What makes things realistic?

[LRoy]

I've been recently studying anatomy and trying to get the major structures and muscles down, but there seems to be a gap I can't overcome. Making an ecorche is one thing, but creating a sculpt that looks like a living breathing figure is something else.

A lot of the work here looks incredibly believable so I figured this would be a great place to ask. What are the things that help a sculpt come to life?

[MiguelAngeloCBT]

There is not a rule. The one rule that you can put on your head is: You can't get a super credible (don't like the work "realistic", sorry :p) without work, work, and work. You can figure it out in your mind all the body and how you want to do it, BUT the road from your mind, then to your hand and finally to the paper\sculpture\paint is a loooong way to run! And this long way can be shorter of course, but you just can make it shorter with lots of practice and being honest with yourself (is it OK already?If not, re-do it, or start another one).

An advice is to start doing it now, don't worry if something doesn't fit. Just ask to people (the right ones), and for sure they will help you.

For body sculpture, mainly, you must keep in mind stuff like proportions, pose, weight, connection with all the elements (arms, legs, etc), match of all the inter elements of the big elements (muscles, contractions, pressures,etc), etc.

Also, don't go crazy with the details, just focus on the main shapes first. The majority of the people just focus on the details first because is funny to do and easy, (like small wrinkles, etc)... entertains the brain! Just clean the trash and focus in the art of building it, not in the technique of building it.

EDIT: Ah! And of course... references! Not as much as you can get, BUT, the right ones, just focus on the right reference.

[Lapaev]

Observation and time.