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Do your arms seem too long every time you draw a person? Or maybe your torso seems too short. Once you know how to proportion the body, it isn't so hard to get it looking right.
Steps
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1Draw 7 circles of about the same size. These will be your guidelines.
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2Draw an oval parallel to the topmost circle. This will be the head.Advertisement
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3Halfway down the second circle from the top, add a horizontal line. This is where the shoulder stops.
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4Halfway down the third circle, draw another horizontal line. This is where the waist will be, and also where the elbows end.
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5Halfway down the fourth circle, end the torso.
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6Halfway down the fifth circle, end the fingertips. Draw the beginning of the wrists about where the torso ends.
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7Just past the top of the sixth circle, end the knees.
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8Finish the bottom of the feet where the last circle ends. That's it!Advertisement
Community Q&A
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QuestionI need help drawing the hands, any advice?
Community AnswerHands are very difficult to draw, even for an artist! They take much practice to draw. Check how-to-draw books, find tutorials online, or use a reference picture of the position you'd like. For proportions, if your character's arm is at the side of the body, the wrist starts at the crotch and the hand goes to around the middle of the thigh. -
QuestionI need to draw people shorter than the idealized proportions. Any tips for scaling them down?
Community AnswerKeep the head the same size, and simply make them 5 or 6 heads tall instead of 7. You can do this by shortening the torso or the legs. -
QuestionHow did people figure out that its 7 heads long and how each proportion is?
Belle K.Top AnswererThey measured how long an average head is and how tall an average person is. Then divided the height by the length of the head. They did this with many different people's heights and head lengths and found it was 7. -
QuestionWhat is "realistic proportion"?Community AnswerIt's when each part is the appropriate size relative to the other parts.
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QuestionAre the proportions different for the age? How many heads tall is a kid, and is it the same as an adult?
Elena HimmerichCommunity AnswerYes, proportions are different for different ages. A baby starts out with a very big head compared to their body, and as they grow up, proportions slowly even out. As a general rule, a baby is around four heads long and a child is around five heads long. -
QuestionHow wide should the shoulder be?Community AnswerDouble the width of the head. Longer than the waist in males and shorter than the waist in females.
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QuestionHow do I translate these proportions to poses?
Ellie MossaCommunity AnswerIn this case, you might want to use a ruler or something with actual numbers on it so you can do the math yourself. Don't forget about foreshortening, a technique that alters proportions depending on how something is angled at the viewer.
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