Original subtitles

Chapter 4: Let's further improve your skills.

About composition.

This time it's a tutorial on composition.

This is the question I received from my viewers.

"I can now draw character poses."

"When I post drawings on the internet, I don't get high ratings. No one appreciates it."

My question is, "What am I doing wrong?"

I get how you feel.

In order to draw illustrations, it is necessary to pose the characters well.

I talked about this in a previous tutorial on how to draw character poses.

Indeed, what I said before is right.

But how do you really draw an attractive picture?

Character posing alone is not enough.

What else does it need?

In addition to the concept of posing, the concept of composition is essential.

Most people don't understand the difference between posing and composition.

Subtitled by online-courses.club We compress knowledge for you!

Posing and composition are two different things.

Even if you understand posing, if you don't understand composition, the illustration won't be attractive.

If you know the concept of composition, you can create illustrations that grab people's attention.

This knowledge can be used not only for illustrations but also for manga, anime, and videos.

It can be applied to various visual expressions.

This video can be a useful foundation for trying out various artistic expressions.

Please concentrate on the tutorial and watch till the end.

Let's get started.

Central composition.

Let's talk about central composition.

It looks like this as an illustration.

This is a composition in which the main motif is in the center and is arranged symmetrically, both vertically and horizontally.

This is a composition arranged like the Japanese flag.

The central composition is often compared to the Japanese flag.

For someone with knowledge about composition, they might think.

"The central composition is very amateur."

There are people who think so, but it's not true.

This composition is actually very effective.

Why is it effective?

The central composition is simple but focuses on the motif.

A central composition conveys a message directly to the viewer.

The central composition easily conveys the charm of the motif.

But with this composition, the viewer's eye focuses intensely only on the motif.

The central composition has its drawbacks.

That's why using central composition is said to be an amateur skill.

Like this, it places the motif in the center.

But it becomes too symmetrical as a composition.

Having too much symmetry makes it look too tidy and make the drawing less fluid.

It may have nuances like a religious painting.

You can get the idea of a religious painting by imagining Tibetan Buddhist mandalas.

A mandala is drawn symmetrically in left and right, top to bottom.

The central composition is easy to associate with a mandala.

To prevent this, lift one hand of the character to break the symmetry.

It's better to balance out the drawing by breaking the symmetry.

In this way the drawing looks less stiff and more natural.

By adding this, the stiff impression of the symmetrical motif softens and the drawing looks better.

Remember the central composition, so you can easily express and increase the impact of the main motif.

1:1 composition.

Next let's talk about 1:1 composition.

This is similar to the central composition I just introduced.

A 1:1 composition is a composition in which the central composition is arranged next to each other.

This is how it looks like.

When should you use this?

The is often used in advertising.

For example, I was the head illustrator for an ad for Dragalia Lost a few years ago.

The left side of the picture was the main character's face, and the right side was the dragon's face.

I drew that using a 1:1 composition.

If you are interested in it, take a look at it on the internet.

This works because it has an impact of the central composition as well as conveying the story line.

It has characters on the right and left with a strong gaze towards the front.

It's a catchphrase that's drawn along with the character.

"Are you the hunter? Or are you the prey?"

For the viewer who sees the illustration in this composition.

"What kind of relationship do these people have? What will they experience?"

The viewers can't help but imagine it.

If you want to make an ad that has a strong impact and foreshadows a story.

The 1:1 composition is most effective.

Rule of thirds and the railman composition.

Next is an introduction to the rule of thirds and the railman composition.

Let's first talk about the rule of thirds.

This is a very useful composition.

Why?

If you know the rule of thirds, your drawing will improve naturally.

The rule of thirds is a powerful compositional technique.

Rule of thirds is easy.

Divide the screen into thirds vertically and horizontally and draw dividing lines.

Now you will have 4 intersections vertically and horizontally.

Place the main motif in this area.

This seems like a picture with a central composition, with the character placed in the center of the screen.

Depending on the character's orientation and the direction in which the sword is held, placing the character in the center is awkward.

In this case, use the rule of thirds.

Place the main motif, the character's face and the stretched hand, at the intersection along the auxiliary lines.

In this way, the character has more impact.

There is now an empty space in front of the character.

If there is space in front of the character, you can see that it's focusing their attention to what's in front of them.

This composition allows you to express the direction of the character's energy.

But the rule of thirds has one drawback.

It's when there are multiple main motifs.

The intersection of the lines divided into three will be closer to the center of the screen.

Placing multiple motifs using this composition will make the screen look cluttered and no sense of space.

That is an example.

This is a picture where the main boy and the monster are arranged according to the rule of thirds.

This is a striking, well-balanced illustration with good composition.

It looks like the main motif is clustered in the center.

It feels cramped when you want to convey a large space in the background.

In that case, use the railman composition.

This composition is characterized by having intersections on the outside compared to the rule of thirds.

Place the motif in these intersections.

This reduces the density and frees up space on the screen.

