Project - Learning to Sketch from Imagination

Lesson by

Stan Prokopenko

inDrawing Basics

12K

Course In Progress

Assignments 2K

Downloads 5

Project - Learning to Sketch from Imagination

Lesson by

Stan Prokopenko

in Drawing Basics

12K

Course In Progress

Assignments 2K

Downloads 5

Pick an animal, a bug, or some kind of creature, and find several reference photos to use as inspiration to sketch a new character.

Don't copy the photos. Feel free to explore with proportions and exaggerate or simplify things to make it your own. Do multiple sketches to experiment and try different ideas.

Once you think you have a clear idea of a character, do one full page sketch. Even in this final sketch, try to use loose, confident lines and focus on the shapes of the character you have in mind. We're trying something new here with this project by starting to develop our ability to draw from imagination. So it might be a bit of a challenge, but don't sweat it.

Let's keep it loose and rough with our sketches and just focus on letting those creative juices flow. Don't focus on the cleanliness of your lines. We're sketching, and when you post your assignments, please include the photos you found and all your experimental sketches.

If you'd like to have a chance to be included in the upcoming critique videos, you must submit your drawings below by March 9th 2023.

And don't forget to have fun!

Mahfam Zohrabi

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I think my lines are a bit messy.

Rachel Dawn Owens

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Your line are a little scribbley, but I can still read your drawing. I like your Guinea pig guy. It’s a good idea to keep the smaller details constrained to the focal areas. Like the face and hands. Nice work 👍

Juan Sanchez

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17h

The animal that I chose to sketch was a shark, it was really fun, however I still feel like drawing from imagination is very difficult.

Rachel Dawn Owens

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Keep using reference when you need it. Drawing from reference is how you build your visual library which will help your imaginative drawings as well. These sharks are so flowy and full of action. Adding the sharp teeth to more of your shark drawings might make them even more convincing.

@naf

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Day12

@d3lizabeth

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I had so much fun with this little guy

@hatmouse

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The last picture killed me, because it fits your upright version so well haha, i love it

Arca Ludo

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White shark: I looked at Reference 1, then sketched it from imagination trying not to look back at the reference. I did the same for References 2 and 3. Then I drew the final sketch.

Rachel Dawn Owens

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This guy is great!

@smileylemon

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My attempt at this assignment, I didn't really get how much the animal had to differ from the original so I would like to know if I should work more on that for next time

Christian R

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The friend to all animals. Love the drawings

Chuck Ludwig Reina

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I love me a capybara! And they are a great critter to work from because their head is so dang boxy. As far as how different it has to be, that is up to you. You could try exaggerating even more if you wanted to. Could you make that big blocky head even bigger and blockier? Totally up to you! Great job.

Andrew Spinney

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My first attempt at this assignment, enjoyed the challenge of doing a solo character although I feel like I missed the mark with the eyes as they are not very cartoon styled

Kyle Johnson

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I’m not sure I got the whole tapered lines thing down on my characters…I’d get into it but I tried to do a blend. But yeah this was fun. May not be the best work but I did my best!

Melanie Scearce

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It definitely looks like you had fun. Great character exploration! This is a difficult project to achieve tapered lines, especially if you're not used to drawing from imagination. Just keep trying your best 👍

Christoffer L

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10d

This was really, really hard! The ”Drawing from Imagination Cramps” was a great video, and contained what I needed to hear. I definitely fall into the category of ”When me technical skills are better I will be able to draw from imagination” and will practise this much more, and as a skill somewhat separate from technical skill development.

@alexnim

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11d

I choose an Otter to draw for this project. Tbh It wasn't the easiest but it was fun as it built my confidence since its my first time to draw an animal other then a cat. The page before the last on the right is from imagination and the last page. Please give me advice to improve or youtube videos you recommend to help me improve drawing from imagination.

@robertni

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14d

Drawing from imagination, some green puffers.

Miranda Herrington

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18d

CooperLooper

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19d

Wallaby...

Hernan Rueda

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20d

This is my first time doing this type of practice.

Maria Met

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20d

Hello everyone! This project was a lot of fun but very challenging as I struggle with drawing from imagination. I initially wanted to go for a more dynamic pose of my character but it didn't work out the way I wanted in my experimental sketches, so I ended up creating it in a static pose (last photo).

Melanie Scearce

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20d

@Maria Met I really like this reference image and your sketches are lovely. Something that might help you with the imagined poses is when you're doing your studies, look for shapes that you can use to keep your character consistent. Here I observed 'segments' that I could use to design my shapes for each pose. I kept them simple and organized by finding a large shape, a medium shape, and a small shape. Keeping things simple can help you keep the same characteristics of the cat when you imagine poses. Hope that helps!

sabine boettcher

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21d

Hallo, das war eine etwas schwierige Aufgabe für mich. Mir fehlt einfach die perspektivische Vorstellung

@smogo

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21d

First I have drawn a Mumakil from lord of the rings, which has such a fantastic character design! However, it was not my own character idea, so I went for a vulture character :)

David

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22d

Hi All. Drawing from the imagination project. Another really fun one, but challenging! Maybe I exaggerated the length of the neck too much to add to the saggy glumness I was going for? Any comments or critiques always welcome...Thanks

Melanie Scearce

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21d

Very nicely done! I love the exaggeration, and I think you could actually push it even more to support the narrative you want to communicate. I exaggerated the gesture curve to put more weight in his head and 'arms.' The more dramatic curve puts strain in the wings as well, like they have to work much harder to hold him up. There's so many ways you can take this idea, keep having fun with it!

Patrick Bosworth

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22d

Great study sketches, and I love how you brought them together!

@mstefan

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22d

This was a fun little project. I hope to explore my designs further, but I tend not to post my drawings if they are not exactly how I want them. I definitely need to revisit this one.