Zazerzs' Anatomy Box:studying anatomy crits and comments welcomed

[Zazerzs]

Hi, thank you for visiting my thread. I've let my drawing slip a bit these past years, not doing it much if at all, and its time to get it going again. To start I'm going to do a bunch of anatomy studies. I'll use Artistic Anatomy by Dr. Paul Richer and the Bridgman books. For the start I'll keep the time short on em and move on trying not to get to bogged down if my measurements go a little a stray, I'll tighten up more once i knock some of this rust off.

[Zazerzs]

Some more. Back and sides

[Zazerzs]

and some hands and eyes.. thats all for now, off to make a few more. Oh and Comments are welcome :) kind of doing this in a box so to speak.

[Zazerzs]

Here are the tools I'll be using and my set up.

Conte pencil HB, Cutter and Sanding board for sharpening.

[Zazerzs]

and the two from tonight. Looks like I'm destroying my faces :( need to fix that.

[The Gurch]

great little thread, and some nice pencil work. I like the way you have everything laid out. And the gloves you wear..its the sort of thing a slick serial killer would display his handiwork! LOL.
Do you draw form life also?

[Zazerzs]

Thanks Gurch. I do draw from life but not in years. I will return to open life drawing sessions soon. I'm in the Seattle area and the Gage Academy of Art open studio is probably where I'll start.

I'm going to try to keep this thread purely anatomical studies.

[Zazerzs]

another front, still getting measurements wrong here and there.

[Eclair]

nice anatomical studies!!!
the only thing is about your stile drawing.. is it usual pencil? or something like chalk? looks so fat.. IMO

keep going...

[Dpendleton]

Very good drawing man,what book are you drawing from?

[Zazerzs]

Ekler: thank you, the pencil im using is a Conte pencil HB,I can sharpen it to as fine as a pencil point, although my lines are getting a little heavy,need to watch that. Something to improve.

Dpendleton: thank you. The book im using currently is Artistic Anatomy (http://www.amazon.com/Artistic-Anatomy-Practical-Art-Books/dp/0823002977/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211221135&sr=8-1) by Dr. Paul Richer. I like the bridgman books for anatomy function, mechanics and structure, Artistic Anatomy for clear anatomy and Vanderpoel (http://www.amazon.com/Human-Figure-John-H-Vanderpoel/dp/0486204324/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211221381&sr=1-1) for surface shading.

[panchosimpson]

Nice studies so far, it's great to see someone really working on anatomy nose to the grindstone. One thing you're missing is a feeling for the bones, your drawings focus a bit much on the muscles and don't look very solid as a result. What you should do is draw the bones first and draw the muscles from origin to insert, so if you're drawing say, the vastus internus, you'd draw the pelvis, femur, tibia and patella...and the fibula if you want, then start at the smaller trochanter and draw the bone down to the common tendon. This way is moire analytical and will help you out more in the long run. If you do end up studying at the Gage, make sure to study some constructive drawing on your own, to round out your draftsmanship. Hope this helps

[Zazerzs]

Thanks Pancho: I agree I'm concentrating too much on the muscles, after you mentioned it I noticed I haven't layed out any bone points yet :P ..dang
I'll do the skeleton 1st exercises soon. Constructive drawing is on the list of things to do :) I'm pretty much going back to basics. I plan on just dropping into the Gage life-drawing classes on the weekend no instructional classes. I am interested in Juliette Aristides, she studied at the same studio I did, at different times. Unfortunately my time there was brief.


Here are two from tonight. My goal right now is to get through the examples in the back of Artistic Anatomy.

[Zazerzs]

:thinking: 2 from tonight.

[Twitch.]

These are all fantastic. studies though they are the style is awesome, keep at it =)

[Whitevillage]

Very inspirational progress there. I'll look to shape my pencils that way as well.

[Zazerzs]

Very inspirational progress there. I'll look to shape my pencils that way as well.

Thanks Twitch and Whitevillage , just becareful cause they tend to break.

Was away for a bit, 2 from tonight

[Zazerzs]

only one today meh :/

[krispee]

nice studies, Zazerzs, you have an almost comic book way of drawing, quite architectural even, with your use of small straight lines instead of curved, i have a tendency to do that, i put mine down to my engineering background......but your measurments are very good and you have a very good eye for detail.....
excellent work, keep it up.....

kris

[Zazerzs]

Thanks krispee.

from tonight, one step back it seems, plus two

[Sketchie]

I really like what you are doing here. very good. I wish to do more anatomy work. Your work is very good.

