Studying human anatomy for artists.

Home

Human anatomy drawing course

Depicting a person is the most important task of an artist. In order to learn the principles of realistic drawing, it is worth studying the basics of plastic anatomy. You need to not only perceive what is on the surface and simply copy the forms, but also know the laws of the internal structure, understand how this affects plasticity.

What does plastic anatomy study? The study of plastic anatomy begins with an understanding of what forms appearance

  • of a person: his skeleton and muscles, delves into details and basic movements, proportions. He is also engaged in mastering the method of depicting a figure based on anatomical principles:
  • Structure of the skeleton - it consists of bones, of which there are more than 200, they are held together by connective tissue. The skeleton performs various functions, which are conventionally divided into several groups: mechanical and biological;
  • Types of joints - since a joint affects the external shape of the body, it is important to know its structure and visible parts;

Muscle mass - which forms the basis and changes the shape of the figure when contracting or relaxing.

By understanding how the body works, you can understand how the skeletal or muscular system affects plasticity and shape.

Main sections of plastic anatomy


In plastic anatomy, close attention is paid to the visible forms, movements of the body and its individual parts, which is very important for the artist. A significant place is occupied by questions that do not cover sections of medical anatomy:

The main place in classes on the study of plastic anatomy is occupied by the study of design diagrams, which provide the basis for memorizing the human structure and are convenient to use in practice.

Consistent study of all basic sections will become the foundation for the development of the artist’s personality and professional skills.

Course program

  • Fundamentals of plastic anatomy are lessons on mastering artistic anatomy from the “academic drawing” series. Course participants will gain practical skills about images, various shape transformations, analysis and modeling. And:
  • They will learn to determine the basic proportions of the human body and sketch figures;
  • They will learn to depict the bone structure of the head and its muscles;
  • They will study the anatomical structure of the torso;
  • They will be able to depict the bone structure and muscles of the torso.
  • They will study the anatomy of the limbs, make sketches and images;
  • They will also learn what the composition of angles and light and shadow elaboration are.

The teaching staff of the art studio are young and creatively gifted artists who constantly practice and have achieved certain results in their work.

When registering for a course, you can first attend the first trial lesson, which will help you make your final decision to take the entire course. Classes are held both individually and in groups. Upon completion of the course, a certificate of completion is issued. Leave a request or call - and perhaps the love of drawing will become a profession and the work of a lifetime.

  • Drawings by classical artists Dear users, you can download the graphics of some artists in rar archives. Large images. Update in the "Graphics History" section.
  • vk.com/site. Representation of the site "Graphic" in contact. There are a lot of educational videos for artists in the community. New albums of classic graphic artists are constantly being added.

Works by artists of the site "Graphic".

Graphic arts- on the one hand, it is a form of art, on the other, it is an activity that is accessible to everyone, and all people engage in it from a young age. To create a graphic drawing, you only need a sheet of paper and drawing material - pencil or paint. That is, on the one hand, the graphics are publicly available.

But on the other hand, this is a complex art form that needs to be learned in the same way as painting or sculpture. This is the difficulty and simplicity of graphics. Everyone can draw, but only a few can become masters.
Graphics are divided into two types: printed (printing), intended for replication; And unique, implying the creation of works in a single copy.

The most common distinguishing feature of graphics is the special relationship of the depicted object to space, the role of which is largely played by the background of the paper, “the air of a white sheet,” as they say Soviet master graphics by V. A. Favorsky. The spatial sensation is created not only by the areas of the sheet not occupied by the image, but often (for example, in watercolor drawings) by the background of the paper appearing under the paint layer.

We bring to your attention the section: Library for artists.
In the “Library” you can download books on art, anatomy, art history, drawing and painting lessons for home study.

And also 100 issues of the Art Gallery magazine in djvu format.

Many novice artists will not find it difficult to draw flowers, trees, houses. But when the time comes to depict people on paper, they are lost. Because they don’t know how to draw the human body correctly. If you can’t do it either, don’t even think about giving up. Thanks to several techniques, you can quickly learn this.

They are happy and simple. At the same time these useful tips will help you cope with the necessary task:

  • Even if you don't plan to turn your sketches into color illustrations, still use a pencil in the beginning. He will allow you to correct the drawing at any time.
  • Don't press too hard. Make all movements only with light strokes. If you make a mistake or want to redraw an element of the picture, you won’t have to worry about erasing thick lines with an eraser.
  • Practice every day. Don't be discouraged if you don't know how to draw a body. Believe in yourself!
  • Watch your posture. You won't be able to give your full attention to the drawing if you're sitting incorrectly.
  • If you are seriously interested in art, study other people's techniques, go to art galleries, buy thematic books. Experienced artists are very familiar with how to draw the human body.
  • If you are copying from a finished drawing, do not be afraid to make mistakes. Remember that you don't have to portray the exact same character. It will be much better if it turns out different.

