Size of human head

Holly Snyder · 01-15-2005, 08:19 PM

I know this has been covered here before (which I can't find), as well as written in several books (which I don't seem to have). What are the general heights of human heads, from babies up through adults? Adult heads average around 9 inches high, correct? Currently I'm working on a photo of a six-year old boy, and trying to figure out the size of his head painted a little less than life-size, and hence the size of the canvas.

I've run into this question several times now, and thought it would be nice to have average head sizes listed here on the forum.

Thanks,

Holly

Linda Brandon · 01-16-2005, 02:15 PM

I think that the thread you're looking for is here.

Incidentally, if you are demo-ing and need to produce a passable head and shoulders portrait from life in a short time period, I reccommend the method that both Chris and I talk about on that thread: placing your hand on the canvas and using that as a rough guide, and make relative size measurements from that base, roughly 7".

I am going to teach this method this spring in my Phoenix class. I'm calling it the "Learned Hand" Method.

Holly Snyder · 01-17-2005, 09:54 AM

Hi Linda,

That was an interesting thread, thank you. I like the learned hand idea, I'll have to give that a try.

Holly

Linda Brandon · 01-18-2005, 01:18 AM

I'm just trying to flush out the (many) lapsed lawyers on our site, or maybe even lure Steven Sweeney into coming back to us. Learned Hand was a brilliant 20th century U.S. Federal Court Judge who said things like "Life is made up of constant calls to action, and we seldom have time for more than hastily contrived answers." It seemed to me appropriate, given the above quote and the handy "Hand" moniker, to name a quick-draw portrait procedure after him.

I think I am working too hard these days.

Steven Sweeney · 01-18-2005, 04:02 PM

I would think that if you were trying to lure me out from my monastic cave, it would have been through means of a faux spelling/vocabulary bee with another federal judge, Bostonian Bruce M. Selya, whose vocabulary has been variously described (

Patricia Joyce · 01-18-2005, 06:12 PM

Steven,
How I miss your verbosity. Hope all is well with you in that cave. Ya gotta stick your head out once in awhile!
Patty

Michele Rushworth · 01-18-2005, 09:35 PM

Never know when you're gonna need a word like struthious.

Debra Norton · 01-18-2005, 10:31 PM

I wonder if Judge Selya played Scrabble.

Steven Sweeney · 01-20-2005, 04:57 PM

The unmedicated mind never rests, but here I am, and I propose an amendment to my entry in the quick-draw naming competition.

A portrait can, of course, display much more than a head. Also, however composed or imagined, the portrait is significantly the product of a sure hand.

Therefore, substituting the Latin for hand, I offer:

Veritas manus (VAYR-'e-toss MAH-noose)

to denote such efforts.

Not only is it much more apt, but the initial assignment -- to somehow implicate Judge Learned Hand -- is fulfilled.

Q.E.D.