Learning to Pose Your Character Drawings | Posing - Theory - Loomis - Comics - Manga

Line and Color Quick Start Guide: www.thedrawing...
In this video I cover some ideas and thoughts on posing your characters... along with practical advice and exercises.
A big part of posing is Acting... as Artists - drawing our little characters we are part drawer... and part actor... a lot of your success here is in thinking deeply about who you are drawing.
The key is to imagine yourself as the character and imagine yourself being in the pose you need to draw.
Getting in front of a mirror and acting out the pose... or simply trying to get into the position and taking note of what your body does... will help a lot.
You can always improve your structural drawing and ability to draw the mannequin. But giving your characters life is something you can work on no matter how good your drawing is.
My advice for exercises is to give yourself a set number of poses to complete as a set exercise. Think of these 20 (or 10, or 30... whatever works for you) as being thematically linked or perhaps of the same character. This gives you a goal and some form of structure to work towards.
You can do these all in one go... or perhaps just do a few a day. Try not to burn out as when you begin doing this or take on a new posing challenge it will really tax your mind.
The stick figure mannequin is a huge help here as it gives you a simple version of a human figure that you can learn to draw and then repeat... this allows us to focus on the pose rather than the drawing. But you can also add extra form to these little drawings to help define your character.
As I mention in the video... the more you tailor this practice to your own goals the better. If you want to draw fantasy stuff... practicing posing fantasy characters doing fantasy things. etc etc.
Good luck!
With most types of stylised types of art - There is often a mix of structure and perspective and technical drawing.... combined with symbols and abstract features.
Once you get good at blocking in proportion and posing with the Loomis Method you can use it to suit your own style.
It's just a tool you can use to help you draw cool stuff!
Happy Drawing!
Tim Mcburnie
Learn Drawing and Illustration from me: www.thedrawingcodex.com
Portfolio: www.timmcburnie.com
www.artstation.com/tim-mcburnie
timmcburnie
timmcburnie

[@Aleatoire9]

I've been "feeling through the character" since I started drawing, but had no idea it was an actual thing! It explains why I primarily draw fan art - I understand the character because I've read about them and their emotions. Feel like your videos are finally levelling me up!!

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Thanks! Yeah that’s a great point! It takes a lot to get into a character so often the ones we know are good to draw.

[@rowan4097]

This channel is like a gold mine, not over whelming but very helpful in the info and giving practical exercises I can do right now to get better!! It's literally been a day of just posing and stuff and I feel so much more confident- I find myself breaking down poses whenever I see them also- be it in real life or in images/pic. Its such a nuance thing to pick up on.

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Thanks Rowan! That’s awesome you have been finding these useful and putting them to work!

[@timduncan5343]

The timing could not have been better lol

[@smerci]

So true!!! I feel like the world is moving in the same mindset I do...everytime I think of something I need, I just see these recommendations and they just help so much.

[@johnnyguzman6888]

Learning this not just helps the art I create but makes my life richer. I see movements in life. I learned to put emotion, feeling and life into my creations. Thank you

[@laly1able]

this class was amaizing, wish my character desing class had covered that at college 💖

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Thanks Lais! I'm glad you liked this one!

[@underwearpete6409]

"amaizing" ive never seen someone spell it that way

[@tiagodagostini]

Do not be sad, that is not only in art, most college nowadays teach very little of useful skills on most fields.

[@Neko123Uchiha]

Great video! I rarely hear people talk about character expression, which is super important for drawing poses. Everyone just wants the super flexible Spider-Man poses … but that does not work for every character. Your approach is way more relatable than any other tutorial I watched (and there are a LOT xD). Honestly, I'm going to binge some of your videos, your narrative is super chill and easy to follow! :D

[@Flooofster]

You just made me remember why I loved figure drawing back in art school. It used to be FUN! There's something really exciting about posing yourself and using that to drawing a character. Breathing life into something is extremely satisfying! Somewhere along the way, I forgot that. Never forget to add SOUL!

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Right on! I'm glad this one helped! Drawing is meant to be fun :)

[@user-km8cc9ie4p]

私の主言語は日本語のため、ある程度しか聞き取れませんでしたが基本に則った丁寧で分かりやすい説明でした。ありがとうございます、描くキャラクターを映像を覗くように理解することやキャラクターになりきって実際にそのキャラが行動するのか考えてみるというのは私も重要だと感じます。Thank you!

