FUNNY FIGURE DRAWING MODELS

So far we've talked about actors as art school models and dancers as art school models...that leaves only one more category that needs to be covered....

...FUNNY models.

If you're an artist and you're interested in comedy just imagine the giant strides you could make if you had funny models to work from: models who get it, someone who isn't offended if you exaggerate some anatomical flaw.

A good teacher will bring props to class that might heighten the effect: glasses, funny wigs, fake buck teeth, etc.

It would be fun to team up two draped models who have opposite personalities. An overbearing Marie Dressler-type (above) would make a great foil for a Mr. Meek-type (like me, above).

Grouches make great comedy models because they're good at reacting to things. They do great slow burns when someone does something stupid in front of them, and when they finally yell it's massive.

Hero types are fun to draw.

They could stuff their shirts with towels to get a funny physique.

Legs are always funny...even mens' legs...if they're wearing the right pants.

With baggy pants models you could tell a funny story using only leg poses....no part of the model's upper body would be visible.

Skinny legs would also work.

So would sexy legs.

The male model every cartoonist would like to have drawn was Eric Campbell (above), the villain in Chaplin's best shorts.

Sigh! The Campbells of the world are probably hard to find....or are they?

This (above) is what Campbell looked like when he was offscreen... a real nice guy, not at all like the bad guy he played in the films. Maybe you know a nice guy who can be converted into a good villain model.

A draped two model session, male and female, offer great posing possibilities.

They make for great romantic scenarios, too.

Just make sure they're different heights.

Haw! Here's a sketch idea for two models: the guy stumbles on a coin-operated robotic love machine and decides to try it. No, no, no...nothing obscene happens...but the girl's hands caress his head, play with his tie, squirt him with cologne, empty his wallet, etc.

I've already mentioned this but it bears repeating: nothing I've suggested is meant to displace classical figure drawing. The picture above makes an eloquent argument for the classical approach. I just think cartoonists would benefit from both types of drawing session.

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BTW: here's a fascinating animated short about art models. Many, many thanks to Kelly Toons for the link!!!!!!!!!