Oh god, hand positions are the worst.
I find it useful to brake the hand into a few seperate parts: the thumb, the fingers, and what you'd have left if you removed the thumb and fingers, which sort of resembles a triangle. I know it's basic, but if you're after a basic shape it's the way to go (coupled with hours of practice of course).

Another method, is to draw a sort of triangular circle, (which is the palm or back of the hand in the final product) then choose a point at the opposite side of the triangle shape to which the fingers will be on (ie the wrist), and radiate 5 lines from this point. They'll be the fingers. Use three points to draw in 2 knuckles on each finger (obviously the part where the line overlaps palm shape is the first knuckle, and doesn't need to be drawn, but it helps to make a point at that knuckle anyway). To help space the knuckles, draw 3 curved lines perpendicular to the lines that represent fingers, as markings for the end of the finger and the 2 knuckles on the finger (make these 3 lines smooth curves that run across all the lines that will become fingers).

If you take your time, and think about the spacing, then you should be able to flesh out the hand quite well by doing this. It's only a basic open palmed hand, but it's useful to draw before drawing trickey action poses with hands...don't even get me started on those.

(I'm not sure where i picked this up from. It could very well be a well known website, so if anybody has that site, please share it.)


EDIT: There's a thread stickied at the top of this forum, check that out. That maybe where i got the hand thing from.

I'm not here to 'plug' my thread, but I think there are several links to tutorials on the stuff you're asking for in it.
I don't do this because I'm lazy, but I was thinking that maybe you could develop a 'construction' figure for your human bodies (a figure made of sticks and elliptical shapes made to resemble a human skeleton) and build from there.
Aside from the thread here, there's a lot of talent at conceptart.org. I'm a member of the forums (though I am nowhere near their level) and I think that you can get into the tutorial section without having to join up if you don't want to. It doesn't cost anything to join up since it's just a forum, though. Just an e-mail address.
Since everyone is different in art, I think you have to find your own way to draw a hand which works for you (try the Polykarbon.com tutorial section for starters just to see if that suits you). In the mean time, you need to look at hands for reference. Here's some hand pictures to start you off.

As stated twice, Here is the Official Advice Thread; please consult it for any and all Art Advice.

Good night.