The skeleton is the armature and the understructure which defines the human body.
Leonardo da Vinci realized the importance of the skeleton which he sketched over and
over.
The Skeletal Structure: One can use elements from the underlying structure of the
body to draw more proportionate figures. The best way to use the skeleton is to first
draw the skeleton from different views. Then look for places where the skeleton is
evident when drawing the figure.
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The skull has the same proportions as the head. One can find the eye sockets
halfway between the top of the head and the chin.
The collar bone (clavicle) protrudes enough that it is easy to see when drawing
the figure.
The shoulder blades (scapulae) are also easy to discern in the upper half of the back. The shoulder blades
are important to activate and add interest to the back which has very subtle variations.
The top edge of the pelvic bone (iliac crest) shows up to give an indication of the placement of the legs and
lower torso.
The knee (patella) and ankle bone (inferior extremity of the tibia) both protrude enough for careful
observation.
Chiaroscuro for the Figure
During the Italian Renaissance, artists used this convention or formula for applying light and shadow to objects. This
practice made it possible for artists to create an illusion of depth by simply following a standard set of rules for
applying light and shadow to a form.
some divisions of light/shadow:
highlight
The point closest to the light source where light is most concentrated. Highlights are easiest to see on reflective or glossy surfaces.
light
Half of a hemisphere is lit when a light source is present. We see more of the light side than we do shadow in the illustration at the top right.
shadow
The half hemisphere that is darker (not necessarily dark) which is opposite the lit hemisphere.
core shadow
This is the center of the darkened area. From our vantage point it is a thin crescent.
reflected light
Use this as often as you can. It can help to define the back edge of an object. It occurs in a shadowed area and is caused by light being
reflected from another area or created by a secondary light source.
cast shadow
This gives an object a nice sense of space
Changes in planes cause these amounts of light and shadow to be altered. This link to a Leonardo da Vinci drawing
shows how chiaroscuro is applied to the face. If you look closely at the chin, you can see the highlight with reflected
light on the underside.
Application of Chiaroscuro in life drawing
Light
Highlight
Shadow
Core Shadow
Cast shadow
Reflected light