Best way to study anatomy

**lumberjack** · November 17th, 2004, 08:11 PM

I'm extremily new here. Yet I can't stop looking at all of the sketchbooks. I have so many favorites. Right now I can't get enough of Steak-trons. Its so inspiring and just plain awsome.
Here is my question I know that I can draw and love to do it. I would like to be able to draw the human figure acuratly and well. I know I should study anatomy. Yet should I just copy everything like study hands. the back, feet. arms. ect ect. until I get a grasp of how it all works????

Also how do you post work?????

I have some stuff to post and will do so tomorrow.

Thanks
Lumberjack

**Stormeh** · November 17th, 2004, 08:36 PM

I don't know if there's one real way you should do it. I know I started out drawing full body poses for practice. Then, when I had troubles with some particular parts (hands and feet, say), I practiced drawing them seperately. After drawing pages upon pages of hands and feet, they don't give me nearly as much trouble when I go to draw them.
One thing to be careful of, too: I had a bad habit of drawing anatomy from the mind, then I was little. That alone isn't bad - but I'd always start far down on the page and never have room for the legs. So now, I'm pretty bad at legs in comparison to the upper-body, just due to lack of practice. I really wish I had used my space better so I could have got in practice with all of it.
The best way is to use refferences, obviously. I always spend a few days drawing from refference, then I draw from the mind for a few days afterwards, draw from refference after that, etc etc. If all goes well, after a period of refferenced drawing, I can point out little flaws that I made when I previously drew from my mind.
The best way to become better is practicing, and being dedicated. Draw draw draw, until your hands fall off - then draw a little more. Just keep at it. Goodluck!

**dusty imp** · November 17th, 2004, 08:41 PM

Here is my question I know that I can draw and love to do it. I would like to be able to draw the human figure acuratly and well. I know I should study anatomy. Yet should I just copy everything like study hands. the back, feet. arms. ect ect. until I get a grasp of how it all works????

If you could draw i doubt you'd be asking that...
You shoudn't study by copying separate parts, cuz if you do, in the end that's what you'll learn - separate parts without the knowlegde of how they work together or how to put them together. Draw whole figures as much as you can. Individual studies of body parts help, but they go side by side with full figure drawing.

Also how do you post work?????

I know you did not just ask this...

**darth massacre** · November 17th, 2004, 09:13 PM

Best way to study anatomy....

Books and lots of life drawing classes.

**lumberjack** · November 17th, 2004, 10:00 PM

Ya, I know I did ask that question. I do know how to post now. Its like posting on some of the graphic design sites I belong to.

Thanks for the reply's guys. I do appreciate it.

Lumberjack

**Mike Frank** · November 18th, 2004, 01:03 AM

There are these threads that get stuck to the very top of the forums, called stickies.. they get stuck for good reasons, so check them out.

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=28184

I am by no means a master anatomist but my approach to anatomy has been to try and memorize the shape of the bones in the skeleton, then to memorize the general form and origin/insertion points of the muscles. Then study from life or photos to see how they actually can affect the surface. Then repeat I guess.. usually when you draw from your mind you can see your weaknesses, for instance when you start drawing the forearm your mind might struggle to think of how it might look, thats because you really dont know how it should look. So that will give you a good idea of what needs to be studied.