Draw muscles under stress
Patrick J Jones explores the rhythmic nature of muscles in motion as he harnesses the power of gesture
Patrick J Jones explores the rhythmic nature of muscles in motion as he harnesses the power of gesture.
In this month’s instalment we’ll do a study of the male back and arms, exploring the natural rhythm of muscles and the expressive nature they display as they counter-balance and work in union to move the body with style and grace. As someone who loves anatomy this is simply a beautiful thing to observe, but being an artist also it opens a world of possibilities, of flowing shapes, lines and rhythmic tones.
Use the two photos shown here to draw from, and reference them against the supplied Tug-of-War study sheet on page 89 to identify the muscles and their interactions. My first book, The Anatomy of Style, was initially all study sheets documenting my knowledge of anatomy, but then became a more voluminous book. Taking those first notes and learning anatomy memory clues and basic structural shapes gradually fed my subconscious, and freed me up to draw gesturally.
the shape-shifters within us
Yet why do live studies when we have anatomy books to study from? The answer is simple. Anatomy is basically the same for everyone in a non-action pose, but the moment we move, the muscles change shape and affect each other as they jostle and push against each other. In other words, muscles are shape-shifters.
Add to the fact that we’re all different shapes and sizes with different personalities and degrees of expression, and we end up with unlimited chances for expression using the human figure. Look at the way a boxer moves compared to a ballerina and you’ll see a world of difference in expression of line and tone within what is basically the same human anatomy.
Of course, studies by nature are a notoriously slow affair, with a studied drawing usually ending up on the stiff side. Unfortunately, I’d also not drawn for a month before this assignment. I’d been in the US for the wonderful IX show on imaginative realism, where I was giving a lecture on my latest book, Figures from Life which is about the gesture of anatomy. On that note, the best way to counter stiffness borne of outrageous rust is to draw lots of gestural drawings beforehand. Okay, with that said, let’s get started…