Anatomy Simplified - 3 Essential Tips to Improve Your Artwork (My Perfect Brush)

Hey guys!,

Struggling with the anatomy of your characters? Don't worry, today I'll address a few issues, along with some tips for you to try out ASAP.

Let's start by defining why anatomy is so crucial for us as artists. A large portion of our work/service is related to humans/animals, as we depict the world based on our experiences as humans. The message we deliver with our technique is often "human-like" visually, so that others can relate. Some artists take an approach very similar to real-world anatomy references, while others stylize their anatomy to the point it doesn't resemble real-world standard forms/shapes. But one way or another, all of them need a certain understanding of the basics to create something people can comprehend.

A common mistake beginners often make is to think we need to learn every aspect of anatomy, muscles, bones, etc. To some extent, it is helpful to understand these subjects to make a more precise interpretation of the world, but the truth is, there are smarter ways to build body shapes without knowing every detail of anatomy.

Don't start with proper anatomy. The image you are picturing in your brain is perfect, but the problem arises when you want to shape it with your hands. You will discover that it looks off, and suddenly this great idea starts to resemble a nightmare. Instead of focusing on a perfect line/shape at the beginning of your drawing, try using soft lines to shape what's going on in your mind. It doesn't need to be perfect; remember that during this phase, your goal is to bring the idea onto paper. You can worry about quality later in the process. If you pay close attention to my latest process videos, you will notice I barely care about the proper anatomy of the body; I'm more focused on achieving the right gesture/pose with random lines and then moving on to more defined shapes.

No body parts, no anatomy, Shapes! Focusing on large shapes like the head, leg, arm, etc., can be one way to build bodies more efficiently. However, there is an even more efficient way: don't lock your view into "body shapes." Instead, try simplifying further to the point where the body is a cumulus of three-dimensional shapes (Cube, Sphere, Cylinder, Cone). You might have heard this several times in your anatomy class at school; none of this is new. But even I, knowing this, find myself struggling with small, irrelevant details in human body anatomy.

The trick here is to spot the inefficient approach to this problem and develop a smart anatomy drawing workflow. Everyone will have their own, but we can all start with some basics like the three-dimensional shapes. By approaching anatomy or any shape in general through this lens, you will be able to attempt more complex compositions where perspective views can add a certain attractiveness to your artwork.

I spoke a little bit about this back in Feb 2021 in my article about perspective: https://ramonn90.myportfolio.com/copy-of-2020. Go and take a look!

Brushes actually matter. As a perfectionist, I tend to waste too much time when the line doesn't have the stroke I like, so I repeat and repeat until the line is clean. This is counterproductive because what matters is the overall structure of the artwork, visually speaking: the cumulus of shapes, not the quality of the line. I've seen such great drawing shapes with very tremulous lines; look at Miyazaki's sketches. It's not about a perfect, straight, and clean line, but the shape you are building with it. To avoid this issue, I choose to work with a brush called "Pencil Oh," which you'll find in my 2023 brush set.

I really love how shapes look so clean and steady with this brush. It also has a pencil texture, and the value opacity of the brush is so soft that it doesn't distract me. Brushes are important in a subjective way. It's like a "wand." My criteria for choosing the proper brush/wand are based on time: how much time I spend building shapes and how quickly I like them. If the process is smooth, I tend to use the same brush during that phase, which is the drawing phase.

Finding your style also means finding your right companion. You don't need to create the brush; just explore and pay attention to yourself during the process. Some days, even by using your favorite brush, nothing comes out. But self-awareness will also help you to know if it's the brush or another reason.

Last but not least, know Max. Max, always in a hurry, built a teleporting bike for quick deliveries; but it only worked if there was a dog nearby at the drop-off. Lots of fun doing this one, subscribe to the Mastering Maestro tier and get access to the PSD file of this illustration and the process video tomorrow!.

I hope these tips help you today! Feel free to join us on Discord, and don't forget to try the weekly challenge. Take a few minutes to explore your brushes while drawing Pitaya shapes.

Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for your support.