ratcreature | how to draw female comic characters (according to Wizard)...

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how to draw female comic characters (according to Wizard)...

brown_betty asked for examples "to illustrate the exactly how and why female comic characters are illustrated differently than the male." And I thought, really, what's better to illustrate these things than the books teaching the style in the first place?

A while ago I posted some scans from Wizard How To Draw series on drawing female superheroes (here and here), and I thought I'd post a bunch more from the first book of the series on "How To Draw: Heroic Anatomy".

As everything, it starts with the basics, i.e. proportions. First the male superhero

The female example is similar, but slightly different, notice how he stands firm and straight, wheras she stands with her hips cocked a little and the leg thrust forward?

Also notice in the direct torso comparison below, how the male one is ramrod straight, but she curves and leans just a little bit in the same pose?

Now onwards to the chapter "Sultry Women". It even cautions you against overposing! Yes, it's not as if Wizard wasn't aware of the problems! (Their definition and mine of which poses are already overposed might differ slightly though, heh.)

Next, Michael Turner explains "Sex Appeal". (Or what he thinks sex appeal is.) Incidentally it also illustrates the meaning of "overposed" that was brought up in the previous chapter very effectively...

Finally for compare and contrast purpuses the chapters on "Superheroic Men" and "Superheroic Women". For the male superhero it is all about more or less ridiculously enlarged muscles as we learn:

Female superheroes don't have it that easy, they need to worry about tilting their shoulder, nipple and pubic lines attractively at all times, not to mention legs, breast size, eye make-up and hair:

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First of all all you idiots that are offended probably have a pretty disgusting body. Unless you are not average at all, im sure most average individuals prefer to see great bodies as opposed to fat asses.

I am aware that all bodies do not look like this but you have to snap back to reality and remember that these are COMIC BOOKS made for KIDS....Horny TEENAGE KIDS. its aimed to the avrage low self-esteemed nerds that would like to look like the heroes an bang the super bitches that come with the turf.

Not only that those of you ranting opposing this, are most likely ranting because your fat asses have been left out but because you will never attain what is considered "Super". Do you really think it would sell if your disgusting ass was on the cover?

Don't get me wrong there are kiddie comics out there also. But for the IDEAL superhero that is the best tutorial I've ever seen. So get real. I've never seen a "REGULAR" Comic book that really sells. It's about money, business and the satisfaction of a bunch of nerds. So be it. If you wanna complain go burn your damn bras somewhere else and leave the fantasy to the nerds. Shit maybe you can give a bra instead of burning it to a nerd and they can get out the comicbook faze faster....lmao. Retards....

Like you, I have put together a rather lengthy response. Unlike you, I have attempted to appear civil, reasonable, and meaningful, so please look upon my response with an objective eye, as I have yours. It may be hard for you to do so, but it has been hard for me to write a calm response that does not involve swearing and name-calling.

First of all all you idiots that are offended probably have a pretty disgusting body.

I have what people consider the body of a supermodel so yeah, I guess it's a pretty disgusting body.

I am aware that all bodies do not look like this but you have to snap back to reality and remember that these are COMIC BOOKS made for KIDS....Horny TEENAGE KIDS. its aimed to the avrage low self-esteemed nerds that would like to look like the heroes an bang the super bitches that come with the turf.

You should also be aware that people other than horny teenage kids like to read comics. I guess it's a sin for someone other than the target audience to enjoy comics, huh?

In addition, I'm bothered by the fact that a male superhero should be a role model while a female superhero should be, first and foremost, a sex object. DOES NOT COMPUTE.

Not only that those of you ranting opposing this, are most likely ranting because your fat asses have been left out

No, I am ranting because what these drawing guides tell us is that for men, character and power come first, while for women, it's the porn-star body. This has nothing, I repeat, nothing to do with sour grapes. If I am only upset about this because my fat ass has been left out, then by all means, I shouldn't support equal rights for African-Americans, since I'm not one myself, and I shouldn't raise money for orphanages in developing countries because I'm not an orphan myself. You are operating on the idea that all motivations are selfish, and while you may function that way, the majority of the human race does not.

but because you will never attain what is considered "Super". Do you really think it would sell if your disgusting ass was on the cover?

