Tutored Life Drawing Blog Week 22: Introduction to Anatomy (Patreon)

Anatomy is a large component of learning to draw the human figure. It provides an understanding of the human body, and in drawing, allows the artist to connect knowledge to observation. Whilst anatomy is, at its core, the scientific study of the human body, when connected to art, it branches out to ideas about observation, three dimensional structure, and other properties that can be conveyed in drawing.

This is the first in a series of lessons that cover the whole body. They are intended to serve as an accessible introduction that focuses of how anatomy affects observed properties of the figure. There are multiple approaches to learning anatomy, and each can add to our approach.

Observing Anatomy

By understanding what is going on at an anatomical level, one can look for further clues to emphasise structure. This is an important tool for making marks that represent the body's form and function effectively.

These sketches of hands have marks showing the volumes of the knuckles and tendons, going beyond a purely tonal recreation to indicate what is going on underneath the skin.

This means that anatomy affects contour, shape, volume, and surface properties in the figure, which in turn lead to observations such as tone, cross contours, textures and the like.

Anatomy is about the structure of the body from the bones to through to the skin. Because of this, some structures can be observed directly, or close to it, as they are near the surface of the body – these tend to occupy artists' attention. However, acknowledging deeper anatomical structures, even from an observation-based approach, is useful as these are often responsible for 'bulking out' the distinct volumes of the figure.

Here are a few examples of where anatomy affects what we see at the surface of the body. Typically, bones create 'harder' forms, whilst muscles create rounded forms, and fat creates even rounder, softer forms.

On the surface, most of what is seen is the result of soft tissue structures such as superficial layers of muscle and tendon, skin, and subcutaneous (below the skin) fat. However, skeletal features can also been seen, especially around joints and the ribs.

The volumes of the body tend to be comprised of deeper layers of muscle and bone, with the addition of organs and visceral fat in the torso and head. Understanding that the body is comprised of different layers is important for drawing a figure with a greater sense of volume and solidity, even if the exact details aren't known. Ignoring volume and only looking at surface features can lead to flat drawings, or a tendency towards over-exaggerating the volumes of surface muscles.

Bernhard Siegfried Albinus - 'An écorché figure, front view, with left arm extended, showing the deep muscles and the bones, the second order of the muscles, the outermost layers of the muscles.' Engraving by C. Grignion after B.S. Albinus, 1747. Credit: Wellcome Collection. (CC BY 4.0)

This series of engravings shows how the muscles are layered on the skeleton. On top of all of this sits fatty tissues and the skin.

Key Features of Anatomy

In life drawing, it is typical to focus on how anatomy affects the surface features of the body. In the below examples, some prominent features are labelled; in future weeks, lessons will cover each area of the body in more detail.

Some areas where bones show near the surface of the figure.

Bones are the rigid support to the body, and hold everything up. Surface landmarks are where bones occur close under the skin, indicating what the rest of the skeleton is doing. It is important learn about it and understand what is happening to it in a pose, as it is key to articulating the body. Identifying surface landmarks of the skeleton helps with making meaningful marks to show anatomy, but also provides a means of navigating the figure's proportions.

Some areas where muscles are strongly effecting surface forms.

Muscles work alongside the skeletal system to articulate the body and add quite a bit of bulk to the volumes of the figure. Typically, active muscles tend to 'round' out or swell, whilst relaxed muscles are more flattened. Whilst it is possible to see muscles near the surface of the body, there are also deeper layers that add bulk to the volumes of the figure. Muscles change shape as the figure takes on different poses, whereas bones do not.

Some areas where subcutaneous fat is strongly effecting surface forms.

Subcutaneous fat, skin and some other soft tissues comprise the outermost layer of the body. Fat lacks any means to be self supporting, and is contained by the skin, which also tends to lack articulating muscles (with a few exceptions). Even though fat and skin are often overlooked elements to drawing the figure, they are always present as the body is encased by them. Skin creates surface textures, and subcutaneous fat covers most of the body, in compositions that vary from person to person, as well as specific structures in which fat is used to protect the body.

Major proportional landmarks, on a mannequin and two more realistic figures. The mannequin is split into 8 head-lengths for ease of recall, but in practise the figure is usually a bit shorter, with the legs a bit less then half the figure's height. Also worth noting is how soft tissue landmarks, the nipples and navel, change position due to body composition – they are useful to navigate by, but not set in stone as proportional markers.

Landmarks are useful points in the figure used to check proportion, and navigate through the body whilst drawing, as well as start to indicate its structure. Body proportions naturally vary from person to person, so there are no 'set' proportions to the body – consider the above landmarks an approximate guide, and focus on comparison and navigation over any 'expected' proportion.

Common landmarks – with the exception of the nipples and navel, these are skeletal features.

Skeletal landmarks are more reliable, as the skeleton is rigid and tends to be less variable than muscles and fatty structures. The head is a useful proportional measure for this reason – it is mostly skull! Individuals naturally vary in their proportions, but this is a good way to navigate down the figure. Try to learn these features and recall them as you draw.

