Attention CAers: I need your help.

[Neokun]

My name is Rick. I go to FSU in Florida, and my major will most likely be Biology with Criminology and Information Technology minors. Ive always loved art, however. I wanted to go to Ringling for art, but I just couldnt afford it. Lately, and by lately I mean the past year, I havent been partaking in my hobby of drawing. At least, not often...I mean, I screw around and sketch during class but I havent finished a nice piece in a while.

Thing is, Ive never learned how to draw. I just taught myself over time and picked up a few skills. However, I'm usually using photo references or putting characters in backround-less pictures. I never learned the structure of the human body, or the face, or anything. Its a shame, because I want to get back into my hobby...

So Ive come here for assistance. I want to see your sketches, your figure drawings, your facial anatomy and musculature sketches, and I want to renew my style from learning the right way. I want to see what the human body really looks like as opposed to what I think it looks like. Where certain muscles begin and end. How it looks from a 3/4 angle as opposed to a front and back angle. Of course, it would be easy to go out and buy a book featuring these things...I cant afford that however [nor can I find them], as I can hardly afford my rent.

Recently, I visited my girlfriend at Ringling and bought some Micron pens. I love using them, and I want to do a really nice picture with them but after the past year Ive lost something and I need help getting it back. And while I'm at it, I want to learn some new things. Think of it as a guy sculpting a face and body on a mannequin...thats what I hope to do by looking at sketches of the body and face, create [or renew] my style on top of the most basic drawings. Its just that Ive seen alot of amazing work here and would like to be able to draw like that...I cant seem to draw anything dynamic, only bland.

So I request some figures, sketches, etc. so I can hopefully improve upon my own stuff. Thanks.

My sig should link you to my sketchbook thread with some art on it. Tell me what you think and where to improve at.

[Elwell]

Everything you're looking for is already here, but you'll have to look for it, rather than expecting people to present it too you.

[Neokun]

I see a bunch of good art here...I just want the simplest, sketchiest things to learn from...anyone can draw someone's already finished work.

[Seedling]

Go to the sketchbook section and start digging.

[Helzon]

Im not trying to be an ass here..but am i reading this right?...you want to learn from other people's sketches to learn the fundamentals you didn't learn to begin with?
Why not go back a few squares and learn from those who the people you are looking at learned from?
You'll probably find some really familiar names who have books entirely dedicated to how they did it. (Loomis, Bridgman, the masters..etc.)
Save yourself time and aggravation of trolling through countless SB's
hoping to find just the right material when you can go and learn how to express yourself on your own.
Again..im not trying to be harsh..just confuzzled as to what's the rationale.

[Neokun]

Unfortunately, you are being an ass. I already have the ability to draw, I need to get better. Looking at figures will help me regardless of who drew them, as long as they are accurate. I have my own style of art already when it comes to detail and character, but it's hard to draw things like dynamic poses when I dont know how certain muscles should look. That is what I want to observe and learn.

[Seedling]

Neo, you are the one being an ass. Do you think we're all sitting around here waiting to cater to your whims? What you are after may be found in the sketchbook section. You are going to have to do your own digging, however.

[Helzon]

You can bold out, 100 point type, italicize or underscore your text till the cows come home bro.
It won't make any difference to me or hurt my feeling.
You say you have the ability to draw..i say you have the ability to ape.
You even state it in your opening argument..you never learned to draw.
What more advice do you want?! You have the ability to learn, then have at.

You get better and more specifically get better at dynamic poses by;
a) learning the fundamentals first.
Know your shapes. Know how they are represented in 2d space trying to fake their way to 3d. Know how to arrange and twist those shapes so that they look dynamic. Know just how your subject is put together.
You copying straight out of Art of FF IX (which you did) ...What's that going to get you but another copy of an FFIX character? Something that may clue you in...most character designers no matter how funky or off the wall their style is..know their fundamentals of anatomy first. You didn't expound on the character..you didn't give it a twist or your own flair.
b) Understand the human body, animal body..anything you can get your hands on via musculature and bio mechanics. You trolling other people's sb's wont get you what you need. They are learning from observing life, and looking at books that break down anatomy. Books compiled by pros..books that explain in detail what's going on. Books you can buy as well. On top of that,
c) Build your visual library...once you get to know the shapes..remember them. Remember all those bits and what nots you see out in the real world then change them in your own way and crank something out.
Let me put it to you this way..if a mechanical engineer was taught nothing but what the finished product was, brought around and got to look at all the shiny things, and pretty machines... Then his assignment was to go build one from scratch...it'll look pretty, look alot like what he's been exposed too...but will it perform..no...because he doesn't know the basics of the designs that go into making the thing functional.
Dude..you need to seriously take a sober look at things. If your gf is going to Ringling(and in your own words say you want to as well)..take a look at her course load. Take a look at what she's done to get into Ringling, and doing to improve her skills. Somehow i doubt it's requesting people to send you links to their SB's to copy off of.

By the way..You can still find Loomis books online for FREE!
Also as an alternative to buying...exploit the hell out of your library card.
I leave the rest to you.
And i hope someday you realize that intention behind my first post was not malicious, nor is this one.
Best to you in your artistic journey.