Project - Learning to Sketch from Imagination

10K
Course In Progress

Project - Learning to Sketch from Imagination

10K
Course In Progress

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!

Newest
Le Hai
7h
I post assignments. They took more than 30 minutes to finish. I used 4b for the outline after finishing the sketch with 3h. That's really fun.
Marisa Del Campo
Hi - I posted an assignment here about 30 minutes ago. I saw it showed up right afterwards but now it's disappeared. Anyone know why?
Dylan Trahan
I'm a level one, working through the course after falling off of it last year. I drew all the rough exploration sketches this morning from reference images I found on Google and then just worked from imagination for the final drawing. I just kind of dove in to putting the large shapes in for the baby T-Rex. And then added in some detail and reworked it a bit but decided I was getting too much into the detail of it so I figured I should post it before I started overthinking.
Melanie Scearce
It's perfect for the assignment! Great use of CSI lines. I love the details you included, like his eye trained on the fly and the wagging tail. All really great narrative elements. Looking forward to seeing more :)
@chadcando
I wasn’t to sure what to draw from imagination, so I asked my wife and she requested a scorpion. Which didn’t really help me but after asking what would she like the scorpion to be doing she said that it needs to be a chef with a spoon in its tail. It’s was fairly challenging to draw, so did a few simple thumbnails to figure out the shape of a scorpion. The face was hard as not knowing what the face of a scorpion looks like but I feel like I came up with a good concept in the end.
Daniel
6d
I try to make long movements with my arm and as spontaneously as possible.
Melanie Scearce
Really nice! This idea will be covered a bit later in this course, but looking for rhythms in the pose can help you really practice those long movements from the shoulder, and help create cohesion in your drawings. And as usual, using a variety of CSI is great for creating visual interest. Keep up the sketches, these are looking great!
Carmen Ciumber
Difficult exercise, especially when trying to draw divas :)
Rachel Dawn Owens
These drawings are fun! Your shapes are looking very nice. My only critique might be about the line quality. Try using fewer marks. This will give your drawing more clarity and energy.
Ryan C
12d
I chose langurs for this project. It was difficult. I had fun studying the reference images, but I had a hard time nailing the shapes. That got even harder when I had to work from imagination. I can see why people get "cramps."
@brimarie
11d
Great sketches. You really nailed the different facial expressions.
Melanie Scearce
Your lines in these sketches are perfect for this assignment. Very gestural lines, loose but without getting muddy or messy. Nicely done 👍
Richard W
12d
Not happy of the result, but, have to deal with it :-(
@brimarie
12d
I have decided in favor of the raccoon:-)
Melanie Scearce
Amazing shapes! This is very advanced work :)
Ryan C
12d
These are great. I particularly like the one lying flat on the floor, you really got the softness across.
The guy from BluishDot
A great choice! Really nice drawings. :D
@pancakequeue
Wanted to draw a red panda sitting on top of a bookcase like a cat would. I liked the perspective and am happy with the line work but wish I could get the shading down better. Though shading is something we only covered with the fruit wanted to try it here cause red panda's anatomy is more blobish with very black sections on the limbs so figured I'd want to try out some shading.
Ken STACKS
15d
I don't know what i'm doing anymore....
Michael de Graaf
Rachel Dawn Owens
These elk are some bad dudes. I dig it.
@piba
20d
Following the chicken saga I decided to try open winged poses and Im not sure of a cohesive way to simplify it Tips?
@piba
20d
Just a example of the biggest simplification I came up with
Hetty
21d
Lucas Santos
Apollo
22d
Patrick Bosworth
Nice work! I love the personality you've injected into this, the googly eyes and the extra round abdomen really takes the spider design from creepy-crawly to adorable. Reminds me of Lucas the Spider! Keep up the good work!
@piba
22d
Perfect time for this cuz Im currently making a mini comic for my collage assigment and its chicken themed (⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠)🐔🐣🐣 First page (with reference Second ( imagination chickens
Patrick Bosworth
These are great explorations! I really love the chicken in glasses reading the book! :D
@piba
22d
Late refs cuz I forgot
Rachel Dawn Owens
I love your chicken designs. Keep pushing them!
Blex
23d
re tried this one, think it worked out a bit better
Rachel Dawn Owens
I love your parrot. He’s got so much personality. Very fun drawing. If you want to take it to the next level, keep practicing making long marks. I think that would give your drawing even more character and life.
Blex
25d
know this one is to early for me, but wouldn't hurt to try. choose a canary as there was plenty of refrens photos to find online. top image is fianal result.
@kaecbrinster
Got a bit carried away with the mushroom warm up… but some of the mushrooms I studied had this almost like fabric looking thing on their stem, so somehow I got around to Monet mushroom people. Been thinking about getting in to painting as well so I tried to color with water colors..
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Founder of Proko, artist and teacher of drawing, painting, and anatomy. I try to make my lessons fun and ultra packed with information.
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