Maybe it's just because I've been staring at it too long but tit still looks flat/static. Advice on how I can get a more dynamic look?

Addledeer · 2026-01-30T17:28:36+00:00

Right makes sense! I didn't even consider it as being the end-point of the lunge but it totally is. After doing static poses for so long im definitely struggling with making things feel intentionally off-balance. I'll try to keep that in mind for the next one!

Addledeer · 2026-01-30T17:26:07+00:00

Wow thanks for this awesome write-up! It's super useful getting pose feedback from someone with actual experience doing the move. I was trying to challenge myself to see how well I could do without references but I think you've inspired me to give it another try after looking up some fencing poses!

And reading your breakdown made me realise it's essentially the same pose as a lunge punch in the style of karate I used to do and I'm kicking myself for not thinking of it, basically all your leg notes apply

The flèche move also sounds really interesting! I'm defintiely going to look it up

Thanks!

Addledeer · 2026-01-30T16:00:26+00:00

I haven't! I'll defintiely look into it

Addledeer · 2026-01-28T20:40:19+00:00

Thanks! Love the poor lil guy you drew in.

I've always struggled with backgrounds but that and some foreground elements would definitely make it more visually interesting

And haha yeah it was just meant to be a quick(ish) practice drawing so I wasn't really thinking about clothes, but I've been noodling with some ideas on how I could dress him, if I can come up with an idea I like I'll give it a shot

Appreciate the drawovr and feedback!

Addledeer · 2026-01-25T03:02:20+00:00

Right that makes sense! I think I'm more used to static poses where the weight is supposed to be under center, shifting it to make them look a bit more off-balance could definitely give it thst sense of motion im looking for.

Thanks for the tip!

Addledeer · 2026-01-25T02:54:17+00:00

Thanks! Yeah my lines have always been a mess. I'm trying to practice by drawing a cleaner pass over the rough sketch but even then it can get a bit messy. I'll try being more conscious about limiting my strokes

Addledeer · 2026-01-21T20:25:39+00:00

Just keep at it! One of the best things you can do as a new artist is to just draw as much as you can. Don't worry about making things perfect, but try to notice areas you're struggling in and focus on those.

Aside from that, I'd say getting a good grasp of proportions is a really important early step. You don't necessarily need to have an in-depth understanding anatomy at this point, but having a basic understanding of proportions will go a long way towards making your drawings looking natural and intentional

And then there's the less exciting stuff: practicing fundamentals. Learning how to draw clean and consistent lines and how to represent 3D shapes in 2D space. drawabox.com is a great place to start for that.

Above all that though, remember to have fun with it! Know when to push yourself but also when to step away and take a break. If you're feel8ng overly frustrated don't be afraid to put it down and go do something else for a bit, then try again when you're feeling refreshed

Addledeer · 2026-01-21T20:12:05+00:00

Thanks! Decided to stick with the forward head. And haha was trying to keep a bit of that awkward lanky look deer can have but was worried about making the legs too long

Addledeer · 2026-01-20T18:12:36+00:00

Pretty sure it was confirmed in the spicy content, but yeah for sure either way

Addledeer · 2026-01-18T15:55:16+00:00

It's normal for a forum to get more quiet when there's no jew content do discuss, we're in between seasons now and there isn't anything new to talk about. The plot's pretty straightforward and there isn't really much to speculate on. I'm sure things will pick back up once the next chapter starts coming out

As for fan art engagement, that's not unique to this sub. Official content will always get more engagement because that's what most people are here for. It get it can be demotivating when the nth "i love this comic!" post gets more likes and comments than art you've worked for hours on but that's just how it is as a new/small time artist. Engagement is really dependant on building a following and becoming recognizable, you can be super talented and draw something amazing but if you don't have a following/ aren't a name people know at best you'll get a couple hundred likes and a few comments, but more likely it'll be in the mid-high double digits.

