Figure and Head Proportion

    Sizing proportion with your eyes
    The proportions commonly used to depict a figure


    Alternatively you may use the following website for this exercise.

    Remember to follow any rules of the site. 

    Recommended Settings: Nude and Both Genders

    An explanation of sizing techniques and figure and portrait proportions


    For these pieces you may use your own figure references.

    Materials: None

    Alternative materials: Charcoal stick or pencil, graphite pencil, pen


    Lecture on Figure Proportions


    • None
    • Alternatively: Draw along with charcoal, graphite, or pen

    Duration: 40 minutes

    • If you like, casually draw along during this lecture to get your eyes to see the figure for its real proportions.
    • The eye perceive the light that actually exists, but our brains take that information and manipulate it for efficiency. It feeds us what we need to see in order to survive and replicate. This may mean that what we perceive is distorted in some ways.
    • How do we correct this, how do we measure the proportions of the figure for accuracy. How do we relay that in our work?



    • Measuring techniques
    • How planes and perspective tie into all of this.

    Measuring/Grid Exercise:

    • Pull up a reference image.
    • Hold your hand a full arms width away and make a thumbs up gesture. Now do the same with your pencil in your hand and it's tip pointing upward.
    • Move the pencil vertically until the tip to your thumb is the same size as the units head. Count the number of units in the scene vertically and sideways. Mark it on your paper.
    • Now draw using this tool to get proportions.



    Lecture on Portrait Proportions

    Materials: Same as Above

    Duration: Same as Above

    Same as Above (except for the head)

    We will be reviewing the standard units used in measuring the features of the head (instead of the whole figure)

    Overview and Exercises

    Same as Above (except for the head)

    Submit for Critique

    If you did not use the same reference we did on the stream, submit your picture. Include your Twitch name if you do this exercise on a different day after the stream as critiques will be exchanged for !Kokos. If you used a stock photo from a DeviantArt page be kind enough to drop them a link of what you did! Follow their Stock Rules.

    Submit via Google Forms



    Submit in #drawing_lessons on Discord