Extract from my course From blocks figures to muscles: a Figure Drawing Foundation course

Summary

The transcript details a tutorial on human anatomy for artists, focusing on the muscular structure of the torso and limbs. It discusses the sternocleidomastoid, pectoralis major, and abdominal muscles, emphasizing their interplay and visual representation during movement. The instructor guides through blocking in muscles, considering body proportions, and creating harmony in the figure's structure. The session also covers the impact of arm movement on muscle appearance and the importance of understanding muscle interdigitation for accurate depiction.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The script discusses the anatomy and drawing of the human body, focusing on the sternocleidomastoid muscle and its relation to the ear and mastoid process.
• 🎨 It emphasizes the importance of understanding the body's structure and creating harmony in the drawing, which involves both knowledge of proportions and an aesthetic sense.
• 🤔 The process of blocking in the rectus abdominis and external oblique muscles is described, highlighting the need to consider the body's solidity and the effects of movement.
• 👀 The script explains how to visualize and draw the serratus anterior muscle, which covers the side of the ribcage and adds to the figure's profile.
• 📏 The importance of considering the body's three-dimensionality and how it affects the tonal characteristics of the drawing is discussed.
• 💡 The approach to drawing is described as one that considers the body as a series of volumes rather than flat shapes, which aids in understanding the form's interaction with light and shadow.
• 👕 The script describes how the pectoralis major muscle changes shape as the arm moves, affecting its appearance in the drawing.
• 🤲 The interplay between the serratus anterior and the external oblique muscles is highlighted, showing how they interdigitate and affect each other's visibility.
• 👉 The process of drawing involves considering the body's movement and how it impacts the muscle's appearance, such as the stretching of the pectoralis major when the arm is abducted.
• ✍️ The script provides a detailed step-by-step guide on how to block in and refine the muscles of the torso, emphasizing the need for accuracy and attention to detail.

Q & A

What is the significance of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in the context of the provided script?

The sternocleidomastoid muscle is significant as it is discussed in terms of its external portion and its development towards the clavicle. It is used to illustrate the connection and fluidity between different parts of the body, emphasizing the importance of understanding the structural aspects of the body in movement.

How does the script describe the relationship between the earlobe and the mastoid process?

The script describes the earlobe as being in a specific location relative to the mastoid process, which is felt under the ear. This description is used to provide a tactile understanding of the anatomy being discussed.

What is the purpose of blocking the muscle in the script?

Blocking the muscle serves to observe the flow and connection between different parts of the body. It is a method to understand the harmonies inherent to the body's structure and movement.

How does the script suggest measuring the aesthetic sense in relation to body proportions?

The script implies that the aesthetic sense in relation to body proportions is not something that can be directly measured. Instead, it is a result of the knowledge of proportions combined with an individual's aesthetic sensibility, which is reflected in how they put the elements together.

What is the significance of the rectus abdominis and external oblique muscles in the script?

The rectus abdominis and external oblique muscles are significant as they are used to demonstrate how to block in the abdominal structure and understand the body's form and movement. The script describes their origin and insertion points, and how they change with the movement of the arms.

How does the script discuss the concept of 'interdigitation' in relation to the serratus and external oblique muscles?

The script discusses 'interdigitation' as the process where the serratus and external oblique muscles interlace with each other. This concept is used to explain how the flat profile of the muscles becomes more complex and bumpy as they interact with each other.

What role does the pectoralis major muscle play according to the script?

The pectoralis major muscle plays a role in changing shape as the arms move. The script describes its origin from the clavicle, sternum, and ribs, and how its fibers intermingle with the rectus abdominis. It also explains how the muscle's appearance changes with the rotation of the arm.

How does the script describe the process of drawing the figure considering the three-dimensionality of the body?

The script describes the process of drawing the figure by considering the body as a series of volumes and forms rather than flat shapes. This approach helps in understanding the tonal characteristics of the subject and the interaction between different body parts.

What is the importance of understanding the structural aspect of the body in the script?

Understanding the structural aspect of the body is important because it allows for the creation of harmonies that are inherent to the body's parts and movements. This understanding is crucial for accurately representing the body in various poses and actions.

How does the script guide the reader to visualize the positioning of the iliac crest and the navel?

The script guides the reader to visualize the positioning of the iliac crest and the navel by suggesting that the navel is located roughly halfway between the top of the iliac crest and the sternum, providing a reference point for the abdominal region.

What is the significance of the serratus anterior muscle's digitations in the script?

