Project - Learning to Sketch from Imagination

8.6K
Course In Progress

Project - Learning to Sketch from Imagination

8.6K
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

And don't forget to have fun!

Newest
@bovine_designs
I did two characters! My first one is a traveling echidna, I wanted to make a special harness for him to carry things since his quills aren't backpack friendly. His staff looked like a basketball so naturally I had to draw him balling. I saw other students doing insects and I wanted to try my hand at that! I made a mechanized bee, it was pretty tough but I'm glad I did it!
@sanosuke123
my attempt at this excerise
Melanie Scearce
I really like the idea for this drawing! Super cool reference. I have a tip for the pose, hope it helps!
@hwjones91
So definitely a level 1 here attempting a level 2 bc I love cartoons and comics (a big part of why I took this course and signed up for the marvel course here as well) and while I’m happy with the results I was able to produce, watching the “cramps” video definitely made me feel like I was “over challenging” myself to something I wasn’t up to experience/skill wise but still it got me very excited to draw and had me spending every little bit of free time to do more work or sketches which was a win.
Melanie Scearce
Love it! It's important to remember that in order to get the experience we have to undertake the experience, which can be a troubling and discouraging process sometimes. With that enthusiasm you're unbeatable!
Gilles Dubuis
Something far too complicated.
Patrick Bosworth
I really love your crab sketch! Great exploration and deconstruction of the excavator parts! The Crab Mech building a sandcastle is awesome! Love it!!
Gavin Houle
My fuzzy scarab beetle, sketches, and reference :) this was fun (Always open to critique)
Andrea Sambrano
I absolutely hated this task, as feel it dewmanded me to use skills that have not been taught. These poor dogs. They are cute and my renditions look <z if they were done by a talentless child. I do not know how to construct a doggie, its eyes, etc. I feel this was a wasted afternoon of useless scribbling. I need help to do this. The fantasy drawings were fun, but I could have dome them without the previous steps.
@drbjr
3d
First as much as it mite be boring, start with a more simple subject, i always recommend when starting to learn a new skill for your tool belt to work up to more complex subjects. Try to find something that is not that complex but allows you to use what you have learned so far, I suggest picking something we have drawn in this course before, the pear/snail for instance. Break down the elements of the subject based on being able to simplify. Lets start with the pear, usually it has an upper half, lower half and a stem, those are the elements that make up the pear. Now look at your reference image, jot down each part as a shape SIMPLY, remember to ignore all the detail in the contour/texture/color/lighting etc. One you have those elements put down, that is what you work from, you know how the pear is made now, from there you can take those shapes and change them, combine them in different ways. lets say the upper half of the pear is a circle/sphere(because it usually is), well you know what a circle is, but now you can push/pull , squeeze and stretch it to make a NEW shape. The you do exactly that for the shape that you saw for the lower half. and the stem, maybe that is a thin long shape, well you could make it short and wide in your new version of the pear you are creating. There ya go, you have 3 simple elements that you can change and manipulate how you want to make something new. and you can go even further with it once you get the hang of changing things, you don't have to stick to the shapes you see, you can make the upper half a triangle or the bottom half a square, etc. and on and on. it is super fun once you get it in in your mind, you aren't copying you are CREATING! ;------------------------------------------- We will do this with the snail now very quickly just to hammer it home. The snail is essentially 2 large shapes, one for the shell itself, one for the body. Now look at your ref, what shape is the shell?, is it round?, is it an oval, or maybe a pointed shape?, jot it down. the snails body is usually about the same shape typically a cylinder that is rounded on top, flat on the bottom, is it long or short in length?, is it tall of skinny?. Once you get those two things down you can do your thing. Start with the shell?, maybe your new creation has a BIG shell and maybe the body you choose is really small and flat almost being weighted down by the shell itself. Or maybe you make the shell super small...and the body super plump and fat, really goofy looking right? that gives it character. you can change the shapes as well like above, try a shell that is more boxy in shape, and maybe contrast that by making the body more long and elegant in shape. or a triangular shell shape, all pointy, and do the same for the body, now the snail has a more dangerous shape design, you wouldn't want to step on that bad boy in the forest, no sir. You see?, break things down simply and you can create what you want from there using those elements as a guide. I know this was long but i hope it makes some sense and helps a bit.
Bree Bree
This project was fun! I did a few sketches from reference to get a good idea of a stingray's structure. I wish I explored a little more to draw a more imaginative character at the end. I'll definitely do this again!
Melanie Scearce
Nice rays! Definitely keep going with it, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
@shadesea
10d
I have watched others submissions and felt like I need to turn just a simple bat into something more interesting. So I came up with this spider-bat. I think it is adorable, although still in doubt about whether I got the assignment right. Going to watch the demo next and find out
Melanie Scearce
You nailed it. I love spider bat!
@shadesea
10d
@nivedpiduri1324
the smaller sketch is my first sketch and the big one is a clean up and the more transparent sketch is the small sketch for me as reference. Would really appreciate critique
@rocwiff
11d
Decided to do a funny cartoony horse. Did a number of sketches from reference to work out the structure of a horse. Did the final sketch without the reference working from memory of what I learned from the studies. Haven’t watched the demo yet so I might do another one after watching. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!
Noah Myburgh
Hello, this was allot of fun, I tried looking for features that stood out to me for example the big eyes and the weird looking mouth. I think my drawings ended up a bit small and I should have tried using my arm and elbow more. I’m not sure how to explain it but I feel like my lines kinda look course. Always happy to receive some critique.
Melanie Scearce
If you're noticing the texture of the paper in your lines, try adding more paper underneath. It will help you get smoother lines. The gesture is great in these!
@murmur_a
18d
Another go after watching demo. This was a challenge for me, but so much fun.
Mika Vermeulen
tried this assigment with chimpansees. Probably should have taken a bit longer on the sketches.
Rachel Dawn Owens
It’s ok! Doing the assignments quickly forces you to keep things simple. I like how you kept your chimps simple
@rcruey1027
Smoogledorf the banana slug
Rachel Dawn Owens
Adorable!
@murmur_a
22d
Love drawing owls, so tried to play around with the horned owl. Hope he looks sufficiently posh.
Rachel Dawn Owens
Very posh indeed!
Sarah McKiernan
Glad I watched the encouragement video from Stan as the imagination requirement was challenging! Was happy with how I progressed during my practice sketches to final drawing. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
Noah Myburgh
Hello, this was definitely the project I struggled the most with till know, I had allot of trouble trying to internalise the characteristics and features of the animals which made it harder to exaggerate those features for my final sketch. I’m definitely excited to do more of these and I’d be more than happy to receive some critiques.
Rachel Dawn Owens
These came out really nice! I love the 3dimensionality of the forms. Your drawings pop off the page!
@corvidcopia
I tried this assignment with a different animal at first, then switched to a toad and got the character/result I wanted on the first try.
Gara María Carrillo Alonso
Hi! I chose an owl because its my favourite animal and I thought it would be fun to draw. In the first photo, I forgot to save some references, I also feel that the sketches are quite poor. I let time pass and today I returned to the activity, got some more references and repeated everything. I feel like I have understood the structure of the owl better now. In the third photo, there are the sketches made from imagination. I think they are quite adorable and fluffy! Fat owls are super fun to draw!
Melanie Scearce
I think taking a break is a great way to process what you've learned and reset. I really love your owls from imagination, so cute! Keep it up 👍
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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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