ANATOMY MASTER CLASSStudents Handbook

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim

too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low,

and achieving our mark.”

Michelangelo

Please accept our heartiest congratulations on enrolling in the Anatomy Master Class!

Whether you are a beginner or already have some formal art education, this Course will teach you something new.

In the Anatomy Master Class, you will discover all you need to know about the proportions of the human body, its anatomy, and practical steps for drawing figurative artwork.

The purpose of this course is to give you the necessary practical knowledge about human anatomy and proportions that you can apply in every figurative work, whether you are drawing from life, memory, or imagination.

The course is delivered in 25 video lessons. For the best results, we recommend watching these lessons one by one in sequential order. The videos are packed with information. You may find it helpful to pause the video from time to time and make sketches and notes in your sketchbook.

It is not about copying what you see on a screen, but understanding the principles of anatomy and construction, the functions of the main bones and muscles, classical canons of body proportions, and how to draw figures and portraits.

To accomplish this task, you do not have to draw the same figures and portraits as we do in the video lessons. Instead, observe and comprehend

How to benefit from the Anatomy Master Class video course - Personal note from tutors

the information and drawing principles, then use them in your own creative projects, whether you draw models or improvise from your imagination.

That is the reason why we do not provide reference photos in this course. To help you to achieve better results, we advise drawing your own pieces thoughtfully, not absent-mind copying someone else’s drawings.

A simple sketch that you do with the full understanding of the body’s proportions and anatomy will be much more useful and valuable for your creative development than a beautifully rendered figurative artwork that has been copied without thinking of what lies beneath the skin and how the body is constructed.

If you copy a drawing, the result would be one unoriginal artwork. If you learn the main rules, principles, and techniques of drawing figures and portraits, you will develop essential figurative drawing skills for a lifetime.

Learning how to draw is not a one-time project, it is a lifelong process. That is why we give you lifetime access to the course content. There is no expiration, no deadline. Take your time and go through the lessons thoughtfully.

Good drawing skills come with practice. There is only one person responsible for your creative development: you. Practice drawing often, every day if possible. If you put in the time and effort, positive results will follow.

Although it can be helpful to have access to live models and antique sculptures, it is not required. If you can attend some life-drawing sessions locally, you may find it useful first to watch the Anatomy Master Class video lessons and then try your skills in a life class. The same goes for drawing classical casts and sculptures in museums and art galleries.

If you don’t have access to models, however, it should not stop you from learning anatomy for artists.

It is entirely possible to learn what you need to know about the human body’s skeletal structure, muscles, and proportions by just watching the Anatomy Master Class video lessons. Afterwards, you will be able to draw from imagination, create self-portraits, ask friends and family to pose for portraits, or even ask people on the street if they would like a free portrait. You may be surprised at how many people will be happy to have a portrait drawn free of charge. Eventually, you will find a model. There is no excuse not to practice figurative drawing and portraiture.

Drawing from life will also yield you far greater benefits than using photos. You also need to practice sketching from imagination to develop your figurative drawing skills.

Take inspiration from Classical art. The rich heritage of the Great Masters of the Renaissance and Baroque periods will help you to develop good taste and the necessary vision to see and portray the beauty of life in art.

Quality is not the same as quantity. It is not about how many portraits and figures you draw, but how thoughtfully you create them. If you draw one hundred portraits, you will have a sizeable collection. However, if you draw ten portraits but pay full attention in them to the anatomy of the head, its proportions, the surface planes, and the interplay of light and shadow, then you will have a much richer learning experience and understand more deeply how to draw a head.

Stay in touch, we are ready to help! You can rely on us for any art-related questions, whether you are wondering how to develop your skills or simply want a professional assessment of your figurative works of art.

To your creative success,

Vladimir London and Natalie RichyAnatomy Master Class Founders and Tutors

Drawing Materials and EquipmentMost likely, you already have all the drawing materials necessary for the Anatomy Master Class.

The list is very short:

• few graphite pencils (HB, 2B or similar);• drawing paper and / or sketchbook(s) in the sizes and quality of your

choice;• eraser (white rubber and / or kneaded);• red pencil;• pencil knife.

It is a good idea to equip your workspace with a drawing board and masking tape to attach paper to the board. However, this is completely optional, as you may prefer to draw on a desk.

Every artist has a personal preference when it comes to drawing materials, so we do not advocate any particular brands.

ANATOMY MASTER CLASS ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment 1 – Contrapposto sketches

The main objective of this assignment is to gain a full understanding of the contrapposto pose and to learn the constructive principles of the human figure in this pose.

Watch video lesson 2 to familiarize yourself with the contrapposto pose.