The serratus anterior muscle's digitations are significant as they contribute to the profile of the figure and interact with the external oblique muscle. The script describes how these digitations should be oriented properly and how they change the muscle's profile as they interdigitate with the external oblique.

Outlines

00:00

🏃‍♂️ Anatomy and Movement Dynamics

The paragraph discusses the anatomy of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and its connection to the clavicle. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the body's structural aspects and creating harmonies in movement. The speaker talks about blocking the muscle and observing the fluidity and dynamism of the body parts. The focus is on the sternum, navel, and abdominal structures, highlighting the need for a good approximation of the body's proportions and aesthetic sense in movement.

05:02

🎨 Artistic Approach to Body Structure

This section delves into the artistic approach to understanding the human body, treating it as a series of solids and considering the effects of movement on the body's form. The speaker discusses the ribcage and its interaction with the muscles, particularly the external oblique and serratus muscles. The emphasis is on the tonal characteristics of the subject and how the approach to drawing the figure changes based on the perception of form and three-dimensionality.

10:16

🤸‍♀️ Detailed Muscle Anatomy and Interaction

The paragraph focuses on the detailed anatomy of the serratus and external oblique muscles, explaining how they interdigitate and change profile as they connect with the ribcage. It discusses the directional changes of the muscle fibers and how they appear 'bumpier' as they segment on the digitations. The speaker also talks about the pectoralis muscle, its various portions, and how its shape changes with the movement of the arm, providing insights into the muscle's interaction with other body parts.

15:18

🏋️‍♀️ Pectoralis and Bicep Muscle Dynamics

This section continues the discussion on the pectoralis muscle, detailing its clavicular, sternal, and abdominal portions. The speaker explains how the muscle's appearance changes with the abduction of the arm, noting the stretching and elongation of the muscle fibers. The paragraph also covers the insertion points of the pectoralis and bicep muscles, and how their positions change with arm rotation, providing a comprehensive understanding of muscle dynamics during movement.

Keywords

💡Sternocleidomastoid

The sternocleidomastoid is a muscle located on the side of the neck, running from the sternum and clavicle to the mastoid process of the skull. In the video, it is mentioned as part of the anatomy being studied, highlighting its importance in the structure and movement of the neck and head. The script describes the sternocleidomastoid's stern external portion and its connection to the clavicle, emphasizing its role in the body's structural harmony.

💡Mastoid process

The mastoid process is a bony projection behind the ear that serves as an attachment point for various neck muscles, including the sternocleidomastoid. The script mentions feeling the mastoid process as part of understanding the anatomy of the neck, indicating its relevance in the study of the human form and the way muscles interact with the skull.

💡Rectus abdominis

The rectus abdominis is a major muscle group in the abdomen, commonly known as the 'six-pack' muscles. The video script discusses blocking in the rectus abdominis structure, which refers to the process of sketching or outlining this muscle group in a drawing. It is part of the video's focus on understanding the body's muscular structure and how it appears in various poses.

💡External oblique

The external oblique is a muscle of the abdomen and thorax that plays a role in torso rotation and flexion. In the script, the external oblique is described as starting from the fifth rib and wrapping around the side of the torso. This keyword is crucial for understanding the video's theme of anatomical accuracy in artistic representation, as it helps to visualize the muscle's contribution to the body's form and movement.

💡Interdigitation

Interdigitation refers to the interlocking or overlapping of parts, such as muscle fibers or structures. In the context of the video, it is used to describe how the serratus anterior muscle interdigitates with the external oblique, creating a complex and detailed anatomical interaction. This concept is important for achieving a realistic portrayal of the body's muscular system in the video's artistic demonstrations.

💡Pectoralis major

The pectoralis major is a large chest muscle that contributes to the shape of the upper body. The script discusses how the pectoralis major changes shape as the arm moves, illustrating the dynamic nature of muscle representation in art. This keyword is significant for understanding the video's emphasis on capturing the body's movement and form accurately.

💡Serratus anterior

The serratus anterior is a muscle that attaches the shoulder blade to the ribcage and is involved in various shoulder movements. The video script describes blocking in the serratus anterior and how it adds to the profile of the figure, highlighting its importance in the portrayal of the body's three-dimensionality and form.

💡Anatomical blocking

Anatomical blocking is a technique used in figure drawing and anatomy studies to outline and define the body's muscle groups and structures. The script mentions blocking various muscles, such as the rectus abdominis and external oblique, to create a foundational understanding of the body's form. This keyword is central to the video's theme of teaching viewers how to accurately depict the human body.