[@rietzhu]

You're Japanese... not like your talentless. Any Asian/Japanese individual somehow draws excellent... not even sure why you're here 😆

[@guillermoal1667]

Thank you very much!!! I stoped drawing almost a year ago after i used to draw every day and i used to be an art teacher in a School. I started rewatching Dragon Ball Z and i came by coincidence to this video, i spend the hole afternoon drawing after i had like 7 months without been able to draw more than 15 minutes! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Awesome that's so great to hear!! Keep it up!!

[@_.FR0G]

can i just say, this video got me drawing people for the first time in a while. Ive been taking my art serously for about 6 years now and drawing people was never my thing, i'd focus on drawing enviroments, basic shapes ( like those cubes and balls they make u draw in art school) and I've found my way to draw them at least to the point where I feel like I know what im doing but humans were too complicated for me. I started recently to take interest in the human body, poses and such because i got some ideas about my characters but i'm still very scared to draw humans because i'm just not satisfied with what i draw. This video puts me at peace a bit because its explained in a way I can actually understand whats happening and slowkey but surely learn finally how to draw humans :D

[@cory99998]

You should try drawing one thing you're bad at a day, and just allow yourself to be bad at it. I think being okay with that would help you progress pretty fast as trying and failing is the only real way to get good at things

[@_.FR0G]

@@cory99998 yes, yes, I've been trying to draw humans and now I'm getting results I like. Ty so much for explaining though I didn't know how to put it into words

[@cory99998]

@@_.FR0G thats awesome

[@Buddhabellie]

So glad I found your channel. It's like youtube sees my drawings and put right people in my place. Nicely explained

[@zawunc]

Great video with a lot of eye openers, one of which being the“role play“ part. Also very helpful advice for going about the learning and improving process. Thank you very much!

[@masonw6361]

Really loving your videos! The drawings, the teachings, doing the exercises. These are awesome and for me, super inspiring! Keep up the great work!

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Thanks!

[@user-jp7vj2ky4r]

I like the clean approach u have when drawing…very clean work space. Lot of artists have a messsy approach…makes it easier to understand the concepts ur trying to teach

[@vikramdorbala5198]

thank you very much. your videos are some of the best in terms of practical advice.

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Glad you like them!

[@PikalinkEvan]

Such an insightful video. I feel like I need to thank you for sharing this with the world! Was fun doing my own sketches while observing what you did and the choices you made.

[@samankucher5117]

why are you a not super famous on KZbin.... you remind me of David finch only had 10k subscribers for 5 years and he made 200k subscribers after doing live streams :) I love the format of the video you only need to keep up am sure you will be a bigger channel 🙂

[@KaiketsuEgg]

Glad KZbin recommended your video! Thank you for the high quality content🙏🏼

[@johnnylamonte3451]

This is something I wanna do alongside anatomy practice as you described for characters I wanna make fanart of.

[@anthonym1998]

I cannot figure out why you don't have more subs. Thanks for the detailed video!

[@Dugrath]

This is really helpful and I definitely think this is something I need to start doing ALOT more. Getting quick everyday gestures of tasks would make things later on much easier. Drawing someone sitting next to a fire or cooking tells a story vs just in the air with a sword.

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

Ok. I'm sold. This just popped up in recommended after I have just started dabbling in fantasy drawing.

[@alexanderjaeger]

This is why it's funny to observe an artist who's drawing facial expressions. He try's to act the funny face he's currently drawing 🤣

[@TheDrawingCodex]

So True!

[@thefirewould2194]

Earned a subscriber, love the lessons and tips that you give!

[@enraikow6109]

totally unrelated, but i can't keep this to myself forever. tim's artstation pfp looks like jetstream sam from metal gear rising lol. anyway, love your work man! i feel very immersed in your artwork and the inherent simplicity/practicality in the subject of those arts. thank you!

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Lol

[@philroydias5366]

Whoaaa, just found a gem. Thanks KZbin recommendation.

[@federicodiaz2100]

This is a very important lesson about how to thinks when you draw, he show us how loomis reallity want to explain us and how we must to wil do it. Thanks

[@reyg6733]

Thank the KZbin algorithm! And thank you for making this video! I am subscribed now.

