It should be clear that these descriptions are a gross oversimplification of human anatomy and the proportional relationships between different segments and groupings of the body and that I am merely highlighting some areas of interest that I feel should be considered when you’re designing and creating for our craft.
Some very interesting geometric relationships come to light when we analyze proportions of the human form. In most geometric analysis, there’s a dominance of straight-line shapes and measurements, but there are relatively few such lines when looking at the human body’s lines. Instead we see a preponderance of curves and arcs. For example, the scalenius muscles on each side of the neck give support to the vertebra laterally, much like the wires that support a utility pole. The sternocleidomastoid muscles, responsible for turning the head, cross the scalenius muscles, creating a triangle; the triangle shape is also visible via the trapezius muscle (posterior), the sternocleidomastoid muscle (anterior), and the clavicle (collar bone).[31]
In the torso, an isosceles triangle (at least two equal sides) is formed from the points of the shoulders to the navel. As you can see, there are also a number of proportions that correspond to squares and rectangles in addition to triangles.[32]
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FIGURE 2.53
The clavicle, sternocleidomastoid, and trapezius form a triangle. Photo by the author. Anatomy model by Andrew Cawrse.
