Gesture DrawingThe Human Figure in Motion

Figure DrawingDepicting the Body In

Motion = GESTURE DRAWING

Drawing Accurate Figures Requires Knowledge of:

•Canon of Proportion

•Musculature

•Skeletal Structure

Neck = ½ head from chin to clavicle

Torso = 3 heads(3.5 from back)

Thigh to Knee = 2 heads

Calf to Ankle = 2 heads

For capturing movement, you should be most concerned

with the following:

Hogarth’s Canon

Key Anatomy for Gestures:Trapezius

Sterno-mastoid

Clavicle

Sternum

Pectorals

Upper Abdominals

Lower Abdominals

Deltoid Biceps &Triceps

Key Anatomy for Gestures:

Trapezius

Skeletal Structure:Use Sophisticated Stick Men as Bone-Structure Shorthand.

Use Canon to judge measurements of torso and limbs.

Use knowledge of anatomy for muscle shapes

Use observation for bringing it all together.

1. Start with the Head

The head is the unit of measurement for the rest of your figure.

Simplified Head ShapeTapered Cylinder

Sphere

2. Neck = ½ head

Front view is measured from the chin to the collar bone.

Back view is measured from cervical vertebrae at the base of the skull to top vertebrae of the back.

3. Curve of the spine defines the TORSO.

S-Curve.

Front view is measured from clavicle to the ligament running under the belly.

Back view is measured from top of the back vertebrae to the bottom of the butt cheeks.

3 ½ HEADS 3 HEADS

An imaginary line between arm sockets represents angle of shoulders.

An imaginary line between hip bones (where pelvic bones protrude) represents the angle of the hips.

4. Find the Angle of the Shoulders and Hips.

Upper Arm: Shoulder to elbow = 1 ½ heads.

Lower Arm: Elbow to wrist = 1 to 1 ½ heads.

5. Draw Segmented Arms

Hand = 1 head.

Thigh: Hip to knee = 2 heads.

Calf: Knee to ankle = 2 heads.

6. Draw Segmented Legs

Foot = 1 head.

Trapezius

7. Add flesh to the “bones” of stick figures:

Use canon and muscle diagrams.

Adjust according to observation.

Sterno-mastiod