I find that just looking 'right' often looks quite wrong --sometimes I'll sketch a picture with no reference, then draw it again with reference. Even though the first one looked right when I did it, I nearly always surprise myself with how much I got wrong when I do the second one.
Yes, you do need to learn perspective/anatomy too, but that's still a kind of reference.
(Yes, you do need to learn perspective/anatomy too, but that's still a kind of reference.
Bob Todd whee,
Tue 2 Sep 2008, 22:06,
archived)
Well I've just read that link, well I read the preperation and the stuff about referenceand had to skip through the rest due to it being so long.
All I can really comment is that despite using a reference the front hand going for the katana looks wrong. I think it's because in his version as opposed to the reference, the hand is bent down at the wrist slightly and the lower arm is less vertical than it is in the photo. Also the fact the fingers are completely straight and not even slightly bent in preperation to grasp the hilt makes it look unnatural - completely straight fingers themselves being a fairly unnatural pose to be in.
(,
Tue 2 Sep 2008, 22:22,
archived)
All I can really comment is that despite using a reference the front hand going for the katana looks wrong. I think it's because in his version as opposed to the reference, the hand is bent down at the wrist slightly and the lower arm is less vertical than it is in the photo. Also the fact the fingers are completely straight and not even slightly bent in preperation to grasp the hilt makes it look unnatural - completely straight fingers themselves being a fairly unnatural pose to be in.