How To Draw Bodies At Different Angles

Understanding the structure of the human body is central to improving your character illustrations! With this illustrated tutorial by Eridey, learn more than almost bones, muscles and find how the dissimilar parts of the body are connected to each other.

The fundamental to improving is to do our best and put our center into what we do. Anatomy is non an easy subject, but I hope that this article can be a quick guide for you and get you lot in the mood to keep learning. Allow's start with the edifice blocks of the human figure:

The spine is the body'south support, also allowing motion in the torso. Its vertical shape differentiates humans from other species. It is not a directly line, merely a bend. Its shape makes the pelvis and the rib cage tilt slightly. Let'due south dissever it up into three parts to see it better:

Cervical spine — supports and provides mobility to the head
Dorsal or thoracic spine — supports the ribs.
Lumbar spine — a trivial before the pelvis, connected to the sacrum.

In the neck, the cervical spine (1) is located simply backside the jaw (two). There are a diversity of muscles that operate the motility of the head. The well-nigh visible one has a very, very long name (sternocleidomastoid!), but you tin can easily recognize it by its Five shape, departing from the ear to the center of the clavicles (three). In the centre of these muscles is the Adam'south apple, which is more prominent in men (iv).

The dorsal spine is the part that connects to the arms. You lot can describe it in many means, I like to requite information technology an ovoid shape that resembles the shape of the ribs (1).

The sternum (2) closes this construction in the front, creating, with the spine, an imaginary line that divides the trunk into two. Use them equally a guide!

The clavicles (three) are like a bicycle handlebar, you can think of them equally a shoulder support. Every time the arms move, they will change direction.

In the back, you will find the scapulae or shoulder blades. They are triangle shaped and help move the arms. The shape of the dorsum changes following the movements of these bones.

The pelvis is located at the end of the torso, continued to the lumbar spine from the sacrum (i). On both sides you can see the ilium (two); and in the front, the pubis (iii).

Equally these are somewhat irregular bones, I like to simplify them by cartoon a pair of discs for the ilium, and the sacrum as an inverted triangle.

The ilium (ane) will guide you lot to describe the angles of the hip. On the dorsum, these 2 dimples at the end of the spine, before reaching the buttocks, will help us identify the sacrum (2).

Note that female hips are generally wider than male person hips — ane of the main differences.

Limbs

Limbs can motility in many ways, merely knowing their limitations will save u.s.a. from cartoon unrealistic poses (or os-breaking poses, ouch!).

Arms:

In the upper office of the arm (A) there is the humerus, a long and strong bone that connects to the elbow and articulates the forearm (B).

In the forearm you will detect the radius (1) and the ulna (2). These bones cantankerous to let the rotation of the wrist. Some artists describe part of the forearm every bit a box to define its volume (iii).

Can you encounter a tiny lump just behind your wrist? (4) Information technology is role of the ulna. You lot can use it as a reference point to locate the orientation of the arm.

Legs:

In Fig. A we have the leg bones:
The femur (i) in the thigh; the human knee (2) in the middle of the leg; the fibula (3) and the tibia (iv) in the calf area.

The legs should support the body and give information technology the balance it needs, but at that place is a detail that sometimes escapes u.s.a.: the legs practice not accept completely vertical line. In order to achieve balance, there must be rhythm. Notice the slight inclination in the femur from the hip to the knee, and the curves (fig. B) that create the profile of the leg (side view).

Other interesting details about the leg:

Between the hip bone and the femur, there is a space that can exist seen as an indentation in the peel, mainly in men who have less muscle mass in that surface area.

In effigy C, we take the ankle. Its bones are placed at different heights, with the fibula on the outer side (*) being lower.

Figure D is a back view of the knee. On the outer side (*) the muscles do not generate too much change in the contour, merely on the inner side a small lump is created (I take too pointed this out in effigy A).

Proportions

According to some academic standards, 7 or 8 heads is the ideal acme of an developed. However, each person has different proportions according to their physical characteristics. If you compare people of unlike heights you lot will notice that individually they maintain proportions according to their ain trunk.

To prove this, let united states of america look at the following case: two adults, a man and a woman. Although the female person figure is shorter, her body is divided into 7 heads (which fits within the standard) and the male figure is only a third of a head taller

In the example I have also included the figure of a child. Take into account that, at early ages, the body has not developed completely, so their measures are a lilliputian undefined. This one is almost 5 heads high.

Aside from this, artists practise change their characters' proportions totally out of these "platonic" ones, to emphasize their unique characteristics or to raise their cartoon styles. (Just this is not an excuse to ignore the fundamentals!)

A trick! I similar comparison elements of the same length, merely to brand sure that everything is well proportioned every bit I draw. For example, the hands are about the size of the face; the feet are equally long as the forearm.

Some other piece of information that I find fascinating is the fact that, if y'all extend your arms, they are side to side the same length as your elevation!

Finally, iv points which will assistance usa to become meliorate at cartoon twenty-four hours past day.

Observation: Study how people walk, their poses, the different types of bodies… Create a reference gallery in your mind and, if possible, take pictures!
Retrieve in 3D: To understand a effigy/shape, the best thing is to analyze it from dissimilar perspectives.
Research: Read most torso parts, bones, muscles, functions, etc. From an artist's signal of view is fine, you practice not demand to become a doctor! We are interested in those anatomy parts which affect the shapes and movements of the torso.
Draw, depict, draw! Practice drawing the whole figure and detailed studies of some especially difficult parts.

Thank you very much for reading!

If you like, you can check out my social networks and my portfolio to see some of my work.

Bring Energy and Life to Your Poses!