So, I had this idea kicking around in my head for a bit – a “shocked man.” Just picturing this dude, completely flabbergasted. Seemed like a fun little thing to try and bring to life, you know? Something to mess around with when I had a spare moment.
Getting Started – The Blank Page Terror
Alright, first things first, I fired up my usual drawing app on my tablet. You know the feeling, staring at that blank canvas? Yeah, that was me. A bit daunting, if I’m honest. I figured, let’s not overthink it. Just gotta get something down, anything to break the white space.
I started with a super rough outline. Just a basic head shape, nothing fancy at all. My first few attempts were, well, let’s just say they wouldn’t have shocked anyone, more like bored them to tears. It’s always like that, isn’t it? The first tries are usually just complete rubbish. You gotta push through that bit.
Nailing the “Shock” – Eyes and Mouth are Key!
Then I really zeroed in on what makes someone look “shocked.” It’s all in the eyes and mouth, mostly. That’s where the real expression comes from. I decided to go for those classic, super wide eyes. Like, dinner plate wide, almost popping out of his head. I must have redrawn them a dozen times. Getting them symmetrical but still expressive was a real pain, not gonna lie.
For the mouth, I debated a bit. Should it be a perfect “O” of surprise? Or more of a jagged, screaming kind of thing? I eventually went with a sort of stretched, open look. You know, like he just saw something absolutely unbelievable. Details, right? They make all the difference in selling the emotion.
- Big, round, startled eyes were a must.
- I made sure the pupils were shrunk down to tiny dots – that really adds to the startled effect.
- The mouth had to be wide open, almost unhinged, like he couldn’t even form words.
Adding the Exaggeration – Hair and Sweat!
A properly shocked man needs properly shocked hair. So, I made his hair stand straight up on end. Like he’d just stuck his finger in a live electrical socket. This part was actually pretty fun, just making wild spikes all over his head. It didn’t need to be realistic in the slightest, just needed to scream “AAAAH!” visually.
And then, for that extra touch of cartoonish drama, I threw in some comically large sweat drops. You know, the kind you see in old animations? Flying off his forehead and temples. It just adds to the whole over-the-top vibe I was going for. Seemed fitting for a “shocked man.”
Bringing it (Sort of) to Life with Color
I kept the coloring pretty simple. Didn’t want to get bogged down in rendering for hours. The face I made a bit pale, obviously, to enhance the shock. Hair was just a dark, messy blob. The background? I just slapped on a bright, contrasting color – I think I went with a vibrant yellow or something – to make him pop. Nothing too complicated. Sometimes, simple is better, especially when you’re just trying to get an idea out quickly.
I also fiddled with the line work a bit towards the end, making some lines thicker around the silhouette, and some thinner for internal details. It’s amazing how much difference a bit of line weight variation can make. Who knew, eh? Such a small thing, but it adds a bit of polish.
The End Result – Well, It’s a Shocked Man!
So, after a bit of messing around, redrawing bits, and probably drinking too much coffee, I had him. My “shocked man.” Is it a masterpiece of modern art? Nah, probably not. But does he look properly shocked? I reckon so. He’s got that “what on earth did I just witness” look down pat, I think.
It was a good little exercise, actually. Sometimes you just gotta draw a dude looking like he’s seen things you wouldn’t believe. Gets the creative juices flowing, you know? Pretty happy with how it turned out for a relatively quick sketch session. It does what it says on the tin: it’s a shocked man. Job done, onto the next thing.
