Learn to draw

(Illustrations by Rachel Mayfield)

Take up the pen and become a living legend

As you’ve probably learned by now, drawing can bring your wildest ideas to life, whether it’s a moving vehicle or a can opener. You might be wondering what’s next? The answer is simple: a skeleton.

Step 1: Skull

Draw the skull in the shape of, well, a skull. Also called the “head bone,” it’s smooth and round and has holes for things like eyeballs and noses. There’s also a mouth with quite a few teeth—almost too many.

Step 2: Clavicles and sternum

Just below the skull, draw a couple clavicles connecting to the sternum in the center. As far as bones go, these ones are pretty cool!

Step 3: Spine

The head bone is connected to the spine bone, which is comprised of several vertebrae. How many vertebrae are in a human skeleton, you ask? Who knows. Draw as many as you can before you start to lose your mind.

Step 4: Ribs

Let’s keep all those lungs protected with some ribs—a lot of them. Again, the number of ribs you draw is up to you, but as an artist, you should always prioritize creativity over scientific accuracy. Oh, there’s 24 ribs in a human body? Let’s throw caution to the wind, and draw 22!

Step 5: Scapulae

Draw a nice-looking pair of scapulae behind the ribs, and connect them to the clavicles. Neat how all these pieces just snap into place.

Step 6: Hip bones

Hey, you’re halfway there! Let’s draw some hip bones around the lower spine. Of the five types of bones, hip bones are classified as “irregular” because they’re so unique!

Step 7: Legs

Unsurprisingly, the hip bones are connected to the leg bones. Draw two sets of these, including some little round kneecaps.

Step 8: Feet

For some reason, feet have a lot of bones. Take a deep breath, and draw however many you think your skeleton needs.

Step 9: Arms

Ever think about how similar arm bones and leg bones are? They’re a little thinner than leg bones, but they still look like you could swap them and they’d still work pretty well. In any case, draw those arm bones, ideally connected to the scapulae.

Step 10: Hands

If you can draw all those foot bones, you can definitely draw all these hand bones, no sweat. Just close your eyes and scribble some lines.

Done!

All that’s left is to befriend your skeleton and make them feel loved and accepted. This is arguably the most challenging step, but it’s also the most rewarding!

Our content is free, but not free to produce

If you value our local news, arts and entertainment coverage, become an SN&R supporter with a one-time or recurring donation. Help us keep our reporters at work, bringing you the stories that need to be told.

Newsletter

Stay Updated

For the latest local news, arts and entertainment, sign up for our newsletter.
We'll tell you the story behind the story.

Be the first to comment on "Learn to draw"

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*