TUTORIAL // creating interesting & flowy shapes
Added 2022-03-28 07:47:20 +0000 UTCHere it is: this month’s tutorial! It’s about shape design, or more specifically, creating interesting and flowy shapes. Basically, it covers how I approach shapes, and how I use them to enhance movement and appeal. I tend to approach this intuitively so in order to explain how I use shapes, I really had to dig into my influences and artistic journey to figure out where I picked these ‘automatic’ habits from! for those who find that stuff a bit tedious, the demo begins around 25 minutes in.
Here's the final result of the demo:
The brushes I use are the MaCaLabs HB pencil brush (http://cbr.sh/fg8up?ref=loish) and the hard round brush from my free brush set (http://cbr.sh/3jq96x), and also a speckle brush from that same brush set.
I also have a tutorial on constructing a pose, which talks more in-depth about the shapes I use to construct figures and how I approach gesture and line of action. You can find it here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tutorial-video-38377684
I used a pose by AdorkaStock as a loose reference for this image, you can find that here: https://www.deviantart.com/adorkastock/art/Sailor-Pose-39-68857379
A note about subtitles: I mentioned earlier this month that the Patreon video tool doesn’t have any options for implementing subtitles (yet). I think the best option for now would be to upload a second version of this tutorial with the subtitles baked in to the video itself. I’m currently waiting for them to come in and I will be posting a version with subtitles within a day or two! And of course every patron who is a member this month will be getting a google drive link, where they can download the video and the subtitle file. I hope this solution is ok for now! In the meantime I’m also looking into what I can do for the previously posted video files, and trying to figure out a solution that doesn’t involve re-posting 25+ videos :’) Bear with me and definitely reach out if you have any issues!
Hope you enjoy this tutorial and let me know if you have any questions!
Comments
hey mariano! Unfortunately I can only offer them in English, but in the past, people have requested the subtitle files which they can run through a translator. if that's something you want to try, just send me a DM and I can provide you with the subtitel files!
Loish
2025-07-28 10:42:35 +0000 UTCAmazing how seeing your processes and your way of thinking opens up possibilities! Would it be too much to ask for the subtitles to be in Spanish as well? Thank you for all this :)
Mariano Mari
2025-07-25 15:16:57 +0000 UTCOmg this is going to level up my botanical drawing painting in acrylic and oil!
Dakotah Simonson 😊🐙
2025-07-09 00:51:18 +0000 UTCthanks so much! I discovered it myself through trial and error, although studying animation was really helpful to learn how to draw shape-focused art with maximum expressiveness!
Loish
2024-12-11 12:51:52 +0000 UTCYour trees look so magnificient. They express character. I honestly never have figured out this shape thing by myself . Did you learn this in high school or did you gravitate towards this sensibility by yourself? Anyway, it looks super useful and meaningful in the same time. I guess it's a component to observe in other's artists style as well.
Willmann Fabrice
2024-12-09 20:14:27 +0000 UTCglad you liked it!
Loish
2024-08-19 09:25:33 +0000 UTCVery nice tutorial, very useful to have an unique art!
Leïla Ancelin
2024-08-18 15:33:21 +0000 UTC😭 lol
Art Mancy 🔮
2024-01-12 17:23:03 +0000 UTCI’m so glad you find it helpful! I also didn’t realize how I was using shapes until I sat down to make this tutorial 😅
Loish
2024-01-12 15:42:24 +0000 UTCThis is going to change my work forever. Iv been doing this I just wasn't aware of it. Now I can be more deliberate with my shapes. Thank you so much for your transparency.
Art Mancy 🔮
2024-01-12 01:47:50 +0000 UTCVery good video. I have all of your books.
erick brien beebe
2022-09-21 11:42:19 +0000 UTCThis was incredibly helpful... I really need to work on shapes and shape language, and this is one of the best tutorials I've seen on the subject. Thank you so much!!
Kacee Navarro
2022-05-03 01:23:11 +0000 UTCI love this Tutorial 😍 thank you ❤
Sabrina Epifani
2022-04-13 19:01:18 +0000 UTCi loved this walk through Loish, very wise and robust understanding of shapes.
Ryan Allen
2022-04-12 12:39:09 +0000 UTCthank you so much for these kind words! I'm so glad you enjoyed it :)
Loish
2022-04-09 14:11:59 +0000 UTCAs an educator myself, I can't tell you how valuable this video was. This is a Master's class in style development. We many times assume the artist is just inherently born with this skill or knowledge. You have really done an amazing breakdown! I love the process and will definitely apply it to my own learning.
Joffery Black
2022-04-08 19:37:01 +0000 UTCThank you so much for this tutorial! :D
Nichiko
2022-04-05 17:07:05 +0000 UTCLove love love this tutorial! Thank you for sharing your great insights into the shapes you use and the reasons you use them!
Nick Miulli
2022-04-04 18:23:10 +0000 UTCThanks so much!
Alexandra Filip
2022-04-02 20:05:22 +0000 UTCthank you! I use adobe premiere, but there are lots of editing tools available out there that are probably a lot cheaper. to record it I use OBS, which is free!
Loish
2022-04-02 10:16:02 +0000 UTCso glad you liked this! my upcoming book has a lot about this sort of stuff - the ways that our tastes and interests can manifest into a personal style!
Loish
2022-04-02 09:34:35 +0000 UTCI am so, so, SO happy you made this tutorial. Ever since you first announced your upcoming book I've been more and more interested in how the way we design shapes is such a huge part of our style. I've been searching for resources on this topic for so long, and with not very much luck at all... But this was seriously everything I needed. Thank you!!! (And thanks for the subtitled file too, it is really helpful for me when I'm processing new information). Your tutorials are so incredibly high quality. Thanks for putting so much work into them!
