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Standard Visual Human Body Proportions

Some standards for measurement of the human body have been established by artists working with the figure. Heads are used instead of inches.

Standard Proportions:Here are a list of standard bodily proportions that can give you a good idea of ideal proportions.

• The human figure is an average of 7 heads high.
• The width from shoulder to shoulder is 3 heads width.
• The distance from the hip to the toes is 4 heads.
• The distance from the top of the head to the bottom of the chest is 2 heads.
• The distance from the wrist to the end of the outstretched fingers of the hand is 1 head.
• The length from top to bottom of the buttocks is 1 head.
• The distance from the elbow to the end of outstretched fingers is 2 heads.

All these "ideal" measurements vary from model to model. Check out other figure drawings that you have done and see if adjusting these increments helps.

Leonardo da Vinci also used ideal measurements when he was working on the human figure. The drawing entitled Vitruvian Man is based on a model of ideal proportions established by the ancient Roman Vitruvius.

[measuring]		[body proportions]		[facial proportions]		[skeleton]		[muscles]

Questions or comments can be forwarded to Ralph Larmann at the University of Evansville.

The image above is shows a method for visually measuring the figure. Most people are between 6-7 heads high. This model is 8 heads high because that looks more correct in a drawing.

created 6/15/98 by R. M. Larmann
updated 06/05/04