Easy Proportions for Better Gestures
Easy Proportions for Better Gestures
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Easy Proportions for Better Gestures
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Sarah Rivera
I really liked the bit about just cutting the line at the bottom to make it 7.5 heads tall. I've always been so confused making shorter people because I don't know how to divide the proportions! Do you just keep chopping off the legs? When do you adjust the torso proportions so it doesn't look odd and how can you do it so you end up with a 6 head figure rather than a tiny 8 head figure? Should I try it for the critique video or stick to more conventional proportions? Also really loved the comparison to the horse! I also love drawing animals so it was super interesting! Would love more tidbits like that further in the course.
LESSON NOTES

What's in Premium?

In the premium lesson on Understanding Weight, Balance, and Proportions in Figure Drawing, we dive into essential concepts that enhance your figure drawings. You'll learn to start with the gesture and focus on the idea, capturing the essence rather than just copying the subject.

We introduce weight and balance, crucial for achieving naturalistic realism. You'll explore the eight parts of the body—head, rib cage, pelvis, spine, two arms, and two legs—and understand their organization.

The lesson guides you through creating a proportion chart, a practical tool for mapping the figure. You'll gain insights into the structure of the rib cage and pelvis, the spine's curvature, and how these elements contribute to the body's balance.

Discover how asymmetry and design in the limbs add dynamism to your drawings. We discuss gender differences in proportions and their impact on the figure's character.

By understanding these principles, you'll improve your gesture drawings, comprehend the importance of form, and avoid common proportion errors.

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COMMENTS
Michael Hampton
Now that we've covered gesture drawing basics—focusing on ideas over copying—let's dive into proportions.
Newest
Alison Shelton
This made me laugh because of the statement that most people make the hands and feet too small. I definitely do that. I am average height but I wear kid sized shoes and gloves. So my own hands and feet are a very poor reference. Here is a picture that shows my hands. An old picture. 🤣
@b1egun
24d
I love the way you teach and your perspective on drawing. Thanks to you, everything feels more logical and easier to master.
@samboi124
2mo
here's my try at it, rib cage is a bit weird ik lol
Matt
3mo
This is what I did during this class (it's in Spanish)
@abhilashpillai21
My attempt
D Rivera
5mo
I'm looking forward to learning more. Gesture always seemed like an abstract construct that nobody could explain why, or how you do it. So far, this feels easy to understand and having proportion charts could help immensely down the line!
Filip Persson
Did the propotion
Huda Hijazy
Tried to follow along with the proportions guide – figuring out balance and spacing is trickier than it looks 😅 Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome! 🌿
Steven Voorhees
Here is my Proportion chart of 8 head model. Please critique.
Zander Schmer-Lalama
Here’s my attempt at the proportions. I did Mr. Hampton’s demo and did my own attempt from memory. I believe I did fairly well, even though I had some mistakes and some fine tuning. Advice and feedback is appreciated!
@thaihoch
8mo
Thomas Sperl
Very well explained. Love it so far
Mario Ulloa
Was just following along while watching to stay active
Stevie Roder
I know I'm a bit late to turn in the critique video for this lesson. But as I watched the video the other day, I slowly noticed that beginning-level gesturing is a lot of fun. I must admit I am having trouble with correctly getting the proportions and angles alongside the alignment on each body segment. But I plan on continuing with plenty of practice. This was a fun first lesson.
katherine
9mo
Still learning drawing, but your class is really helping me better understand the idea I want to get down on the page. Also, I think I may have too much of an angle on the side view of my chart. Thank you!
Martin Defensor
I still need to learn more about the directional angles of the upper body and the alignment of the spine. Thanks for the explanation!
Emily
9mo
“I can’t do math at all. It doesn’t work for me. My head’s never accepted it on any level.” Thank you for your relatable humor! A little late to this posting party, but here is my attempt.
Tara Smith
9mo
Great intro and first lesson. Here is my lesson. The rib cage is a bit thick so may try again.
@it0
9mo
There we go, easier seeing it than doing it ;)
@kthom4477
9mo
My first stab at the proportions
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