Techniques in Figure Drawing

• Stick Figures• Gesture Drawing• Value Shapes• Geometric Shapes

Stick Figure

Gesture Drawing

Value Shapes

Geometric

Life Drawing and Human Proportions

• The basic guide for body proportion is in head lengths.

• The figure of an average adult is 7 to 7.5 head lengths:

• First head length: head!• Second head length: chest line.• Third head length: waistline, at

bellybutton.• Forth head length: groin area.• Fifth head length: a bit above the knee.• Sixth head length: just below knee.• Seventh head length: above ankle.• Seven & 1/2 (or eighth) head length: at

bottom of feet.

Other Important measurements that should be noted:

• When the arms are at the side, the wrist bone aligns with the groin area.

• The elbow aligns with the waistline—around or above the bellybutton.

• Shoulder width, side-to-side is about 2 to 2 1/3 heads wide.

Da Vinci’s Corpse Studies

Leonardo Da Vinci would use dead bodies to study the anatomy of the human figure

Common Mistakes

• Drawing with out a plan• Failing to keep figure on the page• Creating stiff ,robot looking, figures• Obsessing over proportions• Ignoring figures environment• Adding details too soon• Not spending time on hands and feet• Thinking you have mastered figure drawing

Today’s Lesson

• Watch presentation• Mr. Schmidt gives demonstration on geometric technique and proportions

• Class draws 20 figures in different poses using geometric technique

• Class chooses favorite figure out of the 20 to draw larger on separate sheet of paper

• Turn in work and clean up