KEY CONCEPTS
- The rib cage is an egg-shaped barrel — wider at top, tapering toward the waist
- Draw the front face as an oval — think of it wrapping around to a back face
- The oval must be thought of as a sphere: it has a light side and a dark side
- The shoulder line sits at the top of the barrel
- The bottom of the rib cage narrows toward the waist before expanding at the pelvis
- For heroic figures, the barrel is widened and deepened to create the V-taper
Draw a large oval — this is the front face of the rib cage barrel. Now imagine it as a cylinder: it wraps around and has a back side you cannot see. The center vertical line (the sternum) divides the front face in half. The shoulder muscles (deltoids) attach at the very top of this barrel, at the ends of the clavicles.
From the side, this barrel looks very different from the front. You can see the slight forward tilt of the rib cage — the chest leans slightly forward at the top relative to the pelvis. The serratus muscles are clearly visible from this angle — they run like fingers along the outer edges of the ribs.
For heroic or superhero figures, the rib cage barrel is often exaggerated — made wider, deeper, and more vertical. This makes the chest look powerful and dominant. The pelvis is then drawn narrower by comparison, creating the classic V-taper silhouette that reads as athletic power from any distance.
REFERENCE GALLERY