💡Tonal characteristic

Tonal characteristic refers to the way light and shadow interact with the subject in an artwork, creating depth and dimension. The script mentions understanding the tonal characteristics of the subject, which is essential for adding realism to the drawing. This keyword is relevant to the video's focus on creating lifelike representations of the human form through the use of light and shadow.

💡Fascial structure

Fascial structure refers to the connective tissue layers that envelop, separate, and provide support to muscles and other internal structures. In the script, the fascial structure is mentioned in the context of the abdominal area, emphasizing the importance of considering these layers when studying and drawing the human body. This keyword is integral to the video's comprehensive approach to anatomical study.

💡Volume and form

Volume and form are artistic concepts that refer to the three-dimensional space occupied by an object or the body part. The script discusses thinking of the body in terms of volumes and forms rather than flat shapes, which is crucial for achieving a realistic and three-dimensional portrayal in art. This keyword is key to understanding the video's teaching of how to visualize and represent the human body's complexity.

Highlights

Discussion on the sternocleidomastoid muscle and its flat and fusiform portions.

Explanation of the earlobe's anatomical position relative to the mastoid process.

Demonstration of blocking a muscle and observing the flow of forms.

Importance of considering the body's structural aspects and creating harmonies in movement.

The concept of measuring and understanding proportions in relation to aesthetic sense.

Technique for blocking in the rectus abdominal structure and its relation to the body's weight.

Description of the external oblique muscle's path and its connection to the rib cage.

Approach to considering the body as solids and predicting the effects of movement.

Technique for drawing the abdomen, including the rectus abdominis and the iliac spine.

Discussion on the use of fascia and its role in the abdominal area.

Explanation of the tonal characteristics of the subject and how they relate to form and light.

Method for blocking in the serratus muscle and its interaction with the ribcage.

Detailing the interdigitation of the serratus and external oblique muscles.

Technique for blocking in the pectoralis major muscle and its change in shape with arm movement.

Importance of understanding the 3D form of muscles rather than just their shapes.

Approach to considering the body's volume and form when drawing.

Technique for adding color and understanding form interactions in the drawing.

Final thoughts on the advantages of the discussed approach for understanding the human figure.

Transcripts

foreign

this is the Future 4 portion right and this  is the flat portion right so if you look at  

those electric quarter View actually  probably use this one is better right  

um we see how this is the stern external  portion of the sternocleidomastoid from  

behind this the fusi4 portion the flat  portion developed and goes to the clavicle  

makes sense that you see that's the ear hole  right so the earlobe is here here and under  

under there you feel the mastoid process right  that's the mastoid process right so [Music] um

so now um here we're blocking this muscle  and we should have seen that there are some  

some flows right look at  this it comes up down down

beautiful right see that very elegant  right very elegant right so um

considering this type of connection right fluidity  between the part or the body yes it's it's it  

means that you respect the structural aspect of  the body but also created these harmonies right  

you created Harmony that that are inherent to  the parts of the body in the movement Etc right  

so what we expect that um and how do you  measure that what you don't really measure  

that it has to be the results of your knowledge  of the proportion but also your aesthetic sense  

how you put them together you can maybe kind  of push that right for part of the [Music] um  

on the movement dynamism flows Etc so let's just  turn them right from here from the sternum down  

here I guess I have the linear Alba right  and um the navel is going to be about here

uh pretty much be halfway between not Halfway by  at the top the level of the top of the iliac crest  

right so now from here what we do we Block  in the rectus abdominal structure of Dominus  

um remember we have um when we Block in  director's abdominals here uh we want to  

make sure to occupy all the total weight here  the central the central half more or less now  

what this is tricky to do because it's not  frontal it's in the front to front of you but  

still we can you know we do good approximation  make this smaller and this is slightly bigger  

for example so from here um what is here here  is the seven as a fifth right fifth is one head  

down or or a little bit higher than the coastal  Arch because the cost of larger the seventh the  

rectus domini starts at the fifth so I go higher  a little bit higher come down like this right  

and you go down to the pubic bone now from here  same thing right here here and you draw this

segments that connect rib cage and pelvis

for now we leave it just like that like like  we did last week for the mail counterpart right  

and we add now the external obeak so let's turn  oblique starts from the fifth two right here next  

to the rectus abdomen here out out like that  and uh we need to leave a little bit of space  

here between the lateral margin  of director's abdominis and the  

major margin of the external oblique several  breaks that from here goes out a little bit  

to the fifth fret connect with fifth fret  and then it goes fifth sixth seven eight  

