Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes Volume 1

62 Those Who Cannot Begin Do Not Finish

“Those who cannot begin do not finish.”Robert Henri, from his book: The Art Spirit

In searching the model’s pose for a good first impression that says — “this is what the model is doing, or thinking” — don’t look for the elements that make up the figure (anatomical parts), but rather look for the elements that make up the pose. They will vary with the gesture, but usually will feature something like

1. Weight distribution. How the figure balances itself because of what it is doing.

2. Thrust. Body language usually requires a hip to be thrust out, a shoulder up, knees apart, or an arm out (as in throwing something or pointing), etc.

3. Angles. Straight up and down figures are generally stiff and static. ...