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LilithiumStamps — Cartoonists and anatomy
Published: 2011-02-28 21:38:38 +0000 UTC; Views: 13872; Favourites: 967; Downloads: 54
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Description
I was thinking about making a stamp like this awhile ago, but I kept forgetting about it.Anyway, this was inspired by someone on dA who claimed that cartoonists don't need to learn realistic anatomy and all of that.
Bull-fucking-shit.
Cartoonists are ARTISTS. They need to learn everything else any other artist does. Not just anatomy. That's how their characters look balanced. No, a lot of cartoon characters do not have realistic proportions, but cartoonists know how to bend, exaggerate and play with proportions to make their characters unique in their own style so that it works for that character's universe. It works for them, because they know how to draw realistically and know their proportions and such.
Learn the rules before you break them~
I've made this mistake. I used to believe that I didn't need to learn real anatomy for humans or animals or anything. But then I fucking grew up and realised how wrong I was. And I started practising. My anatomy is not perfect, but it's much better than what it was and I can draw a decent looking human.
And because of that, I can play with things a little more to make a separate, more exaggerated cartoony style as opposed to my normal, more realistically proportioned style (Still working on that cartoony style, I need to make it look more balanced).
Sorry if none of this makes sense, I don't seem to be good at the ranting or something? I don't know.
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Comments: 222
Some cartoons are supposed to be misperportioned. Yes, they should know where to draw everything, but depending on what style it is, I may or may not be realistically drawn.
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this stamp inspired to better my anatomy which are way over due. thanks again
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What I really hate are the people who yell "BUT IT'S MY STYLE!!!" whenever you try to critique them on their anatomy.
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I agree. This is why I cannot bring myself to watch Edd, Ed, n' Eddy. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the worst offender. Everyone's nose is the same shape-and size!-as their foot, and the old people have squished-down heads. Everyone is ugly and has eyes exactly one centimeter apart. The limbs are noodles, and everyone has no shoulders. If a character is overweight, they will have a D-shaped body and spinly limbs, as well as a thin face. That makes them look pregnant. If a character wears glasses, they will have the glasses, but no eyes. That's disturbing. I also find it slightly sexist because that females all look the same while the males are more varied. Nobody has very detailed clothing, either, and everyone wears the same pants.
Don't get me STARTED on "Almost Naked Animals" and "Fairly Odd Parents", both of which they should challenge to create a normally-proportioned, more attractive-looking character.
When I draw cartoons, it is only the eyes I exaggerate. The bodies are normal, the other facial features are fairly normal, and the people with glasses have eyes. They also have all five fingers as well.
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This may be an old comment I'm replying to, but damn! I think anatomical styles like Ed Edd n' Eddy is totally fine because cartoonists actually know what they're doing. They manage to come up with the most ridiculous anatomy but it still looked totally fine... compared to what I think of other horrible self portraits little kids draw. If anything, knowing anatomy ironically lets cartoonists distort anatomy in the wildest of ways but still make it look totally fine.
Exaggeration and simplification, the very things that makes cartoons fun and memorable. Hyperrealism is inappropriately boring for children's animation anyways. Even Disney-style isn't hyperrealistic and exaggerates a little themselves.
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Yup. And actually, the reason the characters in Ed Edd n' Eddy are drawn so strangely is because it's supposed to look like a child drew them. Interesting, right?
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Heheh. Kinda funny. Lately, I've noticed that 'bad' art done by art professionals for the sake of looking goofy or drawn by a kid are actually done rather well. They goof off in a way to look really silly but don't burn people's eyes too horribly. haha.
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But then if it's just realism with exaggerated eyes it will all look the same. Cartoon is exagerated anatomny.
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Yeah, I agree with it too...
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A lot of people I know seem to think that cartoonists need to learn anatomy more than necessary. ...But that doesn't mean anatomy isn't important for cartoons. Like, a cartoonist doesn't need to learn to the point where they can draw humans or animals that look almost real, but they should at least know enough so that a character they draw doesn't look awkward or wrong.
Like, I was drawing a character earlier, and the pose I chose was that of the character taking a bow. In order to get a better idea of how the character would look, a took a few bows myself. I found that both hands would have their thumbs facing forward, and that the arm in the back would generally be positioned in the middle of your back rather than at the shoulder blades or right above the waste.
