How To Draw The Female Figure

Understanding the structure of the human trunk is primal to improving your character illustrations! With this illustrated tutorial past Eridey, learn more than near bones, muscles and discover how the different parts of the body are connected to each other.

The key to improving is to do our best and put our heart into what nosotros practice. Anatomy is not an easy subject, but I promise that this article tin can exist a quick guide for you and get you in the mood to go along learning. Let'south kickoff with the building blocks of the human figure:

The spine is the torso'southward support, also assuasive motion in the body. Its vertical shape differentiates humans from other species. It is not a straight line, simply a curve. Its shape makes the pelvis and the rib cage tilt slightly. Let'south divide it upwardly into 3 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 just behind the jaw (2). At that place are a diverseness of muscles that operate the move of the head. The most visible one has a very, very long name (sternocleidomastoid!), but you tin hands recognize it past its 5 shape, departing from the ear to the center of the clavicles (3). In the center of these muscles is the Adam's apple, which is more prominent in men (4).

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

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

The clavicles (iii) are like a cycle handlebar, you can think of them as a shoulder support. Every fourth dimension the arms move, they will change direction.

In the dorsum, you lot will find the scapulae or shoulder blades. They are triangle shaped and aid move the arms. The shape of the back 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 (1). On both sides you tin see the ilium (ii); and in the front, the pubis (3).

Every bit 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 (i) volition guide you to draw the angles of the hip. On the dorsum, these 2 dimples at the cease of the spine, before reaching the buttocks, volition help us identify the sacrum (2).

Note that female hips are mostly wider than male hips — one of the primary differences.

Limbs

Limbs tin movement in many ways, but knowing their limitations will save us from cartoon unrealistic poses (or bone-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 will find the radius (1) and the ulna (two). These bones cross to allow the rotation of the wrist. Some artists draw part of the forearm as a box to define its volume (three).

Tin can you see a tiny lump just behind your wrist? (4) It is part of the ulna. You tin can utilize it every bit a reference point to locate the orientation of the arm.

Legs:

In Fig. A nosotros have the leg bones:
The femur (1) in the thigh; the genu (2) in the middle of the leg; the fibula (3) and the tibia (four) in the calf area.

The legs should support the body and give it the balance it needs, merely there is a item that sometimes escapes us: the legs do not have completely vertical line. In lodge to achieve balance, there must exist rhythm. Observe 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 about the leg:

Between the hip bone and the femur, at that place is a space that tin be seen every bit an indentation in the skin, mainly in men who have less muscle mass in that area.

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

Figure D is a back view of the genu. On the outer side (*) the muscles do not generate too much modify in the profile, just on the inner side a small lump is created (I accept also pointed this out in figure A).

Proportions

According to some academic standards, vii or 8 heads is the ideal meridian of an adult. Even so, each person has dissimilar proportions according to their physical characteristics. If you compare people of different heights you volition notice that individually they maintain proportions according to their own body.

To testify this, let us wait at the following example: two adults, a homo and a woman. Although the female effigy is shorter, her body is divided into 7 heads (which fits within the standard) and the male effigy is only a 3rd of a head taller

In the example I have as well included the figure of a kid. Take into account that, at early on ages, the body has non developed completely, and then their measures are a lilliputian undefined. This 1 is about 5 heads loftier.

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

A trick! I like comparison elements of the same length, just to make sure that everything is well proportioned as I draw. For example, the hands are most the size of the face; the anxiety are every bit long as the forearm.

Another 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 height!

Finally, four points which volition help us to get better at drawing day past solar day.

Observation: Report how people walk, their poses, the different types of bodies… Create a reference gallery in your heed and, if possible, have pictures!
Think in 3D: To empathize a figure/shape, the best thing is to clarify it from different perspectives.
Research: Read nigh body parts, basic, muscles, functions, etc. From an artist's point of view is fine, you do not need to become a doctor! Nosotros are interested in those beefcake parts which touch on the shapes and movements of the body.
Draw, describe, draw! Exercise drawing the whole figure and detailed studies of some especially difficult parts.

Thank you very much for reading!

If you like, you lot can cheque out my social networks and my portfolio to run into some of my work.

Bring Free energy and Life to Your Poses!

Bring Energy and Life to Your Poses!