Transcripts
1. Mastering Dynamic Poses: Are you tired of stiff and boring characters in your artwork or photography? Do you want to
learn how to create dynamic and original
poses that bring your subject to life and
improve your storytelling? This class on Mastering Dynamic Poses might be
the perfect fit for you. In this class, I merged my expertise as an
animator, illustrator, and model to bring you
the top tips and secrets for creating poses that are
both dynamic and authentic. Hi, my name is Giulia, and I'm an animator,
illustrator, and also model. It is crucial for
storytelling to master the human body and create
harmonic compositions. In my work, I noticed how I profit from both perspectives, the model and the artists. Whether you are an artist
looking to improve your character poses,
a photographer, searching for more interesting
compositions, or a model, wanting to nail your
next photoshoot or live drawing sessions, this class is designed to help you take your poses
to the next level. No special materials are
required to follow along. Simply use your preferred tool, whether it's a pencil
and paper, or a camera. There is no need for
fancy drawing skills. Stick figures will do just fine. Through a combination of
step-by-step instructions, practical examples,
and insider tips, you'll gain the skills
and confidence needed to create dynamic poses that
are unique and original. I'll break down the class into easy-to-follow tips that will help you create poses that are both expressive and lively. This is not a class about anatomy or a
particular technique, but we will analyze
poses that work, and are aesthetically pleasing. At the end of this class, you'll be able to apply my
tips to your Illustrator, animation, or photos. We'll talk about line of
action, negative space, and asymmetry and
we'll see how variety is a key ingredient to
make your figure pop. Join me in this class
and strike some poses.
2. Welcome: Project & Tools: [MUSIC] Welcome to
this exciting class about dynamic poses. In this class we'll be
covering the basics of posing, so you can avoid stiff, unnatural poses and create more original and
expressive ones. I divided the class into
easy-to-follow lessons, highlighting the most
important concept for posing and sharing
tips along the way. Our projects for this
class is to apply the tips I give you and create
your own dynamic poses. Don't worry about
making a final, perfect finished illustration
or polished photo. I'll be sharing my own sketches and pictures to inspire you. You can upload your sketches, photos or both, and even show your before
and after shots. Now, I want to make it
clear that in this class, we're focusing on the
basics of posing, such as line of action,
silhouette, etc. I'll be sharing my top tips. But we won't be covering
lighting, anatomy, specific drawing techniques,
clothing or body type. However, I will provide
additional resources at the end of the class to help you take your skills to the next level. All bodies are beautiful and I will be using
my own body to demonstrate the tips and tricks that can help you
pose any character, even an anthropomorphic
animal character. Grab your tool of choice, pen, paper, or camera, even a mirror or a friend can be useful, and let's get
started. [MUSIC]
3. Line of Action: [MUSIC] In this lesson,
we'll be diving deeper into the concept of
movement within poses. When we think about
dynamic poses, we need to think about
movement and in particular, movement within the pose. A curved line creates movement, while a straight line
creates stiffness. To move away from
static and still poses, we need to look for a
curve line of movement, which is called the
Line of Action. The line of action is the
first thing you would sketch when doing a gesture drawing during a figure drawing session. It gives the idea of the
general movement of the body. Even in poses there
are apparently still or that are not
portraying a clear action, there is a dynamic line in them. For example, when
observing references, let's try to understand what we like about them and define
their line of action. Let's take a closer look and understand what makes
them appealing. As an exercise, you can try
to draw some curved line of action and imagine how
the body could be posed. Do some life drawing and try to sketch as the
very first thing, the line of action. It does not have to be precise. Just follow the
energy of the pose. You can ask a friend
to post for you. Observe people around you, go observe some statues
or look online or in a book for some models
posing for life drawings. The book or online
search should be your last option
though since it's much better if the model is real with perspective and in three
dimensions in front of you. It helps if you use a
soft pencil to draw the line of action even better if it's a
light-colored one. It's good not to be too
precious or worried about those first messy
and sketchy lines. A light-colored pencil can help start making the
page dirty and then later you can go over it with a darker one to actually
start drawing the pose. You can even use yourself
as a reference by experimenting with
different line of actions in front of a mirror. By mastering the concept
of line of action, you will be well on your way to creating captivating
and dynamic poses. [MUSIC] In the next lesson, we will be talking about
negative space and silhouette.
