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 Muscles and tendons

Brachioradialis
Flexor digitorum

Flexor carpi ulnaris Pronator teres

Flexor carpi
radialis

Palmaris longus

The hands
The hands consist mostly of fat, tendon,
and bone, with the fat mainly on the palmar
(anterior) side, and the tendon and bone on the
back (posterior) of the hand.

The tendons that cross over the extensor

retinaculum and annular ligaments (also known
Interosseous
which functions to keep the extensor tendons
in alignment), are the main source of surface
change on the hand. You may be surprised to
Extensor pollicis
longus

tendons that grab onto the side of the bones

and are pulled by the muscles of the forearm.
Muscles of Extensor pollicis brevis
The tendons of the extensor carpi ulnaris and hypothenar Adductor pollicis
the extensor digitorum take care of the four eminence
abductor Muscles of
thenar eminence
pollicis longus, the extensor pollicis brevis, and
Palmaris brevis
the extensor pollicis longus inserting into its

Abductor pollicis longus

the thenar eminence are three short muscles at
Retinaculum
the base of the thumb (producing a bulge) which (annular ligaments)
Tendon of
palmaris longus
thumb.

interosseous muscles. These sit between the Flexor carpi

ulnaris
metacarpal bones on the anterior and posterior carpi radialis
side and are used to abduct and adduct the

shaped mass through the adduction of the thumb.

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 HANDS

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The craft

It’s important to mention that I don’t think that the method I describe here

36
 Silhouette sketching

To allow you to see only the main features of your subject,

distracting details to leave you with only the silhouette,

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Anatomy

THE HAND 75 Visualize the finger as a

box- or tube-like shape for
easier blocking out

The back of the hand 76 The underlying bones

of the fingers create
three segments

77 The back of the hand can be

visualized as a slightly curved block

78 Directional shading
can help to convey the
anatomy beneath

234 All images by Matt Smith

 The hand

The palm of the hand

79 The open hand mapped
out with boxy shapes

80 The open hand

mapped out with
curved forms

81 The thumb muscle and

skin between the fingers
become key details when
adding lighting

235
Anatomy

Drawing tendons

82 Depending on the pose of

the hand, the tendons can be

Rhythm lines a distinctive feature

Use rhythm lines to draw dynamic hand poses without losing proportion

236 All images by Matt Smith

 The hand

“When the hand is

arched in extreme
emotion, or when the
skin is drawn (as in aged
skin), these tendons
stand out vividly”

85 The rendered hand

with pronounced
tendons and knuckles

83 The base of a posed hand

can be sketched very simply

84 Finding the flow

of tendons on the
back of the hand

237
Anatomy

Creating hand variety

86 Downplaying the prominence of

the joints and tendons creates a
more delicate hand

238 All images by Matt Smith

 The hand

87 Practice drawing different

hands, experimenting with
proportions and surfaces in a
variety of poses

239
 The basic proportions
of a hand of any size
are very simple!

In this drawing, mittens

mean super-simple hands,
but keeping the proportions
correct is still important

Fingernails at
different angles

A foreshortened nail
helps to make sense of
the position of a finger
The fingers do
not lie parallel

Stylized and finalized,

the grip has strength
and tension
Imagine
volume to
wrap the
fingers
effectively

Look at your own hand

and you'll see that the
fingers tend to bend
in toward the center

Pose the action in front

of the mirror, or take a
Locate the photograph, to help you get
shoulder hands and fingers right
1
of your
character

2
Elbow
Add the elbow. The
positions can vary and
they change the intensity
and mood of the pose
 With more complicated
perspectives, it helps me
to construct the palm,
marking where the fingers
meet the rest of the hand

I like to separate the

index or small finger from
the others just a little

2
1 Construct
the volume

Rough out the

gesture first

Finalize, with the

thumb just beginning to
disappear out of view
Rough drawing

Construction

The knuckles
should form
an arc. The
shape of the
arc will vary,
which it should

Clean-up and
stylization

Rough
drawing

Potential
simplification
of shape

I find this
perspective tricky,
and I don't like
making the knuckles
too prominent
This is a subtle pose
that quickly looks off, so
I pay special attention
to the disappearing
foreshorted fingers