Overview
Lessons
Reviews
Instructor
Holiday Sale!   Save 75% AND get 2 Memberships for the Price of 1!  
Sign in
Preview course

Stylized Anatomy for Comics

with René Córdova
4.4 (81)
Marvel artist, René Córdova, teaches you everything you need to know for drawing comic figures the fun way and land that dream job!
Spanish (original audio), English English, Spanish, 3 more French [Auto], German, Portuguese
3+
hours
23
lessons
Beginner
level
René Córdova

Your Instructor

René Córdova started out as a cartoonist and has over 13 years experience in the illustration industry, working for clients such as Marvel, Lego, DC, and Karaokulta.

All Courses
Get access to this course and 55+ more
$59 / year
$235 / year
left at this price!Save 75%
+
Gift an annual membership (Free)
Get Started
  • Cancel Anytime
  • 30-Day Money-back Guarantee

Only this course
$25 USD
Get Single Course
  • 30-Day Money-back Guarantee
Explore the course
3+
hours
23
lessons
Beginner
level
Spanish (original audio), English
English, Spanish , 3 more
Subtitles
  • French [Auto]
  • German
  • Portuguese

What you’ll learn

  • Draw front, back and profile views of male and female figures
  • Best ways to sketch poses
  • Use anatomy guides to drawing figures in perspective
  • Differences in male and female bodies and heads
  • Create stylized characters based on references
  • Take your own photo references of the exact poses you want
  • Transform sketch work into digital line art
+ See more

Description

Do you want to be a professional comic or concept artist? Then you’ll need to be able to draw the human figure accurately and stylize it too! In this awesome course, you’ll learn how to do that from the best: Marvel artist, René Córdova! Under his instruction, you’ll see a huge improvement in your figure drawing skills.

Are you ready? Today you’ll get a fascinating peek into the mind of an industry comic artist, discovering how the pros go about creating characters that are both realistic-looking and stylized for comics, like you see in Marvel and DC comics.

René shares personal tips and simple advice on drawing the male and female figure from the front, back and side, including ways to work with references to improve your skills. He’ll also teach you a simple method for drawing hands and feet that will forever change how you visualize them when sketching (a huge help!).

You’ll discover the difference between the anatomy of male and female figures and head shapes, and how to enhance their forms in a cartoon style. With these new techniques and exercises, you’ll have the ability to take the cool poses from your imagination and put them on paper.

You’ll have loads of fun learning various poses in different perspectives and building up a figure from a rough sketch to the final version with clean line art. After this course, you’ll be well on your way to producing your very own awesome comic characters!

But don’t take our word for it…

Scroll down and watch some of the free samples now, and if you like it, get started today!

+ See more

Who is this course for

  • Anyone interested in learning about figure drawing
  • Illustrators wanting to draw for comics, video games, character design or animated feature films
  • Artists wanting to deepen their understanding of anatomy and posing
+ See more

This course includes

  • 3+ Hours of on-demand videos
  • Bonus video content
  • Downloadable brushes
  • 15 Reference images
  • Certificate of Completion
+ See more

Used in course

+ See more

What you'll need

  • Just a paper/sketchbook and a pencil
  • Knowledge of basic anatomy
+ See more

Lesson Plan

with René Córdova
Expand all sections
00

Introduction

01:50

Start your Subscription to continue watching
Start your subscription to get access to this class and 55+ more on 21 Draw
Get Started

Welcome to this fascinating, value-packed course, where you will learn all about figure drawing stylized for comics. Your instructor, René Córdova, will give you an overview of the course contents and all that you can look forward to here!

01

References

03:34

Start your Subscription to continue watching
Start your subscription to get access to this class and 55+ more on 21 Draw
Get Started

While it may seem pretty easy to find references on the internet, it can also be time-consuming and sometimes frustrating when you can’t find the exact pose or angle that you are looking for.

René recommends a better way to get the references you need that’s also a lot more fun: Take your own photos of family and friends! In this lesson, he’ll give you tips on how and where to do so and what to look for.


1.1
How We Can Find Our References
03:34
02

Anatomy Turnaround

49:50

Start your Subscription to continue watching
Start your subscription to get access to this class and 55+ more on 21 Draw
Get Started

Follow along with René, as he shows you his process for drawing a complete male and female turnaround: front, back and side views.

You will review the basic structures of passive poses to help you keep the body proportions in mind when drawing action poses later.

René will also share insight on the differences in the male and female body shapes, give you tips on how to draw proportionately and show you how he creates clean line art on top of a sketch.


