Why artists need to study human anatomy for drawing humans?

I studied human anatomy for artists for five years. You can't accurately draw humans without having at least some understanding of the underlying anatomy. For example how the wrist curves gently in from the forearm, how the six-pack men are so proud of actually forms, how the dimple forms at the elbow, how the neck muscles support the head. It creates a foundation for understanding structure. When you look at a person you just see the outside and you draw them with limited knowledge. When you understand how we are built you can draw with much more authority and understanding.

By studying the anatomy of a human being,like how muscles react when you move your arms and legs or by bending over or twisting you then know when you are drawing or sketching something about a human being the way to draw the outer skin and where to shadow to represent a certain muscle or where veins are on the hands and feet. By studying what is under the skin you then learn to draw what is outside covering the underneath parts.This allows you to draw realistically.

Because of the sort of thing which has gone on in the past. Leonardo da Vinci was very careful to study human anatomy, when he was at art college, and probably did lots of life drawings and stuff. As a result he was very good at doing lovely drawings of people with all their arms and legs and faces matching. Here is one: http://bit.ly/IWSZV0 On the other hand, he found it very difficult to obtain suitable models for his life study classes on ferrets. As a result, his anatomical knowledge of ferrets was less than optimal, and the corresponding quality of his ferret themed art-work was less impressive: http://bit.ly/IOauuT ~~

Generally you draw things from the inside out. Seriously. WoTrk from the center to the edge and you will understand the edge better. So when we look at clothes if we understand musculature we will understand why the folds fall where they do better. So look in a mirror, if you have any dolls left draw them, and visit websites and look at books.