Studying Anatomy and REMEMBERING IT?

[n0ireclipse]

Looking over all these fantastic artists, apparently, it /is/ possible. BUT HOW?

What ways have you guys found to be most effective in learning (and retaining) anatomy? I know there used to be a thread for learning, but I believe it's died long since.

[B u r l]

well the more you draw it the more it's likely to be ingrained into your memory for later retrieval. it's important to study the muscle structure as well as the bone structure, plus knowing the general proportions. some just find memorizing it easier than others. when anatomy sticks in my head the most it's usually after i finish a life drawing session, but this is helped greatly by being able to visualize (huurrr to an extent) the bone structure and muscles.

[Mirana]

What Burl said. You have to be using the info in order to retain it. It's not magic, it takes time.

[n0ireclipse]

True true true. But I've heard tactics of drawing a group of muscles for such a number of times, then trying to draw it from memory.
Sounds more effective than simply redrawing the subject and hoping it sticks.

But i dunno. I'm not audacious enough to try it. ;]

[Noah Bradley]

Repetition.

Copying anatomy drawings (loomis, bridgman, etc.) endlessly eventually sinks in. At least for me.

[Pawkfox]

Its the same in everything. The more times you do something, the more you remember it. Until finally it becomes like reflex and you can do it blindfolded.

A samurai was trained to be able to do one final cut even if his head was cut off.

This is how I began learning, I'd look at a cartoon (rayman) and first copy it.
Then I'd draw the same picture without any reference and I'd be able to get it almost exactly like the original.

[B u r l]

A samurai was trained to be able to do one final cut even if his head was cut off.


lolwhat?

[Hyskoa]

A samurai was trained to be able to do one final cut even if his head was cut off.

lolwhat?


2nd.

And how exactly would they train for that? Do they start with losing the tip of their head and keep slicing stuff off until they eventually lose their entire head?
If this was part of the basic training, you wouldn't have any samurai's left.



Much like monty python:

- "'t is just a scratch."
"But your head is off."
- "What's your point?"
...

[Serpian]

Well, you could just devise a test for yourself, much like you try to memorize the American states and their capitals, or the rivers in Europe. Make a "map" of the body or part of the body with the names of the muscles in the right palces, from some reference. Then make another, identical map, without the names. Memorize the muscles, then try to write them down correctly on the blank map. Just like in school.

BUT

Just knowing the names of the muscles won't automatically make your drawings better. You could know the muscles inside and out (ew.), and still not be able to draw a realistic figure. However, you can use that anatomy knowledge for building up your figures, and to better understand what you see when you do life drawing. And you really need that in order to draw realistically from the imagination.

[Flakari Leader]

2nd.

And how exactly would they train for that? Do they start with losing the tip of their head and keep slicing stuff off until they eventually lose their entire head?
If this was part of the basic training, you wouldn't have any samurai's left.



Much like monty python:

- "'t is just a scratch."
"But your head is off."
- "What's your point?"
...

I think the quote means to say that the samurai would train a technique or a movement so much that it's ingrained in muscle memory. They would work at it until it's instinct instead of a thought.

[Hyskoa]

I think the quote means to say that the samurai would train a technique or a movement so much that it's ingrained in muscle memory. They would work at it until it's instinct instead of a thought.

Nnnnnnnnnno, you don't say.

[Flakari Leader]

Nnnnnnnnnno, you don't say.

YYYYYYYes, I do say.

[wheels9696]

Repetition is the mother of all learning...I'm constantly refreshing my anatomy by going back to reference that I drew months ago and redoing it several times over...it helps to get it engrained in the memory banks...

[jrr]

i find that it's not so much remembering stuff, it's knowing. remembering can be forgotten, but knowing can't be unknown.

[MidgardSerpent]

i find that it's not so much remembering stuff, it's knowing. remembering can be forgotten, but knowing can't be unknown.
And in a related question, do people eat or drink soup?

[jrr]

if it's frozen it can be eatten.