Side Quest - Humbling Anatomy learning Experience
Anatomy is something that is truly a long-life journey - At least it's what I have just recently realized. Back then when someone said "We will never truly master Anatomy", I do not get it because it feels vague. I mean, if you truly know the nitty gritty of the anatomy, or any aspect of art, wouldn't you automatically know what you are doing?
Actually, not really. At least for me, I still have to make conscious reminder what to take more notice on especially in anatomy. I'd still have to go back and breakdown/simplify every muscle group based on my trusted references (Shoutout to Anatomy for Sculptors resource). Even when I studied for years, I would have difficulty in applying in my own project.
Here is what I also recently noticed: to only solely train your Anatomy skill in art-making without applying to your own project, it will result in huge gap as if it left you questioning "I thought I did study this...? Why I feel blocked?"
I do believe that you are trained what you are practicing of, especially when it comes to making your own project. Sounds so straightforward, right?
Little Story of "Not Good Enough" to make Project
In 2019, I truly was afraid that I wasn't ready enough to make my own project because I'd be in endless studying-session. I felt more comfortable to do more studies and constantly not feeling good enough to make my own project. And thus, neglecting my own artistic voice.
As a result, I wasn't going anywhere with my own project, it was until in 2020 where I was take an apprenticeship and the teacher said something along with the line of "Every certificate you get and every art course you take, while it might be helpful, it doesn't guarantee the actual understanding of the subject"
And thus, I was unlearning the idea from University where your worth is defined by a certificate. Thankfully I didn't follow this advice even until today, and so it allows me to not define myself in certain career path. If anything, that advice is truly making more harm than good later on.
Future Sculpture Hobby Project Plan - FGO Bedivere Summer JP 2026
Since this is a hobby project I can always make whatever I wanted, and how I wanted it. Bedivere in Fate/Grand Order finally got his summer skin announced for JP server, so I am tempted to make a sculpture of it too. Will it actually happen? Well, I'd like to think so!
It's so hard to just do sculpture in one sitting, so I'm really chipping away on this depending on my seasons
This is when I was humbled by the Anatomy journey. I've been drawing so much, yet I felt like I couldn't sculpt the anatomy well.
I tried the method to build the anatomy based on my own female body. But I just realized that I might have gotten into details too quickly. Up to this point, I realized I should have picked more anatomy breakdown references. In this case, I took "Anatomy for Sculptors" and various anatomical drawing breakdown from many angles.
I traced back to how I am doing the very basic building block- and yes going to the very basic. Just like how you would build a house from a plan, foundations, base materials before the nitty gritty different materials and textures.
I think up to this point, I feel like I am going to the right direction, although this is very rough. I might have make it quite challenging and unusual for myself, where I'd just not use the method of building the A-pose with multiple subdivision levels, then pose it.
I put a challenge as if I am building the sculpture like I did with clay sculpture. So very minimum to no symmetry tool at all. This is to allow myself to be conscious of every subtle details of the anatomy movement, and also this works because I work solo. As a result, the sculpture would look more artistic than 'exactly accurate'. I would not recommend this approach if you were working in a team.
Still a base sculpt, and I realized there are so many that I do not know about Anatomy, more than the names. It's about paying attention to each movement, and I think I want to get used to it by doing more and more.
To be humbled by the fact that Anatomy is a long-life journey, is truly driving my curiosity forward. I am not afraid if I'll never be mastering anatomy, but I am more concerned if I wasn't curious enough. To keep myself for being curious, I just want to draw, sculpt, capture it with my human hands. To enjoy learning, one doesn't have to worry about being a master in a short period of time; From my experience, curiosity is what making me strive to learn more because being proficient at it means to repeatedly practicing it.
I hope you enjoy this little side quest intro of how Anatomy humbled me, and I'll see you on the next one!