Kate Press S Key
2022-04-01 04:40:17 +0000 UTCI love your art and tutorials, they are a massive inspiration and help for me 💗 I have a question: what software do you use to edit your videos? I would like to do some small video workflow screen recordings for instagram and I don't know where to begin. Thank you!
Alexandra Filip
2022-03-31 13:55:54 +0000 UTCEvery time I watch one of your tutorials, I’m inspired to create something new. Thank you!
Brittani Harris
2022-03-30 22:55:32 +0000 UTCglad you liked it! I always want my tutorials to show others my process but also give tips and ideas about how they can cultivate their own workflow :)
Loish
2022-03-30 16:08:36 +0000 UTChey bela! i think it really comes down to keeping the initial sketch really basic, as shown here - just a shape, and then gradually layering more detail on top! I did a tutorial on rendering without over-blending that might also help you in this situation, you can find it here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tutorial-without-62987609
Loish
2022-03-30 16:07:52 +0000 UTCso glad you liked it!
Loish
2022-03-30 16:05:18 +0000 UTCI'm so glad you like it aly! I sometimes worry a bit that it's too much fluff / extra info, but I always want it to be thorough! really appreciate your feedback :)
Loish
2022-03-30 16:05:08 +0000 UTCI love your structure of doing quick overview/examples, your thought process and inspiration, actual art theory, then closing it off with a real time demo! Other patreon tutorials really don’t do it for me anymore sadly. I feel very lucky that it turned out that way though because you’re one of my biggest inspirations 💗
aly
2022-03-30 02:23:09 +0000 UTCthanks so much for this. i feel like i grew more neurons after watching this
cortisolblue
2022-03-29 21:32:03 +0000 UTCThis is so helpful!! I’m new to your patreon and have really appreciated how detailed your tutorials are. One thing I struggle with right now is hair, as I’m really drawn to the same art nouveau style curls and chunks but I REALLY have a hard time executing it with any level of detail. Everything ends up blurring together with some loose strands on the outside 🥲 how do you go about continuing to push those shapes as you get more and more detailed without getting “lost” in the details?
Bela
2022-03-29 21:19:56 +0000 UTCYes!! A tutorial on shape design lets gooooooo
Abhi Johal
2022-03-29 16:59:24 +0000 UTCthis was great! Never really thought about train my intuition! great tips, thank you so much
Mari
2022-03-29 16:20:46 +0000 UTCThank you!!
Roberto Quintero
2022-03-29 13:56:45 +0000 UTCI’m actually finding the first section extremely useful, because you’re pointing out things to look for and analyze in our own work. Picking out OUR OWN favorite shapes seems like a very useful skill! It also fits in well with the work I’ve been doing to challenge myself with drawing from imagination. The encouragement to refine shapes with an eraser, also much needed.
Emily Cartier
2022-03-29 09:23:05 +0000 UTCthanks so much! I'm glad you like it :)
Loish
2022-03-29 07:14:06 +0000 UTCglad you liked it! finding your favorite shapes can be so satisfying, it's not about design or getting things "right" but just about enjoying the simple experience of seeing and creating a shape. this is why I love art :)
Loish
2022-03-29 07:13:32 +0000 UTCglad you like it!
Loish
2022-03-29 07:12:45 +0000 UTCglad you found it helpful! I used to have that too, but studying animation really made me see things more in terms of the volume - that was the most helpful thing about it.
Loish
2022-03-29 07:12:35 +0000 UTCso glad you liked it jason! thanks for your kind words!
Loish
2022-03-29 07:11:12 +0000 UTCExcellent! Thank you Lois. I think you are a master at creating appealing shapes (it's one of your many superpowers) and this was a tutorial I was really looking forward to you making. You pack these tutorials with so much great information that I'll be watching this one several times to soak it all in. You have a great way of constructing your thoughts that makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge!!!
JASON WILLIAMS
2022-03-29 05:01:03 +0000 UTCWhoa this is so amazing! I really struggle with drawing too flat and experimenting like that should help! Somehow I even process photos as more flat in my brain ^^’
Neri
2022-03-28 19:21:00 +0000 UTCBeen wanting to ask a video like this!!! Thank you! I have gotten better with my art and understanding my style more and how to improve. Thank You!
Sharon Tu
2022-03-28 17:33:58 +0000 UTCloved this tutorial and it was inspiring hearing all your early inspiration. I'm teaching an after-school art program later today so I love the idea of inspiring people to find their favourite shapes. I'm going to search for mine too and figure out how to exaggerate them to make more expressive and dynamic art for myself too. Thank you Loish, you're an amazing teacher!
Eddy Edgar
2022-03-28 17:13:58 +0000 UTCThank you so much for this tutorial. It helped a lot! I will definetly study today my inspirations to find shapes in them. I usually don't think a lot about shape language when it comes to making art but its very important. I hope more tutorials like this will come in the future! Being your patreon is the best invested money I ever did. <3
Lima
2022-03-28 16:59:58 +0000 UTCno worries at al!
Loish
2022-03-28 08:59:15 +0000 UTCoh thank you sorry
Shypshina
2022-03-28 08:39:51 +0000 UTChey Shypshina! I will be uploading a version with subtitles within the coming days, as explained in the description above :)
Loish
2022-03-28 08:17:56 +0000 UTCwhat a pity that now there are no subtitles, I don’t understand a lot of words. I do not know much English. thanks for the tutorial!
Shypshina
2022-03-28 08:11:06 +0000 UTC
