# I'm having like, REAL toruble drawing furries. Anyone have any advice?



## macchagamer (Dec 20, 2014)

It's mainly the muzzle. Whenever I try to draw the muzzle on a  long-snouted animal, such as a fox, from an angle, but can still see  some of the front side, but not a side view, I always mess up, because  the muzzle doesn't look right, compared to what other furry artists  draw. they draw AMAZING stuff! And I can't even handle the muzzle! As a  result, I have to draw the nose and mouth flat against the face, but I  don't want to do that. So can anyone help?


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## Hewge (Dec 20, 2014)

eMMM keep drawing them and don't stop!


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## Brass (Dec 20, 2014)

macchagamer said:


> It's mainly the muzzle. Whenever I try to draw the muzzle on a  long-snouted animal, such as a fox, from an angle, but can still see  some of the front side, but not a side view, I always mess up, because  the muzzle doesn't look right, compared to what other furry artists  draw. they draw AMAZING stuff! And I can't even handle the muzzle! As a  result, I have to draw the nose and mouth flat against the face, but I  don't want to do that. So can anyone help?



Can you post an example?


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## Maugryph (Dec 20, 2014)

Break it down to simple 3d forms and then build up on those. Visualize the snout like a wedge or box in 3d space. If you can't visualize it. You will need to practice perspective.
Drawing Wildlife is one of my favorites in explaining how to construct animals http://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Wildlife-J-C-Amberlyn/dp/0823023796


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## macchagamer (Dec 20, 2014)

like nothing too realistic, just normally what you see with furry art
and I like chibi art


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## Maugryph (Dec 20, 2014)

macchagamer said:


> like nothing too realistic, just normally what you see with furry art
> and I like chibi art



Breaking it down to simple forms works with cute and cartoon stuff as well.


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## macchagamer (Dec 20, 2014)

yea but i'm talking about the muzzle...


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## Maugryph (Dec 21, 2014)

macchagamer said:


> yea but i'm talking about the muzzle...



That's what I am trying to tell you. *Its.. the.. same.. thing*.. no matter what body part it is. As for the snout visualize it as a rectangular box.

http://www.ctrlpaint.com/videos/constructive-form-pt-1


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## Brass (Dec 21, 2014)

Maugryph said:


> Breaking it down to simple forms works with cute and cartoon stuff as well.



have any more of these?


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## Maugryph (Dec 21, 2014)

Brass said:


> have any more of these?



It used to be in a pdf but I couldn't find it. I found some pages of it:


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## Taralack (Dec 21, 2014)

Honestly, the best advice I have for you isn't gonna be found in a tutorial or sage advice, it's just this - study from photos and real life more. If you're having trouble visualizing how to translate something to paper from your mind, the best help is always gonna be visual reference. So just hit up that Google image search.


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## CT-2134 (Dec 26, 2014)

Most artists are self-taught. Going to school only enhances based on that knowedge of basic shapes andcolors. Other than that, look at different styles, pick out the shapes involded with the general shape of the head...any head for that matter. I have trouble with organics as well, mainly because of my naughtical fortay and Trooper armour, but everything breaks down into simple shapes.

Try tracing different styles, analayze and disect each head to its basic components and BAM, you haveyour basic concept of drawing fur heads.


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## Fallowfox (Dec 26, 2014)

I have the same trouble as you, OP.


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## ThePumu (Dec 26, 2014)

Hm. The view your referring to is called 3/4 view


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## Maugryph (Dec 26, 2014)

CT-2134 said:


> Try tracing different styles



For a beginning artist, tracing teaches you* nothing*. It becomes a crutch to most. Anyone can trace a image. It takes no effort or brainpower whatsoever. If the beginner does not understand "WHY" things are a certain way and simply traces over it, then it is rather futile.


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## Taralack (Dec 26, 2014)

Maugryph said:


> For a beginning artist, tracing teaches you* nothing*. It becomes a crutch to most. Anyone can trace a image. It takes no effort or brainpower whatsoever. If the beginner does not understand "WHY" things are a certain way and simply traces over it, then it is rather futile.



As an addendum, I would say to only use tracing as a secondary learning exercise, NEVER as the primary method of learning. There are some benefits to tracing, but I find that its effects can only be fully appreciated if one has an existing knowledge of art techniques and anatomy.


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## CT-2134 (Dec 27, 2014)

Maugryph said:


> For a beginning artist, tracing teaches you* nothing*. It becomes a crutch to most. Anyone can trace a image. It takes no effort or brainpower whatsoever. If the beginner does not understand "WHY" things are a certain way and simply traces over it, then it is rather futile.



Thats why I added "analyze the shapes that artist uses."
its great to see what details differ from Artist A to artist B and how that detail can weave it's way into your style. Deriving from that and from the OP:
Artists steal each others work all the time. Always have, always will. Only a fool would think any artist is original at what he/she does


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## Maugryph (Dec 27, 2014)

CT-2134 said:


> Thats why I added "analyze the shapes that artist uses."
> its great to see what details differ from Artist A to artist B and how that detail can weave it's way into your style. Deriving from that and from the OP:
> Artists steal each others work all the time. Always have, always will. Only a fool would think any artist is original at what he/she does



Well that's a lame move. Don't try to twist my words into something I didn't say.

