# Is drawing anthros/furries a specialised skill in art?



## valore (Sep 13, 2013)

I've only recently gotten around to getting commissions done on furry art. And I've been faced with a conundrum which I wanted to put to some actual furry artists, because its really got me curious and I'd never get an answer elsewhere.

I advertised both here on FA, as well as on DA for artists to draw up a character sheet for myself. Unsurprisingly, the offers I got on DA came from artists with less experience in drawing furries and anthros. 

These same artists, are often open to admitting they're fairly inexperienced in drawing anthros/furries. 

However, upon being given examples of a few pieces from fairly well known furry artists whose work I really like, their replies have almost overwhelmingly been 'Oh that's no problem, I can do that style easily'. 

Now, here's the thing. Many of these artists have portfolios that they've shown to me, and the art they do is completely different from the examples I provided. 

So instead of letting my eyebrows disappear in disbelief, I'd like to ask you guys with the relevant experience, is it really that easy not having drawn furries/anthros before, to be able to draw them as well as someone who mostly draws furries?

I'll openly admit I know next to nothing about art other than what I find nice to look at and what I'm meh about. 

But in my layman's thinking, the artists I really like and commission, are those who are great at not only drawing furries, but also have the ability to capture very human expressions in an anthromorph. 

And I'd have thought that's probably a skill that takes some learning and experience to do well. 

Am I completely mistaken in this? Can someone who has skill in general art just draw furry art fairly easily?

Thanks for taking the time to read this bit of randomness :-D


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## Misomie (Sep 13, 2013)

Basically any one thing is specialized. Such as there are those who can draw scenery, those that draw feral, those that draw anthro, ect. 

For example, I can generally draw multiple things but my main skill is in ferals and animals and give them expressions and emotions easily (not so easily on more human shaped beings). 

If they have skill in general, they might be able to pull it off. However, you'll have better luck with a seasoned furry artist than someone trying something out with little practice. Experience causes growth in skill and technique (usually).


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## Arshes Nei (Sep 13, 2013)

You get good at something because you practice it more. But being good at your foundations means its less of an excuse when drawing. We wouldn't have new designs, creatures, games etc... if people made excuses of "well I'm not familiar with drawing this"


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## Fay V (Sep 13, 2013)

It pretty much comes down to foundations. 

Here's an example: Lackadaisy. 
The Artist TracyB can switch between anthro art and human art easily. Here's a decent example of both http://tracyjb.deviantart.com/art/Lackadaisy-Mishmash-399205359

Now these are things that she tends to draw often so they're more refined, but if you watch her art she does other things, ferals, dragons, whatever else. If you are good at your foundations you understand the underlying shape and what is being represented, so then it's just a matter of seeing how the style represents those shapes. Here's another example. 

Take a look at the work of old cartoonists, or any cartoonist really. That's not the only thing they know how to do.


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## rjbartrop (Sep 13, 2013)

I suppose it is a specialty, just like there are landscape artists, and aviation artists and fantasy artist, and some people do have a facility and interest for certain subject, but really, skills do overlap, and a competent artist should be able to draw anything given a decent set of references.


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## Taralack (Sep 13, 2013)

No, it's not. Every time I see a furry artist claim that they "can't draw humans" I want to slap them.


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## Fallowfox (Sep 13, 2013)

The more you draw a certain thing, usually the more capable you are at it. This does not preclude ability in other areas, but if you do not practice other areas don't expect to be as good in them. 

Is that not the case with any kind of art...or anything at all for that matter?


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## Alexxx-Returns (Sep 13, 2013)

If you're drawing anthros, you're ultimately drawing people. And anatomy is a fantastic thing to be able to do well.

But specialised... Not sure. If you can draw an anthro exceptionally well, surely you'd be pretty good at drawing humans AND animals as well?


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## Fallowfox (Sep 13, 2013)

AlexxxLupo said:


> If you're drawing anthros, you're ultimately drawing people. And anatomy is a fantastic thing to be able to do well.
> 
> But specialised... Not sure. If you can draw an anthro exceptionally well, surely you'd be pretty good at drawing humans AND animals as well?



Human faces and feet? Perhaps not. 

Animal frames and paws? Maybe not.

It depends on what kind of practice the artist puts it when they are drawing their other stuff.


