Hi Matt, for now don't worry about the contours but concentrate on mastering the gesture. Take a few moments to look at the reference and locate the main line of action, which is often the spine but in some cases can also include a leg or arm. In most cases you will be able to represent it as a single curved, flowing C or S shaped line. Once you have identified this line, look for the points where the pelvis and shoulders intersect with it and mark them with a line to define the inclination of these two portions. At this point you will already have a fairly clear idea of how the torso is positioned and how it is oriented in space. Arms and legs connect to shoulders and pelvis. Observe them well, you will notice that they follow a sinuous path, they are not straight lines, and you will be able to represent them with more or less pronounced curves (depending on whether they are stretched or bent). Sometimes you will notice that you can represent both arms in a single line, perhaps in a dance step. Always remember that no part of the body is separate, what you are trying to represent is a whole that moves organically: the movement of one part influences and balances that of another, the neck follows the main line and the head fits into it. For now, concentrate on this, make short poses, don't worry too much about shape or proportion, which you will perfect later in the lessons. For now try to understand the movement and learn to spot and mark it quickly. Don't consider these exercises as drawings to be finished, they are notes that you may need for a more complete work in the future. A bit like listening to a lecture at school and taking notes on the most important passages. I would also advise you to use a pencil for the time being instead of a pen, perhaps one with a soft lead, so that you can manage your stroke more easily and with less worry: the stroke of a pen is something that, also psychologically, appears definitive, so try to give yourself a little more freedom. :)