Friday, March 28, 2008

The Human Skull


The Human Skull... 22 bones, common to all humans... the most complicated bony structure of the body...

The largest form of the skull is the Cranium... where every bump and hollow corresponds to the shape of the brain...



This bone structure is responsible for the outward appearance of the head and face... so much so that experts in anatomical sculpture can take a skull from unknown origin and quite accurately recreate the features of that individual...

At the front of the skull are two orbits that contain the eyeballs... and a central hole for the airway of the nose...


The upper jaw is part of the main skull... The lower jaw is a completely separate bone which pivots on the cheekbone... hinging on either side of the skull at ear level...

The entire facial area is small... compared to the size of the whole skull... making up only about one-eighth of the entire surface.......

The slight size and subtle shape variances of this bony structure are what makes each particular face unique and recognizable...

I love the challenge of taking on the skull as a creative endeavor in any medium... maybe because I feel I am looking back in time... maybe I just want to understand how we human beings are put together... or maybe just because I still have a lot of learning to do...

Click to see Other Skulls on my blog.

approx. 4" x 6" ink, watercolor, crow quill pen, brush on CP Arches WC paper

16 comments:

sandy said...

This is cool Gwen. Great art and a lesson in anatomy at the same time...cool!!

sandy

Anet said...

Amazing, cool skull! I love your art, you are very talented. I've been stopping by everyday to see whats new. Just love it!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thank you Sandy and Anet, it is so nice of you to be so kind. I am having so much fun...

William Evertson said...

Very nice work; I agree it's amazing that an artist can reconstruct features from a skull. The previous post of the banana is wonderfully expressive.

Seth said...

Such an amazing piece. And the detail is exquisite!

Cory said...

Love your work...the skull sketch is wonderful and your watercolors juicy as watercolors should be.

Cory

Anonymous said...

Iris says she wishes she could draw like that.

flyinamber said...

Cool!I like this very much!Beautiful colours!
Have a nice week Gwen!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Please Thank Iris very much and let her know, I have much to learn... but if she has "Desire" to learn that is half the battle won...

Susan Tuttle said...

Hi Gwen,
Wow - what an incredible rendering in watercolor - your post is fascinating and got me thinking about my noggin in a whole new way.

Susan

Don said...

I am so impressed with your talent, especially your choices of subjects and colors. Thank you for your work! However, being a bread man, I must say that your bread, well, let me say that your bread too, is a work of art.

Lorna said...

Nice work!

Anonymous said...

Hi Gwen! OK, looks like I goofed up the whole comment leaving process, didn't I?!? LOVE the skull drawing... simply amazing. You are one talented lady! xoxo, K.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Susan, Don,Seth, Bill, Cory, Lorna, Dada, Kathy, and Anesha...
thank you all so much for your comments... I appreciate that you cared enough to leave me your thoughts... every one of them leads me to ponder new things..

pRiyA said...

After seeing your drawings in your sketchbook, I went back to this painting of the skull. The way you've painted it is utterly incredible. Such sensitivity and depth.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thank you, Priya, I admire your ability with charcoal and the expressiveness you bring out in each piece...