[@cupmaggot4347]

amazing video, my art teacher who recommended me your channel, I'm loving your videos. ✨

[@neiel6169]

This is just a gem, Thank you very much for all your effort in every video 🙌✨

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Thanks! No worries at all :)

[@serahmunthali3063]

I love the Internet. Thanks for this video. Subscribed😀

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Thanks!!

[@artmin100]

Awesome channel, glad to have found another useful art resource.

[@mrCetus]

This is just a gem, Thank you very much for all your effort in every video

[@battz7252]

Its like going back to your childhood and imagine those scene like, playing your ballpen as a space ship during class boring hours.

[@minti_jpg]

god thank you so much for this video!! I just found this channel and i feel so blessed!! Thank you!!

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Welcome!!

[@DigbyGrayston]

honestly like really honestly that was so good and actually re affermed my goal

[@KillerTacos54]

I'm so glad I found your channel!

[@winklerdraws]

Hey Tim, your videos are very helpful! The lenght of the videos stand out on youtube and I really appreciate this. But could you make playlists on your channel separating videos per topic like ' structure', 'gesture', 'anatomy'? I think it would give some structure for learning your content, helping your audience also! Thanks again for the knowledge

[@eliasscorsone4649]

Loomis is so good. Your art is something I notice, so great to put a face and name to your GORGEOUS style! Hard Subscribe & Follow, and will be keeping up with you. Thanks for doing this!

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Thanks! No worries at all :)

[@balsamidris5271]

it's actually very easy to draw poses.

[@adammesheia]

amazing stuff

[@artwhat..]

Thanks Codex..

[@Fantasy2012dz]

Great advice ! Thank you

[@ucNguyen-gn8ns]

Fantasic

[@DigbyGrayston]

im hooked currently trying to start a comic book

[@Ncmcdmworld]

Thanks for sharing your tutorial man..love from India 🇮🇳

[@12Kurdt]

The way you start the drawing is simple but it’s still hard 😵‍💫

[@atomic_artist1]

Thanks 😊, honestly a struggle

[@simoncodrington]

Much better on 1.2x speed 👍🏻

[@quiq5074]

Love these videos man.

[@fabiovaldesaraneda2012]

Great video ty so much

[@HimanArtists]

Very nice sketch

[@sorubro2193]

Cool capcom book, recently bought SF 25th book, really good

[@soweli3033]

cool

[@TheDrawingCodex]

Very cool! Yeah that is a great book as well.

[@user-mr1ph2ie3e]

this man is using a blackwing matte pencil, you know he's a pro

[@vikasalfeo3410]

After the thumbnails ,what's your next step ,do you scan them and work further digitally or do you take a printout of your roughs and then lightbox it . I mean what's the next step towards final penciling from a rough thumbnail?

[@amadoutoure3386]

Hi Tim Mc burnie the name of the document

[@daxiawang2558]

very good

[@adamari2434]

I love it 👍😎

[@tejasmane6976]

Really helpful ❤️💯

[@nuun-metaltheorist660]

Hi there, great video, feels like I learned a whole lot from just just the vid alone. I have a question though; do these pose drawings have to be from imagination or can we use/draw from references? I've started doing this but I'm having trouble and my sketches always look kinda off.

[@TheDrawingCodex]

My goal is always to draw from imagination. You might get some benefit from using reference. But ultimately you get good at what you do... so using reference will not always help you draw without it. You could try doing some with reference but draw it from a different angle (so using the figure's balance and pose... but trying to construct it from a new view). Or you could try copying the reference and then trying to draw it again without the reference. If you practice drawing it from imagination then you will slowly get better at it though. This is a complex skill that involves both solid drawing skills AND good understanding of anatomy and balance and emotion and character... so don't sweat it if it takes a while! Good luck!

[@nuun-metaltheorist660]

@@TheDrawingCodex Thanks very much for getting back to me and for the detailed reply, really appreciate it!

[@qq_bubble8316]

My guy is growing

[@frcastro1981]

Thanks a lot for the class. This exercise is suose to made without reference?

[@THUNGUNS]

Slice of life is the hardest to draw 😅

[@wingtons416]

Full Name of book ? movement of frame reference of poses.

