Male (or female) Characters

[SweetNymph]

I can't draw male characters to save my life. I've tried every technique I've been suggested or read up on in books, but I just can't get them to look right. Usually my characters end up looking too feminine when I don't want them to be. I've been working on my anatomy, but that doesn't really help when the overall shape isn't right. Any advice or techniques to drawing male characters?

Or female, if anyone has problems with those.

[Klawzie]

It might help if people had any idea of what your problems were. (Link?)

[starlias]

hehe, i cant really draw male characters too, mainly because I dont like male characters(cant understand most of them*_____*)

but I tend to draw the eyes more slimmer than the female's and a broader shoulder etc...but I just dont like drawing them....

[J. Stoncius]

Think manly thoughts and listen to a lot of Motorhead. That's what I do. It helps to crush beer cans against your forehead, too (or if you're underaged or don't drink beer, soda cans, though only manly sodas will do. Fresca is unacceptable, for example).

The only thing I can really recommend is a lot of life drawing. In general, men tend to have thicker frames than women, broader shoulders, and narrower hips. There is also a general lower bodyfat percentage in men than in women, so this is why men are more angular or whatever and women have curves. But, bodytype varies so greatly that you can't say "men are this and women are this" without there being a lot of variation.

But yeah, there isn't much we can do without knowing what you're trying to achieve and where you're falling short.

I just dont like drawing them....

BLASPHEMY!

[YamPuff]

The trick is drawing them noticabley wider at the shoulders than at the hips. I had the same problem. Make the torso in a more triangular shape and even if they're wearing a dress they'll look masculine. Notice how in Pokemon James looks like a guy even when cross-dressing? (Also, check my sig; see Kazahaya-kun in a dress)

That's how; narrow hips, straight lines, and muscular definition can help. It takes some practice. Also, legs must be relatively straight with no curves to them.

[Elae]

I can't stress figure drawing/people watching enough, but aside from looking at the physical attributes, also focus on the gesture- guys hold themselves in different ways, walk in different ways, & interact with people in different ways than girls/women do. If you don't want your characters to look feminine, as you say, then make sure they stand like you would expect a guy to.
Smaller eyes, stronger chins/features, triangle builds, etc, will make your character -look- more like a man, but if they stand in effeminate ways, it's all pretty pointless.

[SweetNymph]

It might help if people had any idea of what your problems were. (Link?)

Unfortunately, my only recent guy drawings are in a comic, and I don't want to post it until it's finished.

My main problem is making the guys too... curvy.

The trick is drawing them noticabley wider at the shoulders than at the hips. I had the same problem. Make the torso in a more triangular shape and even if they're wearing a dress they'll look masculine. Notice how in Pokemon James looks like a guy even when cross-dressing? (Also, check my sig; see Kazahaya-kun in a dress)

That's how; narrow hips, straight lines, and muscular definition can help. It takes some practice. Also, legs must be relatively straight with no curves to them.

Another problem is that in the sketchy stage, the shoulders always look TOO wide, or the hips too thin. I got a book on anatomy from my library, so that's helping, but most of my guy characters are teens and/or non-muscular. My most well-defined character is still rather thin, but I don't want him to be a bishie (well.. not TOO much of one. ^_-).

I can't stress figure drawing/people watching enough, but aside from looking at the physical attributes, also focus on the gesture- guys hold themselves in different ways, walk in different ways, & interact with people in different ways than girls/women do. If you don't want your characters to look feminine, as you say, then make sure they stand like you would expect a guy to.
Smaller eyes, stronger chins/features, triangle builds, etc, will make your character -look- more like a man, but if they stand in effeminate ways, it's all pretty pointless.

That I can do! I shall get a camera and go after references right now!

[Pedes]

I can't draw male characters to save my life. I've tried every technique I've been suggested or read up on in books, but I just can't get them to look right. Usually my characters end up looking too feminine when I don't want them to be. I've been working on my anatomy, but that doesn't really help when the overall shape isn't right. Any advice or techniques to drawing male characters?

Or female, if anyone has problems with those.

I had problems with males, so I started to draw only males.
I've drawn them for loong.
Now I forgot how to draw females ;.; I mean I can't draw that sweet, bog-boobs kitten (Lucky I still can draw an average breasted female *sigh*)
And I need a really pretty big-breasted girl for my comic now...
Hell, have to learn again...

