Drawing arms:

Don't use straight lines

When it comes to drawing arms, women come first. I will start on their lovely flowing lines. Women generally have more flexible elbows than men so we can see them striking poses which men can't equal.

Female arms hang closer to the body than those of males. The arms are quite long. If you stand up and drop your arms down you will find that your finger-tips reach the middle of your thighs. Notice the Figure 1. See how the upper arm is shorter than the forearm. All women have a layer of fat beneath their skin which is responsible for their smooth, streamlined shape compared to men. Study the illustration carefully and copy them to a drawing paper with a pencil that has a sharp point. Any beginner could use an HB, or a 2B pencil.

Muscle power in a man's arm

Figure 2 shows the ripples, bulges and potential power seen in a man's arm. Note the pronounced shoulder muscle, the biceps and upper arm which are designed to bend the limb. The triceps in the lower arm are usually obvious too and most men have hair on their arms and hands.

Try to remember how the arms look from either side, as well as from the front and rear. Copy these examples in pencil. Start by drawing the basic shape accurately. Try using a 2B pencil. Use very fine pencil lines. After drawing line sketches, start with pen work.

On with the sleeves

You need to spend time and thought on how to draw the garments of the people you sketch. You must learn how to use a pen or pencil to depict material, as part of your apprenticeship. So, get into the habit of observing the way clothes hang, crease and fold. Figure 3 is of covered arms.

The top left sketch shows a leather jacket, with the arm of a water proof jacket opposite. The other two designs are of women's clothes; a coat and a blouse sleeve. Notice the lines drawn on different sleeves on Figure 3.