Draw from imagination and make live sketches of human figures standing in contrapposto, with their right or left legs engaged. Indicate schematically the positions of the pelvis, the spine, the axes of lower and upper limbs, and the oval of the head. Do not concentrate on details like facial features or realistic body outlines. Pay attention to the directions of the axes and the main proportions of the body. Make sure that the body’s center of gravity is located straight above the engaged foot.

The list of assignments below will help you structure your educational process in the Anatomy Master Class.

Following these assignments is totally optional; you may work on figurative drawings of your own choosing, so long as you apply the drawing principles, rules, and know-how you develop during the course.

Assignment 2 – Proportions and construction of the human body

The main objective of this assignment is to learn the main classical canons and proportions of the human body, as well as its skeletal structure.

Watch video lessons 3 and 4 to learn the Classical proportions of the human body and skeletal construction.

Draw figurative sketches from memory and imagination using this new knowledge about bodily proportions and construction.

Assignment 3 – Skeletal and muscular anatomy of the human head

The main objective of this assignment is to learn the proportions, anatomy, and constructive drawing principles of the human head.

Watch video lessons 5 and 6 to discover the main proportions, bones, and muscles that make up the human head.

Draw sketches of a head, including both the skull and facial muscles. Also make constructive sketches of a head, using your knowledge of the main proportions of the head and face.

Assignment 4 – Skeletal and muscular anatomy of the human body

The main objective of this assignment is to learn the primary bones and muscles that shape the human body.

Watch video lessons 6 through 13 to familiarize yourself with the major bones and muscles of the human torso, pelvis, shoulders, arms, hands, legs, and feet.

Draw from memory and imagination multiple sketches of a human torso and other parts of the body, indicating the shapes and proportions of the main bones, as well as the origins, shapes, and insertions of major muscles.

You can use a graphite pencil for bones and red pencil for muscles if you wish.

Assignment 5 – Figurative artworks

The main objective of this assignment is to apply the knowledge you have gained in the previous video lessons into your figurative works of art.

Watch video lessons 14 through 24 to learn how to use information about the proportions of the human body, its skeletal and muscular anatomy, and constructive drawing principles to create human figures and portraits in a step-by-step process.

Draw from life, memory, and imagination realistic figurative artworks, applying what you know about human anatomy and proportions.

Create artworks in your preferred medium and style: draw or paint figures that are sitting or standing, full length or head-and-shoulders portraits, single figure or multiple figure compositions… the choice is yours.

Draw what you know about the human body; avoid copying what you think you see.

When you feel more confident creating figurative art, thinking back to your knowledge and skill level before enrolling in the Anatomy Master Class, share your success with the world! Apply for the Anatomy Master Class Graduation Certificate.

Anatomy Master Class Graduation Certificate

After the course, you will be entitled to receive the Anatomy Master Class Graduation Certificate.

This is to commemorate your achievement of completing the course and putting your new knowledge into practice.

You can apply for the Anatomy Master Class Graduation Certificate after one month from the date you enroll. There is no deadline or expiration period. You can take as much time as you need to go through the course and can obtain the Graduation Certificate during the lifetime of the product.

However, this Certificate is not awarded automatically. We want to make sure that you benefited from the course and would like to see your results.

How to apply:

Please send us a story together with samples of your figurative artworks – one figure or portrait drawing from before you took the course or immediately after you started, and another from after the course, once you learned human anatomy and proportions.

Make sure to include in your story the following four points:

- Before...Let us know what your figurative drawing skill level was before you took the course and the reason that you enrolled.

- Now...What has changed? What have you learned from the Anatomy Master Class? How will your new knowledge be applicable to your creative pursuits?

- Which means...How will your new knowledge about the anatomy and proportions of the human body impact your creative career?

- That is why...Would you recommend this anatomy course to other art students? Why?

You can submit your drawings and feedback on this page:http://anatomymasterclass.com/graduate-feedback

After your feedback and drawings have been reviewed, you will receive the Anatomy Master Class Graduation Certificate.

Your story and artwork may also be published in the Students Gallery.

After receiving the Graduation Certificate, you will continue to enjoy full, unlimited access to the Anatomy Master Class content, as well as support from the course tutors.

Your next steps

Even the greatest fine artists never stop learning.

If you want to learn more about traditional drawing techniques, including constructive drawing principles, linear and aerial perspective, golden proportions, rules of composition, the theory of tonal values, professional rendering techniques, and much more, you can enroll in the Drawing Academy course at http://drawingacademy.com

Drawing is the foundation of all the fine arts. If you already have strong drawing skills and want to learn the secrets of traditional oil painting techniques that are not taught in contemporary art colleges, you can enroll in the Web Art Academy course at http://art.webartacademy.com

Thank you very much for studying with us.

To your creative success,

Vladimir London and Natalie RichyFine Artists and Art Teachers