Do you really think you would appear mature and logical if you descended to slinging insults and making gross assumptions? Should I make illogical assumptions about you and call you names, just because I disagree with you? Personally, (at the expense of appearing egotistic) I think that while I will never be able to fly or stop a train, I can be a "super" person by standing up for what I believe in and defending those who deserve to be defended, which is essentially what "super" people do.

It's about money, business and the satisfaction of a bunch of nerds. So be it. If you wanna complain go burn your damn bras somewhere else and leave the fantasy to the nerds.

You're saying comic book artists don't draw comics because, I don't know, they love drawing? Did the entire comic book industry pop out of the butt of someone who decided to humor a little group of nerds? Besides, I like my bra. By the definition of feminism, I can believe in equality for women and still wear undergarments that support my breasts, thank you very much. You're drawing several false correlations here, and if you would like me to elaborate then I will. I can support feminism while supporting my chest at the same time. Finally, fantasy is not just for nerds. Fantasy is for anyone who has the desire to slip into another world, even momentarily, and enjoy adventure that may not be possible in our setting. I do not believe that "nerds" are the only people capable of having an imagination.

....lmao. Retards....

You are by far the most mature person I have ever met on the Internet. Except not really. Please don't tell me you are part of my generation. I do not believe for a moment that someone criticizing an absurdity of the industry is automatically someone who suffers from a mental defect.

There is my response. If you have skipped everything I have just written and you descend to hurl more insults at me, I shall simply hop back onto my high horse and smile at your immaturity. Good day.

First off I can careless if you have the body of a supermodel. The internet carries alot of these "False prophets" so what's to say you're not one. (last time i checked super models are disgustingly skinny...lol)

I believe i did say that it is the target audience, meaning that there are others that enjoy comics. But then again my apologies on assuming you were that intelligent. If it "does not compute" I suggest you get your machinery "Recalibrated" The only reason why I was so hard on my response is because i am so tired on BOTH women and men hollering on about how "UNequal" things are for women as oppossed to men. Im not sure if you've actually read comics but notice how the woman is made desireable sexually at the same time, having powers.

I dont think that there are too many fat-assed men super hero prancing around in their underwear either. But do you see men crying about this and wanting to cry out "Injustice"?

As far as the supporting the equal rights for Black's, It's your perogative if you decide to be racist and want to make that your excuse. That REALLY has nothing to do with the subject at hand. It even adds to my point, how many black super hero's do you really see other than bishop from X-Men and the few mentions in spawn? Do you see blacks crying about this? No one ever said anything about unequal treatment towards anyone, nor giving money to orphans that in itself is completely out of subject and is apples to oranges. If those are your excuses, hey, good luck in hell.

If you feel "SUPER" than great. Keep your happy happy motivating speeches to yourself, this is a discussion about how so many think that this tutorial was sexist or "disgusting". When the sense super is used, it is used in the sense of powers and so on. but again if you choose to mold my words to fit your so-called uninsulting speech then hey, more power to ya.

I never said that everyone else cannot enjoy comics or fantasy. I merely said that that age group of those specific, nerds ARE the "TARGET AUDIENCE" and yes, i agree that they may enjoy drawing comics however their choice in women apparently upsets feminists like you.

Nerds are not the only ones that can have an imagination just like women can play football, and have jobs and so forth, but if there is a "TARGET AUDIENCE" then why would you make a product for female football players????? For the sake of supporting women?

Your "mental defect" speech is lovely, however my intent was not to offend retards...lol. It's always someone like you that tries to make themselves look like they are correct by dragging some poor defenseless being into it and protecting them. Yes i may have stated "retards" but not in the sense of insulting mentally retarded people.

