Anatomy wonderings

[Luke25]

Hi guys. Now this might come across as ranting but please be sure that i am not.

When you draw a picture of a person in a pose you get comments from people saying there hands are to small or big or there ears arn't the right size (and so on) I keep thinking that in the real world people have different size body parts. (once again remember i am not ranting lol)
obviously some of the people that comment are highly respected within the buisness and know what there talking about.

I just find it weird that in the real world people arn't always in proportation yet when we take on the task of drawing we try to draw the perfect human.

Just my 2 pennies.

Thanks for reading.

[FourTonMantis]

When starting with anatomy, we draw the "ideal" figure to understand where everything on the body is placed and proportions. Once placement and proportions is understood, then variations based on things like ethnicity and body type can be made. If a body part looks big in proportion to the rest of the body, it's too big. Yes, people have different sized body parts, but too big is too big no matter what.

[Luke25]

Thanks for your input mate.

Luke

[MiniGoth]

There are variations, but most of the time a comment like that refers to a size difference that is so notable that it appears to be a deformity.

[Oruhito]

Interesting thought...
Some are taught to draw that way at first because it will benefit them later. For example, if an experienced artist is drawing a figure as accurately faithfully as he sees it in reality, no one will comment to him that x, y, or z looks wrong or distorted: because that is how it looks.

But if a novice artist tries to draw a figure as accurately and faithfully as he sees it in reality it will look 'distorted' or wrong in some places. The reason behind this is that the novice does not understand structure. If the novice just copies down what he sees it will look wrong because of his marks aren't correct. They're in the 75% ball park. That's why people are taught at first to draw an ideal model: because they're marks will not be accurate when they copy, and they don't know the anatomy, perspective, or gesture. An expert on the other hand KNOWS anatomy, perspective, and gesture. PLUS his marks are a hell of a lot more accurate: in the 95% ball park. They don't need to worry about the structure, and anatomy and perspective: they just paint or draw what they see. Thus, lots of experts like say, Tony Ryder can copy the visual image of the model down perfectly without thinking about anatomy, perspective and gesture, while the novice CAN'T.

The name of the game is being able to draw the figure without the model there. And to do that you must be able to picture and draw an 'ideal' model. That way when the model IS there you don't have to think twice about anatomy, etc,. It's all second nature.

[Luke25]

Thanks for the replies guys. A good read.