ANATOMY STORY

Using sketched out shapes in your drawings is a very common guideline that is usually used to make a rough sketch before starting line art, or to make a simplified outline of the body. For example, what people see used the most is a circle or an oval sketched for the head- so you can also use a rectangle or square for the chest, and ovals for the arms and legs. This will help you map out where you want your lines to go, and can be a good base for anything you want to be evenly proportioned.

The use of line direction can benefit on where your drawing should be placed- and what type of dynamic action you want it to display. By doing this, you can visually put together in your head what it will be doing- and it will be easier to transfer it onto the paper. For example, when your lines are straight up and down, it can show how your person, or object, is standing still and -not moving whatsoever. However, when a line is tilted or has a slight curve to it, it can indicate something falling, tipping over, or simply just leaning to one side. Line direction can also help you measure out your page. What this does is help you to see how much space, or how little space you have to complete this drawing. This can apply to working on something really big, like a mural- or something really small like a posted note/postcard.

Going back to space, an awareness of space with the addition of references can also assist you in completing your drawing. The thing that is different about awareness of space that doesn’t correlate to the other two. It is preparing you and guiding you into using less and less guidelines. Now, this can either be something you want or don't want to do, but overall, it will help you get into that habit of seeing something as a whole, while also building your skill, and going from there- rather than breaking it down into shapes. References also crucially tie into that as well. In general, references are a very good way to improve in your style and structure- but what it can also be used for is simply drawing what you see. What this means is using that picture or image in front of you and seeing the face as a face- instead of a circle or oval. For example, many artists who do realistic drawings/paintings use this technique to improve muscle memory in their hand. This is a very handy skill to have.

Even while using the best techniques- and courses, the only way to start improving on your anatomy, and your art in general, is to practice it everyday. Practicing will always make any of your skills or strengths better, so if you keep up with your art and its progress- this will cause improvements to happen- and you'll start seeing the positive changes you want!