[Zazerzs]

Thanks Sketchie.

two more from tonight. Done with the torso section for now, kinda sluffed the back twist one a bit... got to heavy handed around the head... I'll probably post my memory tests too, see how much is retained and what I need to study more. onto arms!

and I'll add the arms to this as well,

[Zazerzs]

arm set#2 :painting:

[Zazerzs]

arm set 3 plus 2:thinking:

[the_allejo05]

nice studies..try investing on a skeleton..they sell it cheap..you wont get anywhere until you draw the bones first..and try your hand at observing the real thing..trust me..ritcher and brigman are excellent..but at the end you have too look and draw from the real thing..Just know im starting to sculpt each bone (with plastiline and then painting it with acrylic) from life..just now things are starting to make sense..even though i drew the bridgman book twice..and have drawn from countless books..anatomy is to be had first hand..but yeah..this also help...
also after you finish copying this try to do them from memory..to really see how much you are learning..drawing anatomy from your mind is imperative..good luck
have you look at his dvds..right now im studying from the dvds..lesson 131 hehe..im drawing along with him..
even though they are not the best anatomy drawings..the way riven approaches anatomy has helped understand it more..get it its cheap..then all the bridgman and ritcher will make more sense.. http://thestructureofmandvd.blogspot.com/

[Zazerzs]

Thanks the_allejo05 . I agree with ya, I've been on the fence about buying a skeleton for a while, didnt want a cheap one and wanted one with a decent skull. I 've been searching around the net and found one that will hopefully work, just ordered it.:D

I do memory drawings already, only posted one i did, quickly a few weeks ago. Need to do them more regularly though. I'll post more when i have em.

the DvDs are cheap enough to give a try, I've been curious about them.

[krispee]

love the new arm studies, Zazers......i have Jeno Barcsay for my anatomical studies, but i`ve heard that Bridgeman is also excellent for that, plus i have a lot of Loomis books and stuff....but nothing beats from life of course.....

kris

[Zazerzs]

Thanks again krispee. I have Jeno Barcsay in my collection and have drawn from it before, there are some nice plates in there. I have most of the well known anatomy books Albinus, Peck,Rimmer,Schider,Hale,Bridgeman,Richer,Leonardo plates, and a few medical ones although i don't use the medical ones much. Well those are the ones i like at least. I dig Bridgeman, ill be mixing in more of that soon. Here's a small update as I wait for my skeleton to arrive. Last arm from the set, onto legs.

[Tomaka]

Wonderful work! It's not very often that you get to see such detailed drawings of human anatomy on here! I look forward to seeing more!

[R&F]

Hey Zazerzs, thanks for dropping by my sketchbook, well I must say I admire your diligence, my only advice would be to try Hogarth anatomy books they show really good how to put all of this human machinery in motion and space, anyways keep it up.

[xinranliu]

yay bullethead pencils!

[SweetPea]

nicely done sir

[Toobs]

Lovely, you're getting a great.. greaaaat base for future artwork now. I'm looking forwards to coming WIP's from you!

Toobs

[Zazerzs]

Thanks for the nice comments Sweetpea and toobs :)

Hardest thing these days is finding the time to do more. Crunch time ends in a month or so then I can get back to it :)

[Zazerzs]

In the spirit of finishing things.

[My57]

hey i like your anatomy. Im just wondering what book you got for the anatomy? I haven't seen to many that do the whole under the skin look. Loomis does it a little for somethings but I wouldn't mind finding more books with that kind of style in it.

[Zazerzs]

Thanks My57 the book is called Artistic Anatomy by Dr. Paul Richer. I like it alot.

Here is some other anatomy stuff I've been working on, Skeleton studies, memory tests ect.

[Zazerzs]

leg outside view studies (referencing William Rimmer and Dr. Paul Richer)

[hitnrun]

I'm loving the anatomy studies. I think you have a very odd way of drawing, when it comes to the angle of the support. It's apparently working for you, so it must be your comfort zone.

[Zazerzs]

thanks Hitnrun, I'm not exactly clear on what you mean by "the angle of support"

could you tell me a little more?

I'm guessing you are saying that my drawings have a tilt to them?

If so that may be my scanning and not straightening them back up in PS, if not tell me more. :)

[SweetPea]

zazer you seem to be exaggerating some of the muscles and de-eccentuating some others, particularly in these latest ones of the legs, particularly the rectus femoris(part of the quadricep group of the upper leg) and gastrocnemicus(calf region, there is not actual calf muscle, hehe) try taking another look in that Richer book i saw before.

but i defintely like that you break things down into shapes and then define them after, good method to use, lots of big names seem to have used it, raphael michelangelo leonardo, etc.

keep drawing! doing well =)

[Zazerzs]

@SweetPea Thanks : yeah I agree that my scaling on muscles is all across the board. Hopefully that will improve. :painting:

[SweetPea]

haha yeap it will dont worry, im curious is this last page from ur memory or reference?

[byrondunn]

Well i think they all look great i only wish i was as good. keep up the studying. when do you know your there ? is it when you can do it without thinking or just when your happy with them. Am not sure but i guess you will know when you are.