It is clear now, that you are a feminist which, hey, good for you, however, remember, that organization has been labeled a hategroup in some places. feminists not only believe in equality for women (which i believe in) but shoot for "better than men" treatment.

The fact is that censorship of comic babes or the word "babes" will never be and that is what feminists shoot for. Everything offends you and you cannot live without something offending you. I cannot stand when someone is that damn sensitive. Whether people are women, black, fat, skinny, green, yellow, whatever. excessive crying to get attention is really irritating.

I am not sexist by far, but i do love my women great looking, well endowed, & intelligent. I'd be lieing if i said otherwise. That my friend is part of nature and instincts. maybe you can throw in a power or two....lol.

If you feel so much that women are equal to men (which i feel they are) why is your horse higher than mine, because i express myself the way i do? get real!

Ooh, I was going to reply to this, but then I noticed that your journal has never been updated, and it was created roughly around the same time that these comments were first posted!

I call troll. Thank goodness! I was momentarily shaken by the thought that there really were people this stupid in the world!

Oh, and ratcreature: Interesting post! I'm sorry you got so many crazy comments on it, and that I'm posting so long after the post was originally made. I also regret that I'm going to go back to another, less crazy comment and argue there. But, uh, it's because your post is so interesting?

Mulato01 has obviously not read the Berserk manga by Kentaro Miura.

Best shit created by man, moreso than Michael Turner. :p

Oh my god! I'm a horny teenager kid! And so all my friends 20,30,40,50,60 years are! And my 9 age little sister is too! All the people reading this is! So are u!
WE ALL ARE HORNY TEEN KIDS!

P.D.- U r a little bit ignorant, to put it maidly.
The comic is the 7th art, and there are (many) reasons for that.

At last! All of humanity may rejoice, for we are united under the banner of horny teenager-dom! Rejoice, and pass the soft porn!

Anyways, I'm late to the party, but well said, sir (ma'am? I can never tell). Comics deserve more respect than this "how-to" guide gives them.

you know while i agree that most of the ( i assume ) women here are over-reacting a little, i do agree that the mulato guy is exactly the type of person i used to avoid in high-school. they smelled of testosterone and were disgustingly narrow minded. i am a 21 year old straight male, and yes, i'm nerdy. i don't think comics are aimed at nerds, and i don't think that just because it is 'targeted' at horny nerds others don't have the right to be offended. that's ridiculous. i came across this when i googled drawing tutorials and even though initially i thought it was a bra burners convention, i also thought, 'you know this is like that comment on The Office to the effect of "i think women can wear whatever they want. here in america women have the right to show as much cleavage as they please...". some people don't understand what's wrong with that. still, i have to say that you this is how men and women have always been drawn (look at old paintings anc sculptures) so whilst i do think it's sexist, i accept as just one of those things that are wrong about this world but we're at an age to find it amusing rather than offensive. but then i'm looking through male eyes. i get quite offended at some of the 'muslim' humour (cos i am one myself) but then i realize that they can really say whatever they want. just makes them idiots. but i accept it. what can i do? rant? i'll have people just point out all the dark pages in muslim history and use it as justification for racism (it's ridiculous when they nitpick about that word cos muslims aren't a 'race') anyway i'm rambling. basically my point is that as sexist as this is, and as much right you have to get offended, it's just the way things are. if you don't like it, read something else. i take that as a sad fact, not an angered pro-sexist rant

I'm a dude, and as much as I like a hot women. I also equally hate pretentious comic artists who make all fantasy artists look like drooling teenagers who can't appreciate a female character without making them dress like prostitutes who fight in 40 inch heel red patent thigh boots (example Witchblade)

Ok some the "super-heroic" women are fine due to Super Heroes generally being ideal. The guys are the same way. They're supposed to be perfect. Some artists on the other hand don't know where to draw the line before their art becomes less heroic, and more, insulting kiddie porn.