This increases the background area and conveys a larger sense of space to the viewer.

The rule of thirds allows you to depict the relationship between the motif and the background.

Railman compositions can express a wide space even when multiple motifs are arranged.

Try and learn this composition.

"Your paintings look professional."

Using these compositions will impress your friends.

Try and remember the rule of thirds and the railman composition that I just introduced.

Golden spiral composition （Golden ratio).

The next thing I will introduce is the golden spiral composition.

"What is a golden spiral?"

Some people might think it's difficult.

Don't worry!

It would be a waste not to use the golden spiral.

This is a composition that can make a work simple yet powerful, and forces the viewer to find the work beautiful.

The golden spiral composition is a magical composition.

This is an illustration that has multiple motifs and is difficult to compose.

"I don't know what to fix, but it seems like there is a better way."

"I don't know how to improve this picture to make it better."

Subtitled by online-courses.club We compress knowledge for you!

In times like this, use the auxiliary line with the golden spiral drawn on it.

So what is the golden spiral?

This is a rectangle called the golden rectangle with a length to width ratio of 1:1.618, which humans find most beautiful.

Split the screen according to this golden rectangle.

By connecting divided corners, it creates a spiral.

This is called the golden spiral.

Its origin is difficult to explain so I'll omit the explanation.

Humans instinctively think this golden spiral is beautiful.

No matter what you draw on it, if you draw it along the lines of the golden spiral.

Everyone will recognize it as something beautiful. It's a magical spiral.

Let's place the golden spiral auxiliary line on this drawing.

You can see parts that are aligned with the golden spiral.

Let's correct the arrangement of this arm and cat along the golden spiral.

And place your character's eyes in the center of the golden spiral.

This is the modified illustration.

Now compare it with the illustration before the correction.

The odd parts are rearranged along the auxiliary lines of the golden spiral.

What do you think?

Do you see that it has become more beautiful as a composition?

Remember that the golden spiral is something that humans are forced to perceive as beautiful.

I would like to add one thing.

The same is true for other compositions.

There is no need to be conscious of this golden spiral from the beginning of the drawing.

When you are drawing, but halfway through, you feel like something isn't right.

Or when you feel that the composition is somehow unpleasant.

Like the auxiliary lines for the rule of thirds.

Auxiliary lines for railman composition.

And the auxiliary lines of the golden spiral composition.

Try using these in the drawing at some stage.

"Maybe if I use the golden spiral it might become better."

I hope you freely make adjustments during the process.

If you want to use these compositions, but don't think you can draw using it from the start, don't worry.

Just try out the composition method I introduced without overthinking.

Vanishing point composition.

The last thing I will introduce today is the vanishing point composition.

This composition is very effective among many other composition.

If you watch this, you'll understand why.

Here an illustration like this.

Just do it like this.

My eyes feel like they're sucked into the screen.

There is no difficult reasoning behind this composition.

After placing a vanishing point on the screen, draw an effect line from the edge of the screen toward the point.

Then, place the motif and background along the effect line.

In addition, place the main motif that you want the most attention toward the center where the effect lines gather.

Those who see this drawing should feel as if they are forcibly having to pay attention to it.

Our gaze is drawn into the drawing with that amount of intensity.

It can give a drawing a strong effect.

Therefore, this effect line is often used in various visual expressions, especially in where you want the most attention.

Manga uses this technique the most.

A manga panel that shows the character's expression at the moment when something shocking happens.

Or when something surprising happens.

In such a case, the effect line is a must.

Also, it can be used for YouTube thumbnails.

This expression is often used when you want to catch the viewer's attention by saying, "Watch this video!"

As you can see, this is an eye-catching composition.

If you can make good use of this vanishing point, your drawing will be much more impressive.

You will be able to force the viewer's gaze onto your drawing.

Try and remember the vanishing point composition.

Application: Combining composition with pose.

Now, here's the advanced tutorial.

Here are examples of combining the composition techniques with the poses of the character.

They are very versatile combination compositions, so you can use them for your illustrations right away.

Vanishing point composition + a pose that emphasizes the sense of the front and back.

Here's the fist one.

This is a fairly orthodox style, but don't let that fool you.

You can draw most cool and powerful drawings just by using this composition properly.

This is a powerful and cool composition.

Vanishing point composition + pose that emphasizes the sense of the front and back.

The key to this combination lies in the pose.

Arms stretched out in front.

This adds overwhelming intensity to the picture.

Not only that, but what's actually the important is the foot pulled far back.

In this way, not only the front but also the back part adds depth to the picture.

This character has his hands forward and his feet back.

The idea is the same if you are drawing a character with a kicking pose.

You can push the character's legs forward to create impact, and pull the arms back to add depth.

In short, the sense of space is expressed by creating a large distance between the front and back.

You can make the characters feel as if they are approaching the screen.

There are various options to this composition depending on the position of the vanishing point.

Currently, the vanishing point is behind the character, and the effect lines are directed towards the back.