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DC and Marvel comics are the best examples
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I agree so proudly with this statement. I actually took a figure drawing course so that not only i can learn anatomy for cartooning, but also for animation. This speaks so many truths
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Amazing stamp-so true. A pro told me the same thing about learning the rules before you break them or else you just form bad habits easier if that makes sense. A very wise stamp you made
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Oh Big time XD
Like me i am currently learning anatomy and some junk or else i want my Art to look like JG quintel (BAD)
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Especially if they want to have a job opportunity. Not everyone likes cartoons and not everyone likes anime (which anime seems to be most of DeviantART these days) so it's best to learn different techniques if you wish to gain any sort of job. I'm not saying that no one has ever gotten by just being a cartoonist though. I myself love cartooning and anime but I really want to learn semi realism and such. I'm still learning different ways for shading, perspective, and also anatomy.
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So true.I've seen alot of thing wrong with some animal characters.Bird legs are the most painful fuck-ups.
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I'm a cartoonist myself, and I am an EPIC FAIL at making arms the same size, foreshortening and perspective.
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.......Beautiful.
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Easy to say. Some artists are indeed ignorant. But there's others that tried. And failed. Perfect anatomy? Not for everyone.
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Thank you for acknowledging that cartoonist are artist too and I agree, every artist needs to learn anatomy no matter what their art style is.
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Very true.
I used to draw a lot of crappy manga style back in high school, though I've tried to look into decent tutorials (ones that actually do a step-by-step process of mapping out balanced proportions) but I still did crap but got a little bit better by drawing on a somewhat regular basis. A few years later in community college, I took a life drawing class to understand human anatomy better. Lucky for me, the life drawing class I took was heavily focused on learning how to draw a representation of the human figure and not so much on still life (vases, flowers, etc.). Still...I didn't improve too much but after that class I developed a better sense of drawing human figures by being aware of details such as muscle structure and where bits of bone seen under the skin.
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Go on Youtube and type in "Almost Naked Animals" They REALLY need to see this stamp....
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I figure as long as you know general anatomy of your subject, you can stylize from there, because even a style with no correct anatomy at all can be beautiful.
But, like I said, at least know what to exaggerate.
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Haha, the problem is, some people have no patience for learning. There ain't no short way for becoming great at doing any art form.
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pff for now I do busts... yes I am lazy for now C:
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This 1000x over. I mean, if you look at almost any comic, serial or newspapers, you see that the anatomy in most of the cartoonists' styles is consistent and follows proportions. It may be stylized, but I can tell that one has to study anatomy and body proportions--and practice them--before coming up with a stylized set.
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Had a similar argument with someone. It was basically a "me + everyone vs. him".
It was a worse case though, since we were also talking about freaking animations.
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Thank god I found a cartoonist who actually listens to my critique. I have found people who will bitch at me endlessly. :I
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I suck at anatomy, but I've decided to get a mannequin to look at for anatomy practice...
...even though I draw cartoons. I know I still need to learn anatomy if I plan on getting into art school.
True stamp
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I know what you mean. I just wish I started on thisstuff years ago. However, if i do say so myself, I don't think I'm doing TOO bad for a newbie ^__^
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Yes, indeed they do. I know I got a ton better after doing hand and foot studies for a portfolio. I'm glad I put time into those things, and I still do 
The people who don't see cartooning as art probably think Picasso's work is garbage. They're both radical styles for those reserved artists...but I see their point. If anything is art, where is the talent? o-o
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100% pure truth here! love this stamp! 
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Very true.
But usually cartoonist will study upon anatomy.
And also draw cartoons but the point of cartoons is
Not do get the anatomy right.
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You hit the ball right out of the park, as an aspiring cartoonist myself, I have to study anatomy to continue work on my craft. It takes time, but we have to learn somehow.
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True. My friend wants to be an cartoonist but seriously talking. She doesn't know a thing about anatomy :I I try to teach her few things so she will get on with learning
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It's so true... x_x I totally agree with everything in your desc.
Also, the few professional artists I've seen at things like conventions and such, stress this so much.
You need to learn the 'original' before you can stylise it.
And I have never seen a decent cartoonist who can't draw a realistic version of what they draw well.
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Good thing is we don't have to use it afterwards -is learning and is getting bored-
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I agree with this stamp, I've just come to realize this truth this year unfortunately, but better late than never! Anatomy is essential ;w; I once saw an artist say you need to learn anatomy to bend it. It's so true, you can't make a cartoon really look very pleasing until you have an understanding of what the real thing should look like!
And that goes to that argument of people that say cartooning isn't art. Well it most certainly is when it's done right, and it does take just as much hard work even if it doesn't look like it :3 Because I my realization about the importance of anatomy, I've been trying to change my style a lot lately
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I can still never draw realistic like the High Renaissance men, but thanks to life drawing and the like, my cartooning has improved ten-folds
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