Artists/Illustrators, do you cock your head when appraising your work in progress?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I rarely ever notice myself doing this, but I was reading something here and cocked my head in a way my wife thought I was drawing (on an iPad right now where I’ll do some sketching).

Apparently it’s something I do often as I work, even in CG modeling and animation, I assume to assess my work from another angle. Just wondering if it’s a common thing, or just a weird quirk of mine.

2

Yep = even though its ridiculous to do so because 99.99999% of the art and illustration work I do is on a computer and I can just rotate the image, I still cock my head when I am working on a part that doesn’t feel right. I have no idea why.

3

I haven’t noticed, but probably. A few months ago my physical therapist made me aware that I cock my head to the side pretty much all the time. I really noticed this weekend when I was reading at the beach. I noticed that I was holding my book at an odd angle. That was probably to match my head.

4

It’s impossible to draw without your head titled at least a little bit.

5

My non-computer work is large, and involves working on various sections of it, from whichever angle is convenient. So I’m used to seeing it from all angles. Cocking my head (or any other body part) would be pointless.

But during the initial planning phase, I often look at it upside-down and/or mirror-image.

6

True. But I’m talking about working at whatever your natural hand-angle is. Yes, head-angle, or h’dangle if we prefer. Then, every so often, between strokes or whatever, stopping and tilting/cocking your head as you assess your work, then continue.

ETA: Apparently I cock my head to my left. hoyk!

7

Heh, I didn’t mean a literal titling of any kind. I meant the kind of head-cocking to the side that people do when they’re focused. Once you’re in the zone, head crooked at an angle, that’s how it goes.

8

So, my h’dangle, is more or less straight if I’m working at the computer (tilted a bit to the left, if drawing on a Cintiq, iPad, paper, etc.), but then I’ll pause, bank my head, tilting my vision, go back to my default h’dangle, and continue working as if nothing happened.

I’m weeeeeeeeeird.