figure it out! human proportions

Draw the Head and Figure Right Every Time


Figure It Out!

HumanProportions

$19.95 U.S. • $21.95 Canada

Many artists don’t have the opportunity to drawdirectly from models. Knowing the correctproportions of the human figure, which can belearned quickly and applied immediately, canimprove artists’ understanding of the head andbody and their drawings.

In Figure It Out! Human Proportions, bestsellingart instruction author Christopher Hart offers:

• The basics as well as more subtlerefinements so artists at every level ofexperience can correct, improve, or fine-tunetheir drawings

• Quick-check illustrations and in-depth step-by-step demonstrations

• Organization for easy reference, withimportant proportion facts summarized in“Key Points” sidebars

n Figure It Out! Human Proportions,bestselling author Christopher Hartgives artists the tools they need to

draw the head and figure right every time.This comprehensive book provides all theessential information for artists at all skill levels, demonstrating proportionalrelationships of the head and body from all angles—front, side, and back—for both men and women, making it all easy to understand and use.

IWhen the Proportions Are Right,the Drawing Looks Right!

Art Instruction | Figure Drawing

Christopher Hart is theleading author of artinstruction books in the U.S.,with more than 3.5 millioncopies sold domestically. His books also have a hugeinternational audience, havingbeen translated into morethan 20 languages. In hismore than 50 titles, he offersartists accessible, generouslyillustrated, and clearly written step-by-step instruction on awide variety of how-to-drawsubjects, including manga,human anatomy, cartooning,comics, and animals.

PRINTED IN CHINA

www.sixthandspringbooks.com

9 7 8 1 9 3 6 0 9 6 7 3 2

5 1 9 9 5

Figure It Out!HumanProportions

FigureItO

ut! Hum

an Proportions

$19.95 U.S. • $21.95 Canada

ISBN: 978-1-936096-73-2

CONTENTS

• The Body:Overall

Measurements

• The Torso

• The Armsand Legs

• The Back

• The Hands and Feet

• Step-by-Step Tutorials:

The Figure

• Proportionsof the Head

• Features of the Face


The Head

CH_HumanProportions_cover_FINAL-kb 11/12/13 3:10 PM

HumanProportions_001-009_1 11/5/13 3:41 PM

FigureItOut!

HumanProportionsDRAW THE HEAD AND FIGURE RIGHT EVERY TIME

NEW YORK


Editorial DirectorJOY AQUILINO

Developmental EditorLISA SILVERMAN

Design & ProductionSTUDIO2PT0, INC.

Editorial AssistantJOHANNA LEVY

CopyeditorALISA GARRISON

ProofreaderANDREA CURLEY

Vice PresidentTRISHA MALCOLM

PublisherCARRIE KILMER

Production ManagerDAVID JOINNIDES

PresidentART JOINNIDES

ChairmanJAY STEIN

Copyright © 2014 by Cartoon Craft, LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproducedor used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, ormechanical, including photocopying, recording, or informationstorage-and-retrieval systems—without written permission of thepublisher.

The written instructions, photographs, designs, projects, and patternsare intended for the personal, noncommercial use of the retailpurchaser and are under federal copyright laws; they are not to bereproduced in any form for commercial use. Permission is grantedto photocopy only for the personal use of the retail purchaser.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataHart, Christopher, 1957–Figure it out! human proportions : draw the head and figure rightevery time / by Chris Hart. — First Edition.

pages cmSummary: “From bestselling art instruction author Chris Hart, afresh new approach to teaching the fundamentals of humanproportion to artists who are learning how to accurately draw thehuman head and figure that also serves as a refresher or quickreference for more experienced artists”— Provided by publisher.Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-936096-73-2 (pbk.)ISBN-10: 1-936096-73-01. Figure drawing—Technique. 2. Head in art. I. Title.NC765.H188 2014743.4'9—dc23

2013034431

Manufactured in China

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

First Edition

An imprint of Sixth&Spring Books161 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013sixthandspringbooks.com


For the readers who havewritten to say that my workinspires them: You inspire me as well.


