Unit 1: Anatomy - Hand Studies

Hello Everyone,

Got my hand studies somewhat finished now, I could spend forever working on them so I thought now is as good of a time as any to post em. I basically went into the bone structure and even gathered a formula to how they are constructed.

It was discussed the other day in life class that everyone is different and that is true. That being said there is a general rule to the human figure so it is correct to the person(s) eye.

When things appear elongated or out of perspective it is usually because the general rule is missing so it can satisfy the viewers eye. That's my take on things anyway. Onto the Hand...


(Fig 1) was my immediate stab, I wasn't aiming for it to get anywhere. I just put my hand in the most deformed position I could and blasted it with the camera. I was rather happy with the end result, it had life to it, even though the thumb could use some work. Listing the bones (Fig 2) was my idea just to imagine where they sat.


Next (Fig 3) I wanted to see the bones on their own specifically and lay the flat just to generalise what I was dealing with underneath (i.e the shapes etc). This was a bit counter productive as they do not generally sit like that, but I realised that later (after my Research). The small hand underneath labeled initial was just something I jotted no idea why...


The next drawing I fleshed out (Fig 4) was the bone structure on its own. Just to see if I could construct the hand from the bones themselves, this probably took the longest. Fig 5 was built from Fig 4 directly and larger with a hell of a lot more detail. The pose is not very imaginative but the fist is something I've kinda been curious about since getting a lot of them when I was in school... erm... moving on.


The next image (Fig 6) was my attempt at perspective drawing. I pumped the image onto my television and kept raising my arm for angles and general proportions. The drawing is as rough as it gets but it is probably the closest to how my hand actually is. It was a success considering I'm new to this measuring malarkey.


The structure began to intrigue me at this point I was already watching my structure of man DVD set and penciled down a grid to lay out my hand. First, I drew out Fig 7 in the library keying in the tones and what went where in general. Then later that day I went home and layed out a 4 x 2 grid (Fig 8) and started following my mentor Riven Phoenix (mans a genius). Fig 9 followed, detailing the bones in the main 4 fingers. Fig 10 was looking at the structure of the wrist and how the knuckles linked into the base of the hand and how the base of the hand connected to the wrist.


Finally I just started drawing the bones, they were intriguing me more and more. Fig 11 was a giant rough but I kept it like that because it showed me the structure in full use (going to grab something). From there I drew a number of rough hand poses (some better then others). Fig 12 represents the front on shapes of the connecting wrist bones. Fig 13 represents a flat hand pressing on something. Fig 14 similar idea to 13 just a different angle. Fig 15 was a retouch on the formula I had reviewed over the prior few drawings. Fig 16 was some form of an upper cut (trying to do the opposite of 14 and 15). Fig 17 was back to the basics - how everything interconnected.

Well that's it for my hand studies, I don't doubt I will do more just so I don't forget this structure system. Looking forward to the feet next but I'm glad the worst one is done... I feared the hands more then the feet.

My system is to remove the painful stuff as quick as possible, don't let it fester, because sooner or later you have to approach that fear and shake its hand...

Anyway, take it easy.

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx