•••••••••••• Flesh & Bone ••••••••••••

[A.Cerasoli]

Nice studies. I just glanced through this thread quickly, but tommorow at work I'am going to take my time looking through here and read your notes. I have two questions that were probably asked already. What type of paper do you use?, Are these studys from your memory of the human anatomy or reference?

[Kir Nuyts]

Wow, indeed a 5 stars SB I'm really amazed. Especially by the way that u dare to use your knowledge of 'bones/anatomy' to create unique things. Most people with such a good understanding of anatomy (who study bones every day-sortofflike you do:p) always draw people in their most correct anatomical way and seem to have lost their sense of fantasy. I wonder if a perfect knowledge of anatomy restricts ur imagination.? Anyway u seem to b doing fine :p
I love those paintings btw, they would be cool hanging on my wall , those black and white squares are brilliant! They remind me of those borders on those yellow cabs, how did u came up with them?

Darn ur good Muchos Greetos, and happy x-mass
Kir!

[mentler]

Thanks all for your kind words this year. I will try to get by and leave you all presents on your threads in the true spirit of the Holidays!

A couple of Domenicus drawings done on the plane. These are actual size which is of course small so I included a blow-up detail for those of you who have a compulsion to crosshatch.

These, as always, are done from imagination which probably doesn't speak well of my soul.

Portraits of Imperfect Souls

Actual Size


Actual Size


Blow-up Detai

[Gspot]

oooooooohhhhh...lovely stuff. I very much dig your work.

[Brendan N]

Hoora to Domenicus. I'm truly digging the total wierdness of these, they have a very eerie quality to them that puts them in a class of their own.
Very powerful, looking forward to more updates.

This thread has 5 stars drawn all over it and all through it.
Keep updating hope you are enjoying the holiday a bunch!

ciao!

- d.

[Shinryu]

crazy stuff mentler, excellent work as usual

Happy holidays

cheers

[oma]

damnz > how long does it take to draw such domicus drawing?

they are really fantastic.
i love crosshatching. totally forgot it to use it in my last sketches.

what kind of brushes are you using? for the darkish brown?

happy new year! sir!

[0shade0]

It made me smile, my name is domenique
love it big time. is he something special in history, or just made up?

[mentler]

These are totally made-up <> I never use reference for the "Chronicles of Domenicus" series <> these are from my imagination <> some see evil and some see humor <> what one sees is of course a reflection of their soul and not mine. These take from 2 or 3 hours to 6 or 8 hours depending on size <> these are smaller and only took a few hours to do.

[koshime]

dear mentler,
it has been a while since i last frequented these forums.
Its amazing to see you churn out amazing high grade sketches/renderings.


Have a great 2007!
And if you do frequent central london, please do give us a call down ere. We'll be sure to meet up with you!

[j a k e]

The Domenicus series has always been awesome stuff by you Michael. Hope you had a great xmas!

[hurricane]

thank for giving us a glimps of your art mentler!
i hope you will have a great 2007 and that it will be a year of your best health and smiles!!

thanks again for being such a inspiration for me. Truly a unique person!

cheers michael!

[blanquish]

i dont often get excited about anatomy.. but Mentler, you are a huge inspiration
best of luck for 2007!

[Magic Man]

Happy xmas mike, I hope everything is well with you, and I also wish you a happy and safe new year.

Love those imperfect souls

[Cup of Joe]

Nice update! Always happy to see some new dominicus.
Anyway, Merry Christmas, and I can't wait to see what you do with the new year!

[dCepT]

Domenicus!!!!! Awesome! When I get rich, I'm gonna go over to the states, check out a show live and buy one of your pieces! Thanks for dropping in! Always appreciated! Hope 2007 brings you everything you wish for!

d-C

[Mindflaw]

Hi Mentler

Been a while since I last visited you sb but itäs looking good as always. I liked the filmloop

happy new year

[mentler]

This is the system that I have developed and use to invent figures without using models or reference.

The first page basically refers to the flaws in using the head as a unit of measurement.
The number one problem with systems based on the head is that the head is an ovoid and changes shape and dimension as it is rotated in space the second problem is that the landmarks fall on flesh i.e. nipples and navels which of course vary depending on sex, age, weight and position.




The system I have developed is based on a sphere which does not change shape or dimension when rotated in space and thus becomes much more useful to the artist as a system of creating the human form in space.

This page is one I did recently from memory.



This is a first page of a complete tutorial on the Cranial Index and the Cranial Grid.

As you can see the torso from the top of the head to the pubic bone is 5.5 units and the legs from the top of the great trocantor to the floor measures 6 units.

I am starting here with the spine and out from there.



This would be my starting point for a male figure <> I often make the lower leg of females about one half unit longer.







Reworking this page to make it a little easier to understand..

This is the first installment on how to diagram the pelvis based on the CRANIAL GRID SYSTEM from THE BOOK OF BONES.



Next installent in a couple of hours.

Here is the second installment of the pelvis diagram from the front view.



