There are many interesting resources for visual artists on the Internet: exercises, catalogues of objects, environments and scenarios etc. Here’s a very interesting one with different athletic body types. Some of my favourites:
- This one is practically all about different types of conditioning – the most striking thing to me about it was Olga Karmansky’s gymnast’s posture.
- This one for the long-distance runners. While Bob Kennedy, John Kagwe and Joseph Chebet have certain similarities, you get a feeling for the competitive edge the Kenyan runners’ (who look so similar to each other they could be from the same ethnic group as well, perhaps Kalenjin, known for runners) body types have.
- This one for Allan Houston’s lower abdominal muscle curve, David Zhuang just in general and Clint Mathis’s classic flat footballer’s body. Clint Mathis brings to mind Christiano Ronaldo who isn’t flat but quite muscular, which I suspect is for aesthetic reasons.
- This one for the tall Amy Acuff – the proportions seem different, but where? I think in the legs, they’re very long. Of course everything else is longer too. When someone is described as “squat”, picture Gary Kolat.
- This one for monster trapezius muscles on the guy on the right.
- This one for the very mannish body of Maureen O’Toole.
Try covering Maureen O’Toole’s face. Not mannish. It’s just the jaw, really.
Bess Hardwick
Yeah, I think you’re right. It’s so easy to self-suggest…
sam
Olga Karmansky posture how so?
Angelika