Some amazing artists have been making strides toward breaking this tired concept as people wish to find more pathos in their heroes.

However, the Bride of Frankenstein-cum Avengers super vixen was absolutely ridiculous. It is so atypical of the trite one note comic artist mentality. It really painted the artist as a stereotypical horny comic artist drawing soft core porn living vicariously through the muscled dingus hanging out with his living doll super girls.

As for Mulato1, first thank you for your hilariously stupid "the lady doth protest too much" rant.
Perhaps learning the definition of 'hypocrite' may help your future trolling efforts. Though the key to good trolling is being award-winningly ignorant. The fact that you're even posting on a topic about comics is ironic at best. As you are obviously an 'internet troll'. We all know how socially dynamic and attractive Internet dry humping trolls are. Every playground-quality insult flung at the imagined masses you perceive as being such an immense issue for you can most likely and accurately applied to yourself.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, next time you feel the need to hang out on a site about comic book art, flailing your Dorito covered hairless little boy arms and feces around, like a chimp who hasn't had his morning banana latte yet, you may wish to brush the breakfast burrito out of your breath and scrub the stench of irony out of pits and realize that you're most likely the fattest, ugliest one in the room.

I'll finish with this:
*Johnny Carson voice*
A one hundred foot tall hammer.
A ten ton wrench.
Mulato1
...
Name three gigantic tools...
*cue ed McMahon "Hiyooo"*

I'm 5'2" and 98 pounds. I am still offended. (Seriously. I have have photos, if you want proof, although you'll probably just sneer at my ugly dorky glasses or something else that's very, very mature.)

I hate the assumption that, when women are offended about being portrayed as objects--especially really hawt objects--, it's because FATTY FATTY TWO-BY-FOUR CAN'T FIT THROUGH THE KITCHEN DOOR LAWL.

The point here, besides that sexism is alive and well in comics, is that this is precisely WHY their audience is mainly teenage boys, instead of a wider variety of ages, and GET THIS, both genders.

Look, I am a self-professed nerd with low self esteem. But I'm also a girl. Thusly, the fantasy of 7000 tons of rippling man meat and having sex with physically impossible, glorified blow-up dolls doesn't do it for me. Know how they could make my money, and probably a lot of other people's? A story about a nerd coming into his/her own via superpowers, complete with real emotions and physically possible humans. (Isn't that how Spider-Man started, actually?)

I draw for art. If someone wanted to pay me for that, I would jump for joy, but I wouldn't change the fact that I draw for ART. (Not very good art, I'll admit.) If someone told me my women weren't sexy enough, or my men weren't bulky and 'roid-fueled enough, they would be welcomed to kindly suck my organs of your choice.

I like my bras. Perhaps rather than burning it, or giving it to a comic book geek, I can use it, in conjunction with my real human breasts, to show one of these artists how boobs actually work in real life. If flashing them'll do it, I'll risk my dignity. Girls, who's with me?

Bottom line and the point im trying to make is that there are too many damn sensitive people people that always try to exploit or ruin an art or belief or what have you. It is annoying and honestly my words may be offending but i am merely protecting the art. Just like the whole prayer in schools being banned. Thats the dumbest *ish I've ever seen. Even Im not religious and think is stupid.
2nd if you weigh 90lbs i suggest you seek medical help unless you are a developing teen.(im playing im just being an a*sh*le) Truth is, in this country the media is the same way. Models everywhere. There is a standard a need to be seen if you are good looking although the majority of people are average looking or maybe not even that. They are the deep desires of most people whether you admit it or not. I am a realist. Yes even YOU admiting you have low self esteem. Believe it or not, we are human....a disease for the most part which consumes, destroys, and moves on. Yes some of us are good people, but for the most part we are all tied together with a bond called humanity. We all have fantasies and for anyone to separate themselves by saying tis is sexist, is a "Hippo-crit" we may not be fat and ugly on the outside but we are on he inside. This is not a sexist thing. It has more to do with protecting art, that has always been since its begining.

