Drawing: People with Debra Kauffman Yaun

ADULT PROPORTIONS

The proportional measurements of the parts of the human body vary slightly for every person, making them unique; paying attention to these variations will help you render accurate likenesses. But first it’s important to understand how we’re all the same by studying the average proportions of the human body, which are more apparent when we look at the skeletal and muscular views of the body. When drawing a figure, we measure in “heads,” the vertical distance from the top of the head to the chin. Use rough measurements to help place the parts of your figure. If a head or other body part appears too large or too small, you can check the body’s proportions to correct the problem.

SKELETAL STRUCTURE By studying bone structure, ...