining the principles of balance and opposing forces in the body.

Maddy then showcases her sketching process using Procreate to shape the character around the skeleton. She delves into the intricacies of inking, revealing her brush settings to make the character come to life. Then, she illustrates how to use curved lines to convey a sense of motion in your drawings using the Brush Tool.

The tutorial doesn't stop there. Maddy emphasizes the importance of considering clothing and hair movement, bringing even more dynamism to your characters. She adds those crucial finishing touches to the face and accessories, breathing life into your creation.

As you watch Maddy's process, you'll learn how to add simple shadows to make your characters pop in a three-dimensional way. With her expert guidance, you'll capture movement through angles and lines of action, letting your viewers imagine the rest of the story. In the end, you'll not only have a more dynamic character but also a character full of potential adventures.

For further character design tips, check out previous episodes featuring Jocasta, Maddy's key character.