Landmarks that are based on soft tissues – particularly the nipples and navel – are less reliable as proportional markers as these features may not necessarily be in the same place due to individual variation, especially in figures with more or less body fat. Regardless, they are useful points of navigation and comparison.

Common landmarks were used when drawing these short poses to navigate down the body.

Interlocking forms are another common feature of the figure. These tend to occur at joints or wherever groups of muscles fit together. Identifying interlocking forms is helpful for understanding how they change with the body's position, as well as identifying more subtle overlapping contour lines.

Interlocking forms of the knee and shoulder. In the knee, the lower leg is wrapped by the muscles of the upper leg. In the shoulder, there is a set order of overlaps between the muscles.

The idea behind interlocking forms is that one form slots between, on top or under another form. Understanding this helps with drawing the contour lines in a way consistent to the structure underneath, rather than creating surface lines that don't represent how the volumes fit together.

Anatomy in Artists' Drawings: Marks with Meaning

These artists all have very different approaches to their mark-making, but all draw on their knowledge to indicate the form and function of the body.

Domenico Tintoretto - 'Reclining Female Nude Figure' (Source: New York MET)

This sketch shows an efficient use of landmarks to navigate the figure, alongside a distinctive vocabulary of marks. It is easy to pass his figures off as a bit 'lumpy' but the curved marks characteristic of Tintoretto's drawings are rich with rhythm and tension – follow them through the body and limbs, and they show how he explored the figure's structure through drawing. For all of their energy, these marks are also very efficient; every stroke describes some anatomical feature or form.

Rembrandt van Rijn - 'Nude Woman Seated by a Stove' (Source: Rijksmuseum)

This ink sketch is deceptively simple, as a lot of 'noisy' detail typically created by muscle and bone is concealed by a softening layer of fat. Nonetheless, these elements are still at work underneath, and understanding this helps create a sense of consistency and solidity to this figure. Shadow edges are often nuanced by places where bone comes closer to the skin, such as around the collarbones, knees, shins and elbows. Interlocking muscles tend to cause the skin and fat on top to crease – here this is seen around the armpits, which are then overlapped by the surface forms of the breasts.

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita – 'Verdriet' (Source: Rijksmuseum)

Though different in visual approach to the previous two images, this woodcut shows a strong tactile response to the figure. The marks sculpt out form, but draw on knowledge of what is going on underneath the skin. The changing direction and length of marks show how the armpit is formed by muscle groups latching to the shoulder, whilst the change in marks around the hip and upper thigh show transitions between the harder tendons and bones of the hip, versus the softer muscle and fat of the belly and thigh.

Key Points to Remember About Anatomy

• All the surface features of the body that can be seen are the result of anatomical features.
• The body's volumes are formed of multiple layers of bone, muscle, and fat.
• Anatomy can educate the marks that make up the figure – landmarks are common features, mostly skeletal, that help us navigate the figure with our marks.

Over to You – Drawing with Anatomy

Recommended Materials: Any materials

Exercise 1: Landmarks in Quick Sketches

In this exercise, take lots of different references and do quick figure sketches from them – ideally 3-5 minutes each, and no longer than 10. (This can also be done in a life class.) Whilst doing these sketches, try to navigate the figure by travelling through the landmarks mentioned above, working from the head down the torso, and finally the limbs. It is a good idea to look at different body types to see how the landmarks show up differently.

Try not to worry about the details with these sketches, as the goal is to start memorising some of the major landmarks of the figure. These are useful because they can help us check the proportions of the body on the fly, which although not as precise as measuring, is useful when drawing quick figures.

Sketch of various figures done with landmarks in mind.

Exercise 2: Longer Figure Drawing

Longer efforts are a key component to understanding the figure, and are a good exercise to do from time to time, especially when you wish to integrate new knowledge. Long figure drawings vary depending on the person – for some, this is anything more than 45 minutes, but some efforts exceed tens of hours.

For the purposes of this exercise, I am not going to recommend a time limit, but a couple of suggestions to instead help with finding more value in a long observational effort. When starting, consider drawing bigger than you usually would, especially if you tend towards drawings of A4 or smaller. This increase in size allows more information to be put into a drawing. Try to work over the whole figure – rather than sketching as if you were 'printing off' a drawing from top to bottom, instead go through stages with the figure as whole – for example, creating a gesture sketch, building it up to a contour drawing, and finally adding successive layers of tone or cross contours. Whilst doing this, remind yourself to make marks meaningfully – if they are not recording information, they are not necessary. A good time to stop on a drawing like this might be when the marks you make are no longer adding to the end result.

This back study was done over several hours.

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 Further links

>> Watch the Week 22: Intro to Anatomy main lesson HERE (Student & Life Tiers)
>> Watch the Week 22: Intro to Anatomy demo HERE (Student & Life Tiers)

Find links to the whole Tutored Life Drawing Course HERE