I'm learning the human anatomy

Sharx · Dec 2006

I hope this is the right place to post this

okay I've been studying the human anatomy for like 3 weeks, I have Anatomy For the Artist: The Dynamics of the Human Form by Barnes & Noble. Anyway I've been through this book once, drawing most of the pictures in it (the ones I'm unfamiliar with) and I don't think I have picked up anything from it. I want to be able to understand the human form so I can recreate it in different poses. I was wondering if there was a certain order you should go in to make it more understandable. Like how did you guys learn?
The book covers:
The skeleton, the muscles, the skin, proportions, posture, fundamental form (simplifying figures with cyclinders, circles, ect), and working drawings (people in poses).

ElysiumGX · Dec 2006

I took a course at a local college. I was taught all the bones in the body in about a day. Not every single detail, just the basics. Like the fact you have 24 ribs, 12 on each side. 14 true ribs, 6 false ribs, and 4 floating ribs...the three sections of the sternum, etc. I've seen so many skeleton or zombie models where the rib count, placement, and shape is incorrect. For the remaining two semesters we focused on all the main muscle groups that shape the body, their origins and attachments. Also, looking up anatomical terms for location and movement are very helpful in remembering muscles names, because that's what many of them are named for. Look for medical textbooks. After taking the course, my anatomy for artists book was useless. Now I only need to improve my drawing skills.

AstroZombie · Dec 2006

I think actual life drawing from the human figure may be your best bet. You may be able to find some open drawing classes at your local community college or a local art studio.

Entity · Dec 2006

google does most of the work for me tbh

Sharx · Dec 2006

I thank you for the replies. I have a lot of human figure photos on my harddrive so I won't have to look for anything. ElysiumGX's reply was really helpful. I know now that I've been wasting time trying to get the details on muscles that aren't important to drawing, only the muscles that shape the body really matter. So what about poses? Is human figure drawing the really the best way to go?

Eric Chadwick · Dec 2006

Yes. There is really no substitute, IMHO.

Drawing constantly, from life, will get you there. Drawing from photos is not as good because depth perception is essential for understanding the forms, the proportions, and how the limbs/joints/masses relate to one another. At least that's my experience.

After awhile I started to develop a better understanding for the human form, and it becamse easier to create poses straight from my imagination, using my stored pose-memory from all the drawing practice.

As an instructor once said, drawing is at it's root the process of seeing.

I'm learning the human anatomy

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