Feet support and frequently complete a figure study. Much of the advice I put together for the Drawing and Painting Hands page can be re-stated for feet:
- I invariably organize the foot by starting with a wedge-shaped form: a wedge to form the main forward-facing foot and the stump as a heel.
- Good, clear emphasis on the heel is key – I see too many renderings where the back of the leg just swings round to the sole of the foot – forgetting the heel!
- I put a focus on the big toe, often treating the other 4 in a single sweep together – although the little toe has an orientation that is sometimes somewhat distinct.
- I look for an opportunity to articulate the foot with the instep as I find this helps with perspective. Emphasizing the instep is certainly not a bad thing.
- Start with straight lines, planes and joints – curves come later.
- Drawing a silhouette first can help – then building out the structure when the outline is right;
- Make the feet somewhat larger than they appear – it adds expression and invariably looks better!
- I like to put an emphasis on the ankles too – just as for wrists, they add structure. The inner joint is set lower than the outer.
Here’s the companion webpage with “everything you wanted to know about feet”:
https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/human-anatomy-fundamentals-how-to-draw-feet–cms-21733
I’ve included a brilliant study by Albrecht Dürer and a couple more wonderful feet – this time the watercolour mastery of John Singer Sargent!