What would happen if we brought the vanishing point to the character's hand?

Earlier, the emphasis was on the character's movement and sense of speed.

After the change, the character's hands now have attention.

As a result, there is an emphasis on the character's abilities and what he is about to grasp.

The key to using this composition is to make it clear in your mind what you want to emphasize.

Otherwise, you may end up conveying a strong message to the viewer that you did not expect.

Please be careful of that.

Vanishing point composition + jumping pose.

The previous composition was suitable for expressing coolness.

The next expresses the cheerfulness of a character that emphasizes the healthy charm, or the cuteness.

Like this one.

For example, this composition is effective when you want to create dynamism where the character seems to jump out of the screen.

The key is to draw cheerful poses without worrying about it looking odd.

Keep your character's eyes facing forward as much as possible.

In some cases, you might want to lift your character's hand upwards.

However, if you lift the character's hand too high, the hand will be cut off from the screen.

In that case, it might be a good idea to stick your character's hand forward.

In the case of an active character, a pose like that would be good.

It's also great to have a character holding something, like in this example.

Another tip is the background.

For the background, don't have to worry about the direction of the character, unlike the pose that emphasizes the front and back that I introduced first.

Now draw effect lines towards the center of the character.

However, if you draw the same effect lines as before, it will become heavy.

If this happens, the lightness will be lost.

For example, sprinkle flower petals or particle expressions along the effect line.

If you do that, you can express the cheerfulness and the cuteness of the character.

Central composition + lying pose.

This is a slightly sexy pose that can emphasize the cuteness of the character.

It's the central composition + lying down pose.

This naturally enlarges the character's upper body including the face, chest, and hands, making all of them look bigger.

These three parts are necessary to make the character look the more eye-catching.

In this pose, the three parts of the face, chest, and hands can be placed naturally on the screen.

Also, the lying down pose removes posing restrictions.

For example, it would feel a little weird if the viewer looked at her and thought she was standing.

However, if you think of her lying down, it doesn't look that strange.

Why?

In the case of a standing pose, the viewer unconsciously senses where the character's center of gravity is.

Even if the center of gravity is not in the picture, if you don't draw with that in mind, it will look odd.

With the lying down pose, there is no need to think too much about the center of gravity.

Therefore, you can create a drawing by simply thinking what's on the screen without overthinking.

The lying down pose is a magical pose that allows anyone to easily draw great-looking pictures.

There is another good point to this.

This is a way to make the lying down pose even better.

It's this.

Spread something on the ground.

By composing the girl lying down, the ground is directly behind her.

So you can place anything here.

Colorful flowers and candy.

Or something that the character would like.

For example, stuffed animals.

By decorating the ground with things like that, you can create gorgeous illustrations like this.

Sounds good, right?

Anyone can draw this super easily and in a cute way.

It can bring out the maximum cuteness.

It's a composition that allows that.

Railman composition + a cramped up square pose.

This is the last one.

This is a combination that I like using.

Railman composition + a cramped up square pose.

I'm sure there are quite a few people who remember my drawings from illustrations using this composition.

The whole body of the character is included, and the face is also large.

It also includes other animal characters and colorful effects.

This is a composition full of charm.

By using this composition, you will feel the joy as soon as you look at the illustration.

The content fills the square screen, similar to the excitement you get when you open a lunch box.

You can create a screen full of fun.

The trick is to place the faces of the characters and animals along the intersection of the auxiliary line of the railman composition.

In case of a pose that fits into a perfect square like this, it tends to be a little cramped if you arrange using the rule of thirds.

Placing it in a railman composition makes it look better.

However, this composition is difficult for people who have just started drawing.

One of the key points that makes this composition look so eye-catching is that it makes the face bigger.

In order to include the whole body of the character while including the face, it is necessary to use bird's-eye view.

Please look at the illustration again while keeping that in mind.

Various parts are slanted, and hands and feet overlap other parts.

This is why it is so difficult to draw.

If you can master this composition well, you can express maximum excitement on a small screen.

Why is it important to fit on a small screen?

For example, on Twitter/X, it is very important to convey the charm of the drawing in one shot as a thumbnail.

By using this crammed square pose, you can effectively convey the character's full charm using a small area.

The same goes for merchandise.

Acrylic key chains and T-shirts often have a limited printing surface.

This composition can effectively express within a limited space, and it may be the most powerful composition method in terms of merchandise.

It's hard for beginners to draw because there are so many things packed into a small space.

However, this composition is super powerful.

Many people are not good at drawing a bird's eye view of people.

For those people, please also take a look at the posing course in Chapter 4.

How was it?

If you can combine the concepts of posing and composition, the possibilities for your illustrations are endless.

You will be able to create more and more attractive illustrations.

Since Chapter 4 is an advanced version, it will be difficult to learn everything in just one viewing of this video.

To practice, use these compositions today with your own character.

You will be able to make a lot of new discoveries and improve your skills.