Everyone takes specific care in learning how to draw
figures. Some will delve into the musculature and skeletal system to achieve an accurate body type. Having the body bend at
natural spots and having the muscles appropriately placed. However, many will neglect to learn how to illustrate the human
hands and feet. Leading to a less than believable "character." Equal detail should be paid to these parts as they are more
complex than they seem. If you look at the hand, it has many different lines, creases and veins. Look at how the skin pulls
over these areas. In order to draw the hands and the feet you can use the same techniques used in order to draw the human
body itself (see Figuring It Out, on the Archive page for example). Look at your hands or feet in as a series of different
shapes. The hands can be broken down into various squares, rectangles and triangles. Pay attention to the shading on both
the hands and feet because this will make for a more believable , 3-D looking appendage.
Simon says, touch your toes. Now that you are looking
at your feet, begin to brake down what you see into simpler shapes. What shapes do you see? For the foot you can use a series
of triangles, rectangles, squares, or in a side view even circles.
Everyone uses these appendages differently. Age, weight,
occupation, and many other factors can cause subtle to significant differences, all of which should be accounted for in order
to create a anatomically correct individual.
