Clavicle and Shoulder Girdle

This week in class we focused on improving our manikens and finishing up the semester. Specifically, we did some drawings on improving our knowledge of the shoulder girdle/blades and collarbone or clavicle.

            The rest of maniken page numbers were given, and we have to do finish off all the leg and hand areas, and if not done, all the lower leg areas (which I have to go back and modify).

            In class we learned that the shoulder blade is a triangular wing like structure from the middle of each side, long ways vertical on the ribcage. It has a point that goes towards the outer edges where the shoulders start for the arms.  The direction of the indentation below the shoulder blade will indicate the direction of the overall ribcage and is an essential landmark for drawing the human figure. Although can be harder to spot on fleshier models, it is pretty clear when there is movement of the arms that there will be a shadow on the figure.

            The clavicle is at the base of the neck and runs almost horizontally across to just before the shoulder and then part of it twists up and over. This indentation in the upper chest/neck area is a very noticeable area on any figure, as it usually is not too fleshy, and it makes a pit at the base of the neck. The twisting area on both sides of the neck is also an interesting piece of bone structure that can be emphasized in body buildings, but also indicate where some of the neck muscles make a easily spotted drop by the shoulders and connected the shoulder to the body. This is important in understand fundamental structure of the upper body outer appendages.

            We then applied this information in some long poses, trying to get back into the swing of things, we also did many gesture drawings and tried to include the ribcage, pelvic area, other noticeable features and also put in the shoulder blades and clavicle. This was helpful in getting into the groove again.