2.1
Men and Women Front
08:58
2.2
Men and Women Side
06:36
2.3
Men and Women Back
06:58
2.4
Clean Female
10:56
2.5
Clean Male
16:22
03

Drawing Heads

24:03

Go over the structures and forms of the male and female heads in this lesson. René gives advice on recommended ways to sketch, drawing in various styles, why sketching fast is important and the advantages of using pens over pencils.

You’ll also learn cool tips such as how to draw features projecting outward (such as the nose and lips), make your characters look older or younger, create a base structure first before adding features and hair, and more!


3.1
Male Head
07:28
3.2
Female Head
07:37
3.3
Sketching Female Heads
05:41
3.4
Sketching Male Heads
03:17
04

Drawing Hands and Feet

34:42

Some artists tend to shy away from drawing hands and feet, as they can seem daunting to draw.

However, with René’s guidance in breaking down their forms in a simplified and geometric manner and explaining the essential aspects to focus on, you’ll find them much easier to tackle!

Understanding how the hands and feet work plays a big part in knowing how to draw them correctly.


4.1
Hands
11:05
4.2
Feet
18:16
4.3
Sketching Feet
05:21
05

Warming Up with Sketches

03:31

Follow along with René in drawing some sketches of simple geometric shapes at various angles and perspectives.

This useful exercise will help you be able to think in 3D better when drawing your characters, so they look realistic and have depth, instead of appearing flat.


5.1
Quick Sketches
03:31
06

Drawing with References

58:05

In this final lesson, René will show you his methods of drawing two comic figures from scratch, using references for inspiration and guides.

First, he will teach you how to outline the shapes and lines that form the structure of the body before drawing it, making it much easier to draw the same figure at different perspectives and in various poses.

Sometimes quantity is more important than quality, as is the case with sketching thumbnails. You’ll learn why this is important and how to go about drawing thumbnails to prepare for the next stage.

René will then move on to adding the clean lines and details to both figures, explaining how he thinks when drawing comic characters and what to keep in mind.


6.1
Drawing with References
17:13
6.2
Clean References
13:14
6.3
Quick Sketches
03:25
6.4
Final Lines Male
16:16
6.5
Final Lines Female
07:57

Lesson Plan

Bonus Material
01

Exercises

08:35

In this section, you’ll discover some handy exercises that you can do on a regular basis to improve your figure drawing skills over time. René himself does this regularly as a way to keep learning and growing as an artist. Have fun!


1.1
Exercise 1
02:46
1.2
Exercise 2
03:12
1.3
Exercise 3
02:37

Student Feedback

81 customer reviews & ratings

4.4

Course rating

Log in to leave a review or rating.
5 star
71 %
4 star
12 %
3 star
8 %
2 star
7 %
1 star
5 %
Best Suited for
Beginner
The level is determined by a majority opinion of students who have reviewed this class. The teacher's recommendation is shown until at least 5 student responses are collected.

(Based on 81 reviews)

Most Liked
Clarity of Instruction 55
Helpful Examples 50
Engaging Teacher 44
Showing 10 reviews of
81
reviews & ratings
РА
Росица А.

2 years ago

Verified Purchase
I'm a beginner and I learned and managed well with Renee's help. It not only shows, but also answers the "how" and "why" questions. :) And that was important to me.
I recommend it for All levels
1 person found this helpful
Skylar Y.

2 years ago

Verified Purchase
I liked the step by step process of sketching the most, it was very transparent and easy to follow.
I recommend it for Beginner
TG
Therese G.

2 years ago

Verified Purchase
This course was definetly helpful to me because I always struggled to draw the male body. Rene clearly shows us through practical sketching exercises how to differentiate between the masculine and feminine structure. From these lessons I can see what I was doing wrong. I like Rene's technique and I
+ Show more
will practice using it in my own drawings.
I recommend it for Intermediate
MM
Marlon M.

2 years ago

Verified Purchase
Loved it!
I recommend it for Beginner
AP
Aria P.

2 years ago

Verified Purchase
Mr Cordova is an amazing teacher. I really enjoy his classes. He explains everything very clearly and he is very methodical. Great work!
I recommend it for All levels
MR
MICAH R.

2 years ago

Verified Purchase
Amazing!!!
I recommend it for All levels
Jay B.

2 years ago

Verified Purchase
An Amazing artist and a great tutorial, I hope we get to see more from him.
I recommend it for Intermediate
Jay B.

2 years ago

Verified Purchase
René is inspiring to watch and his course was really helpful.
I recommend it for Beginner
ŁO
Łukasz O.

2 years ago

Verified Purchase
Very good course :)
I recommend it for All levels
RE
Richard E.

