Gestural Figure Drawing
Develop essential figure drawing skills for animation!
Sign up before December 9th to save $50 on eligible classes!
Teacher Artwork by Mike Wiesmeier
Gestural Figure Drawing
In this course, former Disney animator Mike Wiesmeier will introduce the principles and techniques used by 2D animators to capture the gesture, personality and anatomy of the human body!
This course will help you understand the essential principles and drawing methods that are typically used in hand-drawn animation. You will gain the techniques required to represent the human form with depth and three-dimensionality so your sketches appear lively and dynamic.
By the end of this course, you will possess the observational and drawing abilities needed to convey the personality and emotion of your human character drawings.
- Course Type Online Illustration Classes
- Duration 10 weeks
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Skill Level
Level 2 Level 2
Second level classes are for students who have a good foundation in the basics of realistic drawing (such as perspective, proportion, shading and colour theory) and already know how to use Photoshop, but need more in-depth knowledge to create professional and complex artwork.
This level is about expanding knowledge, strengthening skills, and transitioning to the world of concept art and illustration.
- Language English
You can now combine 3, 4 or 5 classes to avail a 5, 10 or 15% discount on your purchase!
Sign up before December 9th to save $50 on eligible classes!
Schedule
Note: This class will be offered online only
Term: Winter 2025
Class Timings: Tuesdays from 10 AM to 1 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST or UTC -5h)
Date of first class: January 7th
Duration: 10 weeks
Please note that our classes times are listed as EDT (GMT-4) but that starting on Sunday, November 3rd, 2024, all class times will go into EST (GMT-5).
If you are unable to attend the class during the times listed above, you will still have access to video recordings of the class lectures and will still receive personalized feedback from your instructor.
It should be noted that students should set aside a minimum of 3 hours per week to complete assignments for this class. Students may even require a bit more time (4-5 hours per week) depending on how quickly they can work through assignments.
*Please note that this class' duration is subject to change (to either 1.5 hours or 2 hours) depending on the number of enrolled students.
These shorter class formats are conducted with more of a personalized mentorship style, allowing students to have more time devoted to their assignments' critiques and the ability to ask more questions in class, while still maintaining all of the theory and planned curriculum for the regular class length.
Prerequisites
Skill requirements
To enroll in this course you should have:
- A foundation in gesture drawing, including basic anatomy and proportions.
- Ideally completed our Drawing the Human Form class or have equivalent practice/experience.
If you are unsure of your skill level, please contact [email protected] for additional guidance.
Language and age requirements
You should have at least intermediate level English to take this class. Please be advised that there could be artistic nudity in our classes. Students should be 14 years old to enroll.
Required Materials
You will be needing a sketchbook and pen/pencil for this course. You also have the option of using a laptop/tablet or desktop computer. Coursework may be done traditionally (with sketchbook, pens, etc.) or digitally (with a Wacom tablet, Photoshop, etc.)
Tech Requirements for Attending Syn Studio Online Classes
Minimum Requirements
- A strong uninterrupted broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE) connection with a minimum 600kbps bandwidth (up/down).
- A Laptop/Desktop computer equipped with a single core processor (at least 1 GHZ processing speed) or a smartphone/tablet with equivalent processing capabilities
- Good speakers/earphones to listen to the classes
- Browser - IE7+, Safari 5+, Firefox, Chrome
- Operating System - Windows XP, Mac OS 10.6, Linux distro based on 3.0 kernel, Android 5.0, iOS 10
Syn Studio Recommendations
- A strong uninterrupted broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE) connection with a minimum 1.5Mbps bandwidth (up/down). You can also connect to the internet directly using your ethernet cable to improve your experience.
- Laptop/Desktop computer equipped with a dual core processor with at least 2 GHZ processing speed and a 4 GB RAM
- High Quality speakers/earphones to listen to the classes
- Browser & Operating System - We recommend using the latest version of the browser and operating system for an optimal online classroom experience.
Course Outline
*Please note that the following outline is subject to change slightly at the teacher's discretion.
Weeks 1 and 2
Introduction to gesture, storytelling, and essential animation principles. Learn how to observe and sketch from life and animation references.
Weeks 3 and 4
Strengthen your proficiency in drawing the human body in correct proportions. Acquire the skills required to add simple drapery and clothing to your drawing so they appear more dynamic and powerful.
Weeks 5 and 6
Learn powerful stylization and gesture sketching techniques so you can represent movement and make your sketches more dynamic and eye-catching.
Weeks 7 and 8
Become proficient in sketching the face and adding gestures and expressions.
Strengthen your line drawing and value shading techniques so you can add weight and depth to your art and make it more realistic.
Weeks 9 and 10
Learn the important figure sketching techniques and principles used by master Disney artists such as Heinrich Kley during their animation process.
Apply all the skills you’ve learned to sketch figures for animation from observation and imagination.
Testimonials
Registration
You can now combine 3, 4 or 5 classes to avail a 5, 10 or 15% discount on your purchase!
Sign up before December 9th to save $50 on eligible classes!
You will soon receive an email receipt for your purchase.
Please bring a photo ID for the first day of class.
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Questions and Assistance
Feel free to send us an email at [email protected] or give us a call at 514-998-7625
Please consult our FAQ; most of the commonly asked questions are answered in detail there. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please feel free to fill out the form below, or, send an email to [email protected]