Lesson 07 : Human Anatomy, bone structure , geometric figure and musculature for women (front and back)
Human Anatomy, Bone structure and Musculature
Basic figure proportions :Proportion is the comparative relation of one thing to another. Thus a unit of measure has to be established. The “head” is one such unit used in drawing human figures. A head is merely the distance from the top of the skull to the tip of the chin. A basic human figure is about 7heads to 7.5 heads.
According to Leonardo Da Vinci’s drawings, the classic link between mathematics led to the assertion that man, with his arms and legs extended, could be contained within both a circle and a square – the symbols of perfection and aesthetic beauty. This was the basis for the analysis of the human figure by Leonardo: “The span of a man’s outstretched arms is equal to his height. If a circle (with navel as centre) be described of a man lying with his face upward and his hands and feet extended, it will touch his fingers and toes.”
Understanding the skeleton is the first step in learning about human anatomy and learning to depict it proportionately. It is the building blocks of the body. The next layer to understand is the muscular system. All muscles have an origin and an insertion. When a muscle contracts, it becomes shorter and harder, as can be felt by flexing the muscles. Symmetry is an important aspect of the musculature of the human body. Major muscles come in pairs on either side of the figure and smaller muscles, like those in the forearm or leg, are paired in the opposite limb.
Male Proportion :The figure height is 7.5 heads. The figure’s centre is at about the pubic bone. One “head” for the head, two three-quarter heads for the neck and trunk and three three-quarters heads for the lower body. The width between the hips must be equal to one and one-half heads. The greatest width of two heads is at the deltoids, which is a little below the shoulders. The distance from the elbow to the finger tips must be two heads.
Female Proportion :Females have a much softer body as compared to a male with a rounded stomach and hips and smaller shoulders. They also possess shorter bones though the pelvis bone in the hip is wider and results in wider hips. The female figure’s centre is above the pubic bone. The width of the female hip is equal to the chest wall and one arm. It is greater than that of the male counterpart. There is more fat on the female figure’s buttocks thus providing a greater diameter.
There is a difference in the length of the female legs as compared to that of the trunk. This makes it difficult to gauge the height of the female figure in a sitting posture. The shoulders are narrow; the arms tend to be shorter in proportion to the trunk. The collar bones are straight and short providing a graceful and longer neck. The shoulders are sloping.
Certain points of the female figure are often finer, for example, the neck, wrists, knees and ankles.
Participants