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Sharon Knettell · 10-19-2002, 12:18 AM

Unfortunately, since the eclipse of representational art by abstraction and other evils, a lot of very good artists have not learned these proportions. We are relying today on photographic proportion. These, when translated to painting and drawing, tend to make a figure look dumpy and graceless.

I was very fortunate to come across some amazing instruction manuals from "The Famous Artists School". They had contributing artists like Norman Rockwell, Robert Fawcett, Albert Dorne, etc. These may not all be household names today, but they were the art stars of the 40's 50's and 60's. People had to really draw well in those days to be considered a top illustrator.

They had excellent diagrams on figure and head drawing which are now plastered all over my studio.

I have memorized the longitudinal measurments. They are based on an 8 head format. The standard figure is about 71/2 heads in length.

HEAD 1. The head itself, the neck is 1/3 the length of the head to the pit of the neck.
HEAD 2. The second head length is to the armpit.
HEAD 3. The third head is to the waist.
HEAD 4. The forth head is to the pubic bone just above the crotch.
HEAD 5. The fifth head is to mid thigh.
HEAD 6. The sixth head is to the bottom of the kneecap.
HEAD 7. The seventh head is to mid calf.
HEAd 8. The eigth head is to the bottom of the heel of weight bearing foot. For example, the weight bearing foot could be behind the front foot, that front leg would be extended longer than 8 heads.

Check out the measurments in Sargent's standing figures. These proportions give his work some of their stateliness.

10-19-2002, 12:18 AM	#3
Sharon Knettell Approved Member Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,730	Classic proportions. Unfortunately, since the eclipse of representational art by abstraction and other evils, a lot of very good artists have not learned these proportions. We are relying today on photographic proportion. These, when translated to painting and drawing, tend to make a figure look dumpy and graceless. I was very fortunate to come across some amazing instruction manuals from "The Famous Artists School". They had contributing artists like Norman Rockwell, Robert Fawcett, Albert Dorne, etc. These may not all be household names today, but they were the art stars of the 40's 50's and 60's. People had to really draw well in those days to be considered a top illustrator. They had excellent diagrams on figure and head drawing which are now plastered all over my studio. I have memorized the longitudinal measurments. They are based on an 8 head format. The standard figure is about 71/2 heads in length. HEAD 1. The head itself, the neck is 1/3 the length of the head to the pit of the neck. HEAD 2. The second head length is to the armpit. HEAD 3. The third head is to the waist. HEAD 4. The forth head is to the pubic bone just above the crotch. HEAD 5. The fifth head is to mid thigh. HEAD 6. The sixth head is to the bottom of the kneecap. HEAD 7. The seventh head is to mid calf. HEAd 8. The eigth head is to the bottom of the heel of weight bearing foot. For example, the weight bearing foot could be behind the front foot, that front leg would be extended longer than 8 heads. Check out the measurments in Sargent's standing figures. These proportions give his work some of their stateliness.