Drawing from the Inside Out

At the beginning of every figure drawing, the artist is faced with a daunting task in
defining a subject that is painfully complex yet supremely organized. Without initially
simplifying the figure, the artist may become overwhelmed.
It is very important in the initial stages of a figure drawing to be able to use some
kind of simple framework to define the dimensions and proportions of the figure
on the paper. The artist needs a simple and accurate system for starting the figure
on paper without getting bogged down in too much detail. One way of doing this
that works well for me is to go back to the foundation of the figure itself and draw
a simplified skeletal structure. Figure 2.1 shows a simplified skeleton; notice that
it isn’t too much more complex than a simple stick figure.

Figure 2.2 Make your skeleton the correct proportions.

 The simplified skeleton should be
proportionally correct, as shown in
Figure 2.2, where I have overlaid
the same proportion chart used in
Chapter 1.
This simplified figure is very useful
in roughing out figures and figuring
out compositions. It is easy to
draw and doesn’t get bogged down
in detail. Here is an example of
how you can use it in conjunction
with Figure Artist.