How to Draw the Brachial Plexus

The brachial plexus is a group of nerve fibers located in the shoulder area extending from the spinal cord. Certain ends travel through the neck to the armpit area and the arms. The cords of the brachial plexus pass close to the lungs, under the clavicle (the collarbone) and into the pectoral muscle. Almost the entire upper body region is serviced by the brachial plexus. Drawing the brachial plexus is done with a few straight and curved lines.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. 
    

   Draw three diagonal parallel lines at the same length. While each one is curved slightly differently, the middle one is more straight than the others.

2. 
    

   Make a branch going down slightly to the right on the right end of the top line. In the center, draw a curved arc to the second line. In the opposite direction, about an inch away, create a branch close to the left edge that crosses over the middle line and ends between the middle and the last line.

3. 
    

   Create a curved branch attaching to the top and bottom line in the center of the middle diagonal line. A few inches away from the left end of the middle line, a branch will break away and curve up (going under the line extending down from the top).

4. 
    

   Make a branch on the bottom line that connects to the arc from the top line. A few inches from the right end of the line, branch out, curve down and make a hook shape.

5. 
    

   Using the lines you just drew as a sort of frame, or "skeleton," outline the entire drawing with two parallel lines, making knob-like shapes at the right ends (there should be five knobs).

6. 
    

   Erase all of the inner lines. The resulting drawing should look like a series of connecting tubes.

7. 
    

   Draw two thin curved tubes on the bottom tube about an inch or so away from the "Y" at the left end. On the middle tube, draw three thin curved tubes a little over an inch away from the "Y" at the left end. The thin tubes depict the nerves coming off the brachial plexus.

8. 
    

   Create a thin curved tube that connects the top and the bottom tubes. The bottom and the top of the connecting tube have small curved lengths branching out.

9. 
    

   Draw two thin alternating nerves (the one on top is longer than the one on the bottom) close to the "Y" at the far right end of the top tube.

10. 
     

    Draw two extremely small nerves (like alternating veins on a leaf) just to the left of each of the five knob shapes. The bottommost knob branches out into two nerves.

11. 
     

    Draw a thin tube going from the bottom main tube behind each tube and extending out the top. It connects to the second and the third tube.

12. 
     

    Place two last small alternating nerves just to the right of the "Y" on the top tube. The top one is longer than the bottom one.

13. 
     

    Trace the outer lines of the drawing with a pen and erase the pencil when the ink is dry.

References

• The brachial plexus
• About the brachial plexus