Movement in drawings is much more captivating than a static picture.
The best photographs and drawings always portray life in motion. Whether that motion is a single tear trickling down a face, a great plain of grasses blowing in the wind or a runner finishing a race, motion brings life to a scene that connects on a personal level to the viewer. While it might seem difficult to draw figures in motion on a two-dimensional piece of paper, a few simple techniques make it no harder than drawing a figure sitting still.
Instructions
1. Look at photographs of figures in motion. If you want to draw a runner, look at photographs of runners. See the way their center of balance shifts forward while running and the way their arms and legs move together. Also, take notice of the way your body moves while in motion. (See References 1)
2. Purchase an art mannequin and bend it into the type of action you are looking for. You can buy one of these wooden models at an art supply store. (See References 2)
3. Sketch the figure without body details. Focus on drawing the proportions and center of balance correctly.
4. Draw your line of action in a light pencil swipe to test for accuracy. This is the direction your figure is moving. It's often a curved shape or sometimes and s-shape. If your line of action is too complicated, the action probably looks unnatural. (See References 2)
5. Add changes to the surrounding environment. If the action is a figure scooping up water, make sure the water is disturbed, and some drips from the hands of the figure opposite of the direction the hands are moving. If you are drawing a horse running, add chunks of grass flying away from its hooves right after they landed and departed from the ground. The best way to determine the effect the action will have on the environment is to study photographs of that exact action or to perform it yourself and take notice. (See References 3)
6. Add movement to the rest of the figure. If your figure is running, more than just arms and legs are in movement. Take hair and clothes, even sweat, into consideration. Remember, the movement of the objects attached to the body will be going in the opposite direction of the body.