Preface 8

Proportions of the Head 10The Outline of the Head 12Guidelines and the “T” 13The Planes of the Head 14Height and Width 15The Side View and Asymmetry 16

Features of the Face 18Simplifying the Eye and the Eyebrow 20The Eyebrow and the Temporal Ridge 21Eye Length and the Width of the Head 22The Distance Between the Eyes 23Where the Eyes Go 24The Cornerstone of Correct Eye Placement 25Eye Placement in Action 26Eye Level Variations 27Age and the Eye Line 28The Eye in Profile 30Front View vs. Side View 31Aligning the Eye 32Eye Placement Variations 33The Nose 34Nose Length in Profile 35Using the Nose to Size the Head 36Nose Width 37

The Mouth 38Mouth Width 39The Depth of the Mouth in Profile 40The Angle of the Jaw 41Where the Jawline Starts 42The Ears 43The Ear, Side View 44Quick Check: Simplified Proportions of the Head and Face 45

The Effects of Head Tilts on Proportions 46

Step-by-Step Tutorials: The Head 48Neutral Front View 50Front View, Slight Up Tilt 52Profile 54Drawing the 3⁄4 Angle, Facing Left 57Drawing the 3⁄4 Angle, Facing Right 593⁄4 View, Down Tilt 60

The Body: Overall Measurements 62Height and Proportions:Male/Female Comparison 64

Using Height to Convey Stature 66Variations in Height 67

Contents


Body Length 68The Halfway Point 69Head and Body Width 70Exceptions to the 3-Heads Rule 71Posture and Proportions 72Shoulder-to-Hip Ratio 73

The Torso 74Neck Width 76The Adam’s Apple 77The Angle of the Neck 78The Chest 79The Shape and Size of the Chest Muscles 81

The Chest and Rib Cage 82The Hollow of the Rib Cage 83Placement of the Navel 84The Two Essential Landmarks of the Torso 86

The Widest Point of the Lower Body 87

The Arms and Legs 88Arms and Legs: Overview 90Arm Proportions With and Without the Hand 91

The Level of the Elbow 92The Elbow in Different Positions 93What to Do When the Arm Is Bent 94The Wrist 95The Effect of Motion on Wrist Placement 96

The Legs 97The Calf 98

The Back 100The Shoulder Blades 102The Height of the Shoulder Blades,Side View 104

The Length of the Shoulder Muscles, Rear View 105

The Hands and Feet 106The Hand: Overall Size 108The Fingers 110The Length of the Thumb and Other Details 111

The Foot 112

Step-by-Step Tutorials: The Figure 114Quick Check: Simplified Proportionsof the Body 116

The Effects of Age on the Body 117The Torso, Hands on Hips 119The Torso, Arms Up 122The Torso, 3⁄4 Rear View 125Standing Pose, Front View 128Standing Pose, Side View 131Bending Pose, Side View 134Bending Pose: Cheating a Side View 137Twisting the Torso and Hips, Rear View 140

Index 143


Proportions are simple measurementsthat allow you to self-check your work andto make the necessary adjustments.Proportions exist for almost every part ofthe body, and are surprisingly consistentfrom person to person. Until now, youprobably relied on intuition to draw thefacial features and the body. Sometimesintuition worked, but sometimes it didn’t.And sometimes, it may have “looked right”when, in fact, the proportions were off.

Figure It Out! Human Proportions willgive you the tools to draw the correct figureevery time. No more guesswork. Here—plainly written and clearly illustrated—isall the essential information for artists atall levels, demonstrating the proportionalrelationships of the head and body from allangles: front, side, and back.

Why waste time worrying if you drewan arm too long or too short, or if the earsare too high or too low? It’s better to knowthan to guess. Knowing the correctproportions allows you to feel confidentand can greatly accelerate your learningcurve in figure drawing.

This essential guidebook to humanproportions takes a fresh approach. Thestudy of anatomy is, of course, important—and recommended. But it’s also a subject

that takes time to learn. Proportions, on theother hand, can be applied immediately.Some artists use photographs for reference.But that only works if you’re drawing thesame pose as in the photo. If you alter the pose, the reference material may nolonger apply.

Proportions have typically beentaught with complex diagrams andmeasurements of questionable usefulness.But if you’re looking for a practical guide,then this is the book to own. It prioritizesinformation to focus solely on what’srelevant to drawing the human figure. Andit’s organized for easy reference, beginningwith the head and working its way downthe body.

Preface

8


9

This guide will give you many“aha!” moments, in which the correctproportions make sense to you at a gutlevel. When that happens, you’ll neverforget what you’ve learned, because itbecomes a part of you.

A professional illustrator I knewwas giving advice to young artists.After demonstrating some establishedrules to be followed, he closed withthis final thought: “Just remember, if

it looks right, it is right.” And so it iswith proportions—within reason. Notevery drawing requires perfectaccuracy. My goal has been to providesome practical answers for theaspiring or more experienced artist. Ifyour drawing looks off, and youbelieve you should make anadjustment, now you know where toturn for answers.

Thank you for the privilege ofallowing me to be, in some small way,a part of your creative journey.


11

ost of us have struggled at some pointto draw the head, never consideringthat perhaps we were using too much

effort rather than too little. In this chapter, youwill see that the key is to start out with thecorrect shape and the correct placement of thefacial features. With this approach, everythingelse falls into place astonishingly quickly, withrelative ease. Some of these proportions maychallenge your long-held assumptions. Not allproportions are intuitive; as we’ll discover,simply depending on your intuition for accuracyisn’t a reliable approach.

