Chapter 5: Elements of the Pose
Inanimate characters also stretch and squash:
Set aside time for the practice of sketching with these symbols. I don't mean merely
drawing with straight and curved lines per se—but rather to modify the anatomy to
encompass these principles in drawings that are flexible enough to mold into the desired
gestural needs. This flexibility should be encouraged and nurtured. To sketch in a rigid
fashion discourages adjustments and improvements. "Hey, I just drew a great arm. It may
be in the wrong place, but it's such a great arm—I'll just alter the rest of the figure to fit
it."
Applying Perspective ...............................................................................................
We have gotten a little technical here but it is only to
stress the importance of thinking of and seeing things
in three-dimensional space. If we carried the premise
of the diminishing rectangles further we could divide
all space into cubes. Layout and Background artists
are more apt to think in these terms for they deal with
scenery that involves space and objects in that space.
For the artist drawing or animating a figure, whether human or cartoon, we are dealing
with only one cube of that space at a time. A variable cube that encompasses the
perimeters of the figure and its gestures.
