Measuring
3yr
Dick Hill
I just watched the accuracy section of Dorian Iten's drawing guide - great stuff, thank you!
Quick question: When drawing from life, it's often the case that my drawing will not be "sight size" on my drawing surface. How can I accurately measure my subject and then transfer that measurement accurately to my drawing? Is it a case of simply deciding to place a hash mark where I think the top of head should be on my paper, and a hash where I think the bottom of the foot should be, and make that my vertical "master measurement" that all other measurements are compared to? It seems like that leaves all other measurements open to guestimation and inaccuracy as you translate measurements from the subject up or down in size to match your first measurement proportionately on the drawing.
Is there a better way? Ratio glasses perhaps? ; )
Hi @Dick Hill,
I have no experience with the "sight size" method, but hopefully I can help with some tips on proportions.
First, in this video Stan Prokopenko explains how he measures proportions with the help of a pencil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzDGO0LssEM&list=PLtG4P3lq8RHFRfdirLJKk822fwOxR6Zn6&index=8
When I draw I often start the way you describe, by putting a line at the top and the bottom of my canvas, around the places where I think I want my drawing to stop. Sometimes I also do this on the horizontal axis.
With every line or point I put on paper, I try to compare this new line or point with the lines/shapes I already put on paper. What I focus on are the angles and distances between my lines. I also imagine vertical and horziontal lines through certain points of my drawing (sometimes using my pencil), to check if certain elements line out correctly. I think Stan also explains this in his video.
I usually want the general proportions of my big shapes to be in the right place first, and when I am happy with how these turned out, I work my way to the smaller shapes.
There definitely is room for inaccuracies this way, but with the help of a pencil (like in the video above) and by checking and comparing continuously, hopefully there is less chance of such inaccuracies.
When you really want to be on point, the help of a grid can come into place. Useful for drawing from photos, but also from drawing from life if you make use of a frame ( so a bit like ratio glasses ;)) :
https://www.npg.org.uk/learning/digital/portraiture/perspective-seeing-where-you-stand/the-drawing-machine.php
http://www.howtodrawjourney.com/drawing-grids.html
-Leon
Leon -
Many thanks for your thoughtful reply! I'll definitely check out those links. Your description of the measuring process is pretty much what I was thinking - discovering and matching relationships between subject and drawing. Dorian Iten has a very clear demonstration of the "sight size" measuring process when your view of the subject is drawn at a 1:1 ratio. All your pencil measurements can be directly transferred to your drawing paper at the same size (and you can get pretty darn accurate this way).
https://www.proko.com/course-lesson/accuracy-guide-demonstration/assignments
I've never used a framed grid for drawing from life but it makes sense. I have used a grid to help enlarge a drawing to mural size, so same idea.
Anyhow, thanks again!
Dick
