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How to Draw Human Body Movement

Learn from Anatomy to Improve Your Poses

Understanding the structure of the human body is key to improving your character illustrations! With this illustrated tutorial by Eridey, larn more about bones, muscles and observe how the different parts of the body are connected to each other.

The central to improving is to practice our best and put our heart into what nosotros exercise. Anatomy is non an like shooting fish in a barrel subject, just I promise that this article tin can be a quick guide for yous and get you in the mood to go along learning. Let's offset with the building blocks of the human figure:

The spine is the torso'southward support, besides assuasive move in the torso. Its vertical shape differentiates humans from other species. Information technology is not a direct line, but a curve. Its shape makes the pelvis and the rib cage tilt slightly. Let's divide it up into three parts to meet it ameliorate:

  1. Cervical spine — supports and provides mobility to the head
  2. Dorsal or thoracic spine — supports the ribs.
  3. Lumbar spine — a little before the pelvis, continued to the sacrum.

In the neck, the cervical spine (1) is located just behind the jaw (2). There are a variety of muscles that operate the movement of the head. The most visible ane has a very, very long proper noun (sternocleidomastoid!), but you tin hands recognize it by its V shape, parting from the ear to the center of the clavicles (three). In the center of these muscles is the Adam'due south apple, which is more prominent in men (four).

The dorsal spine is the part that connects to the arms. Yous can draw it in many ways, I similar to give information technology an ovoid shape that resembles the shape of the ribs (1).

The sternum (ii) closes this structure in the front end, creating, with the spine, an imaginary line that divides the body into 2. Utilize them as a guide!

The clavicles (3) are like a bicycle handlebar, you can recollect of them as a shoulder back up. Every fourth dimension the arms move, they will alter direction.

In the back, y'all will observe the scapulae or shoulder blades. They are triangle shaped and help move the arms. The shape of the back changes post-obit the movements of these bones.

The pelvis is located at the finish of the torso, connected to the lumbar spine from the sacrum (1). On both sides you can see the ilium (ii); and in the front, the pubis (3).

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

The ilium (one) volition guide you to depict the angles of the hip. On the dorsum, these two dimples at the end of the spine, earlier reaching the buttocks, will help united states identify the sacrum (2).

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

Limbs

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

Arms:

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

In the forearm you lot will find the radius (1) and the ulna (2). These bones cantankerous to allow the rotation of the wrist. Some artists draw part of the forearm as a box to define its volume (3).

Can you see a tiny lump just backside your wrist?  (four) It is part of the ulna. You can use information technology as a reference point to locate the orientation of the arm.

Legs:

In Fig. A nosotros take the leg bones:
The femur (i) in the thigh; the knee joint (2) in the middle of the leg; the fibula (iii) and the tibia (4) in the calf area.

The legs should support the body and requite it the balance it needs, but there is a item that sometimes escapes u.s.: the legs do non have completely vertical line. In order to reach residual, there must be rhythm. Find the slight inclination in the femur from the hip to the knee, and the curves (fig. B) that create the contour of the leg (side view).

Other interesting details almost the leg:

Betwixt the hip os and the femur, there is a infinite that tin can be seen as an indentation in the skin, mainly in men who have less musculus mass in that surface area.

In effigy C, nosotros accept the ankle. Its basic are placed at different heights, with the fibula on the outer side (*) being lower.

Figure D is a dorsum view of the knee joint. On the outer side (*) the muscles exercise not generate likewise much change in the contour, but on the inner side a small lump is created (I have as well pointed this out in figure A).

Proportions

According to some academic standards, 7 or eight heads is the platonic height of an adult. However, each person has different proportions according to their physical characteristics. If you lot compare people of different heights y'all will notice that individually they maintain proportions co-ordinate to their own trunk.

To show this, allow us look at the post-obit instance: two adults, a human being and a woman.  Although the female figure is shorter, her body is divided into 7 heads (which fits within the standard) and the male person figure is only a third of a head taller

In the case I have also included the effigy of a child. Take into account that, at early ages, the body has not developed completely, so their measures are a footling undefined. This i is nigh five heads loftier.

Bated from this, artists do change their characters' proportions totally out of these "ideal" ones, to emphasize their unique characteristics or to enhance their cartoon styles. (But this is not an excuse to ignore the fundamentals!)

A fox! I like comparison elements of the same length, just to brand sure that everything is well proportioned equally I draw. For case, the easily are well-nigh the size of the face up; the feet are as long as the forearm.

Another piece of data that I discover fascinating is the fact that, if you extend your arms, they are side to side the same length equally your meridian!

Finally, 4 points which will help usa to become amend at drawing day by solar day.

  • Observation: Study how people walk, their poses, the unlike types of bodies… Create a reference gallery in your mind and, if possible, accept pictures!
  • Think in 3D: To understand a effigy/shape, the best thing is to analyze it from different perspectives.
  • Research: Read about body parts, basic, muscles, functions, etc. From an creative person's point of view is fine, you do not need to become a md! We are interested in those beefcake parts which touch the shapes and movements of the body.
  • Draw, draw, draw! Practice drawing the whole figure and detailed studies of some especially difficult parts.

Thanks very much for reading!

If yous similar, yous can cheque out my social networks and my portfolio to encounter some of my piece of work.

Bring Energy and Life to Your Poses!

Bring Energy and Life to Your Poses!

carnegievoldall1998.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.clipstudio.net/how-to-draw/archives/161109