Third installment later today.



Mini-Tutorial continued <> Cranial Grid used to block-in pelvis from side view.

One thing I would like to point out here is that I do all of these exercises freehand to increase my ability to measure and draw things visually rather than using measuring devices.

This is the kind of knowledge one has to have to draw the figure convincingly without reference.


On with the show.

I don't stress often enough that the diagrams and schematics that I have developed are based on solid forms. They are orthographic parts of a plan to be able to visualize and project the forms in space. So use them to simplify complex structures but remember a square is always a cube and circle is always a sphere.

Here are a few very quick thumbnails using the information from the diagrams to visualize the pelvis in space.







Thanks all for your support in 06 and look forward to hearing from you in 07.
BTW lets me hear from all of you from time to time so that I know someone is following this thread.

Much more could be done with the pelvis and we will do more when I get to the muscle structure.

Here is the first installment of the rib-cage discussion.

The rib-cage of a large framed adult male fits nicely into a Cranial Grid of 4 units.

Please note the reference to the 5 eyed line which I have borrowed from Hale and continue to use because it is very helpful.

As most of you know the skull is approx. 5 eyes wide from the front view.
The sternum also divides into 5 equal units not including the arrow shaped ensiform cartilage which falls at the bottom.

Also note that the first five ribs attach at the top of each segment with the exception of the first rib which falls in the middle of the first segment of the sternum (manubrium)

It is important to know the position of the first rib and the fifth rib and of course the tenth rib. This as you can see greatly simplifies the rib-cage and makes everything fall into place.

Note the plane break that I have indicated, where the cartilage attached to the bone and the angle changes from a downward angle to an upward one.

This is a start <> more to come <>

First, let me again say thanks for your support in 06 and I will try to keep them coming in 07. As most of you know I am working on several projects including DVD's and books. I am also planning to do some streaming videos step-by-step tutorials as well.

I know this looks like a great deal of measuring but in reality I stress during everything visually and freehand without the use of mechanical aides.

The purpose is to train the eye to see visual relationships and proportions.

These are all based on the "Cranial Index" (sometimes called the Sternal Index) which is used by the scientific community in human studies.

I would like to stress that drawing is really a matter of connecting the dots.
It is about knowing where a line starts and where it ends. In anatomy we calls those insertion points. Getting from one insertion point to the other is what line does the way that the makes that journey is what makes the difference.

One must have some concept of proportion and that proportion needs landmarks to make it functional.

The following plan diagrams and thumbnail projections are based on a grid system which I have developed based on the "Cranial Index"

I could give many acknowledgments here but will save that for the books.

These are just beginning sketches and roughs for book folios.

I know they are hard to read and I apologize for that as well.

I have heard many times in forums like these that, I hate school or I am not good in school and all I want to do is art.

Let me tell you that it is all very important. Learn as much as you can about math, (especially geometry) physics, biology, history, literature, English, music, dance, architecture, botany etc. etc. etc.

The more you know the better your art will be.

In dealing with the rib-cage remember that the important thing is its over-all form and as far as the details such as individual ribs note the insertion points the angles and fine the first, fifth and tenth ribs is probably enough for a starting point.

The rendering of detail is not as important as understanding that function creates form.




Most medical skeletons have spinal columns that do not have as much curvature as in a live person (look at x-rays if you can) most anatomical text drawings are done from these inaccurate skeletons.

So try to make sure you understand the correct curvature/vitality of the spinal column because that vitality will put more life into your drawings.

[shyamshriram]

Very informative as always Sir !
Great to have you here at CA

Wish you a very happy new year

[Gspot]

o man o man..beautiful style daddy-o. yes very informative indeed.

[conceptzaholic10]

you got some amazing work here! very nice!

[Cup of Joe]

DVD's and books.... streaming videos step-by-step tutorials as well.

You, sir, just made my day. Definately a book that would stand proudly in my shelf.
Keep up they great work!

[dunkelgold]

Oh yes...

And have a wonderful 2007!

[oma]

plz,,, if you are finished making those books > let me know > i have to buy them.

i was allready doing some study's from the cranical index form your forum > SOFA.

that works for me more than the 8 face index.


THANKS FOR THIS, this made my day. Really i did!

[mentler]

This post is because I could only open this thread through my signature. Just trying to fix that problem. Seems to work better now

Oma <> the Books will start flowing this year.

[NikhilSalvi]

Happy New Year Year!!!

Great Sketches pld: ...took a while for me to go thru them, Looking forward to see them all compiled into a book

[Justin.]

Brilliance Dr. B, brilliance!

[The Crazy Dude SRD]

Thanks for showing your studies on the skeleton... They help alot... You get your book out and I'll pry it out of the clerks hands before it hits the shelves. hehehehe... Keep up the work doc.

[Dreamworker]

Very interesting method of human figure construction, I saved all of the comment and pictures for read with more attention.
Keep it up ciao

[blacky]

Happy new year
Mr Bone Doctor
am awaiting the release of your book