Proportions
and Measuring
Proportion is a word
often associated with another word for artists, stress! But I’m here to share with you that it
doesn’t have to be a stressful word.
Proportion…How big
should the head be? How long should the
legs? How long should I draw this
line? These are questions, we as
artists, face everyday. There are
several tools and methods to help artists with proportions.
There are certain
proportion formulas, such as the figure being a certain many heads tall, or the
head of the figure being so many eyes wide.
I like to know these
formulas and use them as a guide. The
human form being so individual you can never go strictly off of these formulas
alone. As an artist, it’s important to
know these formulas to be able to recognize the deviations from the formulas in
the model/subject you are drawing.
Measuring
Measuring is a
little bit different for every artist.
It is a tool for proportions not to overlook. Just as someone aiming a poolstick or firing
a gun does it differently than the next person, so goes it for the artist. Some artists, while measuring, will shut the
left eye and some the right, while others will keep both eyes open (just never
keep both shut LOL). You’ll need to see
what’s right for you. Then, hold your
pencil between your thumb and fingers with your fingers wrapped around the
pencil. Measure from the top of your
thumb to the end of your pencil. You can
hold your pencil vertical or horizontal for this technique, keeping it at
shoulder high.
Your measurement
from your thumb to the end of your pencil may only be ½ inch, but on your
drawing it could be an inch or more. All
of your measurements are comparative.
For example, if an artist wants to know how long a leg is, he can
compare it’s length with the length of the subjects head. Using the measurement method we discussed
with the pencil, it’s easy to compare.
This is a brief
overview on proportions and measuring.
For more information on proportions, measurements, drawing people or
faces, and much more…Please see www.learning2draw.com
or email us at info@learning2draw.com.
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