Measuring in figure drawing is a fundamental technique used to capture accurate proportions and relationships between different parts of the figure. The most common method involves using your drawing tool, like a pencil, to gauge distances and angles relative to your viewpoint.
Why Measure in Figure Drawing?
Measuring helps artists achieve realism and proper scale in their drawings. By accurately comparing the size of one body part to another, or the distance between features, you can avoid distortions and create a more believable representation of the human form. It's all about understanding and transferring relative proportions.
The Pencil Measurement Technique
Based on standard practices in observational drawing, you can measure a length or distance by holding out your pencil along the length of the thing you are measuring. This simple tool becomes your ruler against the subject.
Here's a breakdown of the steps involved in this technique:
- Position Yourself: Sit or stand in a fixed position relative to your subject. Consistency is key.
- Hold Out Your Pencil: Extend your arm straight out towards the figure you are drawing.
- Close One Eye: Keep one eye closed. This eliminates parallax and ensures your measurement is consistent from your single vantage point.
- Align and Mark: Now align the tip of the pencil with one end of the length you wish to measure (e.g., the top of the head, one end of a limb).
- Use Your Thumbnail: Then place your thumbnail on the pencil at the point that lines up with other end of the length you are measuring (e.g., the chin, the other end of the limb). The distance between the tip of your pencil and your thumbnail now represents that specific length or distance from your perspective.
- Transfer or Compare: Without changing the position of your thumbnail on the pencil, move your hand back to your drawing surface. You can then mark this length on your paper or use it to compare it to another measurement you are about to take on the figure (e.g., "How many heads tall is the figure?").
This method allows you to measure anything from the length of a forearm, the width of the shoulders, the distance between the eyes, or even negative space.
Applying Measurements in Your Drawing
Once you've captured a measurement on your pencil, you can use it in several ways:
- Establishing Key Units: Measure the height of the head. This 'head unit' can then be used to gauge the overall height of the figure (e.g., a typical adult figure is roughly 7.5 to 8 head units tall).
- Comparing Proportions: Measure the length of the upper arm and compare it to the length of the forearm using your thumbnail marker.
- Checking Angles: Hold your pencil against the figure to gauge the angle of a limb or torso, then transfer that angle to your paper.
- Determining Placement: Measure the distance between a point on the figure and an edge of your view, then transfer that distance to your drawing to help with composition and placement.
By using the pencil measurement technique, you can break down the complex human form into manageable, measurable segments, improving the accuracy and structure of your figure drawings.
