In this tutorial, we are going to draw the schematic framework of the figure from a rear, eye-level view. Many of the steps here are similar or identical to steps in drawing the schematic figure from the front view, so if you’ve learned to draw the framework of the axial and appendicular figure from the front, you should find this lesson relatively easy. That’s why we’re tackling the framework of the entire figure in this single tutorial.
Tutorial 07: A Schematic Drawing of the Figure from a Rear, Eye-Level View
Because so many of the steps here are similar to those in the front view tutorials, I’ve limited the commentary, except for those steps that are new or different than what’s been shown before. In any event, be sure you have pretty good grasp on drawing the axial figure from the front view and drawing the appendicular figure from the front view before you tackle this lesson. If you get stuck here, refer back to the appropriate steps in these earlier lessons (Tutorials 02 and 03) for help.
Fig. 1. The core axis divided into eight head lengths, with the ground circle defining the ground plane.
As always, we begin with the core axis divided into eight parts, each equal to the height of the figure’s head (fig. 1). The lower seven of these “head units” should be gridded into two columns. Indicate the ground plane with a foreshortened circle centered on the intersection of the core axis and the bottom of the eight unit, which is the horizontal axis of the ground circle. From an eye-level view of the figure, this foreshortened circle should be about 3/4 of a head length in height, and offset on the horizontal axis so the near half is slightly greater than the far half (due to perspective distortion).
There are 9 steps in this tutorial. So if you’ve drawn the eight-head grid and ground circle, let’s get started…
Fig. 2. Draw the back of the head as a circle that is 2/3 of a head length in diameter.
Step 1: The Back of the Head
From a rear view, we do not see the height of the entire head, though you may wish to draw it lightly (fig. 2). What matters most is to draw the back of the skull or cranium, which for now is a nearly perfect circle, about 2/3 of the total head length in diameter. Later we will modify this shape somewhat to reflect the actual shape of the cranium.
Fig. 3. Draw the rib cage as in the front view of the figure, but without the thoracic arch. Instead, the lowest ribs rise to a point less than halfway up the third head unit.
Step 2: The Rib Cage
Begin drawing the rib cage as you did in the front view, like an egg with its point about 1/8 of a head length below the chin (fig. 3). The sides should be a little less than 2/3 of a head length to each side of the core axis.
The only difference between the front view of the rib cage and this rear view is that you do not draw the thoracic arch. Instead, the lowest ribs in the rear view should angle only slightly upwards toward the core axis, reaching their high point a little shy of halfway up the third head length.
Fig. 4. Draw the collar bones exactly as in the front view of the figure. Correct the shape of the back of the head by flattening the bottom of the circle, and draw the neck if you wish.
Step 3: The Collar Bones and Neck
Draw the collar bones (or clavicles) exactly as you did for the front view of the figure, beginning at the pit of the neck, about 1/3 of a head length below the chin (fig. 4). The collar bones should angle slightly upward as they move away from the core axis, about 2/3 of a head in length to each side.
Correct the shape of the cranium by flattening the bottom of the circle you drew in Step 1, and straightening the outside lower curves. If you wish, you may draw in the sides of the neck, though these contours are really defined by the sternomastoid muscles, and properly belong to a schematic drawing of the muscles. If you do draw the sides of the neck, they should be 1/4 of a head length to each side of the core axis, as in the front view.
Fig. 5. The shoulder blades are nearly triangular in shape, with the top and bottom points flattened. The outer angles point toward the core axis, 1/3 of a head length down the fourth head unit.
Step 4: The Shoulder Blades
You can now draw the shoulder blades or scapulae, which are new to this tutorial. Each scapula is roughly triangular in shape, with its inside edge in line with the outside of the head and angling slightly away from the core axis as it descends (note the pink shape in fig. 5). The outside angle of each triangle points toward the core axis, about 1/3 of the way down the fourth head unit.
At the level of the outside of each collar bone, flatten the top points of these triangles at a slight downward angle. These short angles define the position of each acromion process, which is part of the shoulder blade. The bottom point of each triangle should also be flattened at the bottom of the second head unit.
Fig. 6. Draw the outside edges of the pelvic region as in the front view of the figure.
Step 5: The Outer Pelvic Region
Draw the outside angles of the pelvic region as you did for the front view of the figure. At the top, these angles are in line with the outsides of the rib cage, and descend steeply toward the bottom of the fourth head unit, about 3/4 of a head length to each side of the core axis (fig. 6).
Fig. 7. The sacral triangle begins about 2/3 of a head length down the fourth head unit and angles upward toward the outside corner of each shoulder blade.
Step 6: The Sacral Triangle
From a point on the core axis about 2/3 of the way down the fourth head unit, draw a diagonal line toward the top outside corner of each shoulder blade (or the outside corner of each acromion process; see figure 7). These angles define the sides of the sacral triangle, a feature on the rear of the figure just above the cleft between the buttocks.
Fig. 8. The hip bones curve inward from the outer edges of the pelvic region and follow the angles of sacral triangle toward the PSIS points, about 1/3 of a head length below the top of the fourth head unit.
Step 7: The Hip Bones
Near the top of the fourth head unit, curve or angle the same diagonal lines away from the center of the figure and connect them to outsides of the pelvic region (fig. 8). These somewhat rounded shapes are the hip bones as seen from the rear.
About 1/3 of a head length below the top of the hip bones, sharply curl the inner diagonals of the hip bones toward the outside. These sharp curves represent the posterior superior iliac spines (or PSIS), which are prominent features on the back of the figure.
Fig. 9. Draw the legs and feet in a similar manner to the front view of the figure. The heels do not come forward as much as the toes did in the front view.
Step 8: The Legs and Feet
Draw the legs almost identically to the way you drew them in the front view of the figure, beginning with the greater trochanters to the inside of the widest points of the hips (fig. 9). There is no need to draw the knee region in the rear view. The lower legs curve outward as they did in the frontal view, reaching the ankles just above the curve of the ground circle.
The major difference between the front view of the legs and this rear view is in the feet. Because our figure is standing with the arches of the feet over the horizontal axis of the ground circle, the heels come lower than that axis line. However, they are not as low as the toes were in the front view. In the distance, the outer toes of each foot may be visible to the outside of the heels, reaching almost to the far side of the ground circle.
Fig. 10. Draw the arms and hands almost exactly as in the front view of the figure. The elbows may include three bony points, which lie on a slight diagonal line with each other.
Step 9: The Arms and Hands
Finally, draw the arms almost exactly as you did for the front view of the figure. The top of the axis of each upper arm (or the head of each humerus) should be drawn just below each acromion process, bisected by the outer angles of the shoulder blades (fig. 10). The axes of the upper arms angle outwards toward the elbows, about one head length to each side of the core axis and between the hip bones and the bottom of the rib cage.
In the rear view, you may wish to draw the three points of each elbow, which lie in line with each other on a slight diagonal. The more prominent inner point belongs to the ulna, one of two bones in the lower arm, while the slightly smaller outer points belong to the humerus.
The axes of the lower arm angle back in toward the body, reaching the wrists at the bottom of the fourth head unit. As in the front view, the hands may be drawn a simple mitten shapes for now. When the figure is fleshed out, the thumbs and inner fingers of each hand will be hidden behind the thighs in the rear view.
And that completes the schematic framework of the figure from the rear, eye-level view. Practice these steps until you can draw this view flawlessly from memory. You’ll then be ready to progress to adding the muscles to the back of the torso and hips, which is the next tutorial.
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