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## Alexxx-Returns (Sep 13, 2013)

Fallowfox said:


> Human faces and feet? Perhaps not.
> 
> Animal frames and paws? Maybe not.
> 
> It depends on what kind of practice the artist puts it when they are drawing their other stuff.



Yeah that's true. Practice is the most important thing.

But I still have immense respect for people who can draw hands and feet. Those things are in a league of their own.


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## sixfoot (Sep 21, 2013)

AlexxxLupo said:


> Yeah that's true. Practice is the most important thing.
> 
> But I still have immense respect for people who can draw hands and feet. Those things are in a league of their own.



They're... not really. That's not a very productive way of looking at it, like hands and feet are this insurmountable obstacle.

Sycra had a good video talking about this, where he basically said that there's 2 kinds of skill in art - foundational skill (skill that is applicable to everything) and experience skill which comes from doing the same thing over and over until it's burned into your brain. I pretty much agree with that.

Most people working as industry artists and illustrators are massively skilled in foundations, and if you asked them to do an anthro sure they could do it. That's why you can look at video game concept work and see werewolves that look good and aliens that look good. A furry artist might be better at it, but they probably won't be as versatile.


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## Zydala (Sep 21, 2013)

Echoing the "foundations" thing. If you know how to construct things, you can pretty much draw anything with practice!


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## dragonwizard (Oct 9, 2013)

*Preach the foundations!*​ 




*and good references!* 
​


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## Wither (Oct 9, 2013)

OT: Noooooooooooooooo?... 

To above poster: Wat?


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## Deo (Oct 9, 2013)

DA is full of children.

Drawing anthros isn't special at all. Drawing anything well is the bare basics of being an "artist".


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## Ariaxu (Oct 13, 2013)

Well drawing anthros isnt a special skill TOUGH
i can say basing on my own experience - i draw mostly ferals or HUMANS, and yesterday i did my first anthro character andddd she looked a bit too much like human
on the other hand, when im provided wth a ref for the anthro character i have no problems making it look like actual anthro
but when i draw just from my head completely i strive a bit too much into human direction =p
so i guess it is a bit about practise in getting comfortable around drawing anthros too


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## PurryFurry (Oct 20, 2013)

I totally agree with *Fay V* and *sixfoot*- it's all about foundations and practice.  A good artist will be able to draw most any object, although the more you practice at one thing the more refined it becomes.


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## Arshes Nei (Oct 21, 2013)

Even though I said it first that you need foundations...


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## PurryFurry (Oct 27, 2013)

Sorry and Arshes...


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## Blue Taffy (Oct 30, 2013)

If these people are already skilled it's basically like this- can they draw a dog's face  or if they don't have experience with that, can they draw a cone (muzzle) in forced perspective towards the viewer? yes. okay. now can they draw a human body. yes? good. now can they draw fur, like on a coat. yes? Then they can draw a furry. It takes practice to become GOOD at it, or fast... but if they are willing to take the time to correct mistakes and do research they can. but i'd say yes, anthro bodies are a specialized area.


That said, this is my third or fourth mlp pic http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11928405/

this was my first attempt: http://25.media.tumblr.com/a4565831805965ac896bba087aaf65bc/tumblr_mu24bg0o471shlb6ho1_500.png

compare it to most people's first attempts. Knowing what to look for in art- apexes, negative space, angles, porportions in relation and scale.... allowed me to be "better" than most beginners.


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## Judge Spear (Nov 3, 2013)

Blue Taffy said:


> If these people are already skilled it's basically like this- can they draw a dog's face  or if they don't have experience with that, can they draw a cone (muzzle) in forced perspective towards the viewer? yes. okay. now can they draw a human body. yes? good. now can they draw fur, like on a coat. yes? Then they can draw a furry. It takes practice to become GOOD at it, or fast... but if they are willing to take the time to correct mistakes and do research they can. but i'd say yes, anthro bodies are a specialized area.
> 
> 
> That said, this is my third or fourth mlp pic http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11928405/
> ...



...

Truth be told, it's not exactly a measure of skill copying a simple style such as ponies. Showing something of your own style from would be though.


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## Arshes Nei (Nov 3, 2013)

3 different interpretations of water by Old Master artists: http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2010/10/water-by-three-masters.html






This is why worrying about style won't matter in the long run, and why if you're doing observational or realism studies it is not going to come out the same. Because learning foundations still will take you in different directions regardless. 

Something like Ponies...that's child's play.


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