Down to the Bare Bones

This article was originally published in Artist's Magazine-October 2011.

Contrapposto Skeleton

Here's a before-and-after illustration of what happens to the skeleton when the body shifts to a contrapposto pose.

from Human Anatomy by Jose M. Parramon

Bones and Surface Anatomy

The bottom sketch illustrates how the bones affect and shape surface anatomy.  The shape of the hip on the right-hand side is formed by crest of the pelvis and the great trochanter of the femur.

from The Human Figure by John V. Vanderpoel 1935

The Simple Skeleton

Here's a great example of how the skeleton can be broken down into simple shapes.  The rib cage has been turned into a half-egg shape, the major joints are sketched in as balls, and the clavicles are lines.

from Figures/Faces by Hugh Laidman

Bones of the Forearm

Look how the ulna and radius seem to twist as the wrist rotates.  Remember, the radius is the bone that is at the base of the thumb and the ulna is the bone that creates the "large bump" on the pinky side of the hand.

from Human Anatomy by Jose M. Parramon

Gender Differences

When looking at male and female skeletons side-by-side, one will notice several general differences.  Men tend to have "studier" looking bones, a squarer-shaped head, longer limbs, a smaller pelvis in comparison to the rib cage, and their femurs exit the pelvis at a straighter angle.  Women tend to have a "delicate" frame,  more of a rounded skull, shorter limbs, a large pelvis in comparison to the rib cage, and their femurs exit the pelvis at more of an angle.

The image on the left really shows the differences in body shape between the two genders.  Men are at their widest across the shoulders, women are at the hips.

from The Beginner's Guide to Human Anatomy by James Horton