The Proportions of a Head

Although the proportions of a head will vary from person to person and change
slightly with age, there are some basic principles you can follow to improve your
drawing. You can use these to check the general size, shape and position of
features in your drawings.
f you view a head from the front, its width is appro!imately two thirds of its
height.
f you view a head from the side, its width is appro!imately seven eighths of its
height.


The proportions of the head can be divided horizontally into four e"ual "uarters.
#. The first "uarter measures from the top of the head down to the hairline.
$. The second "uarter measures from the hairline down to the eyes in the middle
of the head.
%. The third "uarter contains most of the features. At the top of this section
the eyes are usually level with the ears, and at the bottom the nose is roughly
level with the ear lobes.
&. The final "uarter stretches from the base of the nose to the chin with
the mouthpositioned 'ust above the halfway mark.
These proportions will only work if we share the same eye level as the sub'ect.
They will become distorted if we view the head from above or below.


(any artists start a portrait with the eyes as they are the focal point of any face.
The following proportions should help you with their scale and position in
relation to the other features.
The eyes are situated appro!imately half way down the head.
f you view a head from the front, the distance across the eye is similar to the
distance between the eyes.
The distance between the eyes is similar to the breadth of the nose.
As you can see from the illustration above, these distances work out at
appro!imately one fifth of the width of the face.
)ote the position of the ear in the profile view. t sits to the left hand side of the
vertical line which bisects the head.


f you view a head from the front, a triangle drawn from the centre of the head
through either side of the nose will establish a good proportion for the breadth of
the mouth.
f you view it from the side, note how the eyes, nose and mouth fit into a rectangle
whose diagonal creates a good line to position the corners of the nose and
mouth.
Lukis telinga
*tep # + The nitial ,ine -rawing
The ear is a complicated arrangement of ripples and folds of flesh.
You need to organise its irregular shape into some basic forms that are easier to
outline.
You can then use this linear framework to gradually build up its comple! form
with tone.


*tep $ + The nitial Tones
*implify the tonal structure into three areas.
#. Areas that are mostly light + ,eave these unshaded.
$. Areas that are mostly dark + *hade these with a mid+tone.
%. Areas that are e!tremely dark + *hade these with a dark tone.


*tep % + The /inal Tones
,ook deeply into each area of tone and try to pick up on the subtle variations that
lie within.
You may have to darken some of the light areas and lighten some of the dark
areas to achieve a balance of tone.
Tonal drawing is simply a balancing act between the elements of light and shade.
n fact, all drawing is a constant balance between your observation, your
concentration, your 'udgement and your techni"ue.
-rawing the )ose

*tep # + The nitial ,ine -rawing
The nose is formed by a series of curved planes. This makes it difficult to draw as
there are very few lines to help us describe its shape.
*tart by drawing what you can see, namely the inside and outside edges of the
nostrils. Then try to outline the main areas of tone that define the planes of the
nose.
-raw these lightly as you want them to disappear under your shading at a later
stage in the drawing.


*tep $ + The nitial Tones
*implify your shading into three basic tonal areas + dark, medium and light 0the
white of the paper1.
2lock in each plane of the nose with its appropriate tone. This should begin to
render its three+dimensional form.


*tep % + The /inal Tones
3arefully refine the strength and subtlety of the tone, softening the lines that 'oin
each plane with graduated areas of shading.
You must look more closely at this stage to try to discern the faint variations of
shading within each area of tone. t is this close observation that will take your
drawing to the ne!t level.
-rawing the (outh

*tep # + The nitial ,ine -rawing
The mouth is the second most e!pressive feature of the face. 4reat care should
be taken in drawing its shape as it is a key element in achieving a likeness.
*tart by drawing the subtle shape of the line that is formed as the lips meet. This
will create a natural e!pression for the mouth.
The top lip has its characteristic bow shape which varies considerably from
person to person. The bottom lip is usually larger than the top and more creased
with vertical stretch lines.


*tep $ + The nitial Tones
The upper lip slopes inwards and is normally darker in tone as it is shaded from
the light.
The lower lip is more fleshy with a stronger muscular structure. t tends to catch
the light and is further distinguished by the shadow below its pouting form.


*tep % + The /inal Tones
n the final stages of drawing the mouth, tone is used to soften the edges and
refine the detail. )ot only should it highlight the surface te!ture of the skin, but it
should also make you more aware of the muscular structure that lies beneath.
There is a subtle softening around the edges of the lips which helps to blend
them comfortably into the face. )ote how the detail at each corner of the mouth
diffuses into a small area of tone.