Proportions of the Head

M


Simplifying the Eyeand the Eyebrow

he proportions of the eye are simple andstraightforward; it divides into 3 equal parts:T

20

A Inner 1⁄3: white of eye

B Middle 1⁄3: iris and pupil

C Outer 1⁄3: white of eye

A

E

CB

E The eyebrow’s arch can vary, butgenerally, the highest point falls over the outer edge of the iris.

D The eyebrow extendspast the eye on both ends.

DD

HumanProportions_018-047_1 11/4/13 7:30 PM Page 20

Features of the Face

The Eyebrow and theTemporal RidgeThe average person’s eyebrow takes a sharp

downward turn at the outer edge of the forehead.The spot where this occurs is a part of the skull

called the temporal ridge. It marks a shift in angle fromthe frontal plane of the head (the face) to the lateralplane of the head. Put simply, the eyebrow is literallywrapped around two planes of the head, which is whyyou notice that sudden shift in its angle.

A The temporal ridge marks the point where the front plane of the face ends and the lateral plane of the head begins. The cranial muscles on the sides of the head are separated by a ridge of bone—that’s the temporal ridge.

B The temporal ridge is visible in many poses and at many angles.

21

A

B


66

Using Height toConvey StatureIllustrators often exaggerate the

height of a figure to give it acommanding presence or a stylish

flair. Rarely, though, is the heightdecreased below 71⁄2 heads tall as astylistic choice.

This heroic height is often found incomics and fantasy illustrations.

Figures in fashion drawings are typically 9 to 12heads tall. The point isn’t to be realistic but to showlong lines, which give the image a stylish look.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 Heads Tall

8 Heads Tall


67

The Body: O

verall Measurem

ents

Variations in HeightFrom the examples, you can see that as you

shorten the proportions from the average 71⁄2heads tall to 7 heads tall, not too much

appears to change; however, as you continue downto 61⁄2 heads and finally to 6 heads, the figurebecomes more modest in appearance.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

7 Heads

6 Heads

61⁄2 Heads


108

The Hand: Overall SizeFrom the tip of the middle finger to the bottom of the wrist, the hand is

approximately the same length as the face (measured from the hairlineto the bottom of the chin). Don’t some people have longer hands and

fingers while others have shorter ones? Absolutely. But this is the establishedaverage. As such, it makes a reliable starting point, whether you’re drawing aperson with long fingers or short ones.

The fingers themselves are placed somewhat off-center on the hand. If theywere divided evenly, two fingers would be left of center and two fingers rightof center. But the mass of the thumb and the thumb heel of the palm act as acounterbalance to the fingers. To find the true center of the hand, draw a linefrom the tip of the middle finger to the center of the base of the palm.

A Tip of tallest finger

B Hairline

C Base of palm

D Bottom of chin

BA

CD


Diagram of Digit Segments

109

The Hands and Feet

A Middle finger is center of hand

B Base of palm

A Base of hand

B Ridge of knuckles—halfway point

C Middle fingertip

The row of knuckles closest tothe wrist is the halfway pointof the hand lengthwise.

C

B

A

B

A


142

There are numerous proportions that affectthis and all other poses. Please don’t driveyourself crazy by trying to follow all of themas if you’re assembling a piece of machinery.Instead, use this book to familiarize yourselfwith the basic proportions, and to self-checkyour work for more detailed proportions.

Proportion Hints

A The great tronchanter (the ball-and-socketjoint where the thigh attaches to the pelvis)is the widest part of the female body.

B The near shoulder blade is drawn inside ofthe outline of the back, while the far shoulderblade, due to the effects of perspective,appears as part of the outline of the back.

AA

BB


143

IndexAbdominal muscles, 85Adam's apple, 77Age

effects on body, 117–118eye line and, 28–29

Arch of the eyebrow, 20Arm, 89–96

bent, 94compared to lower leg, 99proportions of, 91

Back, 101–105Bending pose

“cheating” a side view, 137–139side view, 134–136

Bodyage effects on, 117–118halfway point of, 69length of, 68lower, widest point of, 87overall measurements, 63–73proportions of, 116width of, 70–71

Calf, 98Center line, 12Chest, 79–83

proportions of, 80ribcage and, 82

Chest muscles, 81Children, 117Chin, 38Crest of the ilium, 86Crown of the head, 34

