My first real attempt at drawing

[Chase 390]

So, I've never shown much interest in drawing or anything, but one of my friends challenged me to draw Goku from memory. I had to sketch and erase a few times, but I think the end product turned out okay. It's definitely peaked my interest in sketches. I need practice/tips, so any kind of advice would be helpful.

Here's my sketch of Goku:

What do you think? How could it be improved? Is it even any good?

Thanks guys.

[Teto 2609]

oooh big mistake in the top right corner, his name should be Arcane :/

[Eka 387]

This looks awesome! o.o Heckova lot better than my first attempt at drawing! My only nitpick would be his arms. His left looks thinner than his right, and there's little muscle shown in either of them (when he has a bajillion muscles escaping from his torso XD)

[Chase 390]

Why should his name be Arcane?

And thanks Eka!

[Teto 2609]

Why should his name be Arcane?

Arcane kicks ass.

Good picture by the way :]

[PrimaGaga 1025]

My biggest problem with it is that you didn't capture Goku's innocent and playful nature! Sure, he kicked ass, but fought evil for the pure enjoyment of it. He's too serious and stiff in this, which he rarely was in the series. It's more about passion then skill, for me at least. Good attempt for a first attempt though.

[Chase 390]

^ PH Yeah, I see where you're coming from. I was thinking more frieza saga at the time. I also plan on sketching a Super Saiyan version of him. Maybe after that a more innocent looking one with Gohan or something? I'm definitely doing that one with a reference, though. Goku's hair is demon hair and is impossible to draw. I hate it.

^LL 6 feet?

[PrimaGaga 1025]

Goku actually has fairly easy hair to draw, compared to most anime characters of the shonen genre.

[Chase 390]

Well crap :/

[PrimaGaga 1025]

Well, the "smooth" part of his hair runs along the top of his head, then the spiky parts reach away from his head. You basically need to move the rounded part more to the left.

[Fortissimo 2]

Chase! Do not start anime!

If you start that, then it will be very hard to switch to realism!

Use this for reference!

Work with realism first, and then switch to anime if you want to later.

Also, practice, practice, practice. Doodle when you can.

Always work on your anatomy!

[Jo-Bengt 0]

It's a hell of a lot better than my drawings, man.

[Chase 390]

^fort why can't I start with anime? I think I'd be really bored if I started with real people :/ plus I'd mess everyone's faces up terribly.

^ Jo I doubt that, man.

[T1g 1503]

You did get Goku's eyes right. Its usually a pain trying to draw eyes.

[Fierce Muffin 490]

^fort why can't I start with anime? I think I'd be really bored if I started with real people :/ plus I'd mess everyone's faces up terribly.

You understand how the whole body works, so that way, when you draw something like this, you don't puppy up.

Anime is a stylized way of drawing stuff. This is not how you learn how to draw, you learn from the original. Also, learning how to draw real peoples' faces (Practicing, you know, what Fort said multiple times) will amazingly allow you to get better at drawing faces. And then you can stylize peoples faces just like your Japanese anime! (Or not.)

I thought this was, like, common sense.