The Lower Leg
One can go a long way in art without knowing the complete workings of the lower leg. The short discussion presented here is adequate for most artistic needs.
In fact, the lower leg can be simplified into three masses that are sufficient for describing the limbs of most of humanity. The calf mass comprises the back half of the lower leg. The predominant form on the front of the lower leg is a mass that consists mostly of tibialis anterior and peroneus longus. The third form of note is the tibia itself.
Longus, brevis, and tertius are explained in the chapter on general muscle terms. Digitorum (dih-jih-TOR-um
) refers in this case to the lower digits, the toes. Peroneus (per-OH-nee-us
) comes from perone, meaning pin-bone,
an old but apt name for the slender fibula.