Body proportions

At all times, special attention was paid to the relationship between figures. Before drawing a body, you need to know its correct proportions. The height of an adult’s figure is 8 heads, a teenager’s is 7. This part of a schoolchild’s body can be positioned in length 5 times, a baby’s - 4. The size of the arms should reach the middle of the thigh, while the elbows should be located on the same level as the waist, and the knees should be exactly in the middle of the leg. The length of the legs is 4 heads, and the head together with the body is half the height of the entire figure. The fingers of the lowered hand are located in the mid-thigh area. The height of the foot is the size of the nose. And its length is the same as that of the forearm. Height female head equal to the distance between the prominent points of the chest, for men - half the width of the shoulders.

Differences between male and female parameters

The average height of a man is about 170 cm, a woman - 160. The arms of the stronger half of humanity are long and muscular, while the arms of girls are a little shorter. But women’s legs are longer (relative to the body). Men have a strong build, broad shoulders and a short torso. The female body is longer, the shoulders are often shorter than the hips. Men have thick necks, girls have thin necks. As for muscles, in men they are strongly marked. At the same time, the contours of the body are sharp. At the same time, women have soft outlines, round shapes, and a larger fat layer. A man's foot is massive, large, a woman's is much smaller in size.

Drawing a man

The following master class shows how to draw a man's body:

  1. Start at the top. Draw a small circle and draw a curved line at the bottom. It should look like an egg, just upside down.
  2. Draw the neck by sketching two straight lines. Take the distance from ear to ear as a guide.
  3. Draw a long one (2-3 times the width of the head) horizontal line so that it is perpendicular to the neck. It determines the location of the collarbones.
  4. At the end of the two lines, draw small circles of the same size - these are the shoulders. Sketch two ovals a little lower, a little longer than the height of the head - these are biceps.
  5. At the point where the biceps begin, outline the body. Geometrically, it will look like this: an inverted trapezoid is the chest, vertical straight lines are the torso, an inverted triangle is the pelvis. Place above last geometric figure mark with a dot - there will be a navel.
  6. On both sides of the triangle, draw two circles (most of them should be on the outside), and immediately below them - long ovals. They will be hips.
  7. Below are two small ovals for the knees. Let them intertwine a little with the hips. And even lower - for the legs.
  8. For the legs, draw two triangles at the very bottom.
  9. Try to draw show jumping bodies, add details, design clothes for your character.

Drawing a woman

Now that you know the basics and have learned how to work with a male silhouette, you can learn how to draw a female body:

  1. Start with the most important thing - draw vertical line. To represent the torso, place an inverted triangle at the top of the torso.
  2. Inside the resulting triangle, draw another one, looking up. At the corners of the inner figure, draw two circles, indicating the breasts. If you did everything correctly, the first of them should be to the right, and the other to the left of the previously drawn line.
  3. Just below the main triangle, draw a circle of equal size. Its upper part should extend slightly beyond the triangle. This will be the basin.
  4. To draw the hips and legs, draw two curved lines from the top of the circle. And below there are two more, but shorter. Some should look like brackets.
  5. Add lines and details, dress the girl.

Done, now you know how to draw a girl's body.

Let's sum it up

Using the techniques presented above, you can draw almost any person - an adult man and woman, a teenager, a child. The main thing you need to do is follow the instructions, learn to work according to the scheme. After a while, you yourself, without anyone’s help, will depict beautiful and proportionally correct characters on paper. Don't be discouraged if something doesn't work out for you. You can try again at any time.

Remember one more important rule: the artist's work does not end the moment he understands how to draw the body. It is also necessary to think over the character’s hairstyle, his style, endow him with emotions, and portray his character. In other words, use a pencil to “breathe” life into it. Learn the art of drawing, improve your skills - and you will definitely succeed!

If earlier the structure of the human body was known to few, and to study it there were only anatomical atlases, now everything is much simpler: to get an idea of ​​​​what is inside us, you can, say, art gallery or at a fashion show. Moreover, the authors invite us to get acquainted with the anatomy of creatures that do not even exist in nature! This article contains a selection of variations on the theme of anatomy in contemporary art.


The Spanish artist (Fernando Vicente) creates paintings on various topics, but the series of works “Anatomy Portraits” stands apart in his work. His works seem disgusting to many, but they just show a person as he really is - from the inside.


Jake Parker was inspired by watching the animated film "Cars" and decided that his characters simply could not be inanimate pieces of iron. This is how an anatomical illustration was born, where “Lightning McQueen” appeared in the form of a living creature with internal organs.


