Almost Breathing- Life Sized People. How to D raw People - Simple Steps to Get P roportions Right Most artists will agree that learning how to draw people is one of the most challenging techniques to master. With so many distinct characteristics, proportions, settings, poses, lighting, and more, even the smallest mistake can ruin the entire work. This task can be simplified by keeping a few key elements in mind and following these easy steps. Now take into mind, this is only one of many ways to draw people. There are several different methods that can be taught. This is one that is enjoyed by beginners because it helps to keep the proportions correct. The first step when learning how to draw people is to keep proportions in check and start off by drawing the head. One of the best ways to keep proportion accurate on your page is to take your pencil, hold it up in the air in front of you and line it up with your model. Hold the tip of the pencil at the very top of where you see the model's head, and then use your thumb or forefinger to mark on the pencil where the model's chin is located. Holding this measurement, lay the pencil down on your paper and mark these guidelines. Once you have these rough guidelines you can then draw the head to the proper scale, adding details now or at the completion of your drawing. The next step for how to draw people is drawing the feet. Since you have completed the head to an accurate scale, drawing the feet second helps to keep the remainder of the body proportionate. This is done by using the common rule of thumb that assumes an average sized person is approximately seven heads tall (including the head). This means that the feet should be located seven times the length of the head downward. To do this, begin from the bottom of the head you have already drawn, even if you only drew a simple oval shape to mark the place of the head, and draw six more ovals of the same size end to end down the center of the page. This may look strange or seem as though the figure will be too tall, but once the remainder of the body fills in you will notice this is quite accurate. The bottom of the last oval marks the location where the bottom of the complete foot will be situated. Now that you have the entire length of the body drawn, you can begin to mark other key points that will help your person take shape and come to life. The third step of how to draw people is to locate and accentuate the appendages (arms and legs), the hips, and the waist. This process is the same for both male and female drawings and begins with the third oval down on the page. This oval marks where the elbows will fall, as well as where the waist is located. Once you have the location of the elbows, the rest of the arm can be drawn from there. Half way down the oval below the waist is where the hips are located, and the legs can be drawn below that location. Now that you have the rough outline of the figure arranged in exact proportion, you can go back and add as much or as little detail as you desire. The same basic principles can be followed for determining how to draw people in a sitting position as well. The instructions are the same as above, however instead of using seven ovals, only five are needed. This modification compensates for the space lost at the waist when sitting. Todd Harris is a master artist who has been helping people learn how to draw people for years. He works for a multibillion dollar company as a concept art director. He is trained in the Florence Academy Method. To see some free articles and tips on how to draw visit, http://www.learning2draw.com. For the best video instructions on how to draw people visit his new site at http://www.alldrawnout.com.
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