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14 Croquis Development Drawing Techniques
 
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Muscles 1: the Key to Distinct Shapes of the Legs

Elegant legs are a must on fashion croquis. There is a term called “cankles” which refers to legs drawn with the calves going right into the ankle giving an unattractive shape to the leg. Muscles of the legs, knees and ankles have distinct shapes which, once learned and memorized will help you draw elegant, fashionable legs.

Pay particular attention to the sides of legs where ankles, calves and other muscles will fall.

Legs also have a center front line that runs from the top of the thigh through the knee to the ankle. When legs are at an angle due to the hip placement, you will see that the resulting angles of the hips are parallel to the knee angles and the ankle angles. It only shifts at the waist as the shoulders off set the hip angle.

Lets look at this more closely:

 

Tip: Pay attention to the angles that the various muscle groups and
bones have in relationship to one another.

You’ll see the “S” curve that is formed by the angles of the body, giving it a flowing quality of balance and angles. The head angle follows the jaw line. The shoulder angle line is across the collar bone, the hip angle goes right through the sides of the hip and the knee angle line is through the knee caps and the ankles through the ankle bones. Finding these angles on your figure before your fill in the drawing and refine it, will help you have a fashion figure with attitude. The more you exaggerate these angles, the more attitude you will create. Take a look again at Christian Lacroix’s croquis in Session 2. You will see the attitude he creates using exaggerated angles and exaggerated proportions (such as in the waists).

Notice how the hip and shoulder angles always are going in different directions when there is weight on one hip. The angle of the head is parallel with the hip line (use the jaw line as a guide). The hips, knees and ankles are all basically going in the same direction too, almost parallel, but with a bit more turning as you go down the leg.

Another important thing to remember about the legs, is that they too, have a CENTER LINE, just as the torso does. This becomes helpful when you have legs that are in unusual positions and the knees are not facing the same direction.

 

 
 

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