Techniques for Organizing the Figure

Measuring the Model:

how to use a measuring stick to find common elements and establish proportion.

Overall Bodily Proportions:

Using the head as a standard measurement, one can literally measure all the elements of the body and find proportionally correct distances.

Facial Proportions:

Using the measuring stick and the head as a standard, this section divides up the face into ideal proportions to make sure all the features are the proportionally correct in size and place.

The Skeletal Structure:

The underlying structure of the figure creates the armature for the surface of a person.

Musculature of the Figure:

The superficial, or surface, muscles of the body dictate the surface bump and rounded character of the body.

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

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

In the first section, drawing and observation skills were highlighted. This section focuses on ways to carefully check and "map out" a figure.

created 6/15/98 by R. M. Larmann
updated 06/11/04