Body proportions, and headsize

by Eirik87, February 19th 2019 © 2019 Eirik87

My focus right now is getting a sense of wholeness to the body instead of connected body parts (not sure how to explain it). Also, getting head sizes right.

I tend to draw people too gangly and with heads that are too small :P I think this happened very much in the 10 min drawing, especially as the model is quite short and stocky. I can see that her legs are too large/long compared to the upper body....

Mx. Abi

Erik 87
I understand exactly what you mean when you say that you are trying to get away from drawing people as seperate parts strung together. This happens to many an artist as we draw because we focus on a single body part or shape as we build the form and when we are done it looks like Frankenstiens Monster

My feedback is that you are doing well in this area, and that you should continue on the path that you are already going down.

one of the things that is going to continue to help you in this area is if you maintain the strong practice of laying down your gestural lines first and then adding the shapes afterward. In both your five minue and ten minute sketch I can see clearly that you have done this. You have laid down the framework and then added the larger lines over this.

The reason that bodies look like they are assembled from different people when we are done with them is that as we focus on a leg, a torso or a head our level of comfort and concentration often results in our focus increasing and as a result the size increasing or decreasing with our level of comfort.

We generally make the parts of the body that we are the least comfortable with smaller and the parts of the body we feel more confident in larger.

But when you map out the size and shape, as you have done here, then you follow the guidelines that you have already set in advance and the size creep is less likely to happen.

It appears that you are working digitally so i don't know if the tool I am reccomending will help. But I will reccomend it anyway.

I suggest that you look into a Proportional Divider. It can help you make sure that you get the proportions correct. You can spend anywhere from $15 to $200 or more on them. But if you look for an Artists Proportional Divider you will do better. We don't need the fine level of measuring and control a map maker or architect needs in their work. Look for one that ends a fine point.

Finally I like your line work. You have a good sense of movement and there is a good flow to your work. Often another problem artists have is the gesture is stiff or harsh. But you have a good sense of flow and movement, and I really like the linework you have in your sketches.

To sum up - you are absolutly on the right track.

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