1 Two triangles
In previous workshops we have discussed the importance of studying bones and their landmarks, and it is no different here. I won’t fully cover these landmarks here (please refer to the guides in previous issues), however I will give you a useful simplification for actually observing these in real drawings.
The most useful simplification of this kind, in my opinion, are the two ‘triangles’ of the torso. As shown here, it consists of the more wellknown Pelvic Triangle below, with the two ASIS points and the pubic bone, and the lesser known thoracic (ribcage) triangle above, existing between the two landmarks of the 8th rib and the central sternum. Observing the particular tilt and orientation of these two triangles will be key to deciding all of the general orientations of the torso in relation to each other.
You might wonder, why not use the shoulder line for this? The reason is that the shoulders are designed to easily move around into a number of different positions, and need to be flexible to fit this function – and are therefore fairly unreliable from pose to pose. In contrast to this, the ribcage is much more of a rigid structure; allowing only for enough movement to breathe, it is therefore the much more reliable choice.