One of the most important skills in human figure drawing is understanding basic human proportions. Even without artistic training or talent, people can look at images of a human figure and instantly tell whether something is out of proportion. One of the most common methods of keeping proportion is measuring everything relative to the figure's head size. This method is used for a basic standing pose.
Instructions
1. Determine the size of the paper you want to use. For a basic character sketch, you can use copy paper, which measures 8.5 x 11 inches.
2. Sketch a 3:4 oval shape near the top of the page. This is the basic guide for a character's head. The shape doesn't have to be perfect.
3. Measure it with the ruler.
4. Draw more oval shapes lengthwise stacked beneath the original until you have seven or eight. Add a fourth of a head length beneath the top head to account for the neck. The average adult human is around seven-and-a-half heads tall; you can adjust for stylistic purposes, but you should master the basic proportions first.
5. Align the bottoms of the head guidelines to the following locations from the top down: nipples, navel, groin, midpoint of thighs, knees, midpoint of calves, and feet.
6. Make the torso one head-length wide at the navel and two head-lengths wide at the shoulders for males, two head-widths for females.
7. Align the elbows with the nipples and the wrists with the groin. The hands should be approximately three-fourths of a head length from the base of the palm to the outstretched middle fingertip.