1 year ago

Verified Purchase
I loved how he used a building blocks approach with clear step by step way.
I recommend it for Beginner
See more reviews

About the Instructor

René Córdova
Freelance character designer 2 courses

René Córdova has over 13 years experience in the illustration industry, working for clients such as Marvel, Lego, DC, Amber and Karaokulta. He started out as a cartoonist which he still really enjoys.


Follow René on

Full bio

Bonus Offer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 21 Draw?

21 Draw is an online learning community where students of all skill levels can learn how to be a better artist. Our contributing artists and instructors are the best in the world.

Our streaming platform on www.21-draw.com makes it possible for anyone to watch hundreds of video lessons by industry legends who have worked for Disney, Marvel, DC, Dreamworks, Pixar & more. A membership gives full access to our streaming platform.

On books.21-draw.com you can buy our popular learn-to-draw ebooks and physical books, separate from the courses, and they too are also delivered to you by the heavyweights of the art industry.

160 people found this helpful
Was this answer helpful?
Yes
No

What is included in the membership?

Membership includes unlimited access to all 55+ courses taught by the world’s best artists PLUS new courses as they are released.

Each class includes 10-20 video lessons that are 7 minutes long on average. Most classes include exercise sheets, assignments, and layered PSD or PNG files.

Some classes include the ability to chat with the instructor in a public forum, e.g. if you want feedback on your artwork.

231 people found this helpful
Was this answer helpful?
Yes
No

Do I receive a certificate after I complete a course?

Yes! When you complete a 21 Draw course, you will receive a certificate of completion, which you can download and share with your friends, relatives, co-workers, and potential employers!

175 people found this helpful
Was this answer helpful?
Yes
No

Are these online or offline courses?

21 Draw courses are on-demand (pre-recorded) video tutorials that you can watch online with any digital devices anytime and for an unlimited number of times! This means you can easily watch (and rewatch) them at your own pace and convenience.

437 people found this helpful
Was this answer helpful?
Yes
No

Can a beginner follow along?

We have classes for all levels, even for those with zero drawing experience. In general, artists at all levels can benefit from these courses—whether beginner, intermediate or advanced.

313 people found this helpful
Was this answer helpful?
Yes
No

Do the courses teach digital or traditional art?

Many lessons in our courses apply to both digital and traditional art. In a few tutorials, digital drawing software, e.g. Photoshop or Procreate for iPad is required. However, for the majority of lessons it is more about the underlying concepts and all that is needed is a pen and paper.

278 people found this helpful
Was this answer helpful?
Yes
No

Can I download the course videos?

You can download the course resources (exercise sheets, assignments, PSD files, etc.) from the site, but you cannot download the video lessons to your computer.

286 people found this helpful
Was this answer helpful?
Yes
No

How much does a membership cost?

Normally it costs $235/year. However, there is a special sale running now for a limited time: Save 75%! This means you can get an annual membership for just $59 USD/year.

If you purchase the annual membership at a discounted price, it will remain at that price for each consecutive year, so long as your membership is not cancelled.

510 people found this helpful
Was this answer helpful?
Yes
No

How does the 30-day guarantee work?

If for any reason at all you are unhappy with our courses or feel it isn’t what you are looking for—then just fill out this form or email us at [email protected]. We’ll be more than happy to give you a full refund within 30 days of your first purchase. No questions asked. Just a guarantee you can trust.

239 people found this helpful
Was this answer helpful?
Yes
No

How do I cancel my membership?

You can easily cancel your membership renewal on your My Account page. Follow the prompts to cancel (Billing > Change Plan > Cancel Membership) and your membership will immediately be terminated. Please note: Refunds ONLY possible within 30 days after the date of purchase.

If you have more questions, please check out our Knowledge base or write to us here. We’re happy to assist in any way we can!

205 people found this helpful
Was this answer helpful?
Yes
No

More from 21 Draw

About 21 Draw

21 Draw offers online courses and books on how to be a better artist for students of all skill levels. Our contributing artists and instructors are the best in the world.
Explore Courses & Books
Preview course
Watch the trailer
Access to all courses
Get access to this course and 55+ more
$59 / year
$235/ year
left at this price!Save 75%
+
Gift an annual membership (Free)
Get Started
(including this course)
OR
$25 USD $40 Single Course
Lifetime access
No commitments
Cancel Anytime
30-Day Money-back Guarantee
Still not sure?
Check out our FAQ
Start your Subscription to continue watching
Start your subscription to get access to this class and 55+ more on 21 Draw
Get Started
René Córdova Stylized Anatomy for Comics
Get all-access
Save 75% on annual membership + Give one for FREE. Get started