What Is Anatomy?

Artistic Anatomy is so much more than just the muscles and bones of the human body. For thousands of years artists have created strategies and concepts to help them recreate the human figure to be more life-like, more expressive, or just fit their world-view better.

In this chapter of Unleash Artistic Anatomy, I look at just one way to approach a drawing: via simple forms. These are forms that anyone today can use to make sense of reference or the live model and instantly improve their own artwork.

We start with two spheres that approximate the volume of the model, my son. These two spheres establish the major light and shadow shapes and help me create a likeness right off the bat.

Then I move into more anatomical type information by creating the orbit of the eye and the simple planes of the nose and lips.

At 10:15 I work some subtle light into the eyes to create the eyeball itself which I finish off with some line work at 15:28.

The key for this drawing was to minimize the amount of linework and maximize the amount of large forms and shadow shapes. That helped create the overall moody aspect and really gave the drawing a life of its own.

-Ryan