4. Negative Space & Silhouette: When creating dynamic poses, it's important to consider
negative space and silhouette. When we talk about negative
space and silhouette, we're referring to
the area around and between the subject of
a drawing or image. Negative space is the
space around the subject, while the silhouette is the outline or shape
of the subject. In terms of dynamic poses, negative space and silhouette
are important because they can help create a
sense of movement and flow. A well-designed silhouette
can communicate the energy and
direction of the pose, even without any
details or shading. Give your poses room to breathe. A strong silhouette
requires ample space. Don't be afraid to open up and avoid creating
a closed pose. Remember to use all
the joints we have, such as the ankles, knees, neck, wrists, and so on. Silhouette is particularly
important for animation as it helps to create clear and identifiable shapes. Animators need to
create poses that can be easily read and
understood by viewers, even when they're moving
quickly on screen. By designing poses that
work well as silhouettes, animators can ensure that
their characters are recognizable and clear even
in fast-paced action scenes. A helpful tip for life drawing
illustrators is to focus on drawing the negative
space around the model instead of
the model itself. This can be a helpful
tool for checking proportions and ensuring that the figure is balanced
and accurate. By focusing on the
negative space around the figure rather than
the figure itself, artists can more easily identify areas where there may have made mistakes in their drawing. Overall, negative space
and silhouette are important concepts to keep in mind when creating
dynamic poses. By paying attention to the
space around the figure and designing poses that
work well as silhouettes, artists can create more impactful and visually
interesting work. As an exercise in the mirror, try to create as many
negative spaces as possible, or just try to draw them. The next lesson is
all about asymmetry.
5. Asymmetry: [MUSIC] When it comes to
creating dynamic poses, it's important to avoid symmetry and instead aim for asymmetry. One way to achieve
this is through the use of chiasmo
or contrapposto. These are techniques
where the weight of the body is
shifted to one side, creating a natural-looking
and interesting pose. [MUSIC] Another technique
that can add interests to a pose is the use of twists. By rotating the body
or certain body parts, you can create a sense of movement and tension
in the pose. This is especially useful
for models who are posing for a crowd and need to maintain interests
from all angles. [MUSIC] A symmetrical pose can look stiff and boring. We can give it more
tension and dynamism through a curved line of
action and a chiasmus. In this example, note
that we change the pose and now the legs and arms
are asymmetrical now. For an extra pop of
asymmetry and dynamism, try turning the head in the opposite direction
of the torso. As with the previous lessons, remember to prioritize curves over straight lines
in your poses. These tips will help you create more dynamic and
natural looking poses and add interest and energy to your illustrations [MUSIC] In
the next and final lesson, I'm going to give you
some extra inputs to push your pose and skills and bring your characters or subject to the
next level [MUSIC]
6. Push It!: [MUSIC] Finally, let's
explore how to push our poses to the next level with some final tips and tricks. In this lesson, we're going
to talk about how to push your poses to make them
more lively and engaging. I hope to give you
some inputs to keep exploring the
art of posing. One way of doing this is
by playing around with different positions,
such as sitting, lying down, or standing, and finding ways to mix and match them in unexpected ways. Remember, variety is
the key to dynamism, so don't be afraid to experiment with
different combinations. Another way to push
your poses is by exaggerating certain
aspects of them. This could mean changing
the camera angle, adding props, or even just
making the pose more dramatic. If you're an animator
or a cartoonists, this is especially important
as you want to create poses that are not
necessarily realistic, but are effective in conveying
emotion and movement. Dynamic poses that
catch the eye are often the ones that push beyond
comfort and realism, utilizing tension in the
muscles for added impact. Details are also important
in creating dynamic poses. Pay attention to the position of the head, hands, fingers, and even tiptoes
as they can make a big difference in the
overall feeling of the pose. Additionally, playing
around with perspective, composition and
multiple subjects can add depth and
interest to your work. Stiffness can be a deliberate
and artistic choice, but it's important to know the rules before you break them. You can try to take
a sketch you did earlier and exaggerate
some aspects of it. You can accentuate
a line of action, elongate some body parts, play with perspective, etc. By understanding the
principles of dynamic posing, you can make more informed
choices about when to stick to the convention and
when to push the boundaries. As always, feel free to share your progress
with the class. [MUSIC] Strike your
poses. [MUSIC]
7. Recap: [MUSIC] Congratulations.
With these tips, you now have the tools to create dynamic and captivating poses. So let your creativity
run wild and have fun experimenting with
different combinations. Whether you're drawing
from life or imagination, always keep in mind the
importance of movement, negative space, asymmetry, twisting and
pushing the boundaries. [MUSIC] I can't wait to
see what you create. Don't be afraid to share your progress and
creations with others. We can all learn from each
other and inspire one another. So whether it's a rough sketch
or a finished masterpiece, don't hesitate to share
it with the class. Let's support and encourage each other in our artistic journeys. Thank you for joining me for
this class on dynamic poses. I hope you found it
helpful and enjoyable. It will mean a lot
if you could let me know your thoughts
by leaving a review. Your feedback with not
only help me improve, but also make the class more visible for others
to benefit from. Please don't hesitate
to get in touch with me through social
media or my website. Thank you again for
joining me and have fun striking your poses. [MUSIC]
Giulia Martinelli, Animation Director / Illustrator
