Day 8 : The Digestive System

In order to survive, the body need sustenance and nutrients, this is why we intake food and drink which is then processed by the digestive system. Overall the digestive tract is almost 26ft long. When the stomach receives food, the gastric juices break it down as so it can pass through the small intestine. Once here, it is further digested by the pancreas and gall bladder. Here, the liver plays a part in converting the nutrients, generating waste and changing poisons into less harmful products. The nutrients the liver produces are taken into the bloodstream while the waste products are excreted.

The image above is referenced from a body type study by jinx-star. The image below I referenced from the same study yet added my added my understanding of the internal organs.

Day 7 : The Respiratory System

The respiratory system controls and regulates breathing. The lungs are subconscious muscles which works constantly, however, we do have direct control over the lungs through conscious thought.  The purpose of the lungs is to bring oxygen into the body. The oxygen is received by the blood and oxygenated. The oxygenated blood is transported around the body via the intrinsic vein system and back to the heart, to be oxygenated again. This cycle continues infinitely. When we exercise, or fuelled with adrenalin, or generally ‘out of breath’ our lungs and heart work faster in order to pump oxygenated blood around the body faster as the body needs it quicker in order to function.

The lungs are composed of the bronchus, alveoli and bronchiole. Oxygen travels past the mouth, down the trachea and into the two lungs. The muscles of the lung draw the contraction of the diaphragm. When oxygen is inhaled the diaphragm extends and upon exhaling it reduces. The little air sacks within the lungs, the alveoli, take in the oxygen. There are over 700 million of them. The bronchus and bronchiole are the tiny tubes and pipes within the lungs that allow oxygen to travel there.

The two female figure studies are taken from reference from ArtsyPoses. Image_01, Image_02.

 

Day 6 : Integumentary System

The integumentary system includes the skin, hair, nails and sweat glands. Not only does the skin protect the inner body, it also acts as a massively intrinsic defence system.  Skin is very tough, its thickness ranging somewhere between 1-3mm (its thickness increasing around the souls of the feet, palms of the hands and back).

Skin is constructed of three main layers, all of which can be further broken down. The outer layer, the epidermis, is a sheet of skin which is constantly replenishing itself. Beneath the epidermis is the dermis. The dermis is a thick wall which provides skin with a lot of its elasticity. Finally, the innermost layer is the hypodermis which contains the fat tissue. The body uses fat as its food source. Though our daily food intake supplies us with our daily energy source, the fat reserves are kept as an emergency food source to provide energy when it isn’t being provided by carbohydrates. Fat also has secondary functions, such as protecting the body from cold and reduce shock from impact.

The fats builds up in different areas between men and women. Men primarily gain weight around their mid-drift, while within women it’s more prominent around the thighs and buttocks.

The bodies temperature is controlled by sweat glands within the skin. When the body is too hot it will produce sweat in order to cool down. The main sweat glands are found in the arm pits, around the groin and behind the knee.

The loose study in charcoal is based on William Bouguereau La Vague. Bouguereau is a renaissance artist whose portraits primarily depict fuller figured women. This shape is reflective of that period and evidence that the female form initially gathers fat cells around the hips and thighs.

Day 5 : Skeleto-Muscular System

The skeleto-muscular system is responsible for allowing movement within the body. In order to provide movement, muscles must work in pairs. For example, in order to curl the bicep upwards, the tricep must be present as this action also requires this muscle. Without these two muscles present, this action would not be possible. This is true of all other muscle pairs within the body.

There are three different types of muscle: striated, smooth and cardiac. Striated muscles covers all voluntary muscle within the body which we have conscious control over. Smooth muscle is involuntary, it is found within the walls of the hallow organs, such as the intestines. Cardiac muscles is strictly confined to the heart, this is an involuntary muscles which works continuously. ‘Cardiac’ derives from the fact that it is directly affected by out cardiovascular fitness. The fitter we are the stronger and larger our heart will be.

Tendons attach the skeletal muscles to the bones. At the full extent is where movement stops. The tendons restrict the body from over exerting itself.

Reference for the image:Anatomy for the Artist.

Day 4 : The Skeletal System

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.

Day 3 : Current Understanding of Anatomy

I’ve decided that the best way to learn and understand the human form is to expand my knowledge on anatomy. I already have a vague understanding of the bones and muscles from P.E. at GSCE level (as demonstrated by the diagram).

I figure the best way to learn is to start with the very basics, therefore, I will begin my studies with the very fundamentals of the human form: systems. I will spend the next week or so studying the functions and processes of the systems within the body.

The image displays just some of the bones and muscles I can remember learning about. Hopefully, within a fortnight, I will have an understanding of the majority of the bodies interior parts.

Day 2 : Angry Facial Expressions

Today I’ve done some brief practice on angry facial expressions using some of the models from Mark Simon’s Facial Expressions A Visual Reference For Artists as reference.

Though they’ve turned out more Marvel than expected, it’s really help me understand the power of the brow.

Day 1 : Introduction

Hello all! This is a place where I intend to upload a daily sketch in order to improve my skills and track my progress.

I’ll mainly be uploading figure and anatomical studies, but I shall also dabble in character designs.

I am currently a student at the University of Salford studying Computer and Video Games with aspirations of becoming a Character Artist within the games industry.

You can also find me on Tumblr, where mainly upload digital paintings and 3d works. LinkedIn, for a shortened version of my resume. And my personal Twitter, if you wish to get to know me better.

Below is a figure study of the male form. Reference taken from Sarah Simblet’s Anatomy for the Artist.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or tips people have to offer in order to help me on my journey.