[@kachidereodumeh2040]

Good day sir, I have a question. What exercise do you recommend for people that put a lot of pressure on their pencils, while drawing?

[@tasminahashi9941]

Hey there, u are a genius

[@donaldhickok5633]

Could you redesign Star Ocean Monsters from Star Ocean The Last Hope, The Sprites from Star Ocean First Departure and Second Evolution, the Monsters from Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness, Star Ocean Till the End of Time Valkyrie Profile, and Star Ocean The Divine Force and the Sprites from Star Ocean Blue Sphere? Just giving ideas for more drawing.

[@ChooseyClone]

How do we get out of the habit of using references? I feel like if I wanna draw a guy kicking, landing, or posing etc. I have to both find a reference image, and make sure it’s somewhat unknown so that it’s not one of thousands of drawings from the same reference. A good example is looking at art on Pinterest you quickly see hundreds of variations and redesigns of the same character or reference photo. So I feel like the only options are learn to draw without reference or become a photographer take my own reference photos then go back to working on being an artist, I get that learning and practicing it doesn’t matter so much about how original the work is but say you were building a portfolio for school or a job while learning then it gets complicated again if it looks like the many regurgitated masses. Look up portfolios from different art school most of them look the same have the same “bicycle challenge drawing” from almost the exact same angle. How do you learn and stand out while learning to stand out haha

[@V-Mac00]

I'm not a pro, so take my advice with a grain of salt. You can use references... and if you're drawing something you're not used to drawing & you want it to be as accurate as possible, you probably should! The trick is to combine references! Yes, everyone's looking at & using a lot of the same Pinterest photos. And for many of them, it's for good reason - the angles, lighting, etc. are great! So, you take that great photo, pick an aspect or two that you like & want to use, and combine it with other aspects of other photos! For example: the pose & lighting from photo A with the composition or angle of photo B. What you end up with is totally new. Still not unique enough for you? Combine different aspects from three (or more) photos! I was having trouble with this, too, until I started combining images I liked. Idk. Thought I'd share - hope it helps! Keep at it.... we'll get there, eventually! 😁

[@no_name1496]

13:32 i was thinking "what the hell is an EMURON!?"

[@TheDrawingCodex]

:)

[@pennykatirgis6338]

Could you let us know what is the book with all the superhero type of drawings?

[@V-Mac00]

I believe you're talking about the CAPCOM Design Works book (I think that's what it's called - it's on the cover, anyway. Never personally seen it & know nothing about it, but it does look very cool!). Just before he opens it, at 11:33, you can see the cover. I know it's been a month since you asked, but I hope that helps. ✌️

[@user-ys7hy5rw3v]

dwarfのイラストですか？drawingですね！

[@foodeeryuu779]

well that's a sub

[@DigbyGrayston]

fun hey

[@01Sword]

13:26

[@grant09able]

he should teach people how to do public speaking, he could teach me the history of golf and I'll listen lol

[@davidneil144]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@seiso5180]

Could you again again? Again it’s really great to get that…. Again. Could you one more time please again. Great again thanks, and one more thing again. Ps. Again.

[@yuz4177]

兄弟你太强了~

[@wolfcry5429]

Ojalá hablara Inglés:"3

[@scaredlittleboy7086]

Learn drawing from obi wan? Let's gooo

[@Sky_TEC_Illustraition_Systems]

Ain't no way around it chaps. Get that bridgeman. Crack it and copy it cover to cover twice. 10 pages a day. If you're a serious illustrator, should take you no more than 2 months or so.

[@nothingyet120]

Btw there should be specific video on how to draw nude people, especially the "crotch" area. I've just seen some horrible vulva placement on a comic character today. It was like if they never saw a real woman or know how anatomy work. I think it would be useful for SFW art as well, it would help people not to be afraid of drawing a penis too, it's not shameful, men have those... (knowing it's there and how it sits helps in drawing clothed people as well...)

[@XimoMontanus]

Omg is that a PS5 in the background?

[@TheDrawingCodex]

It sure is! :)

[@smerci]

You are paying attention to the wrong things :D

[@tresbienjevois7013]

Tha

[@ginxu5466]

牛逼

[@joshnizzle]

Ķj

[@brushrunner]

1.75x speed thank me later

[@taraishot100]

Damn where did you get that street fighter book from? I want it haha