Rib Cages and Abs

We started some intense lectures this week in life drawing about the importance of the rib cage. The rib cage is the center, the core and arguably the most important structure in the human body. It protects our precious organs and plays a huge role in defining our frame. So many visible landmarks exist because of the rib cage’s characteristics and it is important to understand what to look for when you are drawing. A full day of lecture on Tuesday enriched our understanding of the relationship between the spine and the rib cage. Many comparison of the rib cage to an egg were made that day, which really helped me visualize what I was drawing. I never really thought too intensely about the rib cage in previous drawings. I was always more concerned about identifying the collarbone, shoulders and the hip bones and never really looked deeper to analyze the rib’s structure. This lecture only increased my desire to start sketching. Fortunately, that desire was fulfilled on Thursday when we spend the entire class time drawing the model. I struggled most with my gesture drawings at the beginning of class. I had a difficult time resisting the urge to outline my figure and draw muscles and details. I kept seeing the model instead of the skeleton underneath. Eventually things became easier as the class went on and I was able to recognize and analyze the plane shifts. I still feel I have some practicing to do and I hope to continue improving. Here are some of my longer in class drawings and my model with more muscles added.