Anatomy – Musculature and skeletal anatomy

This drawing was completed in around 40 minutes using graphite, and the aim of the session was to focus on all aspects of figure drawing such as balance and pose, shading and correct anatomical proportion.

The image portrays the model in an interesting and dynamic pose, with expressive facial features and good balance. Measuring should have been done with more care, as there are some obvious anatomical mistakes in proportion such as the size of the head and hands compared to the torso. Construction lines are still visible and mark the natural angles of the body, and this technique helped with building the posture and maintaining the balance of the model on paper.

Shading not only indicates the location of the light source, but offers form and volume to the drawing, for a better understanding of the musculature of the model. Certain areas are quite successful in portraying the anatomy through shading, such as the knees, the torso, or parts of the arms. In an impressionistic manner, the facial expression and positioning of the fingers on the face are also hinted with the help of shading, and this detail certainly draws the eye of the viewer, making the image highly expressive.

Extra study of a dynamic pose: