Drawing Wisdom from the Mind of David Finch

When it comes to drawing comic art, I’m a big fan of dramatic shadows and a lot of detail. You can blame Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo and Mark Silvestri for that… (damn I miss the 90’s) If you’ve laid your eyes upon the awesomeness of David Finch’s work though, you probably recognize the influence he’s had on my own art. Anybody remember the Dynamic Figure Drawing tutorials Dave created for Gnomon? Those valuable pearls of wisdom taught me most of what I know. Without that knowledge, my drawing skills probably wouldn’t be anywhere near the level they’re at today.

In this video, David Finch talks about the tools he uses to draw, the time it takes, what it means to follow your passions and living the dream of a comic book artist. It’s inspiring to see a master like Dave, who’s worked at his craft for almost 2 decades, still enjoying every moment of it.

The other day I was scrolling through my newsfeed and discovered something else you might be interested in. David has recently released some brand new video tutorials on his site! Without hesitation, I checked out the trailer, purchased a copy and watched the 3 hour volume in one fell swoop. In case you’re wondering, it does not disappont. Rather than recapping on anatomy and proportions (something he already went over in the Gnomon series), Dave focuses on foreshortening, gesture, balance and composition. But in this tutorial, his insights into lighting and rendering are by far the standout topics for me personally. Defiantly worth a look if you’re on the hunt for some juicy drawing tips from the best of the best.

-Clayton