Any Proportion/Perspective Tutorials?

[VVhiteWolf]

Hey FA. I've been trying to draw anthros for a few months now with some moderate success.

A few of the common problems I'm having are that my proportions are off, my perspective is slightly wrong somewhere, and that my images look flat.

I've managed to sort of fix the proportion problems with the torso, head, and neck, but I'm not sure how to fix it on the limbs. I believe my perspective issue has to do with the whole "my image looks flat" thing. I'm not really prone to shading, as I draw in a sketchbook and do exactly that, sketch. I've seen some unshaded drawings that still have alot of depth to them. Can anyone fish up some tutorials on fixing this problem?

I'd post pictures, but our scanner is on the fritz.

 

[X]

shading in the right places will give your image a more "real" feel. the right background color in combination with a shadow will give your character an almost 3d look if you do it right; as for proportions, i have no suggestions, i have the same trouble (mainly with snouts and fingers though)

 

[VVhiteWolf]

Thanks.

Also, another problem I'm having is with fingers and toes, particularly feral paws. I'm going to reference some photos or online anatomy pictures for the paws and things, but for some odd reason I can't even get the fingers right when I try to draw my own hand.

 

[Chex]

It depends on the type of 'hand' you're trying to draw. For example, Blotch draws a fairly interesting paw-hand, whereas some people draw just hands with claws, and others draw just paws.

 

[krisCrash]

Andrew Loomis - Figure Drawing For All It's Worth
Proportions, body perspective, motion/posing. Can't go wrong with this book, really. It's humans though.

So do have a look around http://www.drawfurry.com/?cat=4 as well

 

[VVhiteWolf]

Thanks for the link and help so far.

I'll see if I can't get to Barnes'N'Noble one day to get some anatomy books. I think if I had a better understanding of muscle structure, I could get proportions right.

 

[Arshes Nei]

George Bridgman's Life drawing is also a good book, get it along with Peck's Atlas of Anatomy for Artist (I may have gotten the title wrong).

 

[VVhiteWolf]

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll see if I can swing by this weekend and find them.

On another note, I'm currently working on a drawing of me and my mate. It's actually turning out pretty well. I've been able to fix most of the proportion stuff. I'm having trouble blocking out the arms and hands though. Once I have access to a scanner (also hopefully this weekend) I can scan it and post it up for redlining or critique. I've gotten the footpaws pretty well I think. I'm using Blotch's style, so the leg starts out plantigrade (Normal human legs) and then transitions into digitigrade. (Not sure if this is the right one, I'm drawing a blank at the moment. Look at your dogs's back legs, that's the kind of leg I'm talking about) All in all, the only problem I've had is that I've had to constantly go over and erase the joint between the paw and knee because it looks off. Again, I think it's just a perspective issue. I've definately seen myself improve though, which is very nice.