Axis and proportions are things that you will use forever

Remember: Using axes is COOL and GOOD

How to do this

Get your favourite manga character and study its proportions. My advice is to first draw the head shape, draw the spine as a reference THEN measure the head beteween your finger. Move that measure using the spine as reference, place the shoulder axis. Measure again and place the waist, measure again and place the hip and so on and on, but always measure the REAL head. Oh yes, one last thing: keep body joins small

Body

Arms

Samples

Look at this few sketches and note that axis "bend", they are not always horizontal lines. When one of them moves and bend the body balance change, other axis may be affected as well. It really depends on the pose and, for example, if the character is caring something heavy or fighting. Get infront of a big mirror and note how your spine naturally bends. What happends if you jump, if you bend over to grab something or when you dance.

There are many proportions, some people like a more realistic ones, some like legs to be 5 head in total. I use these ones and i like them. Get your favorite manga and study the proportions. Use your finger to measure and practice a lot. These axes thingy is a pain in the ass when learning them, but they are good and once you get use to them you will make awesome poses and proportions in less than a minute (it sounds like an infomercial ^_^U ). It is better to erase and fix a line than a whole arm or chest structure.

My advice in order to improve axes is to look at picture from magazine or mangas DO NOT EYEBALL. Make quick sketches (less than a minute) just placing axis and proportions, make as many as 200 or even more (no cloth or hair, only axis and proportions)

Naruto's torso and hip (.jpg)

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