So right now I’m reading an Anatomy book I checked out from school just to get a head start for when I go to college next year, I thought I’d ask before I get to far into it, of what might be a good way to remember all the anatomically proven things I see, and read about to take into consideration while modeling something? Well, if anyone has a good suggestion I’d really like to hear it, thanks in advance. 
My thought is that it’s a use it or lose it type of thing. Keep practicing and refreshing I think is the way to go.
Sketch the anatomy drawings. Than eventually try to place the muscles over other poses( could be a photograph or sculpture), without breaking limbs. If you start early it will be easier to remember.
The pictures you are looking at are 2d representations of 3d objects that often (in the case of muscles) have complex relationships.
I think the best way to gain a firm understanding and “3d knowledge” of anatomy is to look at the real thing.
For artistic purposes you most want to know how the underlying hard and soft structures affect the surfaces of objects, so relate the anatomy pictures to your own or other peoples’ actual bodies, both in static poses and moving.
Knowing the names of the anatomical parts makes it easier to talk to other people about them, but the really important thing is to have an intuitive and solid mental image of them.
A good study technique is triple reinforcement. View it. vocalize what you see and draw it. Works well with all studies. Read it, speak it and write it down. I tutored in that method while I was still a student and most peoples grades went up a full grade on average. Get off your computer and grab a pencil and work in a sketchbook every day. There are no straight lines in nature, so throw your straight edges, protractors and other garbage away. Teach your hand and your eyes to work together. Get a big wad of modeling clay and have at it. Then get back on the computer. MHO
It helps to remember that every movement direction has a muscle. If your arm moves up from your elbow, that’s your biceps…and if down from your elbow, that’s your triceps. Look at the bones and joints of your creation, then put a muscle everywhere you want it to move in a particular direction. Your body has opposing groups of muscles attached where complex motion is needed, the neck and shoulder for instance.
Great question and great time to ask. We’ve all seen models beautifully textured and rendered but that didn’t look quite right due to bad anatomy.
Best,
markkens
Hey thanks alot everyone, I really appreciate all the information you’ve given me, I’ll try to use these methods while I’m reading my book, and also take a look at myself too as suggested. Thanks again :).
Thanks dude 
Paint muscles by hand over poser skeletons
Or try sculpting bones and muscles -
this guy teaches agreat class in that -
Sweet thanks alot dude, I really appreciate it :).
Get the right books, and lots of them, the Goldfinger one is a must, also get more books. Make it your desktop, no matter if you like hot anime babes or pictures of you on vacation, scan the diagrams of the body in his book and make a desktop out of it, hopefully you have 2 monitors and thus more real estate, this way it will start to creep into your subconscious, these little daily effects have a large impact in the long run, feel free to pin up diagrams, I have such a desktop at work and at home. but also drawing studies and also ecroche studies in clay will help. Also be very patient it takes time, the human body is a vastly complex and yet out subconscious recognition of it is very acute. Remember to have fun and that it was no easier for the masters of the past, and that no great works of humanity have ever been easy.
also, i just saw your site rey, excellent work, also it sounds similar to greys anatomy, id sue em.
I’ll get right on it, thanks for the advice.
I’m not Rey, just a fan of his.
Both rey’s site and the TV show have taken the name from Gray’s Anatomy by Henry Gray, a classic book for medical students, first published in the 1850s.
Gray’s Anatomy is in the public domain, btw, and available for free here:
Structure of Man site looks really good. Thanks for the info.
So, the one thing that really helped me to solidify anatomy was taking a class called Ecorche. I know that you are trying to teach yourself before you begin taking classes. However, something to keep in mind should the school your are planning on attending offers this class. Ecorche is a class that devotes the entire class to learning the human body by sculpting an entire human male skeleton. Once this is complete you begin to model all of the muscles. The Origin and insertions of each muscle. You do not only just model the muscles you see on the outside but all of the muscles. Wow, did I learn a lot in this class. The book that we used for most of this class was Artistic Anatomy by Dr. Paul Richer. This is a fantastic book, one you should defiantly have in your library arsenal. It is not an end all beet all book. Like many have said already start collecting as much material and books as you can. I think to date I have 16 books on anatomy. One book that I recently found that I just love is called Strength training Anatomy. By Frederic Delavier. ISBN 0-7360-6368-4 this is not a typical anatomy book. The book is more intended for an individual who are interested in bodybuilding. However, it provides amazing insight on how the muscles move and what muscles groups move when an exercise is being done. Defenetly get a copy of this book! It is fully illustrated, and quite well at that!
So, should you want to try your hand at Ecorche before you start school I would try and get your hands on an anatomical resin figure of the body. You can locate of these at www. freedom-of-teach.com This is a great reference to have at your finger tips. I find that I am always looking at mine when I am drawing, sculpting and 3D modeling. This resin figure is exactly what you would do in an Echorche class. At the same site you can also find a great anatomical wall poster that includes anatomical names, primary muscle functions and actions. Also a self-test chart, separate detail of foot, hand, eye and ear with an X-ray overlay of skeleton. I know it may sound like I work for Freedom of Teach, however I receive no financial gain. Just helping a good friend and teacher of mine, Tareq Mirza. I don’t know if you have ever visited this site but I would also take a look at their training DVD’s. Out of all of my instructors at the Academy of Arts University I learned and gained the most insight about modeling from him.
I hope this info helps you and, and I did not sound like an advertisement. I just remember what it was like when I first started sculpting / Modeling and I wish I had this info right from the start.
Brian Bouffard