Hands

Refer again to the Huckleberry Hound model sheet from the last post.  Top row, second from left.  Notice the arm and hand.  "Hand" is a term we're using loosely here because it appears the trunk of the arm resolves into a cluster of fingers.  There is an offsetting slant to define where the hand begins, but otherwise it's all fingers.

Our arm curvature and straight edge are in place, and the arm concludes in the "finger cluster."  Funny, huh?

I found an old H-B model sheet for Yogi Bear & Co. hands on the 'net.  This is actually pretty cool:

Let's take an especially close look at the reaching arm, right side second up from the bottom.  When we draw pay special attention to the proportions - they gave me a little difficulty:

Fingers are bulbous and loosely defined.  Almost carelessly drawn... but don't you believe it.  They are beautifully drawn, as you'll find out as you practice them.  It requires some skill to appear careless.

The more usual arm and hand that I've noticed in H-B cartoons is this one, which is considerably more graceful than the previous two examples:

Again, we maintain the front straight edge/ back curved edge to the arm but the hand is sharply defined and the fingers are slender and graceful.  You can study the example on the model sheet, right between Ranger Smith and the telephone.  (Dig the old rotary phone, by the way).


Practice the different hand poses from the model and get familiar with them.  As we draw projects they will be a good reference point until they are "internalized" and you can draw them spontaneously. 

This is a topic ... along with other basic cartoon body parts... that I'll return to again and again.  You can't draw them enough, you can't get too familiar with them.  I just wish I was a better artist but... ah, well...

Till next time.