Learning the Anatomy
Ever since I was about fourteen years old I have wanted to be an artist. However, it took me until I was around seventeen to actually take my dream seriously and start learning what I needed to learn. I believe that many of the greatest artists were not just talented, which is of course a requirement, but they were also passionate about art and ready to learn about art so as to improve.
One of the most important things I had to learn was the human anatomy. Artists such as Frank Frazetta and Brom (both working in the Fantasy Art field) are masters of anatomy and can paint the human form perfectly in any pose and position and from any angle. That is more than talent, that ability came from the patience and determination to learn the anatomy and study it in detail.
The best way to learn the anatomy is to find a good book on anatomy and copy the images, taking your time to try and make an accurate copy. Once you have flipped through the pages and copied the anatomy you will have already gained significant knowledge in how the body is shaped, how it is proportioned and how the muscles move and react.
The next best thing is to find an artist you really love and to copy their paintings and sketches also. This way you will learn how to draw the body from different angles and in different poses and it will all be getting stored in your memory every time your draw. Of course, you cannot claim these copies as your own and they must be noted as studies to avoid copyright infringement.
Other than learning the anatomy and doing what is described above, the single best way to improve as an artist is to draw, draw, draw every single day. It takes determination and a lot of patience, but I know it will be worth it in the end.
Got paid for that last freelance job that I did, you all know what that means, it’s about time to hit the shops and pick up that new pair of newton running shoes that I have been waiting to get. Steve, are you up for a little bit of shopping this weekend?