Eleventy billion years later, she replies....

What are you talking about? "Humanity is a disease...," what in the name of the Flying Spaghetti Monster does that have to do with what we're talking about? Besides the noble attempt at backpedaling there ("I wasn't saying feminists are fat and that's bad because you're not fat and the makes me a bad person, I was saying that, um...We're all ugly inside! Yeah!"), None of your reply was even coherent, much less relevant.

This isn't about art and censorship. This is about treating women as objects for sex and pleasure and men as strong human beings. No one here is saying that these people should have to live under fear of Big Brother is they happen to draw a character's waist too small, or exaggerate her bustline. I, for one, want people to realize for themselves that THERE IS A PROBLEM. If you are a realist as you claim to be in your spectacular logic backflip there, then you should know that this is utterly wrong. Have you ever put on a pair of high heels in your life? They're painful to wear for long periods without even standing. How is anyone (particularly humans without any special ability pertaining to feet) going to fight crime in them? And don't even get me started on the barefoot women WHO STILL STAND LIKE THEY'RE WEARING HEELS. NO ONE walks around on tiptoe constantly. Likewise, no one has a waist smaller than her palm and breasts larger than her head AT THE SAME TIME.

Not only that, but your claim that we all have fantasies may well be, but let me ask you something: Look at SuperVampyVixenLadies #1-whatever. What sort of fantasies do they pertain to? And now, look at SuperBuffBeefcakeMen #1-whatever. Do they pertain to those same fantasies? I guarantee you know at least one heterosexual male who would gladly sleep with the most deformed of these cartoon women. How many heterosexual females do you know who want to sleep with the hulking muscle piles that are the exaggerations of men? I'm not talking Nightwing Or Wolverine or whoever the stereotypical comic nerd girl is attracted to. I'm talking Beardy McAmulet-Loincloth up there. Put all of these characters in street clothes and ask which ones look powerful, and which look like sex toys, and there will be a perfect gender divide.

If the exaggeration is the basis, if this "art" relies on being a paragon of power or of sexual desire, then there should be even distribution amongst fictional people with fictional penises and fictional people without them. You're deluding yourself if you think it's about anything besides pandering to gender stereotypes and preferences of heterosexual males.

After all, why would the silly women be reading comics anyway? They have to get back in the kitchen.

No back pedaling here, If that's what you picked up from the post then hurry up and get back in the kitchen. Nowadays everyone has something to say aout how offended they are.... bottom line...stop crying and acting like a girl...oh my bad did i offend you again????... grow the hell up.

Who's crying? I'm outraged. Did you even read anything I said past the first paragraph, or did you stop after being accused of backpedaling?

Nice to see that you've finally resorted to the more head-smashingly obvious tropes of chauvinism. Shows you don't even have an argument anymore; It's like plugging your ears and yelling "La la la, I can't hear you."

Like I said, I'm not crying, I'm outraged. And now, thanks to your inability to consider that maybe something you see as okay is, in fact, a problem, I'm also severely disappointed.

Me caveman, me like women. Food good.......

My argument and point has been made two posts ago and i refuse to continue to repeat myself because you are "OUTRAGED". Who gives a shit.....
If the points that I've made make me chauvinistic in your eyes, so be it. I have a strong woman that would disagree with you. You are right about plugging my ears. It gets annoying when all you hear is bitching and crying about how unfair and unjust everything is. Strong men and women are of action not whining. If you like screaming so much about equality, consider this....when have you ever heard of a man crying about how unfair the hair styling industry is, or how unequal men are treated at a knitting club?

Notice as soon as i stated knitting or hair, the image of a "Woman's" job came to mind. This is not something I'm making up. It is the way it is. In the same token, no man is bitching of how unfair it is....