Hmm, it's difficult to give tips, as it should take in account how your pictures look...
and look at good photos, like: http://holdmycoat.deviantart.com/ (beware, male nudity!) OMG< great anatomy!

[SweetNymph]

I had problems with males, so I started to draw only males.
I've drawn them for loong.
Now I forgot how to draw females ;.; I mean I can't draw that sweet, bog-boobs kitten (Lucky I still can draw an average breasted female *sigh*)
And I need a really pretty big-breasted girl for my comic now...
Hell, have to learn again...

Hmm, it's difficult to give tips, as it should take in account how your pictures look...
and look at good photos, like: http://holdmycoat.deviantart.com/ (beware, male nudity!) OMG< great anatomy!


T_T

Well... it's all for the art. *braces self and clicky*

[Rednal]

Well... I'm not very god at art, but I can suggest this: Practice. ^^ We all know that the more you do something, the better you become. You just need to start drawing males (try just a basic standing figure, then go on to poses when you're proficient there) on a regular basis. Don't go for any sort of complex thing at first, just some drawings of guys.

^^ Before you know it, you should be doing well and having little trouble.

[PeNCILz]

O.o If we all knew that practice makes better why did you have to point it out?

[Rednal]

^^ Just in case. It SOUNDED to me like the thread creator wasn't practicing all that much, so I just thought I would note it. If it was unnecessary, that's fine by me. To use another cliche (I have a dictionary full to use up! XP): Better safe than sorry.

[SweetNymph]

Unfortunately, that asumption is painfully accurate. College and work don't leave a lot of time for drawing.

[KaYoKitten]

Unfortunately, that asumption is painfully accurate. College and work don't leave a lot of time for drawing.

THAT, my friend, is a mere excuse. I'm sorry to be rude about it (REALLY, I am!), but it's the gospel truth.

I wake up early in the morning just so I have an hour to get ready, sit down at my kitchen table, and sketch/ink/draw. I go to school and I draw before classes, I draw if my teacher decides he needs to run to his office really quick. I find that most teachers have "opening comments" that you can keep one ear to and still keep drawing until (s)he's ready to start lecture/the real class.

Then, I generally run to my next class so I have about ten minutes (plus any time the prof/teach is late, yadda-ing, etc) to draw more. I have time after I drive home, I draw then. I go to work early and sit in my breakroom and discreetly draw my coworkers. I do that during my fifteen-minute break and my half-hour lunch.

All in all, that gives me FOUR hours of drawing time that otherwise would be wasted twiddling thumbs or sleeping.

At any rate, this forum was about male characters, not how much time we have to draw...so I shall address that too. ^^;

I started out having loads of problems drawing men--in fact, unless I was copying DIRECTLY from another picture, it was downright impossible. Anatomy books (I own 23 total, both the cheap and the 100 dollar ones) did not help. So what was my solution? Take my women and look at them and see just how much I had to tweak them to make them men. I compared them and worked at it every day during every minute of my scraps of time.

You know what? I can draw a guy now. You know how? I worked my way backwards. ^^; From fat men to skinny men and fat women to skinny women. Why? Because they...oh, for the love of pete, let me give my spiel:

LEARN how to draw guys AND women who are overweight. Good gobs of gravy, people, Americans are becoming more and more overweight. Draw HEALTHY people! Let's get this revolution started that you DON'T have to be a TWIG to be cool/popular/teh AWESOME person. Men and women gain weight in VERY different ways. Maybe you should try drawing fat people to get those points of difference, and then work backwards, like I did.

Hey, it's not the most economic way...but it kills several birds with a single shot.

[SweetNymph]

Yeah, yeah, I already know I'm lazy. I'm trying to work on that.

Your original problems sound a lot like my own, so I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the advice. ^^

[KaYoKitten]

Yeah, yeah, I already know I'm lazy. I'm trying to work on that.