9 10 11 12 in the back all right so like this  wraps around like that right so when this  

lateral margin of the external oblique reaches  the profile of the rib cage then we have the um  

the muscle covering as much as you can the  Ricket but when we run out of Decay this goes out  

to to the area crash right so you can see now  how because of this tilt right this could be a  

little bit compressed not much could be a little  bit compressed because the pelvis comes up this  

way right the ribcage goes down that way that  is a soft part and a muscle so I might have a  

little bit of a bump in there right so this is  all speculation right but that's how the the  

the the great advantage of this approach  is that it makes you consider uh the um

the body as solids and what happened if I  move this what happens if I squeeze that right  

now from here I go following the profile of the  ribcage out like this right and then because this  

these two partners are distant probably this is  going to be smoother in the stretch right here

so this profile connects with earlier  Crest goes come in now when once so  

uh here right the muscle goes here like  this right here and then it keeps going a  

little bit here like this keeps going here  like this and then from here it goes up  

right like this it goes up so all here I have the  abdominal fascia which I'm going to block in later

so keep going down like this  and then it goes up here

I do the same thing on the other side

like that so now the in your spine is  going to be just here one here and one here  

now from the iliac spine I go down  to the pubic bone with a curved line  

like this and you see how you know more  or less right it's not really like that  

exactly but more or less I have here the  leg here with a curve like this right  

and then I have the line of the England ligament  down like that see that one and two in reality  

there is a little bit more space in between these  two but we just need to be essential now right so  

now same thing on the other side from Ilia spine  to the pubic bone down like this and up and that's  

the end of the abdomen right so all of this is  going to be uh fascia a phonologic fascia right

and um we can also block him some comfort here  actually I'm gonna use a red a red color for that

compare and red

you start coating um

collecting the uh there's the this strimetric  

structure with a layers right again this also  contributes to thinking to make us think as  

a drawing uh as a as a series of volume  of forms and not shapes but not shapes

as you can see that the approach that you use  for drawing the figure would change depending  

how you consider how you read your form if  you read it it's flat um is your shapes if  

you think of these as Broad and form you think  um you you use forms right three-dimensionality

foreign foreign

[Music]

that light again and then dark again here

so that's another advantage  of that this approach is that  

it it makes it easier to understand the  tonal characteristic of your subject  

now this goes out in under the cost  of logic goes a little bit right

out the belly right out light and then dark below  the belly here so we see this up here light line  

because this portion here is the right leg is for  the light then I move down below the Costa Raja  

turns then the belly goes out and then below the  belly goes back in right so light dark light dark

and then we want to um keep going with  this we see that just above this area  

here I have the pubic Mound here it's going to  be light and below that dark right light dark

any question guys

I want to clean up

foreign how is the speed  too fast to slow just right

good okay good good all right so now

um I can see if I can soften this up with  this thumb frame here you go right here

okay all right so now um we can do  we can block in the serratus right

so the serratus we think of the serratus as a  

two two flat muscles here the cover the side  of the rib cage here right so the stratus will  

add to the profile remember the sarats  here we add to the profile of the figure

goes from the first rib to the eight or  nine to the ninth rib and it it kind of  

connects here see that it continues to this  margin of the external oblique and it goes  

up like this to the first rib like this so  we block him a volume here and a volume here  

which is going to be less visible on this  side because it's it's on the side right  

so it can just turn we see less or the  volume of the uh serratus right so here

and then we need to remember last week  after blocking the form right we can give  

it some color overall here so we see how  a form interact with another form right

it doesn't interaction interact  with a four interaction interact  

with another form like this then um so this of the

it goes behind it goes behind yeah sorry you can  show me back in the clavicle because it goes to  

the ribs right it goes to the ribs um and um it  starts from the um the coastal face of the scapula  

but let's let's not worry about that because it's  behind we don't see it right so it's basically  

caused the the ribcage on the side like this right  the upper the upper the upper portion down down to  

the nine so you know a little bit more than just  the upper portion most of the top of the ribcage  

all right so um now here we have um from here  right from here this is the fifth right this  

is the fifth trip so remember director's abdomney  starts to the fifth the Serato sorry the external  

oblique starts to the fifth and at the fifth  digital fifth rib we have the fifth digitation  

or the surrounds right these are the digitation  right so now we take this flat muscle and then  

we divide it in segmented on the digitation  and as we do that the flat profile will become  

um bumpier like this see that here here here

and what we can do now we can this fifth  digitation will come down at the gentle angle like  

this see that here then below that I have the six  let's come down this slightly sharp angle right  

