Free original lessons
Back-of-Hand Drawing: Knuckle Arcs, Tendon Lines, and Wrist Transition
Learn to construct the back of a hand using knuckle arcs, tendon lines, and a clear wrist transition, with a convention-based rubric and four self-contained exercises.
Free lesson
Four exercises
Worked answers
Object Drawing Lessons
The back of the hand is a landscape of subtle ridges: four knuckle arcs that step across the width, tendon lines that fan from the wrist toward the fingers, and a wrist transition where the forearm meets the hand. This lesson builds that landscape in layers, starting with a simple block-in and finishing with contour and shading. You will use a stated drawing convention so that valid stylistic alternatives are accepted, and you will check proportions with simple arithmetic rather than relying on a single universal answer.
Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.
Establish the block-in and knuckle arcs
Begin with a rounded rectangle for the hand mass and a narrower rectangle for the wrist. The back of the hand is not flat; it slopes from the wrist toward the knuckles. Mark the wrist transition as a soft curve, not a hard line. Then place four knuckle points along an arc that bows slightly toward the fingers. The knuckle arc is the line connecting the tops of the metacarpal heads; it is not straight across.
Use a convention: draw the hand at a three-quarter angle with the index finger side closer to the viewer. This convention fixes the overlap order and makes the tendon lines readable. Valid alternatives include a more frontal view or a steeper angle, provided the knuckle arc and tendon fan remain consistent with the chosen view.
- Draw a rounded rectangle about 3 units wide and 2 units tall for the hand mass; label the units as hypothetical examples.
- Add a wrist rectangle about 1.5 units wide and 1 unit tall, centered under the hand mass.
- Mark four knuckle points along an arc that rises about 0.3 units from the index side to the middle, then falls slightly toward the little finger.
- Connect the knuckle points with a light arc and check that the spacing between adjacent knuckles is roughly equal.
Map tendon lines from wrist to knuckles
Tendon lines on the back of the hand fan from the wrist toward the knuckles. They are not perfectly straight; they curve slightly around the metacarpal bones. Draw three or four light lines that begin near the wrist transition and end at the knuckle points. The lines should converge slightly at the wrist and spread at the knuckles.
Keep the tendon lines subtle. They are ridges, not outlines. Use a lighter pencil pressure than for the knuckle arcs. Check that each tendon line ends at a knuckle point and that no line crosses another. If you choose a different view, the fan may compress or expand, but the convergence at the wrist should remain.
- From the wrist transition, draw a light line to the index knuckle.
- Draw a second line to the middle knuckle, keeping it slightly curved.
- Draw a third line to the ring knuckle and a fourth to the little finger knuckle.
- Check that the lines converge near the wrist and spread at the knuckles; adjust spacing so the fan is even.
Refine contour and wrist transition
With the block-in and tendon lines in place, refine the contour. The wrist transition should show a gentle change in direction where the forearm meets the hand. On the back of the hand, the contour near the index side is often straighter, while the little finger side curves more. Do not over-smooth; keep small changes in direction that suggest bone and tendon.
Add the finger bases as short cylinders attached to the knuckle points. The fingers should align with the tendon lines. Shade lightly along the tendon lines and under the knuckle arc to suggest form. Use a convention for shading: light from the upper left, so shadows fall to the lower right. Valid alternatives include different light directions, as long as shading is consistent.
- Refine the wrist transition with a soft curve that changes direction gradually.
- Draw short cylinder shapes for the finger bases at each knuckle point.
- Add light shading along the tendon lines and under the knuckle arc.
- Check that the shading direction is consistent with your chosen light source.
Worked example
Construct a back-of-hand drawing at a three-quarter view using the convention. The hand mass is 3 units wide and 2 units tall; the wrist is 1.5 units wide and 1 unit tall. Place four knuckle points along an arc that rises 0.3 units from index to middle, then falls 0.2 units to the little finger. Draw four tendon lines from the wrist to the knuckles and refine the wrist transition.
Worked answer
Block in the hand mass and wrist rectangle. Mark the knuckle arc with the middle knuckle highest. Draw four light tendon lines that converge at the wrist and spread to the knuckles. Refine the wrist transition with a soft curve. Shade lightly along the tendon lines and under the knuckle arc, keeping light from the upper left. Check that the knuckle spacing is roughly equal and that each tendon line ends at a knuckle point.
