To Start With Deep Impressions

I read something interesting in one of my Walt Staunchfield notes today. In this paper Mr. Staunchfield is talking about technique. He says everyone has a different technique in drawing, and this is good. But it also can lead to habits and some habits can be barrier in your drawing skills. He goes on to explain how you should make sure your drawing habits are biased on good drawing principles and not bad habits. But he had one section that stood out to me. He's talking about how some people always start drawing with the head, or the shoulders or what ever. So he quotes a book by Robert Henri "Art Spirit" about what you should start with when you start a drawing:

"...start with a deep impression, the best, the most interesting, the deepest you can have of the model; to preserve this vision throughout the work; to see nothing else; to admit of no digression from it; choosing only from the model the signs of it; will lead to an organic work. Every element in the picture will be constructive of an idea, expressive of an emotion. Every factor in the painting (drawing) will have beauty because in its place in the organization it is doing its living part. Because of its adjustment, it is given its greatest power of expansion."

I thought that it was a good quote. It's a good idea when animating your character to keep yourself in check and make sure every pose, every key frame, every angle is fitting in with the "deep impression" of the idea. The whole body works together, the whole shot, the staging should be about this idea. It's a good way to think abut it.