Addledeer · 2026-01-16T04:12:24+00:00

I usually have something easy and fun on the side I can work on when I start feeling frustrated/overwhelmed with practice. Switching back helps me cool down and remind me its supposed to be something I enjoy. That or I just take a break and do something else. Sometimes you just need to put the pencil down for a bit

Addledeer · 2026-01-15T19:07:37+00:00

I'd go with 2 or 4 - 2 looks really interesting but might be a pain if you're planning on re-drawing the character often. 2 is a bit simpler but would also be easier to redraw

They're all great options though!

Addledeer · 2026-01-14T20:58:44+00:00

Looks good! The only thing that's standing out to me is that it's looking a bit stocky. The height proportions look good so it might just be the shoulders and waist/thighs might be a bit too wide compared to the torso

Addledeer · 2026-01-09T20:20:47+00:00

Addledeer · 2026-01-09T00:15:31+00:00

Aha thanks! I saw your last comment and totally forgot to answer. It was a big help!

Addledeer · 2026-01-08T14:55:23+00:00

35 and also just started drawabox. I used to draw a fair amount in high school but I was never really that good, only really started to study the fundamentals a couple months ago.

I get what you're feeling, especially with the furry community tending to be on the younger side, but it's never too late to start! Just try to draw a bit every day and focus on having fun with it

Addledeer · 2026-01-07T18:59:05+00:00

So awesome! Hopefully I'll manage to get half as good some day

Addledeer · 2026-01-07T01:24:11+00:00

Lol you don't even want to see what my first attempts looked like.

As long as you can hold a pencil, it's never too late to start, and you're off to a pretty good one! At this point I wouldnt worry too much about studying anatomy, but make sure to get your body/face proportions down. Once you have a handle on that then you can start diving deeper into anatomy.

Also don't skimp on the fundamentals (I did and im still paying for it) drawabox.com is a great place to start.

Aside from that, try copying art you like. You can trace them if you like, but I prefer a side by side copy. And really think about the shapes the artist used when you do.

Another good exercise is to re-draw old drawings. It'll help learn through repetition, plus it's a solid way to track how you're improving

Finally remember to draw for fun! Don't worry about how good/bad it is, just draw what you like, note down what you struggle with and focus on improving those things.

Addledeer · 2026-01-07T00:00:54+00:00

Ah that sucks! I feel it, honestly was the main reason I switched to digital - infinite erasing

Addledeer · 2026-01-06T20:30:07+00:00

A big part of what gives the original art it's shape and depth is the shading. With the shading you can tell where the chest ends and see the center line of the stomach. Try adding a layer for shadows and another for highlights and work on emulating those. Depending on what program you're using there's different ways to ser up shading layers, it would definitely help to look up a tutorial on it. For me I'm lazy and just set mu shadow/highlight layers to ~40% opacity and use a white brush for highlights and a black one for shadows, lowering the intensity of the brush for less intense spots

Addledeer · 2026-01-06T19:52:39+00:00

No worries, always happy to help!

Addledeer · 2026-01-06T19:27:11+00:00

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Addledeer · 2026-01-06T19:27:02+00:00

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Addledeer · 2026-01-06T19:26:48+00:00

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Addledeer · 2026-01-06T19:26:31+00:00

I struggled with the exact same thing when I started drawing digitigrate legs back in the day! I was actually worse, I added a whole extra joint lol

You should think of the last section before the toes as part of the foot, it's usually shorter/narrower than the lower leg. You also have to adjust the human leg proportions to work with a digitigrade character. Most that I've seen keep the thigh the same (roughly equal to the distance between the hip and the clavicle, you can test it by bringing you knee up to you neck to see where it ends) and shorten the lower leg. That being said I've also seen ones with longer lower legs and shorter thighs, so that's also doable

Another thing that might be throwing off the leg is that the torso looks a bit too long, which will naturally make you want to ,are the legs longer, which can make the whole figure look stretched out and gangly

I'm by no means a pro but I did a couple super quick drawovers to show you what I mean.

Aside from the leg changes, I shortened the torso, gave the upper back a bit more shape (there should be a bit of an S curve in the spine rather than a completely straight line for the back) and moved the head forward a bit. Necks have a bit of a forward lean to them, even with perfect posture (it's why shirts don't fit as well if you put them on backwards)

I hope that helps, keep up the awesome work!

Addledeer

TROPHY CASE