Your original problems sound a lot like my own, so I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the advice. ^^

Laziness will not be tolerated!! *cracks teh Whip of Doometh* lol, I know it's hard workin' hard, expecially going to school and going to work. Working at Wal*Mart is definitely no peach--I work 6 hours a day on top of going to school and doing my homework. Sometimes I barely have time to sleep, but I come on here anyway, sacrificing my sleep to talk to you people! XP

Anyways, my problems were very general and a combination of drawing women only what I wanted to, not what I needed to, and just plain laziness. XD Yup, I had the same problem. lol, but it all works on in the end. We're gonna make it if we see it!

[Wrath]

I have to ask, what's the big deal? You're dudes look like chicks? I am not trying to be rude, in fact, I have the same "problem" and just as recently as 4 days ago, I was crying that everyone thinks my dudes are female. At my devart account, I started asking people who looked at my stuff why they thought they looked like girls. Like stupid people, they didn't really give me any useful answers. Feel free to look yourself and tell me what's wrong at http://envy-wrath.deviantart.com/ or just anything useful besides that I need backgrounds. I already know about that one. ^^

Anyway, I was talking to my friends about it, and my siblings. Maybe they're only being nice because their my friends, but I have known them for years, and I know when they say stuff just to be nice. My point is, look at a lot of anime, or even cartoons. There are actually quite a few characters I have seen mistaken as girls. So, who cares if I'm another person like that? I have been told my style is unique (or like a blend of anime and Nightmare Before Christmas, which I am not sure is a compliment, but he claims that it is. ^^)

I am still a little worried, but I am happy that my style isn't really someone elses (i.e. you don't look at my stuff and say, you can tell she likes dragon ball z or whatever, BTW, I don't like DBZ.) But anyway. I say that a lot when I see other peoples art. Like, was I the only one who thought that the winner of the RSOM vol...um, can't remember but it was about monster kids at school and one of them made a mini-cerberus and one made a nurse? Anyway, the style is VERY reminscent of both Naruto and One Piece. It was good manga, but I still saw these similarites. Then again, mines been compared to Nightmare Before Christmas. So, I don't know what I'm talking about. I only draw as a hobby after all. ^^

[YamPuff]

My main problem is making the guys too... curvy.

My most well-defined character is still rather thin, but I don't want him to be a bishie (well.. not TOO much of one. ^_-).

In the words of Stoncius: BLASPHEMY!!!! Men are not men until they are effeminate bishies!! Other than that they have no point!!!!!! (Kitten ears add to the overall effect as well)

I just drew a military kitten boy with glasses sitting in a cute lil way. Awwww....he ish shoooooo cutshie!!!! :p

[YamPuff]

I have to ask, what's the big deal? You're dudes look like chicks? I am not trying to be rude, in fact, I have the same "problem" and just as recently as 4 days ago, I was crying that everyone thinks my dudes are female. At my devart account, I started asking people who looked at my stuff why they thought they looked like girls. Like stupid people, they didn't really give me any useful answers. Feel free to look yourself and tell me what's wrong at http://envy-wrath.deviantart.com/ or just anything useful besides that I need backgrounds. I already know about that one. ^^

Ahem. I love them, very cute and yes, u have your own style (just needs some touching up) I like girlie boys myself. =^-^= If you want to fix this up, just give them more masculine touches.

Sharai is good, but he is too narrow at the shoulders and bigger at the hips, with curvy legs. Kana's poses makes him look like a flat-chested girl. Your style gives the boys big, thick legs and skinny arms and torsoes which is a strictly feminine aspect. The huge eyes with long eyelashes and cool hair doesn't help.

Personally I like them the way they are =^-^= but if you want them to be taken as boys at once, they need some maculinity in them.

[Pedes]

Unfortunately, that asumption is painfully accurate. College and work don't leave a lot of time for drawing.
THAT'S NO EXCUSE!
I mean: I go to university. I DO pay attention. BUt that doesn't mean I have to write all the time. So across almost all my margins are doodles. Not just so random doodles. I doodle with writing pen wich I find a very nasty tool to draw, but I use it BECAUSE OF IT BEING NASTY; mastering it helps me a lot with real inking.
Second thing: On those margins I draw whatever causes me problems. Once I practiced that way drawing hands and feet (by drawing only hands and feet lol), now I often practice anatomy, strange positions, cartoon pictures, eye desings etc. Those are not drawings you spend hours on practicing every line - once the line is on it stays that way. It's merciless for you as you can see all the mistakes but on a long way it helps a lot and when I sit at home and pick a pencil I can make pictures, not practice. :)

