Term
Patella
Meaning
The patella, or kneecap, is a small bone at the front of the knee joint; OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology calls it the largest sesamoid bone in the body. It sits in front of the joint rather than on top of it, so the knee is not a simple cylinder end. Artists place it as a landmark halfway down the leg, between hip and sole, and draw the surrounding forms of the thigh and shin around it. It shifts and becomes more visible when the leg is bent. See also: Quadriceps, Malleolus and the guide "Skeleton Landmarks Every Figure Artist Should Know".