and the seventh like that so now what we want  to do we want to make sure that we have this  

change of profile right where the digitation  here show their own individual form and  

at the space here between the digitation single  digitation we need to take off the margin  

the original margin or the muscle that we  blocked in because this here this Jagged  

line see that here is where we have with the  serato's interdigitates with external oblique  

interdigitation right so that now first we had two  two flat lines I continuous to each other now we  

have interdigitation so um this here at this this  point in here what it is is uh this is the fifth  

the segment of the external oblique that starts  from the from the fifth trip this is the segment  

of the standard week they start from the sixth  trip this is the seven star for the seventh and  

so on and the seratos here uh goes uh just to  stop where the um this segment of the external  

break begins where this begins Etc and the  direction of this spastico of the external oblique  

it starts as 45 degrees angle more or less right  and gradually as we move down it verticalizes  

the direction of the of fibers  verticalizes down like that right

right so now we can keep going so um as we go  up right with this with the digitation we see  

that the so the fifth is like at an angle right  the fourth tip will kind of horizontal but still  

have to wrap around so that's relative right and  then the third is kind of change the direction  

then the second and the first will go up like that  but but these two the first and the second maybe  

also the third certain second are much even more  complicated than that uh they do they connect also  

with ribcage in different ways but we don't see  them so it's easy for us easier for us to think of  

the digitation of the serratus is organized  on a regular radiating pad like that  

and not don't worry about what happens up here  because it's hidden it's hidden by the pectoralis  

it's hidden by other muscle we don't see what  happens up here so we don't worry right but  

down here let's say from the third fourth fifth  sixth seventh we see them so we want to we want to  

Orient them properly yeah right so now um  we can block in here the pectoralis right  

uh with this uh uh Abduction of the arm we  can also study um the pectoralis how the  

pectoralis kind of changes shape as we move  the arms right so the pectoralis starts from  

um the lower margin of the clavicle right and it  goes this is the clavicular portion right this  

is the clavicular portion so remember  last week right so clavicular portion  

external cluster portion because this group  in here attached to the sternum and in this  

and and the ribs Coastal Ribs Right and the lower  portion is the abdominal portion that is connected  

with the abdominal fascia so um start with a um  a medial half right of the clavicle lower margin

so I mean largest a little bit more so you can  see it there you go right even better right so  

now goes with the median margin of the sorry the  media have or and the lower margin of let me say  

that again divided clavicle in two take the  medial half the lower margin or the major half  

is where we have the uh clavicular portion of the  pectorize then from here the pathology goes down  

along the sternum down like this when we get to  the level of the fifth or sixth year principle for  

the fibers the fibers of the tendon of the rectus  abdominis here kind of intermingle with the  

fibers or the pectoralis like the energy abdominal  portion right here down with the sixth okay so now  

maybe a little bit more up here now we  have a c see that is C right like that  

uh that's your point of origin the point  of research we have seen is along the  

uh side of the humerus but the humerus now  uh if I see it from the front like this  

uh the origin of the insertion of the pictology  is on the side of the humerus a little bit below  

the head of the humerus but if the arm now  turns in like this right this side here is  

not going to be it's going to be here now make  sense because the arm now is rotated right so um

let me get that let me get the norm right [Music]

foreign

foreign

[Music]

[Music]

this is the opposite all right but still  as the armor rotates inward right then this  

comes to the center so when you have the arm  like this the arm kind of rotate like this  

and now it's on the side here it's not  I mean here not on the side makes sense  

so um for now we will do we go Mark here a line  that represent the point of insertion you see  

in that line that rough line is quite it's quite  big and you want to consider that see this notch  

in here right that's where the tend on the bicep  goes here the tendulip pectoralis goes over that  

and the biceps start from comes out from  under here which we're gonna so the the  

bicep will be from here under here  under this Notch here like that right  

that's the bicep so now We Go From Below point  of um it's relation to the high point of origin  

and to the high point of insertion dual point  of order you can do also vice versa right so  

but side and down like that now as I do this  I the pectoralis here in this portion here  

will be stretched right would be stretched like  this so not gonna be so thick here it's going  

to be more elongated like that and change the  direction to this right so this portion here  

the pectoralis now is the portion that creates  like sort of a bridge right connects the two

right so this portion here the picture is  attached to the this the rib cage right  

but this portion here now is going to be stretched  because the arm moves away so this portion he gets  

elegant so I'm gonna have some sort of do  two different forms here one here like this  

which is the stretchy part and one and actually  let's see if I can find it in the pictures right