How to Draw Like Leonardo Da Vinci - The Muscles and Bones of the Head and Face
Among the leading anatomists of ancient Europe, Leonardo da Vinci remains most widely studied.
However, he did not regard himself a master of the subject and kept his large collection of over 200 drawings & associated huge volumes of notes, under cover during his lifetime.
Considering the limited advance of science in that era, he had to follow his industrious method of dissecting human corpses to aid his learning.
Unconfirmed accounts suggest that he used almost 30 male and female dead bodies for the work.
His study of the skeleton and the muscular systems is one of the most extensive ones.
To draw the bones and muscles of the head and face like Leonardo da Vinci, the following points would be of significance: •Model image.
A reference image will help you follow the understanding of the body parts through the diagrams that followed the successive stages of dissection.
You may refer to books, journals, internet, etc.
•Style.
As mentioned earlier, Da Vinci covered his subjects through a series of sketches, highlighting the ramifications of the bones and muscles from different angles of views.
He labeled and supplemented each of such pen and ink diagrams with brief notes, on the same sheet of paper.
Da Vinci also studied the proportion of bones and muscles that provide the basic shape of the face.
His curiosity was targeted towards understanding what makes certain faces beautiful.
Bones.
One of the most revealing frontal drawings of skull features it slit longitudinally into two.
It is known for its accuracy and details.
This sketch portrays the nasal cavity, sinuses, the root of the teeth, and the external contours with great clarity.
On the left side of the main sketch, he presented the four types of tooth structures.
Of the two side views, one shows the cheekbone, while the other omits it out to expose the maxillary sinus area.
Very careful shading effects bring out the hollows, fissures, and curves of the skull.
•Muscles.
Da Vinci created some comprehensive drawings of superficial muscles of the face, neck, and shoulders.
The series displays the impact of movement on the muscle structure and covers different parts in details.
The closer sketches of face include the side view that portrays zygomaticus, levator labii superioris, and temporal fascia, among others.
•Shading.
Pay attention to the shading effects as they help in distinguishing between the various body parts and impart the desired form to the subject.
However, he did not regard himself a master of the subject and kept his large collection of over 200 drawings & associated huge volumes of notes, under cover during his lifetime.
Considering the limited advance of science in that era, he had to follow his industrious method of dissecting human corpses to aid his learning.
Unconfirmed accounts suggest that he used almost 30 male and female dead bodies for the work.
His study of the skeleton and the muscular systems is one of the most extensive ones.
To draw the bones and muscles of the head and face like Leonardo da Vinci, the following points would be of significance: •Model image.
A reference image will help you follow the understanding of the body parts through the diagrams that followed the successive stages of dissection.
You may refer to books, journals, internet, etc.
•Style.
As mentioned earlier, Da Vinci covered his subjects through a series of sketches, highlighting the ramifications of the bones and muscles from different angles of views.
He labeled and supplemented each of such pen and ink diagrams with brief notes, on the same sheet of paper.
Da Vinci also studied the proportion of bones and muscles that provide the basic shape of the face.
His curiosity was targeted towards understanding what makes certain faces beautiful.
Bones.
One of the most revealing frontal drawings of skull features it slit longitudinally into two.
It is known for its accuracy and details.
This sketch portrays the nasal cavity, sinuses, the root of the teeth, and the external contours with great clarity.
On the left side of the main sketch, he presented the four types of tooth structures.
Of the two side views, one shows the cheekbone, while the other omits it out to expose the maxillary sinus area.
Very careful shading effects bring out the hollows, fissures, and curves of the skull.
•Muscles.
Da Vinci created some comprehensive drawings of superficial muscles of the face, neck, and shoulders.
The series displays the impact of movement on the muscle structure and covers different parts in details.
The closer sketches of face include the side view that portrays zygomaticus, levator labii superioris, and temporal fascia, among others.
•Shading.
Pay attention to the shading effects as they help in distinguishing between the various body parts and impart the desired form to the subject.