Four practice exercises
Exercise 1
A back-of-hand drawing uses a hand mass 4 units wide and 2.5 units tall. The wrist is 2 units wide and 1.2 units tall. The knuckle arc rises 0.4 units from index to middle and falls 0.3 units to the little finger. Describe the block-in and knuckle arc placement.
Show answer and check
Draw a 4 by 2.5 unit rounded rectangle for the hand mass and a 2 by 1.2 unit wrist rectangle centered below. Mark four knuckle points along an arc with the middle knuckle highest by 0.4 units and the little finger knuckle lower by 0.3 units. Connect the points with a light arc.
Why: The block-in fixes the overall proportions. The knuckle arc is not straight; it follows the stated rise and fall. Equal spacing between knuckles is checked by dividing the width into four roughly equal segments.
Check: Measure the hand mass and wrist with a ruler or unit marks. Confirm the middle knuckle is highest and the arc connects all four points. Check that adjacent knuckle spacing is within about 0.2 units of each other.
Exercise 2
Using the same hand mass as the previous exercise, draw four tendon lines from the wrist transition to the four knuckle points. The lines should converge at the wrist and spread at the knuckles. Describe how you check that the fan is even.
Show answer and check
Draw light lines from the wrist center to each knuckle point. The lines should be closest together at the wrist and farthest apart at the knuckles. Check evenness by comparing the gaps between adjacent lines at the knuckles; they should be roughly equal.
Why: Tendon lines fan from the wrist. Convergence at the wrist and spreading at the knuckles is the key pattern. Even spacing at the knuckles suggests a consistent fan.
Check: Measure the gaps between adjacent tendon lines at the knuckle arc. If one gap is more than about 0.3 units larger than another, adjust the line positions.
Exercise 3
A student draws the wrist transition as a sharp right angle. Describe how to fix it and what to check after the fix.
Show answer and check
Replace the sharp angle with a gradual curve that changes direction softly between the forearm and hand. After the fix, check that the curve does not create a bulge and that the hand mass still sits naturally above the wrist.
Why: The wrist transition is a soft change in direction, not a hard step. A gradual curve reads more naturally and preserves the hand mass proportions.
Check: Trace the wrist transition with a finger; it should feel like a smooth change in direction. Check that the wrist width remains about half the hand mass width, using the stated hypothetical units.
Exercise 4
You choose a light source from the upper left. Describe where to shade along the tendon lines and under the knuckle arc, and state one valid alternative.
Show answer and check
Shade along the lower right side of each tendon line and under the knuckle arc on the lower right. A valid alternative is a light source from the upper right, in which case shading moves to the lower left, provided it is applied consistently.
Why: Shading should be consistent with the chosen light direction. The tendon lines and knuckle arc create small ridges, so shadows fall opposite the light.
Check: Check that all shadows fall on the same side relative to the light source. If any shadow contradicts the chosen direction, adjust it.
Common mistakes
- Drawing the knuckle arc as a straight horizontal line. Bow the arc slightly toward the fingers and vary the height of the knuckle points.
- Making tendon lines too dark and outline-like. Use lighter pressure and keep the lines as subtle ridges that end at the knuckles.
- Treating the wrist transition as a hard step. Use a gradual curve that changes direction softly between forearm and hand.
- Spacing the knuckles unevenly without a view-based reason. Check spacing with simple arithmetic and adjust to match your chosen view convention.
Self-check rubric
- Knuckle arc bows slightly toward the fingers and connects four distinct knuckle points.
- Tendon lines are light, fan from the wrist, and end at the knuckle points without crossing.
- Wrist transition is a gradual curve, not a hard step.
- Finger bases align with the tendon lines and knuckle points.
- Shading is consistent with a stated light direction.
- Valid alternatives in view angle or light direction are accepted if internally consistent.
Questions and answers
Do I need to draw all four tendon lines?
Three or four lines are enough to suggest the fan. Fewer lines can still read correctly if the knuckle arcs are clear.
Can I use a different hand angle?
Yes. The convention is a three-quarter view, but a frontal or steeper view is valid if the knuckle arc and tendon fan remain consistent.
How do I check proportions without a ruler?
Use unit counts. For example, if the hand mass is 3 units wide, the wrist can be about 1.5 units wide. Label these as hypothetical examples and measure your actual drawing.
What if my shading looks uneven?
Choose one light direction and apply it consistently. Check that shadows fall opposite the light source.