Drawing Superheroes in Action Book II - (A Guide to Drawing Body Movements) For the Absolute Beginner

Book excerpt: Drawing Superheroes in Action Book II (A Guide to Drawing Body Movements) For the Absolute Beginner Table of Contents Introduction Drawing Tools Moving Around in the Comic Cosmos Common Comic Superhero Movements Flying Combat Stances The Human Body Flexibility Weight The Torso and the Bean Proportion, Perspective, and Foreshortening Tips for Penciling The Drawing Process The Action Line of Action Drawing in Layers Lines, Shapes and Gesture Drawing Form Construction Contour Drawing The Comic Strip Visual and Narrative Analysis Exposition begins: Exposition continues and conflict begins: Conflict is established and rises: Conflict enters the climax: Climax is achieved: The resolution: Denouement: A Review Glossary The Author Introduction Down through the ages, mankind has revered superheroes. It leads one to wonder: What makes them so captivating? Is it our fascination over their superhuman powers and embodiment of incorruptible virtue? Or how they gloriously fight and emerge from gruesome battles? Or is it simply the prowess of the storyteller to enchant readers? The superhero saga revolves around an inevitable clash between good and evil. Though we ultimately look forward to and aspire for the triumph of good, it is really about the journey they tread and the battles they conquer that lure us. In a nutshell, the success of the story relies mainly on the exploits, the skirmishthe action. One word that says it all. Precisely the word that brings together superheroes, villains, and comic aficionados. Thus, the need to learn how to draw figures in motion. In essence, drawing figures in motion involves two aspects: emotions and body movement. We tackle both in the Drawing Superheroes in Action series. In Book I, we explored the essentials of illustrating and inducing the right emotions in each panel. Now, we move on to Book II, where we advance to the second aspect: body movement. Previously, we also discussed how body language plays a significant role in communicating thoughts and feelings. In the succeeding pages, we will delve deeper into the spatial and anatomical minutiae that affect even the slightest of gestures. Before wrapping up, we take on another challenge. We will put all that we have learned into practice by crafting yet another comic strip. With our journey through the comic cosmos nearing its end, here are a few but timely parting words to remember: Fortune favors the bold.