 I never said you shouldn't be inspired by other artist and try, figure out their style, and attempt to copy. That almost a given. It's the same idea of a musician covering a popular song.

 Picasso is believed to have said 'good artists emulate, great artists steal'. However there is a difference between taking someones idea/style/concept/etc and making it your own, and being a poor imitation of someone else's style.


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## CT-2134 (Dec 27, 2014)

Maugryph said:


> Well that's a lame move. Don't try to twist my words into something I didn't say.
> 
> .


Seems that there was fifty percent of my post missing. I was going to say that tracing improves muscle memory, helps recognize proportions and sizes as well as having an almost wonderful template to reverse-engineer the original artist's work and into starting shapes. Does it take no brainpower to trace? Duuuuh. But in regards to the OP, he can learn something's about snouts, nuzzles and fur faces all on his/her own without trying to follow a railed guideline that are tutorials. 


Back on the OP, you could always cheat and put the shape of the animal's nose on a hooman face.


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## Maugryph (Dec 27, 2014)

CT-2134 said:


> Seems that there was fifty percent of my post missing. I was going to say that tracing improves muscle memory, helps recognize proportions and sizes as well as having an almost wonderful template to reverse-engineer the original artist's work and into starting shapes. Does it take no brainpower to trace? Duuuuh. But in regards to the OP, he can learn something's about snouts, nuzzles and fur faces all on his/her own without trying to follow a railed guideline that are tutorials.



Or he can learn the foundations of art, how light and shadows work, study the anatomy of people and actual animals, learn to use  reference effectively, and learn how to become a better artist? After that he can trace to his heart's content, that's what Norman Rockwell did.

It's better to use a tutorial and practice what is learned, then to haphazardly trace stuff and have no clue what is happening.

Also there is a better exercise then tracing http://www.ctrlpaint.com/videos/form-not-shape (starts at 1:36).



CT-2134 said:


> Back on the OP, you could always cheat and put the shape of the animal's nose on a hooman face.



And it will look like it too.


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## CT-2134 (Dec 27, 2014)

Maugryph said:


> And it will look like it too.



Not if you do it right. 

To to each their own, matey.


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## Maugryph (Dec 27, 2014)

CT-2134 said:


> Not if you do it right.
> 
> To to each their own, matey.



Whatever M8. I'm done with you.


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## CT-2134 (Dec 27, 2014)

Maugryph said:


> Whatever M8. I'm done with you.



Come back tomorrow for more fun, sweetums. ;D


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## Maugryph (Dec 27, 2014)

CT-2134 said:


> Come back tomorrow for more fun, sweetums. ;D



I will see you around. I'm on these forums on a daily basis.


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## Zeitzbach (Dec 27, 2014)

Maugryph said:


> I will see you around. I'm on these forums on a *daily* basis.



You were gone for 4 days AS IF YOU WERE SEEING SOMEBODAY.


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## Maugryph (Dec 27, 2014)

Zeitzbach said:


> You were gone for 4 days AS IF YOU WERE SEEING SOMEBODAY.



True. My uncle had a heart attack and had to have a 5 bypass surgery. I been out of town at the hospital for five days... Tonight's the first night I've been on FAF since then.


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## Zeitzbach (Dec 27, 2014)

Maugryph said:


> True. My uncle had a heart attack and had to have a 5 bypass surgery. I been out of town at the hospital for five days... Tonight's the first night I've been on FAF since then.



Oh darn, I hope nothing went wrong.


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## Maugryph (Dec 27, 2014)

Zeitzbach said:


> Oh darn, I hope nothing went wrong.



Thank you  Surgery went well. He is now in recovery. It was a relief. He gave us quite the scare.


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## foxtorres (Dec 27, 2014)

stop drawing furry buy a manga or try drawing anime, demon diaries has really good form for drawing human shapes as well as chobits for women... once you have basic human anatomy down then you can start transforming human shapes into furry bodies


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## Vex (Dec 27, 2014)

Maugryph said:


> Or he can learn the foundations of art, how light and shadows work, study the anatomy of people and actual animals, learn to use  reference effectively, and learn how to become a better artist? After that he can trace to his heart's content, that's what Norman Rockwell did.
> 
> It's better to use a tutorial and practice what is learned, then to haphazardly trace stuff and have no clue what is happening.
> 
> ...




I agree with you entirely.  So tired of this tracing crutch excuse for a learning method over REAL learning methods.


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## Adagio (Dec 30, 2014)

I just started drawing furry and I'm having trouble with the muzzle too!
But it's becoming easier the more I draw it. 
So yeaah, draw muzzles until you are friggin tired of them. Use references and don't trace.
(Use real animals as reference. It will help you way more than using cartoon/anime references).


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## Taralack (Dec 30, 2014)

foxtorres said:


> stop drawing furry buy a manga or try drawing anime, demon diaries has really good form for drawing human shapes as well as chobits for women... once you have basic human anatomy down then you can start transforming human shapes into furry bodies



Stop it. Stop talking.


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