Batman drawing tips

[Stu]

Now then everyone.

I was wondering if any of you could give me any tips when it came to drawing Batman, as I kind of suck at it. What type of poses to draw him in, and what is a good inspirational source (other than the animated shows!).

Anyone got any tips?

[Patrick Bateman]

I'd try replicating other artists Batman drawings at first. I still do. It helps me get a feel for how he should be positioned, and what to do with the cape. And now when I draw a Batman of my own, he usually looks like a blend of all the artists I've mimicked. :)

[TimTwoFace]

BYO is right - I'm still trying to nail Batman in his various poses. It's a lot tougher than you'd think, to make such a bulky guy also look so graceful and acrobatic. Just try tracing some sketches (I used Bruce Timm's sketches, as they're the most streamlined already) to get the general poses and proportions down, and then go from there to add details. :)

-Tim

[Outlander00]

Batman is a tough character to draw because of his cowl/head region... It is very difficult to get it proportional to the rest of his body (those bloody pointy ears is what does it for me :p). The other problem tends to be the cape because of its shape and use tend to be varied in each of the mediums (in the comics and movies, he is able to use it as a glider but in TAS, he isnt).

Best bet is to do research on it... Collect as many pics as possible from both the comics, movies, and TAS, and just redraw them, as many people have stated. Try to also do head studies of Batman as well as do clothing studies to understand the dynamiccs of the cape more.

[TimTwoFace]

I can usually nail the cape and cowl pretty well, it's the chest region that always bugs me when I draw Bats. He either looks flat as a pancake or WAY too buff! :p That's why I always like to take the cheap way out and just draw him in the shadows of my pics, looking on ominously. :)

-Tim

[James]

Watch the legs. Don't make the too short. Bats should be imposing and sometimes it's easy to allow the cape mess your perspective and make him squat. The cape can be your enemy as well as your ally...