Anatomy

For the artist, the study of anatomy has practical value in our efforts to portray convincing and compelling depictions of organic figures, but the study of the body itself has metaphorical connotations as well, such as "peeling back the surface to discover what lies beneath" and "the universal commonality and scientific 'factualness' of our mortal form".

Because I like to work with organic forms and the human figure, anatomical understanding is clearly important.  Attempting to sculpt these forms forces me to attend to the anatomical details and can teaches me a great deal about careful observation.  I am ever in pursuit of increasing my anatomical attention because I am keen to be able to exaggerate features and alter the form to fantastic effect, yet in lifelike and convincing ways.  I think this enables the artist to articulate meaning and identity more poignantly.

Learning to depict the anatomy is about careful observation, study, and practice.  Perhaps I could try to focus on just one area, say the collarbone and shoulders for example, and draw that over and over from different points of view until I was quite comfortable with it and the relationships that it has with other parts of the body.  Understanding these relationships is what will enable me to create the kind of exaggeration I desire.