Gesture and Figure drawings, Advice on drawing gestures & figures

Hello everyone.

A couple of weeks ago I got a book called "Pose from Figure Drawing – Design and Invention" by Michael Hampton and have been using it to help me improve on drawing figures. So far it is proving to be a help and I am learning new ways to draw figures, but I would like if people could take a look at my practice drawings I have so far to see what I need to work on. The can be found on DA through these links:

Stick Figure Gesture - http://www.aquasakura.deviantart.com/#/d3a8dsq

Gesture Drawings - http://www.aquasakura.deviantart.com/#/d3a8e6s

Stick Figure Gesture 2 - http://www.aquasakura.deviantart.com/#/d3a8ew2

Also, I want to know, is it a good idea to start off with practicing drawing gestures in different poses before moving on to the more detail stuff or it does not matter? I seem to have trouble drawing some poses and I want to work on that, but I also want to practice anatomy. I am kinda not sure what to do at the moment and I would be happy if anyone could give me advice on what to do. Or let me know of I am on the right path.

That is all.

Just wondering, did you copy the gesture drawings from the book? Because to be honest, they look stiff

Anyway, the point of gesture drawing is to see and feel the different shapes and lines that make up the body. So to answer your question, yes it is a good idea to practice different poses. This site generates a lot of different stock photos from which you can practice figure drawing (ideally, you should draw models from real life, but since we're not made of money, photos will do).

It is very good that you're learning gesture drawing, though :)

Yes I did copy them though with the first and third picture I did add a bit of my touchings I learn from the book. Anyway, I understand. I would work on not making them look stiff.

Also, thanks for answering my question as well as showing me a website that would give me references. Though, I have a question. Is the web page design to show a different photo every time I revisit it?

Well, speaking of what you just said about practicing from life, I was thinking about doing that but I had forgotten about that thought. You just reminded me so I should do that.

Well thanks again. I'm glad you are happy about it. ^_^ You show that I am on the right path to drawing figures better.

Thing about gesture drawing is that you want to capture the movement and feel of the figure in minimal amount of time and detail. Gesture drawings aren't supposed to look like the figure, but what they have is motion and the feel of it. Copying gestures doesn't really help, you'd have to go out and actually make some of your own.


Look at random people, stay loose. Don't think, just feel it. Doesn't matter if you think its gonna turn out ugly and distorted, just do it. And do it in 30 seconds or less.

Always works for me when I want to do gestures.

Sorry it took so long to reply. Thank you for the suggestion. I have actually read your advice a few days ago and I have been trying to think only to capture the motion of a figure since. I think I have gotten a little better since then but not enough.

I would keep training though but I can't feel depress when I feel I didn't do such a good job. But this is probably natural and that it would go away over time. Especially as I get better.