Jerry Mouse pretending to be Screwy Squirrel and others

So, one character in poses of another, a kind of half way house between copying and entirely original poses, which John suggested to me. I think this is a good idea.

These are tentative... some are more on-model than others I think. However bad or good they are, this definitely feels like learning. I can't help suspecting that a big part of the secret is just practicing a whole shitload, noticing when one's drawings are awful, then figuring out why. Interesting things cropping up, like adapting Jerry's comparatively stubby rounded shape to the poses of longer leaner characters with necks and big feet. Also I was mainly trying to stick to the 40s Jerry model sheet, but I found myself slipping into the 50s one slightly, it being relatively more boring and predictable, with less variety in expression and less facial extras like whiskers and chins. I found I was often floundering on the first attempt at a pose, but made some progress with the 2nd or third. Even if I couldn't stay totally faithful to the pose of the other character, I at least tried to adapt it to make a little more sense on Jerry, get it more flowing. Granted, he doesn't look completely like Jerry in some of these. Apologies for length of text.

Spumko: good poses

Spumko: still a bit soft on some

Spumko: most people are too stiff and I tell them to use more s curves

LambentGracie:

well I didn't think I could do it at all, so that's good. I can see they're not perfect but you gotta start somewhere

Spumko: I tell you to use less

Spumko: irony

LambentGracie:

Ah, less S curves

Spumko: well still use them, just vary the curves

LambentGracie:

yes I do have a tendency to want to take forms as if in my hands and bend them hideously

Spumko: not everything is an s curve

Spumko: or things start to look like melting ice cream

LambentGracie:

I didn't realise I was doing that

Spumko: analyze the balance of s and c curves in the model sheets you posted

LambentGracie:

OK

Spumko: belly is usually a c curve, back and butt an s curve

Spumko: one side a c, the other an s

Spumko: the two lines should hold together a solid but pliable shape

LambentGracie:

this is so much harder than drawing complicated real stuff. OK. my belly is certainly a c curve now.

LambentGracie:

that solid but pliable thing is key

LambentGracie:

well I shan't stop practicing

Spumko: does it make sense?

LambentGracie:

yes I think so

Spumko: OK

Spumko: take that one pose of Jerry at the bottom left and make his belly a c, so it doesn't parallel the other side of him