How to Draw like Leonardo da Vinci: Bones and Muscles of Thigh - by Annette Labedzki

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How to Draw like Leonardo da Vinci: Bones and Muscles of Thigh

The years 1510 and 1511, in the career of the Italian genius Leonardo da Vinci, were dedicated to the detailed drawings of human anatomy. In association with Dr. Marcantonio Della Torre, he covered body appendages and vital organs in equal measures. These pen and ink sketches differed significantly from his earlier tryst with mythological temperas and frescos. These scientific works in anatomical topography were biological diagrams of remarkable accuracy, derived out of first hand eyewitness understanding. Unverified accounts suggest that Leonardo da Vinci dissected almost 20 male and female dead bodies for his drawings. Therefore, a great deal of diligence and astute observation goes behind any attempt to replicate these sketches. The following guide is designed to help you draw human thighs like Leonardo da Vinci. Modern terminology is used for easy understanding.

• Reference. Do not try to rely on your understanding or memory for creating the bones and muscles of thighs. Medical works by Da Vinci were precision sketches that must be replicated without any ‘tweaking.’ Obtain reference images from books, journals, or the internet.
• Style. Da Vinci executed his works in series, where views included details and completeness varied. The idea was to give as many details as possible. There are longitudinal sectional drawings, complete muscular topographies, standalone bones, skeleton, and so on. Choose beforehand, the type of work you wish to recreate.
• Bones. Drawing the thigh skeleton is among the simplest of all. Each human thigh has only one bone, Femur. It is the longest and most powerful of long bones in the body. The upper end consists of ball joint head on the inner side and the trochanters (greater and lesser) on the posterior side. The lower extremity of femur appears like two small, adjacent balls. Da Vinci’s recreations of femur from different angles are particularly known for their accuracy.
• Muscles. Da Vinci noted that upon reaching knee, the thigh muscles take form of tendons and eventually that of cartilage, which is attached to the knee joint. Keeping this in mind, he made several comprehensive structures, demarcating each type of muscles distinctly. In such designs, the muscle mass immediately below skin and a part of femur are visible. The frontal, back, and side views are depicted through separate drawings. The anterior end of a thigh consists of Sartorius (the longest muscle in human beings) and quadriceps (vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, & rectus femoris). The middle muscles are gracilis and adductors. The posterior compartment is made up of biceps femoris (hamstrings muscle), semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. Da Vinci’s works portrayed the anterior and posterior muscles in detail.

Once you are through with the sketching part, add some shading effects. Remember that these strokes are used to demarcate different muscles and not for adding any aesthetic value.

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Near Eastern Art � Vehicle Art: The Story of Mobile Creativity - by Annette Labedzki

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Near Eastern Art – Vehicle Art: The Story of Mobile Creativity

Vehicle Art – Introduction & History

Among the mobile creative forms in Pakistan the heavy-load vehicles art is the most prominent one. Interestingly, in a nation with the per capita income of less than $2,000, an average transporter’s ‘decoration’ expenditure is $3,000-5,000 per vehicle! The penetration of this genre is reflected by the fact that the drivers/owners consider an unornamented heavy vehicle ‘unacceptable.’ In the due course, oil/water tankers and rickshaws were also roped in for artistry. However, small surface area here inhibits creativity and flamboyant imagery. Unverified accounts indicate 19^th century as the starting point of this style, yet the expert opinion on the actual dates remains divided. The early nineteenth century traders, farmers, and other citizens decorated their bullock carts & horse carriages in vibrant patterns, which graduated eventually into vehicle art.

The Details

Some schools of thought refuse to acknowledge the genre as a formal dimension. However, the bright colors, bold patterns, intricate designs, and popular themes have helped it proliferate much farther than any other style. This style is popularly called ‘Moving Art,’ where the base metal structure of the automobile takes place of a stationary canvas frame. Apart from the standard paint medium, external embellishments, like shells or corals are also employed. In most cases, structural adornment similar to ’shaped canvasses’ is done right above the frontal windshield of the vehicle. This is either prepared over metal designs or as woodcarvings. Other additions can be string lights, fixed neon lights, bells, chains, and mirror work to name some.

Karachi is considered the hub of professional vehicle decoration trade. Nevertheless, various representational forms carry their unique regional flavors. The trucks from Baluchistan and Peshawar flaunt heavy wood trims, while those from Rawalpindi and Islamabad use prominent plastic artifacts. Camel bones adorn the trucks in the Sind region.

The subjects often revolve around beautiful spiritual messages and holy verses, set in ornate Arabic, Urdu, or Hindi dialects. The ornamental literature in the form of calligraphy, praises the Lord for the wonderful world. Some of such works are carried out with a touché of Romanticism to idealize peasantry, flora & fauna, and women. The unorthodox themes include the replication of Indian movie posters or the portraits of Indian stars, a rage among the Pakistanis.

The Artists

Cornered as informal and raw, Pakistani Vehicle Art could not fetch fame and identity for its artists. These people are commoners carrying goods from one place to another to earn a modest living. They lead nameless lives, while spreading creative joy to their customers.

Conclusion

It is not difficult to judge the importance of Pakistani Vehicle Art as several vehicle owners are found taking personal interest in themes, tools, and techniques involved in decorating their vehicles. These artworks travel everywhere and are often symbolic of the owners’ religious, social, and political views along with their general outlook towards life.

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