Human Anatomy for Artists

Why It’s Important + A Book Review

Human anatomy for artists doesn’t go nearly as deep and detailed as what one would learn in medical school. It doesn’t need to be. Even so, it’s still a daunting subject. I’ve read books, watched videos, and taken classes on drawing the human body and they’ve either been seriously lacking or far too complicated. In all my years, only one class has ever delivered what every art student should know. And not just about how the human body is put together and how it works, but how you as the artist can translate that knowledge to your artwork.

(Photo Credit: Rey Bustos)

It was a privilege taking this man’s class. His knowledge of bones, muscles, fat, and tendons is vast, but he explains it clearly, concisely, and energetically. He taught every class as though he had just downed five Red Bull energy drinks. He spent the entire period covering the blackboard in figure and anatomy drawings all while hopping up and down from a bench that was set right under the blackboard so he could reach the top. The blackboard would be covered in drawings that looked like the Old Masters themselves had guided his hand.

His name is Rey Bustos.

He has more than three decades of teaching under his belt. He’s taught at places like ArtCenter College of Design (where I took his class), Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, as well as online classes at New Masters Academy, and Computer Graphics Masters Academy. I believe he’s also at Kline Academy of Fine Art.

What’s super exciting is that Rey just published a book called, Rey’s Anatomy, which is solely dedicated to human anatomy for artists. From cover to cover, it’s a beautifully designed book. It’s filled with illustrations, both his and his student’s (a testament to Rey’s ability to pass his knowledge on). Other than the names of bones, muscles, tendons, and such, Rey explains things in ways that are easy to understand.

There are also exercises listed throughout the book for you to follow. These exercises are some of the same ones that he has his students go through in class. Each helps in understanding not just anatomy but how each part is affected through movement. For example, the contraction, or flexing, of one muscle means the extension of another. This knowledge can help artists know how to draw the human figure without having a model sit for you. And if you are fortunate enough to have a model, you’ll know exactly what’s going on under the skin.

For those of you who balked at the concept of learning the skeletal
and.muscular systems, take a moment to consider this logically.

No, you don’t see the skeletons in the people you’re drawing, and chances are you’re not drawing skeletons frequently. But like Rey says in his book, if you try to draw a coat draped over the back of a chair, you better know what the back of the chair (skeleton) looks like in order to draw the coat (muscles and skin) accurately and believably. The skeleton is the framework to which muscle and tendons are attached. Even trying to draw people with clothes on, it is imperative to know what’s going on anatomically in order to draw accurately (like the coat on the chair). After all, the clothes that a person is wearing will respond directly to what’s underneath them.

Rey’s Anatomy makes it as painless as possible. The exercises are fun. It doesn’t matter if you’re attempting to draw in the style of the old masters or modern comic book artists. This truly is the foundation for human anatomy. For artists, this is essential. You must know the basics and know them well in order to break the rules later and still have your drawings look believable rather than a slew of glaringly amateurish mistakes.

I would venture to say that even if you’ve been drawing people for a while, you’d still benefit from this book. You can find it on Amazon. And if following a book is not for you, find Rey on the web and take one of his online classes. His knowledge is vast, and his enthusiasm is infectious. You won’t be disappointed.

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