Day 6

Today's technique is, as usual, from Fantasy! Cartooning by Ben Caldwell. I basically treat this book like my bible now. I actually plan on drawing every single thing in this entire book.

Anyway, this picture actually took some things I learned from How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way. In that book, and in my Day 2.5 pictures, it taught me that spreading the knees and elbows outward, feet outward, chest up, etc. it makes a much more dramatic pose. In this picture, it is a young, awkward teenage peasant boy, so the knees are much closer together, feet slightly inward and over-sized, elbows in very close, arms down at side, slumped shoulders and chest, with an elongated neck and a worried expression, along with doe-like eyes (which took me a while to master).

Obviously I didn't work too hard or spend too much time on the weapon and shield because this picture is about the boy, not the accessories, but I did put them in at least, just to show that they are over-sized and look too heavy for this boy.

In the upcoming comic book I'm writing, there is a young main character who reminds me very much of this picture. throughout the first few issues it will be obvious that he is in over his head and so this technique will be of great importance.

As ridiculous as this sounds, throughout the course of several issues you will slowly start to see him bend at the knees and elbows, pushing his limbs away from his body and puffing up his chest and shoulders. It may sound silly, but these subtle gestures can greatly change the way you perceive a person. Or so says the Marvel book.