foreshortening

[fallen_nemesis]

GAH!

having some issues with my life drawing foreshortening at the moment.

Anyone any tips? It's not so much things side on or from above, more the arm out punching towards you type of things where you can't see the arm

[poprock]

Draw what you see. Practice is the only answer. Keep sketching quick, throwaway drawings, as many as possible, as fast as possible. Try and get the outline in one or two scribbly storkes, then move on and do it again. Try it from a step or two to the left and right as well, to help yourself understand how the foreshortening changes from one angle to the next.

Some people find it helps to close one eye, removing depth from your view. Others find it helps to do that ‘measuring’ thing by holding a pencil up to your eye and using your thumb to mark lengths.

You could cheat at first, by taking photos on your mobile phone and sketching from the photo rather than real life. Once you get the hang of that, try going directly from the model again. You may find that you have a better understanding of translating that 3D form into a flat shape once you’ve copied photos that do the job for you.

[Jen-Y]

The thing that always helped me was pretending it wasnt a 3d person i was drawing. I used to just look at the lines and not care if it actually looked like an arm or whatever on my paper. It usually comes together when you've finished the whole piece. The closing on eye thing sounds like a similar idea.

[Elfaba]

its really hard innit?? hate doing that kinda thing too

remember having to practice this for an exam in school

but like mr poprock said

just keep practicing and draw what you see - dont think of it as an arm just shapes contours and lines etc n u should get there

[linz]

Originally Posted by Jen-Y

The thing that always helped me was pretending it wasnt a 3d person i was drawing. I used to just look at the lines and not care if it actually looked like an arm or whatever on my paper. It usually comes together when you've finished the whole piece. The closing on eye thing sounds like a similar idea.

I think that's what I do too - just imagine its a flat 'slice' i'm drawing, rather than thinking "but that isn't the shape its supposed to be!"

[poprock]

Draw what you see, not what’s really there.

[Veil Of Tears]

I always had a problem with depth perception sort of getting in the way, so I always ended up drawing with one eye closed. Even then having one part in focus and the other part out of focus always made it a little hard to get the proportions just right. I always erred on the side of eggageration and it seemed to work. But then, I never was good at life drawing.