My daffy work of art (really daffy doodles)

[Matthew Hunter]

I drew these in school today on the back of a government class handout. I liked them so much I decided I'd share them with you, and I'll put them on the drawing Board too. I did these from memory, no pictures or models as a guide (which I do use sometimes.) Someone asked me "whoa, you did that?":

http://flashpages.prodigy.net/hunter21/daffy.gif
-Matthew

[Harley]

Matt,
That's pretty danged good. Considered an art college yet?

[Matthew Hunter]

Actually, yes. I am going to do a liberal-arts college first, and then I am strongly considering looking for an art college afterwards or as a transfer.
I do other art stuff too, not just cartoony...though I don't do realistic people very well. Landscapes, yes, but people are just hard I guess. You seem to do them quite well, however. What's the secret?
-Matthew

[Harley]

Practice, really. That's all it is. Practice and observation.

Practice the basic structure. I'll be the last person to tell you about anatomy and the muscle structures... I've still yet to take a class, but books help.

Draw from photographs. Go to the park and practice doing 30 second sketches of people. Anything to get that sense of the placement of the muscles, how they all work together and the basic structure of the hands and face.

Just watch people. Observe how they move and walk. That guy's swagger... another's nervous walk. That dimple on their face when they smile. That guy who doesn't really seem to have a chin. That pout on someone's face.... a particular gesture a person makes when they're talking to another... Just go out one day and watch them and take it all in.

You observe. You take it in. Not all of it will stick, but some of it will start showing up in what you draw. Eventually it will all add up and you'll be putting out drawings that are fluid, structured well, and have some character.

I would like to see your landscapes, should you ever have the time to scan them in. =)