After doing some studies into the skeletal system I discovered that it consists of all the bones, cartilage and ligaments within the body. The fundamental purpose of the skeletal system is to support and project the body.
Consider the skeleton as the underlying mesh of the body. It provides the shape, holds and supports the muscles, allows movement, protects and shields vital organs and produces blood-cells. An adult skeleton consists of a total of 206 bones, the is considerably less than infants, which are placed somewhere between 250-350 bones. This is due to the fact that bones have the power to essentially ‘heal’. From infancy to adulthood, bones fuse together, which explains why they lessen. This is also true of breaks. When bones are broken, if the original pieces are still present, the body will weld them and automatically repair. However, bones cannot grow without their counterpart. For examples, amputations and severs will not be able to reform the missing bone(s).
The consistency of the skeleton makes it one of the strongest materials known to man. It can withstand an extreme amount of force and compression while also remaining flexible and elasticated. The bones adopt a cylindrical form to increase strength. Furthermore, bones are also curved in order to increase their surface area, the is evident for the ulna and radius, tibia and fibula.
The cartilage is largely made from collagen. Overall, there are three different types of cartilage: fibrous, elastic and hyaline. Fibrous cartilage creates the form of the pubic symphysis and intervertebral disks. Elastic cartilage create the shape of the ears, changing in density to give it its different textures, while the hyaline cartilage is the most common cartilage. Hyaline creates the rings of the trachea, bronchi within the lungs, gives the shape and form to the nose and ribcage and covers joints and articular sections of bone.
As so the skeleton isn’t a floating mass within the body, they are joined and placed together by ligaments. The ligaments provide the support for the joints and bones, while providing the movement. If a ligament were to tear, it would disable specific movements within that area.
I really need to invest in an A3 scanner, as I hate having a small canvas to work on. As you can see, I can’t work well on a smaller scale.
Drawn with 3B on 110gsm.
Lucy Anna Lowe 