Forums » Art Critique

• Sam Szymanski

  

  • 48 posts
   

  May 2, 2012 3:08:46 PM PDT

  Sup animatedbuzz! I haven't really been on here, huh? Just got back my critique from Calarts on my portfolio for Character Animation '12. They said I had potential and my sketchbook was nice but my life drawings "don't seem alive"

  So uh. how do I make them more alive?

   

  http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/1214

   

  thanks guys!

• Jon Paramel

  

  • 64 posts
   

  May 3, 2012 6:23:10 PM PDT

  Hey Sam, in my opinion your quick gesture drawings are great. Although I would say your longer poses all had thick lines, making it look stiff. Try being loose with longer poses.
• Sam Szymanski

  

  • 48 posts
   

  May 3, 2012 6:27:12 PM PDT

  Thanks, that's a good crit
• Josh Swallow

  

  • 149 posts
   

  May 3, 2012 10:06:29 PM PDT

  I think the term "lifeless" refers to your figures looking like a doll or a mannequin. It's pretty vague criticism but I can kinda see it in a few of your drawings.... #1, #3, *8, #11, and #13. #1 just doesn't really do it for me; it's very anime-y and the limbs are really awkward. *8 isn't nearly as dynamic as your yellow drawings, which are the best in your portfolio. It's a solid drawing, yet looks way too stiff in comparison. I'm not really feeling the body structure in #11. And your gesture drawings could use a bit more expression. There's some traces of it here and there, but seems like you're spending way too much time analyzing instead of drawing in the moment.

   

  Also to comment on your portfolio as a whole, I'm not getting a sense of your actual style. Every drawing feels like it was created by a different person, you know?

   

  I think you should explore #5's style a lot more. Not necessarily drawing on yellow paper with ink all the time, but just the principle of it. It's easily your best drawing and there's nothing "lifeless" about it. Like Jon said, I think you should try to get looser and put a lot more energy in your drawings.