[SweetNymph]

THAT'S NO EXCUSE!
I mean: I go to university. I DO pay attention. BUt that doesn't mean I have to write all the time. So across almost all my margins are doodles. Not just so random doodles. I doodle with writing pen wich I find a very nasty tool to draw, but I use it BECAUSE OF IT BEING NASTY; mastering it helps me a lot with real inking.
Second thing: On those margins I draw whatever causes me problems. Once I practiced that way drawing hands and feet (by drawing only hands and feet lol), now I often practice anatomy, strange positions, cartoon pictures, eye desings etc. Those are not drawings you spend hours on practicing every line - once the line is on it stays that way. It's merciless for you as you can see all the mistakes but on a long way it helps a lot and when I sit at home and pick a pencil I can make pictures, not practice. :)

Is it bad that I giggle when people yell at me for that? Cause I do. I dunno why. Maybe because I like seeing people so passionate about drawing. ^^

Hey, that's a good idea. I do lament over my inking every time I ink. Now I just have to dig up a pen from under the couch.

[Verdekurama]

I'm better a drawing male charaters then female, I just find them easier to draw.

[Pedes]

Is it bad that I giggle when people yell at me for that? Cause I do. I dunno why. Maybe because I like seeing people so passionate about drawing. ^^

Hey, that's a good idea. I do lament over my inking every time I ink. Now I just have to dig up a pen from under the couch.
Do it, it really helps :)

[SweetNymph]

Do you sketch with the pen, or draw as if there were actually a picture you were tracing, with smooth lines?

[KaYoKitten]

Sketching in the ink is a really good idea...use a really cheap pen, like a Bic, because you can get the effects of a light pencil sketch and then practice your inking over the sketch all at once. That way, you can see all of your extraneous lines and know exactly how you managed to create it. And it'll lead straight to where you need to go. XD Pedes and I said the exact same thing in our opening comment. How utterly bizarre.

[YamPuff]

THAT'S NO EXCUSE!
I mean: I go to university. I DO pay attention. BUt that doesn't mean I have to write all the time. So across almost all my margins are doodles. Not just so random doodles. I doodle with writing pen wich I find a very nasty tool to draw, but I use it BECAUSE OF IT BEING NASTY; mastering it helps me a lot with real inking.
Second thing: On those margins I draw whatever causes me problems. Once I practiced that way drawing hands and feet (by drawing only hands and feet lol), now I often practice anatomy, strange positions, cartoon pictures, eye desings etc. Those are not drawings you spend hours on practicing every line - once the line is on it stays that way. It's merciless for you as you can see all the mistakes but on a long way it helps a lot and when I sit at home and pick a pencil I can make pictures, not practice. :)

I do that too! I can barely see my stupid lectures for the drawings all around them. I draw when I'm bored, so you can gage exactly how boring or exciting I find each lecture just by the amount of doodles. I sometimes draw to concentrate on what the professor's saying better. I've practice profiles, inking, hair, eyes, the works.

Glad I'm not alone =^-^=

[Pedes]

Do you sketch with the pen, or draw as if there were actually a picture you were tracing, with smooth lines?
Both.
Pedes and I said the exact same thing in our opening comment. How utterly bizarre.
With the difference that I draw douring the lectures and you use all aviliable brakes :D

I do that too! I can barely see my stupid lectures for the drawings all around them. I draw when I'm bored, so you can gage exactly how boring or exciting I find each lecture just by the amount of doodles. I sometimes draw to concentrate on what the professor's saying better. I've practice profiles, inking, hair, eyes, the works.

Glad I'm not alone =^-^=
Heh it's really like me :D I draw mostly on very boring and very interesting ones :D

[Klawzie]

I do not recommend my method, but I will state honestly that I rarely took notes in any of my classes but my math class (math and I do not even meet on neutral ground) - I drew instead.

