JustSketchMe

Add flair to your fight scenes!

I recommend opening up JustSketchMe. JustSketchMe already has countless fighting poses in their pose library that you can use to craft your scene without hassle. You can either edit these poses or create a new one that matches the picture in your head. Just add as many characters as you need, and start playing around.

While this is a great help, choosing your poses is only the first step. There are a few more things you can keep in mind while trying to construct the perfect scene.

JustSketchMe

JustSketchMe

Motion

Motion is the most important thing in a fight scene. It creates the feeling of action, speed, and force. You want the viewer to feel like the fight is alive, and that every punch or kick matters. You accomplish this by adding motion lines. Add lines around the limb that is moving the fastest, in a way that suggests speed. Also, make sure to add impact lines, or add flying debris or dust when the character hits the ground.

Angles

Angles are very important. You want to angle the fight scene in a way that makes the viewer feel immersed in the scene. Be mindful to change the angle from scene to scene, to illustrate the flow and movement of the fight. If the opponent has gained the upper hand, angle the scene in a way that makes the opponent larger, and like you are looking up at her/him. For extra effect, let the motion come towards the viewer, creating the illusion of danger. Using JustSketchMe’s fully 3D capabilities will help you change the angles quickly and simply.

JustSketchMe

JustSketchMe

Framing

You do not need to include the character’s entire body. Especially if you are constructing multiple frames that happen in succession (like a comic), it is a good idea to vary the scenes between full body and close-ups. If a punch is very hard, you could close in on the fist and the impact it is making. If a character made a snarky comment, you could focus on the facial expressions. Maybe you want to show how the main character’s sword is being drawn and then focus on the feet of the opponent as he takes a wary step back. Placing a character far away in the frame will give your character some breathing space before the next punch comes. Justsketchme allows you to zoom in and out as you please, helping you try a lot of different framing options.

Interesting Characters

There are countless characters to pick from. Superheroes, elves, orcs, James bond - all of them have a unique and dynamic appearance that makes the fight scene more interesting, intense or funny. Your character could have superpowers that they can use against their opponent or armour that allow them to take an extra punch. Each character has their own style of fighting. Some use hand to hand combat (kicking, punching), others are skilled in weaponry. The possibilities are endless.

If you are working with realistic characters that just got a little too heated about whether pineapple on pizza is okay or not, you can add flair by being mindful of their expressions. How can you add extra emotion to their face? Are they panting from the effort, or gritting their teeth? Is their hair falling in their eyes, or did they rip their favourite shirt?

To make the fight more real, be mindful that every punch has an impact. You might want to add dirt to their face or hands, or maybe blood from a hard blow.

Make sure to check out JustSketchMe’s body type options. Not only can you choose between male and female, but you can also choose mannequin bodies, anime bodies, realistic bodies or animals. Make sure to pick the option that suits your scene the best before starting.

JustSketchMe

JustSketchMe

Depth of field

Remember that your character is moving within a space. How many steps are they taking to reach their opponent, and how far do they stumble back when being hit? Depth of field is a great way to emphasize motion. Luckily JustSketchMe places all their characters on a plane with convenient depth lines that help you visualise the space and surrounding. These lines will also be a big help in creating the props, structures and natural surroundings of the characters.

Environments

It is important to decide where the fight is taking place, especially if the characters will be interacting with their surroundings. Interesting environments can make the entire scene more interesting, like when a character uses an object lying around as an impromptu weapon or shield.

There are no set rules when drawing your fight scene, but if you keep all of these elements in mind, I am sure that you will be able to create a great fight scene in no time!