Tutored Life Drawing Blog Week 27: The Hips and Genitals (Patreon)

As an area of the body, the hips encompass the lower portion of the torso and act as a junction to the legs. Like the shoulders connect the arms to the torso, here the hips connect the legs; these areas are similar in that a lot of the variation in observed forms is driven by movement.

The pelvis underlies the structure of the hips like the ribcage supports the upper half of the torso, but there is also a significant amount of muscle and fat in this region covering most of the skeletal structure. The genitals are also a key feature of the hips, despite often being skimmed over in drawing.

This lesson looks at some key observed features of the hips and genitals, before looking at how the underlying anatomy affects our observations.

Observational Cues

The hips form the bottom most part of the torso, and like the rest of the torso, have a symmetrical structure. In Lesson 25 – The Torso, one important starting point is the tilt of the hips relative to the shoulders.

Hips tilting relative to the shoulders. In side views, the hips tend to tilt forwards.

When looking for the tilt of the hips, identify fixed reference points across the centreline – this line runs down the front of the torso as a line of symmetry, and terminates at the genitals. Often these reference points are the iliac spines – bumps that may be seen at the front and back of the pelvis.

From the side, the pelvis tends to tilt forwards more readily, so the opening is more outwards-facing. This results in a slanting angle of the hips in side-on views.

The hips have a blockier form than the upper half of the torso. This varies from person to person, but a typical cross section would be more like a rounded square than the more oval cross section of the ribcage.

Three-quarter views of the hips showing the front and side directions, and the transition between them.

This means the hips have a bit more of a 'corner' to them, though they are still fairly rounded, and the front and back of the hips can have a surface direction distinct from the sides. The surface forms will curve around the hip and change direction because of this, or in a tonal drawing, one side of the hips will be in shadow.

Surface rhythms on the hips (blue) around a line of symmetry (red).

The underlying structure of the hips can also generate some useful surface rhythms that are symmetrical across the centreline. These rhythms bend as the pose changes, but still follow the surface of the body, and may be helpful in placing cross contour lines.

In front views, the abdomen slots into the hips, with the flanks wrapping around from the side, and the muscles for the legs create rhythms where they attach and descend from the pelvis. On the back, the surface direction of the skin and fat wraps around from the spine to the flanks, which in turn wrap around to the front. The muscle and fat of the buttocks wrap from the side of the hips to the centreline, and underneath to form a crease, before changing direction to flow down the leg.

Anatomical Features of the Hips

The pelvis is the most important skeletal structure of the hips, supporting the volumes of this area. All major elements of this part of the body attach or interact with the pelvis in some way. 

Bone

Much of the pelvis is covered by muscle and fat, especially on the back and sides. At the front, the iliac spines are useful landmarks that are often visible, or inferred by a dimple on the surface. On the other side, the spine is attached to the pelvis by the sacrum. This forms a flattened surface between the two posterior iliac spines at the back of the pelvis. These landmarks tend to be easy to spot and mark the end of the flexible spine.

The femur (thigh bone) is also attached to the pelvis at the hip joint. Though the thigh is encased in large muscles and fat, often there is some indication of the greater trochanter. This is usually seen as a dimple in the side of the hip, or a bump, depending on the pose and body type.

The hips are surrounded by strong muscles that play an important role in keeping the body upright. Here, the focus is going to be on the surface muscles that wrap around the hips: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and tensor fascia lata. There are a number of smaller muscles under the surface layer and internally, but effect on observed forms far less.

Different views of the bones and some major landmarks of the pelvis.

Muscle

The gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and tensor fascia lata (hip flexor) all connect to the illiotibial band, a large thin band of connective tissue that runs down the side of the leg. They form a ring-like volume around the top of it, that wraps around the hip and encircles the greater trochanter – this gap in the muscle is why it is possible to see this bone through the thin fascia, or why a dimple is seen on the side of the hip instead. This dimple deepens when the muscles flex, especially the glutes.

From the front, the tensor fascia lata may be seen attaching to the pelvis and forming an upside down 'V' with the sartorius muscle.

The gluteus maximus is the largest of these muscles – even without fat covering it, it is a large, thick muscle. Its form changes when it is flexed, showing the lower and side edges a bit more clearly.

The structure of these muscles creates a fan around the iliac crest that attaches to the band of fascia running up the side of the leg, not unlike the way the deltoid wraps around the shoulder blade and collarbone to attach to the arm.

Different views of some major muscles of the hips.

The muscles of the hips move the legs relative to the torso, and when they are active, they shorten, bulge out, and cause skin to crease on top of them. The tensor fascia lata pulls the leg up, whilst the gluteus maximus pulls it back. The compression and creasing of skin and fat can help convey this activity, as well as better express the forms of the hips.

There are two creases that go between and under the buttocks. The gluteal cleft marks the centre line of the hips, and is due to a gap between the muscles. The gluteal fold forms the lower edge, not due to the muscle, but as a result of connective tissues supporting the skin and fat over it.