Jason Freeny is also haunted by cartoon characters. What would the skeletons of Nemo the fish or the alien from Toy Story look like if they were real? To answer, just look at the author’s sculptures.


“Vegetables are all your body needs,” says the International Vegetarian Union, and illustrates this postulate in its advertising campaign for clarity.


The Belgian street artist manages to combine in one image both the external appearance of the animal and what is inside it. It all depends on the angle at which the viewer looks at the graffiti.


The fashion world, as usual, does not stand aside either. Just look at the “Dreamy Anatomy” collection (Rachel Wright): you can use it to study the human structure as well as any textbook!


A girl named Sarah from Toronto, who has chosen the nickname beatblack, is creating jewelry from polymer clay. Probably, not everyone will dare to wear pendants in the shape of a digestive tract or cufflinks in the shape of a brain, but there are plenty of originals among us - otherwise beatblack jewelry would not be in demand.


In the Netherlands there is an amazing Corpus Museum - the only museum of the human body in the world. During the tour, visitors seem to find themselves in the middle of the human body and can see, hear and feel its work. Particular realism is achieved thanks to sound effects and techniques for creating three-dimensional space.

Effort must be made to convey color, lighting, shapes or image in the drawing. But the artist’s most difficult task is to convey the moment of movement. Make it so that whoever looks at the image has the feeling that the picture is about to come to life!

If you observe an athlete training, you will notice that the arms, legs, and torso take on a different shape when the muscles contract or relax. Those who take the course learn to portray these transformations plastic anatomy.

How to draw movement?

Plastic anatomy is a science that studies changes in the shape of human and animal body parts, based on knowledge of their internal structure. The most significant elements in this discipline are three organ systems - skin, muscles, skeleton. The study of body proportions is also included in the basics of plastic anatomy.

The material being studied will help you recognize a living object from the inside, feel the slightest movement of each part of it, displaying this in a drawing. This science is useful not only for sculptors and animators. An artist depicting people or animals will not be able to draw them correctly without taking a course in this discipline.

Brief history of human plastic anatomy as a science

The first attempts to study proportions relate to culture Ancient Egypt. In countries where people walked almost without clothes, artists learned the external structure of the body simply by looking outside. Naked warriors and athletes ancient Greece were an ideal visual aid. Statues and bas-reliefs of the classical period clearly indicate success in the knowledge of human plastic anatomy.

The founder of the method of drawing a body based on its internal structure is Leonardo da Vinci. He became interested in this area as an artist, but later became interested in it as a science. He began to study the structure of the bodies of deceased people, being one of the first to correctly depict the organs of the body.

Johann Kalkar, Titian presented the results of their research in drawings and explanations. Gradually, textbooks, atlases, and three-dimensional manuals appeared. Outstanding authors - Paul Richet, Mathieu Duval, George Bridgman, Gottfried Bammes, Jene Barczai. In the middle of the 17th century, a course in this science became mandatory in many schools for artists.

Plastic anatomy of the face and body: how bones and muscles interact

It is well known that the position of the body members in space is determined by the skeleton. The joints are designed so that the limbs work in flexion-extension and can perform rotational movements. By studying the structure and position of bones in different positions, the student will avoid common mistakes in drawing, when parts of the body are depicted unnaturally.

Did you know that there are up to 850 muscles in the body of animals and humans? As they contract, they change shape, sometimes in quite obvious ways. The artist takes into account the location of the muscles and how they change.


Now let's talk about the plastic anatomy of the human face. Of the 30 facial muscles, about half are involved in a smile. To portray any emotion, we need to know how facial muscles interact.

Students train in the following areas:

  • study of the structure and relative position of bones + muscles;
  • images of dummies, casts of the skull, skeleton, individual parts of the body;
  • drawing the body in various static positions and during movement.

So, the course of study is not easy. Therefore, newcomers to art are interested: is this science so important or... maybe without it?

Why does an artist need knowledge of plastic anatomy?

If you think that there is no point in turning to anatomy manuals - it is enough to simply draw a person in a certain pose from a photograph, then this is a misconception! Even if the drawing turns out to be very similar to the photo, the object will be unplastic, as if “dry, flaccid.”

Having an exact idea of ​​what you are drawing will prevent you from copying photographs. You can use them as references when creating your own composition. The drawings will turn out more “alive” and dynamic.

Summarizing all that has been said, we can conclude: plastic anatomy is indispensable for an artist. You should not be content with an approximate knowledge of the structure of the bodies of people and animals. Even if you are already an experienced artist, it is worth testing your skills in this area from time to time and learning something new.

The amount of information this science contains can be intimidating, but this is not a problem if you have good teachers. Choose a course convenient for your schedule and study plastic anatomy with us!