Description
Capture movement, energy, and flow quickly. Gesture drawing trains your brain to see the action of a pose โ the invisible line of force that runs through a figure โ rather than its surface details.
Steps
- Set a timer for 30โ60 seconds per pose
- Find a reference: use a pose reference app, a photo, or someone nearby
- Before drawing, look for the line of action โ the single curved line that captures the whole pose's energy
- Draw that line first, then add rough mass shapes around it (head, torso, hips, limbs)
- Don't draw outlines โ draw volumes and forces
- When the timer ends, move immediately to the next pose without fixing anything
- Do at least 10 poses per session
Tips
- Keep lines loose and expressive โ sketchy energy is intentional, not wrong
- Don't worry about correctness or anatomy yet; gesture is about feeling the pose
- If a pose feels stiff, your line of action is probably too straight โ add a curve
- After the session, pick your most energetic sketch and study what made it work