How to Draw Like Leonardo Da Vinci - The Bones and Muscles of the Calf
Renowned multitalented genius, Leonardo da Vinci was born in Italy in the year 1452.
His wide-ranging interests spanned from various faculties of science to fine arts and literature.
Throughout his career, he continued making his mark as an undisputed leader in drawing & painting, while honing his skills in applied sciences.
His love for pencil & ink sketching and study of human body crystallized under his mentor, Andrea del Verrocchio in the form of a series of anatomical drawings.
Over a span of about one year, between 1510 and 1511, Leonardo da Vinci created almost 200 works in collaboration with Dr.
Marcantonio della Torre.
Recreating these master works is indeed a challenge, where a lot of patience and diligence is required.
The following guide will help you understand how to draw the anatomy of calf in his style: • Reference.
Arranging for a reference picture may not be an easy task.
However, the understanding that the significant calf muscle drawings were created in 1510 can help sort an appropriate picture.
The internet has several images on the subject.
Alternatively, specialized books or journals may be referred to.
• Style.
Apart from separate diagrams for bone structure and muscle placements, Leonardo da Vinci made coherent 'layered' structures highlighting both, bones & muscles.
He usually ventured in series, beginning skeletal figures, veins & arteries, nerves & membranes, ligaments & tendons, and finally outer structures with skin.
Some of the diagrams are drawn as a longitudinal section of the body parts, revealing the key bone & muscles, alike.
You may choose to draw a particular view of the calf or a series of sketches.
• Bones.
Creating a very well defined basic frame of bones may not be feasible.
Nevertheless, you may use straight lines to mark the placement and structure of the bones.
The calf consists of primarily the Tibia and Fibula bones, placed laterally.
Fibula is the thinnest of the long bones of the human skeleton and is situated laterally besides Tibia.
The latter is a visibly thicker and stronger calf bone, a key tool in the movement of the lower legs.
Unlike Tibia, Fibula does not form a part of the knee joint.
Give due consideration to the relative width and positioning of the two bones.
• Muscles.
Leonardo da Vinci was particularly fascinated by the compound muscles of the calf region.
His drawings elaborately bring out the triceps of this portion and should be particularly significant from the drawing point of view.
The powerful soleus and gastrocnemius (superficially placed) muscles form the triceps, known as the calf muscles.
It is not possible to create the calf area without showing the termination of its bones and muscles at the back portion of the foot.
The deeply situated muscles associated with the calf area are flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus (largest and strongest deep muscle), and tibialis posterior (principal stabilizing muscle).
The placement of these bones, muscles, nerves, and tendons can be depicted in parts, like one of the complex layered diagrams of da Vinci or as a longitudinal section of the entire length of the calf.
His wide-ranging interests spanned from various faculties of science to fine arts and literature.
Throughout his career, he continued making his mark as an undisputed leader in drawing & painting, while honing his skills in applied sciences.
His love for pencil & ink sketching and study of human body crystallized under his mentor, Andrea del Verrocchio in the form of a series of anatomical drawings.
Over a span of about one year, between 1510 and 1511, Leonardo da Vinci created almost 200 works in collaboration with Dr.
Marcantonio della Torre.
Recreating these master works is indeed a challenge, where a lot of patience and diligence is required.
The following guide will help you understand how to draw the anatomy of calf in his style: • Reference.
Arranging for a reference picture may not be an easy task.
However, the understanding that the significant calf muscle drawings were created in 1510 can help sort an appropriate picture.
The internet has several images on the subject.
Alternatively, specialized books or journals may be referred to.
• Style.
Apart from separate diagrams for bone structure and muscle placements, Leonardo da Vinci made coherent 'layered' structures highlighting both, bones & muscles.
He usually ventured in series, beginning skeletal figures, veins & arteries, nerves & membranes, ligaments & tendons, and finally outer structures with skin.
Some of the diagrams are drawn as a longitudinal section of the body parts, revealing the key bone & muscles, alike.
You may choose to draw a particular view of the calf or a series of sketches.
• Bones.
Creating a very well defined basic frame of bones may not be feasible.
Nevertheless, you may use straight lines to mark the placement and structure of the bones.
The calf consists of primarily the Tibia and Fibula bones, placed laterally.
Fibula is the thinnest of the long bones of the human skeleton and is situated laterally besides Tibia.
The latter is a visibly thicker and stronger calf bone, a key tool in the movement of the lower legs.
Unlike Tibia, Fibula does not form a part of the knee joint.
Give due consideration to the relative width and positioning of the two bones.
• Muscles.
Leonardo da Vinci was particularly fascinated by the compound muscles of the calf region.
His drawings elaborately bring out the triceps of this portion and should be particularly significant from the drawing point of view.
The powerful soleus and gastrocnemius (superficially placed) muscles form the triceps, known as the calf muscles.
It is not possible to create the calf area without showing the termination of its bones and muscles at the back portion of the foot.
The deeply situated muscles associated with the calf area are flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus (largest and strongest deep muscle), and tibialis posterior (principal stabilizing muscle).
The placement of these bones, muscles, nerves, and tendons can be depicted in parts, like one of the complex layered diagrams of da Vinci or as a longitudinal section of the entire length of the calf.
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