Understanding Proportions in Portrait Drawing
Portrait drawing, as an art, is not confined to just representing a person's likeness but also his essence. Right proportions in a portrait drawing is one of the most important elements for a perfect portrait. Proportions refer to relationships between different facial and bodily elements; understanding the proportions will make the difference between a lifelike and awkward presentation.
The Basic Proportions of the Face
First and foremost, it is necessary to understand the general proportions of a human face. Conventionally, artists used the "ideal" face proportions as their guide. One way in which people do this is when dividing the face into thirds. These portions are from the hairline to eyebrows, eyebrows to the bottom of the nose, and the bottom nose to the chin. It results in equal proportion to the face which is considered balanced and in harmony.
The width of the face can also be divided. Normally, the distance between pupils is equal to the distance between the inner angles of the eyes and normally equals the distance from the inner angles of the nose. Inside the mouth's corners normally co-inside with the pupils when the person is front-facing. These rules may become a guide for you, keeping proportionality and symmetry in your portrait.
Tips to Draw the Proportions Right
Use Grid Technique: Many artists rely on a grid technique. Break up your reference image and drawing surface into equal parts, and you can zoom in on getting details of each part without getting overwhelmed by the whole image.
Measure with Your Pencil Hold your pencil out at arms' length and use it to measure the distances and proportions given. Compare lengths and widths of features with one another. Make more adjustments as you go along.
Practice with Basic Shapes: Reducing the features of the face to basic shapes can make it more accessible in regard to proportions. For example, make the head a lengthened oval and then break down the facial features to circles and rectangles. This method is easier to see how the feature-to-feature relationships work.
More: It is not so much about portraiture, but also drawing from front to side views. You will come to understand how proportions can change from viewpoint and lighting when drawing subjects from different angles.
Take Breaks: You will be able to see proportion mistakes that you might not have even noticed if focused intently on your drawing by taking a break from your work. Taking breaks helps you return to work with fresh eyes.
Conclusion
To create realistic and compelling artwork, proportions in portrait drawing must be learned. With the process of learning the basic proportions of the face, using the methods of measurement, experimenting with shapes, and working with multiple angles, a person is able to develop his or her drawing skill. Any art is going to require time and effort in mastering the proportions, so be patient with yourself, and enjoy the journey toward improvement. By dedication and observation, you will be able to see that your portraits will begin to have a likeness with the personality of your subjects.
Understanding Proportions in Portrait Drawing
