Drawing Legs & Feet
Drawing Legs
The fashion figure should never be drawn with calves which merge straight into the ankle, which gives an unattractive shape to the leg - it is vital for the figure template to always have graceful, long and shapely legs. Once you have familiarised yourself with the distinguishable shape of the ankles, knees and leg muscles - you have to memorise this for future reference when drawing fashionable legs.
Take note of the sides of the legs where calves, ankles and other muscles lie.
-Susan Di Staulo
The legs also have a centre 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 offset the hip angle.
-Eduard Erlikh
The angles of the body form an S curve, this gives flow to the balance and the angles. The angle of the head 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 that has style. The more you overstate these angles, the more attitude you will create. Take a look again at Christian Lacroix’s croquis above. 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.
When drawing fashion legs, another important fact is that they too have a centre line, as does the figure’s torso. This makes it useful when you have legs that are in unusual positions and the knees are not facing the same direction.
-Eduard Erlikh
Fashion Figure Feet and Shoes:
Feet and shoes can make or break the look of your fashion figure.
It’s so important that they are drawn correctly, because this gives the figure solid base and good perspective - it needs to be seen to be standing on solid ground and it should seem balanced. This is what defines a novice! Always remember the balance line. The feet must remain in proportion to the fashion figure’s body - not too small or large.
When drawing accessories on your fashion figure, you can use sandals, wedges, boots or stilettos. You must be able to accurately draw the shapes of these shoes.
Try to remember the following:
Keep the sole and heel of the foot on the same line or plane
·The length of the foot will shorten as the heel of the shoe is raised - when shown from a side view
Don’t draw weird looking shapes - ultra-thin heels, heels that look as if they have broken off or leaving out the heel
·Straight on view of the foot should be equal in size to the foot on the other leg that may be seen from the side
A general rule is that the feet are about as long as the head is from top to chin. As long as you keep shapes simple in fashion drawing, and understand the structure of the foot in a shoe, whether it is a ballet flat, spike heel, sandal, boot or other style; the feet will be the key to giving your fashion figure a solid “footing.”
Leg Gallery!!
NEW CONTENT!!! I have opened the site for guests to post their personal picture tutorials on drawing the female anatomy.I think this is a good way to gain more perspectives on alternative drawing techniques. Please note - not all the anatomy tutorials are directly related to the fashion figure, but they do cover the general principles of the figure.
Click the artist’s name to learn more about them or their sites. Click the thumbnail to see an enlarged tutorial:
Some of these tutorials are large, you might have to click on them again to see the full size tutorial once the popup has loaded:
Odduckoasis - Drawing feet from all angles, you could use this as a template for your fashion figures.
There are more visitor tutorials on this page related to general anatomy that cover the aspects of the feet as well.
The thumbnail tutorials belong to the artists, please do not attempt to redistribute or copy these. Please contact the artists for permission to use them on sites.