For me, this helped focus my mind on what the professor/teacher was saying. I took cardstock and my good ink pens with me to class and sketched and inked right there. I participated in class discussions and made good eye-contact with the teacher/professor enough times that none of them ever said anything to me about it. And, of course, my good grades helped. :P

Again, I wouldn't recommend this for everyone. Particularly in high school. College professors are less likely to care. But there's nothing stopping you from bringing good paper to class and drawing before the teacher gets there, at lunch time (after you've eaten, but before you have to go back to class), etc.

Drawing in ink will get you to draw while making fewer mistakes. But drawing in pencil allows you to correct mistakes. Using both is good practice. Drawing only in ink teaches you bad habits. (I second the recommendation for a cheap pen since it does let you use shading a little better than good inking pens.)

I'm not of the belief that it's necessary to draw obsessively. But "a drawing a day keeps the art block away" in my experience.

[Rednal]

Hmm... Well, to comment on an earlier note (you people post when I'm not here! :mad: ;) ), if you have a limited time, just draw some at a time. The best artist I know (who has about twenty works hanging on MY wall) might spend half an hour doing a drawing, or five weeks. It doesn't need to be done all at once. XP

[QueenieChan]

I would try a broader chin and more heavyset eyebrows. The facial structure of buys are different to that of girls, unless they're bishounen or something, but you'll find that apart from wider shoulders, being taller, thinner hips and wider waist etc, men tend to have stronger features. Stronger profiles as well, especially in the nose and chin areas.

Whether you can capture that at times depends on your drawing style.

[SweetNymph]

My style is rather cartoony, but broader chin... *adds to list*

[KoriKageTenshi]

I can't draw guys either. They come out...femmine >>;; I can draw them if I had a pic in front of me. But from my head...o.o Same for the girls T-T

[ewlmonkey]

im a girl and somehow i draw guys better cause i can check oout guys and study there strucktures but girls i don't . its like a can draw ten different hair styles for guys and two for girls. the hardest thing aboout drawing girl or guys is their hands i can't draw hands

[zetsui101]

i can draw guy characters better than girl characters. it's really strange, especially since a lot fo the guys i draw have dark pasts or sad memories. when i draw girls, they all look kinda...preppy. i'm going for gothic characters, not preppy. i think the problem for me is drawing more older female characters, like high school girls who are between 16 and 18. i've tried using examples such as girls at school, but there are no girls who share a simialr body shape. more practice i guess...

[SweetNymph]

i can draw guy characters better than girl characters. it's really strange, especially since a lot fo the guys i draw have dark pasts or sad memories. when i draw girls, they all look kinda...preppy. i'm going for gothic characters, not preppy. i think the problem for me is drawing more older female characters, like high school girls who are between 16 and 18. i've tried using examples such as girls at school, but there are no girls who share a simialr body shape. more practice i guess...

..you DO know that in a lot of places, Goth is preppy, right?

You can always fix it by making the girls all Goth Loli.

[zetsui101]

what i mean by preppy is...the scary smiles that never go away and teh big eyes that never seem to blink... *shivers* not very many of those where i'm from.

i noticed a trend in developing manga artists that I know of. for example, my friend AK and I have been drawing for a few years now. we can draw bishounen very well yet we have a hard time drawing bishoujo for those bishounen. i've discovered that, in our case, we have become exposed to so many bishounenand action manga, we usually see a very good-looking guy in our minds that's wearing a trenchcoat and carrying a weapon. on the other hand, my friend EF has only read manga such as Tokyo Mew Mew. What she can draw best is girls because that's what she's seen more often in her manga. (i sound like a specialist... ToT)

[Pedes]

what i mean by preppy is...the scary smiles that never go away and teh big eyes that never seem to blink... *shivers* not very many of those where i'm from.

i noticed a trend in developing manga artists that I know of. for example, my friend AK and I have been drawing for a few years now. we can draw bishounen very well yet we have a hard time drawing bishoujo for those bishounen. i've discovered that, in our case, we have become exposed to so many bishounenand action manga, we usually see a very good-looking guy in our minds that's wearing a trenchcoat and carrying a weapon. on the other hand, my friend EF has only read manga such as Tokyo Mew Mew. What she can draw best is girls because that's what she's seen more often in her manga. (i sound like a specialist... ToT)
I read many genres, but still have probelms with some things XD

Wohooo, I managed to get back for drawing girls *dance* There's nothing like doodling. :D
If you have problems with drawing bishoujo for bishounen... take it in parts. Make a sketch for bihsounen. Make a slight changes to the face. Move waist a bit higher and make it a bit thinner. Rounden the hips more. Check the legs (often have pretty girl legs legs so no work here :) ) Ad boobs (start wich small ones.) TADAAAM! A pretty girl. )Oh, you can draw clothes now ^^' )
That's a good way to shift. In time you'll start immiedietally with a girl apperance withought even knowing it.

