Animal Drawing: How To Find Your Animal's Proportions

So, you're drawing an animal and it keeps looking out of proportion, what should you do? As you know, the best way to draw a figure in proportion is to use its head as a unit of measurement. If you're a human, we use our head height from the top of the skull to the chin.

Which gives us average measurements of top of head (T) to chin (Ch) to mid-rib cage or nipples (Ni) to navel (Na) to crotch (Cr) to mid thigh or above knee (Ak) to below knee -not bologna- (Bk) to above ankle (Aa) with about a half head to floor. Also described here.

Proportions of animals are a little harder to figure out because the landmarks on humans are different than on animals.  I mean, we stand on two feet, they walk on all fours etc. but one thing that is consistent with animals in general is the skeleton. With that said, if you are studying any kind of animal - human or otherwise- you need to know what's going on underneath, in both bones and muscles.  If you don't how to get started doing this or if you have used the internet to look up an animal (say a squirrel monkey) and can't find any on the animal's anatomy, use it's Latin name (Simia sciureus) and you will be more likely to find information more closely related to the animal's anatomy.

But, and this is important, CROSS REFERENCE your information! I have seen students bring in anatomy reference examples, drawn by other previous students, which are downright wrong.  Photos are best but scientific illustrations are good as well if care was taken to scan or photograph them.  If you can't find anything about your animal, look up which zoos have your animal in their collection and call or email them or their veterinarian and ask about reference material for the animal in question.  Or talk to a zoo keeper, they are pretty cool and can help you in your endeavor. and they are happy to help if they can. There is always the tried and true method of GOING TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY to do some research (gasp). I know a lot of librarians-they are really cool and willing to help! And lots of libraries have free WiFi...and some even have coffee shops...what more do you need?

When you finally do acquire reference of the animal's anatomy, namely in profile, measure the skull from the front/tip muzzle to the back of the head where the spine meets it. Most quadrupeds have a spine that meets the skull at the back rather than below, unlike humans.  Below is a photo of a polar bear, ursas maritimus, acquired from this site. Even this specimen, as beautifully as it's been articulated, isn't exactly correct as the fore paws are too far forward for it to stand naturally, but let's move on. I, like many others, LOVE polar bears; they are so large and furry and cool and furry and chunky and furry and furry.  Did I mention furry? When you are just getting started drawing them, all that fur kinda gets in the way and you end up with weird bear shaped balloons because...furry. The skeleton has no fur so you can measure without distraction, woo! 'Had a student once who said, "I can't draw this cat because it's fluffy." Ahem, skeleton, duh.

Using a compass, ruler or Photoshop you can measure the length of the skull and compare it to the animal's body.  Humans are, on average, 7.5 heads tall. By the look of this bear, it is almost 5 heads long (4 3/4 including the skull where the skull should be) without fur so it's safe to say fur and all, it's 5 heads long with fur.

Rib cage is two heads long, which means the construction shape you'll use to describe the ribs is a 2 heads long oval.

Scapula is about half a head. Turn the head in the direction of the bone.

Humerus is a head and change so about a head.

Ulna is about a head's length, radius is typically just a bit shorter than the ulna on this, and many  animals.

Paw is just a tad more than half the head.

Distance from rib cage to pelvis is about a 1/4 head.  This is an important measurement, some animals such as tigers and lions have a full heads distance from the rib cage to the pelvis.

Distance from rib cage to pelvis is about a head.

Pelvis is about 1/2 to 2/3 head.

Femur is a head.

Fibula (yes, many of the bones of your animal are referred to the same names as your bones...sometimes)

Hind foot (which looks close to a human foot) is 3/4 head.

The width of the rib cage is about a head at its widest and the the distance to the floor from the rib cage is a head's length.

Notice, must of these measurements I have described being "about" a certain length. Just like people, no two animals are exactly the same but overall the measurements will be close, that's one of the things that makes up that animal. make note of these measurements, and stay true to them as you continue your animal drawing explorations, they will eventually help to make your animal easier to draw and make it more believable to your audience.

Okay, okay...you're right. Not everything can be measured by the skeleton.  You can also measure with a fully furred animal.  Here's a photo from this site. Aw, a big furry polar bear, awwww!

 Use its head to check the thickness of the fore paw, about half a head on this fellow.

 The thickness of the midsection is about 1 1/2 heads.

 This polar bear's neck is about 3/4 a head in thickness.

When you're talking about fur thickness and exterior information, you can use your own judgement on what you think looks best - that becomes the "art" part.  But know what the proportions (at least the measurable stuff underneath) are first before jumping into the fluffiness. Draw from the inside, out. go and draw awesome animals. have fun drawing!

