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17 Croquis Development Drawing Techniques
 
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Arms: Swinging arcs and accurate lengths  

Positions of the arms are to be considered an important factor in your croquis poses. Avoid arms that are behind the head or obscure the garments in any way. If there is an opportunity to put arms behind the figure without losing any information on the sleeves, do so. Hand and arms add style to the pose and give the figure life.
 

Think of the shoulders, elbows, and wrists as “swivel points.” These are areas of the body that swing from side to side and up and down. As a result you can find an “arc” that will act as a guide for you to move the arms and elbows about the figure without losing proportion or feeling. However, keep these positions of the arms simple if you are working on your croquis and refining the pose.

Muscles of the arms on a fashion model can be subtle. In an exaggerated croquis there may be none. Some rules apply when drawing arms and the most important thing is not to make them too short or too long. Refer to your basic fashion proportion again to gauge the length of the arms. Generally the shoulder to the elbow is slightly shorter than the elbow to the tip of the hand. Arms will generally fall to mid-thigh when down at the sides of the body.

When arms don’t follow the arc and swivel guides because they are up or behind the head, you can measure that the length of each arm is equal by making sure the wrist to elbow length and elbow to shoulder (or armpit) length is the same on the left and the right. This would not apply if there is foreshortening, however.
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