Take time to study how your legs and feet are connected and formed. Your feet and hands are always with you, so you are never at a loss for subject matter to observe and sketch.
Making up half the adult body’s overall height, the legs are curvy, tapering in width as they reach the feet.
The upper leg is longer and thicker than the lower leg. With the upper leg folded against the lower leg, it is noticeable that the length of the upper leg is about the same length as the lower leg when including the ankle and heel.
The upper leg has muscles surrounding the bone. The lower leg, however, doesn’t have muscles covering the whole area, leaving the front/inner section of the lower leg to be defined by the bone. Because of the lack of muscle surrounding the knees, their outer form is influenced by the bones and tendons. When the leg is straight, the muscles may appear flatter and less curved than when bent and flexed. When drawing the legs, take into consideration whether the muscles are stretched, flexed or relaxed, all of which influence the legs’ appearance.
The knee has noticeable protrusions at the front. The kneecap, along with the ligament that connects it to the lower leg, is prominent when the leg is straight.