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Beth,
I am not William, but maybe this will help you. When sight-size is being taught, you normally have a string attached to a small lead weight. The lead weight functions as a plumb line. The string is held horizontally [thumb and forefinger of both hands] and you extend your arms fully, everytime you use the string. [Most people have a good sense of the horizontal so you don't need a line level.]
Close one eye and sight along the string. Doing this you can place the model where ever you wish. Then just go for the biggest shape. If it is a head do as above, visually touching the top of the head. Then, repeat with the chin. Your canvas should be placed so when you visually touch the top of the head,you are also passing the string in front of your canvas.
Normally, with a just a head, the canvas is placed alongside the head. Set someone up in reality and see what happens. Sight-size should be learned at an Atelier, as there is much more than what I have written for you.
Also, depending on the Atelier you attend, the emphasis will be different. For us, it was drawing out of shadows with the correction of shapes, tones and angles. There was no eye, nose, mouth or hair.
Stepping back is to help with the perception of the big shape. Imagine you are seeing through a fog which thins as you walk closer to the object being observed. What would you see?
In the beginning concentrate on just light and shadow. There are no details/information. Your glasses should work just fine as you do this. As you "walk" closer, it should all become rather self-explanatory.
When observing a curve or circle, break it firstly into angles. To draw a straight line without a ruler, simply get some newsprint and charcoal in hand, lightly touch the charcoal to the paper, rapidly draw a long stroke, do this several times. Eventually the hand will accept the training and confidence will set in.
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Khaimraj
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