Ear, 43side view, 44

Ear canal, 44Ear cartilage, 44Eardrum, 44Elbow

in different positions, 93level of, 92

Eye line, 12age and, 28 29

Eyeball, tilted, 31Eyebrow, 21

arch of, 20Eyes

aligning, 32of children, 28correct placement of, 25–26distance between, 23front view versus side view, 31length of, and width

of the head, 22of older adults, 29position of, on the face, 24in profile, 30proportions of, 20variations in level of, 27variations in placement of, 33

Facefeatures of, 19–47position of eyes on, 24simplified proportions of, 45T shape in the center of, 13

Faceplate, 44Feet, 107, 112–113Female proportions, 65Fingers, 110Forehead, hairline and, 25

Hairline, forehead and, 25Hands, 107–111

on hips, torso with, 119–121overall size of, 108–109

Headcrown of, 34front view, slight up tilt, 52–53length of the eye and

width of, 22neutral front view, 50–51outline of, 12–13planes of, 14–15in profile, 15–17, 54–55proportions of, 11–17side view of, 16–17simplified proportions of, 45size of, nose and, 36width of, 70–71

Head tilt, effects on proportions, 46–47

Heel, 113Height

male/female comparison, 64–65stature and, 66–67

Height line, 128Hips, twisting, 140–142

Irises, 20width of, 39

Jaw, 12angle of, 41

Jawline, 42

Legs, 89, 90, 97–99lower, arms compared to, 99

Lips, 38

Male proportions, 64Mouth, 38–40

depth of, in profile, 40width of, 39

Navel, 120placement of, 84–85

Neckangle of, 78width of, 76

Nose, 34–37bottom of, 43bridge of, 24

length of, 34length of, in profile, 35and size of head, 36tilt of, 61width of, 37

Older adults, 118

Planes of the head, 14–15Posture, 72Profile

the depth of the mouth in, 40the eye in, 30the head in, 15–17, 54–55the length of the nose in, 35

Proportions, 8–9, 49of the arm, 91of the body, 116of the chest, 80of the eye, 20of the head, 11–17head tilt effects on, 46–47

Pupils of the eye, 20width of, 39

Rib cagechest and, 82hollow of, 83

Shading, 51Shoulder blades, 102–103

height of, 104Shoulder muscles, length of, 105Shoulder-to-hip ratio, 73Standing pose

front view, 128–130side view, 131–133

Stature, height and, 66–67

T shape in the center of the face, 13Tear ducts, 23, 37Temporal ridge, 21Three-quarters angle, 56–61

down tilt, 60–61facing left, 57–58facing right, 59

Thumb, length of, 111Torso, 75–87

essential landmarks of, 86three-quarters rear

view, 125–127twisting, 140–142with arms up, 122–124with hands on hips, 119–121

White of the eye, 20Wrist, 95

placement of, 96




Figure It Out!

HumanProportions

$19.95 U.S. • $21.95 Canada

Many artists don’t have the opportunity to drawdirectly from models. Knowing the correctproportions of the human figure, which can belearned quickly and applied immediately, canimprove artists’ understanding of the head andbody and their drawings.

In Figure It Out! Human Proportions, bestsellingart instruction author Christopher Hart offers:

• The basics as well as more subtlerefinements so artists at every level ofexperience can correct, improve, or fine-tunetheir drawings

• Quick-check illustrations and in-depth step-by-step demonstrations

• Organization for easy reference, withimportant proportion facts summarized in“Key Points” sidebars

n Figure It Out! Human Proportions,bestselling author Christopher Hartgives artists the tools they need to

draw the head and figure right every time.This comprehensive book provides all theessential information for artists at all skill levels, demonstrating proportionalrelationships of the head and body from all angles—front, side, and back—for both men and women, making it all easy to understand and use.

IWhen the Proportions Are Right,the Drawing Looks Right!

Art Instruction | Figure Drawing

Christopher Hart is theleading author of artinstruction books in the U.S.,with more than 3.5 millioncopies sold domestically. His books also have a hugeinternational audience, havingbeen translated into morethan 20 languages. In hismore than 50 titles, he offersartists accessible, generouslyillustrated, and clearly written step-by-step instruction on awide variety of how-to-drawsubjects, including manga,human anatomy, cartooning,comics, and animals.

PRINTED IN CHINA

www.sixthandspringbooks.com

9 7 8 1 9 3 6 0 9 6 7 3 2

5 1 9 9 5

Figure It Out!HumanProportions

FigureItO

ut! Hum

an Proportions

$19.95 U.S. • $21.95 Canada

ISBN: 978-1-936096-73-2

CONTENTS

• The Body:Overall

Measurements

• The Torso

• The Armsand Legs

• The Back

• The Hands and Feet


The Figure

• Proportionsof the Head

• Features of the Face


The Head

CH_HumanProportions_cover_FINAL-kb 11/12/13 3:10 PM Page 1

figure it out! human proportions

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