As dumb as those examples are, it is true. and if you have something to say about this, then you just like arguing and there is not point in further acknowledging that you have any kind of reasoning or common sense.

It is not a problem, just like porn is not a problem, and dancing chicks in a video is not a problem....the word "chick" is not a problem. The problem is YOU and all of "YOU" idiots that make problems of minor things. If you choose to be viewed in a different light, or as a upstanding individual, a comic book babe is not going to tarnish that image. Your cry baby attitudes and insecurities of their big bouncy drawn boobs are ridiculous and demeaning to women with "real" problems. I admire women with a strong sense of security and self image. No self-respecting women with any sense of strong being would be threatened by this.

hennalounge's response to these posts are an excellent response to these posts. That security and strength is what makes her so right and strong. That attitude in itself is of an attractive strong and confident woman.

The one's threatened by this, pointing fingers and calling men pigs or chauvinists are the problem looking for a fucking hand out talking about "shenanigan, shenanigan!!!!" You guys complaining and that are so called "outraged" should have been born Communists. There are bigger problems then comicbooks, and your bitching is not going to change the boob sizes of these "F-I-C-T-I-O-N-A-L" characters. Nuff' Said....

I'd ask you to google "male privilege" real quick, but something tells me it would be lost on you.

I am not screaming. I am not whining. I am not crying. I am not moaning or griping or doing anything involving female dogs. I am calmly, albeit passionately, discussing what I think is wrong. Yes, it's a little tiny minor thing. But the problem is composed of many, many little tiny things, and it is only thought changing them that we will fix the overall problem: women are still seen as second-class individuals by many cultures.

Hennalounge is one woman. She does not speak for all women. I'm also "not threatened by big boobs." I actually have a fairly decent pair for my size. But just because she realizes it's fantasy and that women aren't meant to look like that, does not mean that EVERYONE realizes this. Would you agree that it's a problem that female celebrities, role models for young women, are airbrushed into physical impossibilities? Well, these superheroines are female role models for young men, and that's keeping it in your parallel universe when teenage boys are the only ones who read comics. Is it okay that, in this imaginary paper world, women are to be physically attractive first, and powerful characters second? Is it okay that, in this alternate universe, men are generally physically male power fantasies, and women are generally physically male sexual fantasies?

And, even though you're going to continue to pretend that, just because women have more freedom than before, we're not still "enslaved" in many smaller, less noticeable ways, I'm still going to call it. May not be five in a row, but...

http://girl-wonder.org/girlsreadcomics/?p=66

Bingo.

Hennalounge is one women that in my opinion speaks for confident women. The security of herself an knowing of truth from fiction is what makes her strong and confident. It is not a "problem" to exaggerate, pretend, to make appealing, airbrush or use makeup. Are you telling me you don't use make up or shave those pits? if this pertains to you then good lord. What can i say but ewww, along with damn near the majority of everyone else, unless they just enjoy the natural look. In other words there are extremes. learn to live with them. Educate those so called influenced, that it is not real.

Besides the total off-topic fact that visible body hair on women is in no way universally considered "extreme" (like say where I live it is really quite common not shave anything), nor is make-up default (you see at least as many women without make-up than with), and your weird "eww" reaction to either probably means you ought to avoid holidays in largish parts of Europe lest you be squicked constantly, I really don't care to have personal hygiene discussions and threads with trading of insults going on in my LJ months after this post was even current. So consider this the moderation notice, and this thread now frozen.

You manage to miss all the points and then become self-righteous about it. I have a sword. I like this combination, though you probably won't. I've also been up all night now (yet still spell better than you do), so my thought processes aren't going much beyond physical trauma as a solution to mental deficiency.

all the point are completely missed by YOU. I guess you ran out of things to say other than pointing out my occasional misspelled word. Bravo, excellent comeback!! what a loser.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

how to draw female comic characters (according to Wizard)...

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