[Zazerzs]

SweetPea: that page is all from reference: just trying to understand the layering of the muscles : so I started with the bones and went from diagram to diagram adding the muscles.(in Artistic Anatomy by Dr. Paul Richer) Its helping.. i think :) I need to do more for sure but each time I do it remember just a little bit more. The two arms in the bottom left corner are from Fritz Schider: An Atlas of Anatomy for the Artists I'll be doing more studies from him.


byrondunn: thank you :) I don't have it yet but I'm on the path. I think you are there when you have control over the information. Right now I have only a limited understanding of whats going on, still need to get things down more in my mind before I'll be happy, and even then there will always be areas I will need to improve upon.

more studies: I'm trying to be as transparent as I can on how I'm going about this, that way others can tell what I'm up to.

Hoping that those better than I can offer advice and those who are wondering how to study anatomy can see one example of how one person is going about it.:yayca:

[steven6]

LOVE these, especially the top 4-5, anatomy is a bitch, and I'm learning it takes practice every day, to nail it. You are on your way. Hands are a bitch-you have some nice box form studies-keep it up.
Best

[baker10]

nice studies mate, im new here, were did you draw these from?

[Zazerzs]

steven6: Thanks :) appreciate the nice comments.

baker10: welcome to CA. Thank you. I'm doing my studies from a variety of anatomy books and Mr. Bones ,a skeleton that I picked up about a year ago. I try to call out each book when I post if I did a study from it.

Some facial feature studies from Bridgman and my latest morning memory test.

Chests (Schider/Richer)(drew one side then flipped in ps)

[Joe777k7]

You have some amazing posts and studies here. Im still woring on improving mine.

In the picture where you show ur desk and your materials could you tell me how you got you book to stand up like that and what book that is?
It looks like a bridgeman book or something.
:lifedrawing:

[Marian Rowling]

Hey Zazerzs first I admired your sketchbook and now I'm admiring these studies. Really nice work and very motivating to someone such as myself. Thanks for sharing and be so helpful it is appreciated. :)

[pretentieuse]

These are absolutely amazing. Love your linework, your mechanical precision, and the angular...ity. Angularity? It's really nice. Thanks for sharing. I have Richer on loan from the library, but I am apparently not appreciating it as much as I must. You're lovely; don't ever stop!

[Bicnarok]

Excellent, the body with muscles are like a map it gets intersting when you try foreshortening.

[MightyApplejacks]

Oooh you have a skele-mannequin? Awesomesauce!
(I could really do with one of those. There's only so many skeleton references I can draw out of the one anatomy book I've got Dx)

Great stuff, you've got quite the intense studies going here! :D Also liking the colour studies of muscles, first time I've seen that. Keep it up!

Might I ask what the memory tests comprise of? Have to say I'm curious..

[Zazerzs]

sorry for the late replies, i don't like to post in here without an update :nohope: but I'll do one soon k?


Joe777k7:Thanks! I got that book to stand up by wedging it between my drawing board and a stack of books. The book is Artistic Anatomy by Dr. Paul Richer.

Marian Rowling:Thank you, that's very nice of you to say :steph:

Bicnarok: you bet, I build em from memory as best I can, I post most of that in my sketchbook, something I'm workin' on.

AjaxDynamoDroid: Yup! Mr. Bones I call him.I waited to long to buy one. Mine cost around $300 and was more than worth it. Haven't been spending much time with him lately, But since I need to post something in here Ill do some bone studies soon.

Thank you. I took a little break as I've been concentrating on drawing other things lately but I'll start em back up!

My memory tests are drawing a front,side and back view of the figure without reference adding all the anatomy I know or think I know. I start with a quick skeleton most of the time and add the muscles to it. It lets me know what parts to work on and study more. Lately I've been using a dip pen with ink to draw them.

[marvelmania]

Hey!
I'm studying anatomy to become a comic artist and I saw this thread, very helpful indeed, and so I decided to ask you, also because as I saw on this picture, you were learning these things from an anatomy book. So I wanted to know, if you dont mind the name of this book because it looks very interesting!
I will wait for your reply as soon as possible!
Thanks for the thread and good job!

[Cory Hinman]

Hey!
I'm studying anatomy to become a comic artist and I saw this thread, very helpful indeed, and so I decided to ask you, also because as I saw on this picture, you were learning these things from an anatomy book. So I wanted to know, if you dont mind the name of this book because it looks very interesting!
I will wait for your reply as soon as possible!
Thanks for the thread and good job!

http://www.amazon.com/Artistic-Anatomy-Practical-Art-Books/dp/0823002977/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1306329238&sr=1-1

[Scizzorhäns]

Hooray for anatomy! I see you use a sanding board to sharpen your pencils. Do those work better than regular sharpeners or is that just personal preference? I've never used one so I just wondered. . .

[rem92]

dang.. cool anatomy studies man.. impressive

[keith eager]

Good stuff. Anatomy doesn't seem to be a problem. You may want to work on your drawing instead, especially line quality. This is something that I struggled with as well.

Try analyzing old master drawings, I've included an example here:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pfjWfGjUQyI/Tgo63S6Q09I/AAAAAAAAAhE/Z9qGiXs4BWc/s1600/michelangelo%2Banalysed%2Blabels.jpg