Figures

A common problem in figure drawing is getting everything in proportion. In figure drawing, the basic unit of measurement is the 'head', which is the distance from the top of the head to the chin. This handy unit of measurement is reasonably standard, and has long been used by artists to establish the proportions of the human figure.

Remember that the basic unit in figure drawing is the model's head, from top to chin. Now, to find how many heads tall your model is, measure the distance from the top of the head to the chin. Two heads down (you count the head itself) is the breast bone. Three heads down is the waist. Four heads down are the hips. Five heads down is mid-thigh. Six heads down is mid-calf. Seven heads down is the ankle. To place these measurements on the paper, simply make seven equally spaced horizontal lines down the paper. The actual distance doesn't matter, so long as they are even. Naturally this will vary depending on the body shape and pose of the model. Use the 'scale' you have established with the height to judge the correct distance on the paper. For instance, the raised foot of the soccer player is almost at the 6^th space or mid-calf in relation to the other leg.

The skeleton is the foundation of human form and movement. While we can't see much of it in living people, the skeleton plays a critical role in organizing the shapes, bends and twists of the body.

Because of this, rather than just draw what you see of the external structure, I recommend that you first draw what is inside, a stick-like skeleton. Once you get used to this way of thinking, you can start with other approaches, but use the skeleton reference as a helpful guide any time you want to.

Once you have determined the proportion and position of the body, you can start to build the muscles and details. You may use combinations of gesture, contour and shading to create a finished action figure drawing.