Thanks for stopping by.

Hair Simplification

Here's some hair notes to, hopefully, make drawing your figures/characters easier. As cool as details are and as fun as it is to draw details (or render them), they can get pretty complicated and hard to draw more than once.  We discussed this topic in class today, and here's some notes. Simplify your work to save the headache later.

Also here are some pretty cool hair examples, you've probably seen before:

 Andrea Reporter https://aluiramancio.wordpress.com/andrea-reporter/

Concept Art from Brother Bear 2.  Fun and simple hair shapes, good animation...but it's a sequel...and all that implies.

 Stylish and simple Chico from Chico and Rita.

 Clone Wars Season One designs from Genndy Tartakovsky.

Dora's hair is pretty cool and simple. I just wish she would turn around and she could see that darn bridge for herself.

 Elisa from Gargoyels.

 Holly Would's hair from Cool World is simple yet complex.

 Kronk is my hero. You guys are kinda confusing me, so...Be gone!...Or whatever makes you go away.

Lloyd's mustache is so well done from Bolt.  'Wish these characters were in the film more.

Witch Hazel has an awesome hair design.  It looks so...gloppy. and the two stringy lines make the hair believable.  She makes incredible exits.

Meg is a beautiful piece of design.

I really dig the slick designs for the Disney Infinity characters being created in Z-brush. Mirage's hair is an example of that.  Shape first with simplified details.

Nani's hair is yet another example of simple elegance.

Three examples of beards, one from Pettison and Findus, the other from Hercules, you know my opinion of Hercules but the design are second to none.  Amphitryon, very cool drawing here from Richard Bazley.  Look at the shape moving around Amphitryon's chin. And the last from Small One (who must be a distant relation of Tony's from Lady and the Tramp).

Wonderful simplification in the hair from Secret of Kells. 
Thanks for stopping by!

Pushing your figures: Leading OR Head Shoulders Knees and Toes...

We discussed leading the other day, and by that I mean using a part of the body to be the main part or start of the action. There are lots of ways to lead and all these ways say something more or push the character but NOT doing so leaves your figures feeling stiff.  So I drew these in class requiring some class participation below:

Seeing as the head is at the top of the body (usually) we started with that.

 

All poses may not be as active so here is 'leading with the head' a little more naturally.

 

Just like the song, "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes", shoulders are next.  Shoulders tend to be pretty aggressive if you think of breaking a tackle in football or body checking in hockey or a space warrior babe alien thing. 

 

But shoulders also act as shields to try to protect feelings or the spirit inside as in the case of a shy person as suggested.

Next most logical body part to lead with is the chest.  This may be considered the "being on display" pose, the look-at-me walk etc.  Leading with the chest can express confidence, superiority, heroism, confrontation etc.

Working our way down, we get to the stomach. I going to digress for just a moment and say, I had a room mate, a well fed room mate, back in college who lead with his tummy.  If you were having a conversation (or doing any sort of activity) The tummy would arrive first, leading the 'mouth' which would drop whatever opinion the room mate had at the time. Below are just two examples of stomach lead.

 

Which brings us to the pelvis. All of us, at some time place our weight on one foot shifting our bodies into a contrapposto position.  This is a form or leading with the pelvis and there are lots of methods to this type of leading, four are below:

"What about twerking?" "Ahem...yes that is form of leading with the pelvis...but I'm not going to draw that." "Ahh." "...Um try this."

Leading with the knees tends to push the body backward awkwardly, this is great for describing a lanky or under-exercised figure.  But, if you look at people taking a photo on their cell phones, they tend to lead with the knees to try to angle the body back to get more into the shot.  If you look at "the Lovers" from Commedia del'arte, you will find that these characters (who usually lead with the chest) may fall back to lead with their knees when they stand still and let the warm emotions of love and happiness wash over them.  Same is true of people who are experiencing a true emotion.

Leading with the toes lightens the character's movements.  A sneak, sashay, or sexy walk (though a sexy walk also is a lead with the chest and shoulders as well) are examples of leading with the toes.

"Can you lead with your arms?" they ask.  Of course!  Leading with the arms of hands gives purpose to the intended action of the appendages and they really to have a reason to up.  It's very hard to sneak with the arms up as it places you off balance, in this case, arms are better positioned near the core of the body to act as ballast.  A high dive is an obvious lead with the arms/hands, entering a dark or smokey room would be cause to lead with the arms/hands to prevent collisions with unseen objects is also a good use of the arms leading.

More on leading later, for now think about what your character would lead with and continue to push your posing and animation. Thanks for stopping by!