Girl>bishounen goes the other way round.
..you DO know that in a lot of places, Goth is preppy, right?

You can always fix it by making the girls all Goth Loli.
Where I live goth goes for a dark vampire look :) (apart from manga-fan goth wich can go any way really... lolita, preppy XD)

[zetsui101]

it really depends on the style of the art too. for a while I was drawing in a style similar to Nobuhiro Watsuki. then i *attempted* to draw like Arina Tanemura. Once you've got a certain style and technique that you're skilled at and enjoy, the characters become a little easier to draw.

[Talim]

I read this book once on drawing manga characters. A female body should be drawn more curvier while a male's body should be drawn more stiff. I mean like more manlier. Umm ... well ... the guy's body should be more taller and muscular and have less curves. I know it sounds kinda weird, but trust me. Just practice a bit and eventually you'll get it! PROMISE!!!

[dronedevil]

I've only draw women characters Ive done a few male characters when i was bored in class but thats was years ago.

[T0M0_chan]

-_______-tried reading "how to draw manga" but it didn't really work.
couldn't tell apart the guys from the girls....but eventually,
I got better..........

[Talim]

Well, different people learn differently. It's how the world works! ^^

[T0M0_chan]

o_o yeah,that makes sense

[Spaghettos]

I wish I could draw girls as good as guys. I got really good at drawing guys cause I used to want to draw alot of shounen mangas, now that I'm switching my story lines more towards shojo, drawing women is essential. Somehow the women seem to sometimes look like males...kindof...

[gugenorchide]

tomo_chan, when I draw manga characters, I make the male faces longer as the female ones are rounder and their eyes are larger too. ^ ^

[SweetNymph]

I always have problems creating hairstyles that work for the character. What's worse is that I often make the bangs really great, but the actual HAIR doesn't work! ><

[TheBohemian]

Is it drawing hair that suits the character, or the actual rendering? :confused:

If the former, it's actually good to give in to stereotypes sometimes. Like for the shy girl, longer boring hair, with long bangs that hide the face a lot. Or the jock with spiked hair; pretty boys with wavy shoulder-length hair, etc...

[SweetNymph]

But none of MY characters are stereotypes. Hence the problem.

[TheBohemian]

But what type of personality do they have?

[SweetNymph]

Friendly, outgoing, spoiled.

[gugenorchide]

Pretty boys with long hair do look lovely. Though you get the dominant ones with short or cropped hair that look menacing and they are good to draw. ^ ^

[SweetNymph]

Hair on guys has always been hard for me. I can never seem to get any style that isn't spikes to work. ><

[KaGoMeFaN13]

I've only been able to draw a male character once, and I spent HOURS on just that one drawing.Here he is:
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/Sakura-chan13/scan-1.jpg

[HotPieBob]

I used to draw guys all the time so it used to be impossible to draw a women without it looking like a guy.Now i could draw a woman in like an american version of comics but i stilll have trouble drawing manga like females.Sometimes ill get lucky and it will look like a woman.The only anime woman i could draw is a very young chibi like woman

[SweetNymph]

Happily, I developed a personal way to make guys look like... NOT girls.

Mainly in the lips. ^^

[Daisuki-MewMew]

I've hardly drawn male characters..I think 2 in total and they were simple manga versions of friends.
i can draw girls okay but i seem to find they look better w/animal ears ^^ or with elfin ears.

[Pedes]

I always have problems creating hairstyles that work for the character. What's worse is that I often make the bangs really great, but the actual HAIR doesn't work! ><
Heh, I have no proiblem with hairstyles EXCEPT(!) inking blond hair... ><
Actually you can give almost the same hairstylef for men and women (with obvious exceptions) as long as face shows that it's a man (unless it's not supposed to).