Spine sketches ( feedback wanted )

[Weirdochicken06]

I’m a newbie when it comes to drawing the spine, so I would like some advice on how to improve my spine drawings.

 

[Jade]

I don't know much about how they should look but there's something compelling about these...

 

[txomsy]

Looks nice for a start.

Now, some details: there are five lumbar, 12 thoracic and seven cervical vertebrae. The differences among them are significant. What strikes me the most when I see your sketch is that although they look well, proportions are a bit askew.

Vertebrae and intervertebral discs are meant to hold the weight of the body. The higher you go, the less there is above (and less weight), the lower you go, the more you have above to sustain. This means that vertebrae and discs become bigger and sturdier as you go down. In your drawing these differences are not clear enough.

Further: thoracic vertebrae link to ribs, which are connected by muscles, limiting movement. Turn your torso or try to bend sideways: you'll see the abdomen makes most of the moving. That means that lumbar discs must also be bigger to allow for movement.

Sacral vertebrae (5) have fused together in a triangular shape and then there is the coxis. The sacrum joins to the lower bones bridging both sides of the pelvis which is sustained by two columns (the legs) and must stand all the tensions of walking in addition to the weight, so it is wider and flatter. The cosis is below the pelvis, so it dows not need to sustain any weight, so it is short and small.

To get a better feeling for the sizes and proportions I would recommend looking at online descriptions, drawings and images, and trying to understand why the spine and vertebrae look as they do. That will help you learn how theiy are and how they look. Better yet, get your hands on an anatomy book (but today, with the Net, that's not essential anymore).

 

[Weirdochicken06]

Looks nice for a start.

Now, some details: there are five lumbar, 12 thoracic and seven cervical vertebrae. The differences among them are significant. What strikes me the most when I see your sketch is that although they look well, proportions are a bit askew.

Vertebrae and intervertebral discs are meant to hold the weight of the body. The higher you go, the less there is above (and less weight), the lower you go, the more you have above to sustain. This means that vertebrae and discs become bigger and sturdier as you go down. In your drawing these differences are not clear enough.

Further: thoracic vertebrae link to ribs, which are connected by muscles, limiting movement. Turn your torso or try to bend sideways: you'll see the abdomen makes most of the moving. That means that lumbar discs must also be bigger to allow for movement.

Sacral vertebrae (5) have fused together in a triangular shape and then there is the coxis. The sacrum joins to the lower bones bridging both sides of the pelvis which is sustained by two columns (the legs) and must stand all the tensions of walking in addition to the weight, so it is wider and flatter. The cosis is below the pelvis, so it dows not need to sustain any weight, so it is short and small.

To get a better feeling for the sizes and proportions I would recommend looking at online descriptions, drawings and images, and trying to understand why the spine and vertebrae look as they do. That will help you learn how theiy are and how they look. Better yet, get your hands on an anatomy book (but today, with the Net, that's not essential anymore).

Thank you so much, this is a very detailed explanation. I’m making a plan to draw more spines soon and I may post them on this forum again. And you’re right about the vertebrates. Looking back at them they all look like they’re the same size, especially on the side view sketch of the spine. They don’t really differentiate from each other. I’ll keep this in mind when sketching out a new spine.

 

[txomsy]

I am sure you will do great!