The hips in active poses. Which muscles are active in this poses?

Fat

The hips and upper thighs are an area of the body where fat tends to accumulate, particularly on the back and sides. There are distinct fat pads here – these are specific structures to store body fat that are roughly defined with connective tissue, though they vary from person to person. Even in lean individuals, the glutes are cushioned by fat, as it forms a protective structure to protect the hips when the body is seated.

Fat pads of the hips – subcutaneous fat is present under the skin, but accumulates in these areas more readily.

The hips and upper thighs are an area of the body where fat tends to accumulate, particularly on the back and sides. There are distinct fat pads here – these are specific structures to store body fat that are roughly defined with connective tissue, though they vary from person to person. Even in lean individuals, the glutes are cushioned by fat, as it forms a protective structure to protect the hips when the body is seated.

Different views of the hips – fat distribution varies between individuals. Thought there is less fat at the front of the hips, fat is still readily deposited over the abdomen.

The Vulva

The vulva is affected by pose – notice how the pressure of the legs affects the creases either side of the pubic fat pad in particular. If there is less pubic hair, or in certain poses, a vertical crease formed by the labia majora can be seen - this roughly follows the centreline of the front of the body. Depending on the individual or the pose, part of the labia minora may be visible as well.

The vulva in different poses – the skin creases around the vulva when the legs are closer together, though when the legs are farther apart , it does not flatten and still has volume.

The Penis

The penis and scrotum hang down from the pelvis, again siting roughly on the centreline of the front of the torso. Gravity plays a significant role here. Both penis and scrotum are pulled down by gravity and so will hang suspended in some poses, to the side in other poses, particularly reclining ones, or be supported by surfaces, which may happen in seated poses.

The penis in standing and reclining poses.

Application in Artworks – Surface and Form

Circle of Cavaliere d'Arpino - Study of Male Genitals (Source: Minneapolis Institute of Art)

This study is a great example of how individual genitalia is – though it is only one element of an individual's body, it is still a component to their overall likeness.

With the genitals, skin is particularly prone to forming creases that can help characterise form and structure – this has been conveyed clearly in this study. In a full figure drawing, some of this detail might be lost, but it is still worth considering how contour lines formed by skin creases overlap and interchange.

Marie Mathieu - Standing Female Nude (Source: Art Institute Chicago)

A common challenge to drawing the hips is navigating the complex changes in surface forms and directions, especially when applying hatching.

This example shows the changing surface directions from the side – this angle can often come out looking flat is the changes in form are less clear. Though the angles of the hatching marks are constantly adjusting to the form, they flow in a predominantly downwards, back-to-front direction. The angle becomes more shallow towards the back of the buttock, as the hatching starts to wrap around this rounder form.

Key Points to Remember About Drawing the Hips

• The hips can be compared to the shoulders in their sideways tilt. They also tend to more readily tilt forwards towards the front of the body.
• Much of the skeletal forms of the hips are covered in muscles and fat, though the iliac spines of the pelvis are useful landmarks.
• When drawing the forms of the hips and genitals, be mindful of the change in surface directions around the hips, and the overlapping contour lines when drawing genitals.

Over to You – Gesture and Form: Posing the Hips

Recommended Materials: Any

Further Reading: Lesson 16 – Form, Lesson 24 – Neck and Shoulders 

Exercise 1: Hips – Gesture Studies

Like other parts of the body, short gesture studies of the hips are a worthwhile exercise. For these studies, include as much or as little of the legs and torso as you wish – including more might help with understanding how the hips form a juncture between these two areas of the body, or how the angles of the hips and shoulders interact.

Try to be on the look out for how the hips are tilting in the pose, both from side to side and front to back. In 'corner' views, think about how you can show the volume of the hips and the 'wrapping' round of forms and surface rhythm. Clearly expressing the three dimensional nature of the hips will help with making the legs appear more convincingly attached to the body.

Quick sketches of the hips in some different poses.

Exercise 2: Hips – Seated Poses

The hips take on a different role in seated poses, as they come to support the weight of the body. In poses such as this, a few specific things tend to happen – the glutes will be stretched out by the legs bending up, the legs may show some foreshortening, and the soft fat pads of the buttocks will be compressed wherever they make contact with a surface.

Try drawing some seated poses, either focusing on the hips or the full figure. Look for how different forms are compressing – where are creases being formed, how are soft tissue volumes being pressed on by the body's weight? What angles are the hips making – is the tilt of the pelvis affected by this kind of pose?

Sketches of the hips in a couple of different seated poses – this changes form from both the front and back.

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Further links

>> Watch the Week 27: The Hips & Genitals main lesson HERE (Student & Life Tiers)  
>> Watch the Week 27: The Hips & Genitals demo HERE (Student & Life Tiers)  

Find links to the whole Tutored Life Drawing Course HERE