Let’s draw a hand! ～The shape of a fist〜

This time, let’s draw the goo shape of the hand.

First, let’s check the structure of the hand, focusing on the skeleton.

The structure of the hand

It is not necessary to remember the names, but it will be easier to understand if you remember the skeletal structure.

The hand is divided into three main parts: the carpal bones, metacarpals, and phalanges.

The point where the fingers bend at the base is called the “metacarpophalangeal joint”.

 

Fingers bend at the joint, not at the base

When you make a goo motion with your hand, where does the finger bend?

We tend to think that it is from the base of the finger, but in fact it bends from the metacarpophalangeal joint.

When viewed from the palm of the hand with skin on it, it is bent from the crease in the image.

When viewed from the side, you can clearly see where the bend is on the back and palm side of the hand.

You can see that the back side of the hand is bent from the joint, and the palm side is bent from the crease in front of the hand, not where the fingers part.

 

Metacarpophalangeal joints arch

The next point to keep in mind is that the joint arches lightly.

 

This feature is more pronounced when the fist is viewed from the front.

Try drawing the goo, paying attention to where the fingers bend and the shape of the joints.

 

Practice! The Shape of Goo

In this section, we will cover the shape of the goo on the back of the hand and the palm of the hand.

1) Atari of Goo seen from the back side of the hand

First, the goo seen from the back side of the hand.

Draw a rectangle as a bite on the back of the hand.

Add a bite to the metacarpophalangeal joint area of the ring finger and little finger section.

It is located below the joints of the index and middle fingers, so a gentle arc at the joints of the ring and little fingers will make it look right.

Insert a cross as the center line.

Draw the bite of the four fingers.

Add your fingers.

For the ring and pinky fingers, I’ll just draw the unevenness of the joints since they are not visible from this angle.

Finally, add the wrist and you’re done.

2) Goo seen from the palm side

Next, let’s see how to draw Goo from the palm of your hand.

In the same way, draw a square as the bite of the palm.

Add a crease to the palm of the hand where the fingers bend.

Draw the bite of the joint part.

Draw the base of the index finger.

Add four finger bites from index finger to pinky finger.

Fingers should be drawn in the direction of the center of the wrist, rather than vertically, for a more natural look.

Draw the base of the little finger.

Add your thumb.

Draw the outline from the little finger to the wrist.

Finally, add the wrist and you’re done.

 

Take a picture of your own hand

This is just one example of how to draw, and everyone has their own way of drawing.

It is best to draw in a way that is comfortable for you, but since hands have a complex structure, it is important to draw while observing the real thing.

Take a picture of your hand or look at it in a mirror and observe it while you draw.

If you are a beginner and have a digital painting tool, you can try tracing your own hand taken with your smartphone.

I hope you’ll try your hand at various hand shapes.

(Text and pictures by Setsu Yoshida)