Monday, November 18th, 2019 Posted by Jim Thacker

Master the anatomy of the back and shoulder muscles


The Gnomon Workshop has released Anatomy for Artists: Understanding the Back and Shoulder Muscles, a detailed guide to figure drawing recorded by artist and educator Rey Bustos.

The 100-minute video tutorial is aimed both at traditional illustrators and CG artists who want to deepen their understanding of human anatomy.

Master the musculature of the back and shoulders with these easy-to-remember strategies
The structure of the human back and shoulder is complex, but it isn’t necessary to know every single muscle in order to produce a convincing illustration.

In the training, Bustos reveals how to illustrate it in a way preferred by most artistic anatomists.

He begins by focusing on the sacrospinalis muscle group, also known as the erector spinae: the deep muscles in the centre of the back that run along the spine to the base of the skull.

These muscles keep humans upright, but they can be challenging to draw individually. Bustos reveals the simplest way to interpret the muscle group, and strategies for illustrating the forms.

Bustos then addresses the medial form in the lower back – the area between the two posterior superior iliac spines – and works up to the thorax.

He finishes by exploring the order in which muscles are laid over the skeleton.

The training is accompanied by stories to help viewers remember the shapes and relationships of the muscles, and concludes with a traditional figure drawing demonstration.

About the artist
Rey Bustos has worked as an illustrator for multiple companies and magazines, and has contributed to numerous fine art exhibitions. He was represented by the San Marino gallery in Pasadena for several years.

He has been teaching since 1990, and is currently an associate professor at ArtCenter College of Design. He also teaches at Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art and Kline Academy.

His work is due to be published by Design Studio Press, with a book on artistic anatomy due in April 2020.

Pricing and availability
Anatomy for Artists: Understanding the Back and Shoulder Muscles is available via an online subscription to The Gnomon Workshop. Subscriptions cost $49/month or $490/year. You can try the training for free.

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Full disclosure: CG Channel is owned by Gnomon.