Adult Facial Proportions

Transcription

1 Adult Facial Proportions Brenda Hoddinott P13 INTERMEDIATE: PEOPLE This article demonstrates a simple formula for rendering adult heads and faces proportionately correct. As we all know, adult faces are vastly different; yet, everyone s facial proportions fall somewhere within a standard set of guidelines. This lesson is divided into the following three sections: ADULT FACES DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES: With all adult faces following the same proportional guidelines, you d think that everybody would look similar. Not so at all! In addition to gender and cultural origin, genetics plays a key role in determining the appearance of an individual face. This section explains the three primary factors that contribute to anatomical differences: facial slopes, cranial masses, and facial masses. EXAMINING FACIAL PROPORTIONS: The shapes of adult heads and the placements of most features will follow the guidelines discussed in this section, but never forget that the proportions of a small percentage of adult faces wander slightly outside the guideline parameters. LINING UP ADULT FACIAL PROPORTIONS: You use a ruler to set up proportional guidelines for an adult head. Knowing how to set up accurate guidelines helps you remember where everything goes on an adult face. Suggested drawing supplies include good quality white paper, various graphite pencils, kneaded and vinyl erasers, and a pencil sharpener. 7 PAGES 11 ILLUSTRATIONS Recommended for intermediate level artists with well developed basic skills, as well as students of home schooling, academic and recreational fine art educators Published by Hoddinott Fine Art Publishers, Halifax, NS, Canada, 2002 (Revised 2008)

2 - 2 - ADULT FACES DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES As we all know, adult faces are vastly different; yet, everyone s facial proportions are similar in that they fall somewhere within standard sets of guidelines. Over the years, I have read many books and articles on this subject, some with very vague suggestions and others with very complex rules. From my background as a teacher of fine art and a forensic artist, I prefer to use guidelines that are easily understood and simple to remember. I also avoid unnecessary technical or anatomical terminology. With all adult faces following the same proportional guidelines, you d think that every face would look similar. Not so at all! In addition to cultural origin and gender, genetics plays a key role in determining the anatomical appearance of an individual face. The primary factors that contribute to anatomical differences include facial slopes, cranial masses, and facial masses. When viewed in profile, facial slopes vary significantly. The profile drawings in Figure 1201 demonstrate the three fundamental categories of facial slopes. Art Speak Proportion is the relationship in size of one component of a drawing to another or others. Facial slope refers to the angle of the lower section of a person's head (excluding the nose) when viewed from the side, from the forward projection at the base of the upper teeth, upward to the forehead. Cranial mass is the upper section of the head, often referred to as the cranium or skull. Facial mass refers to the lower section of a human head, also called the face or facial area. Figure 1201: Angle lines help you identify the differences between the three types of facial slopes; the first is almost vertical; the other two are more angular. Frontal views of adult heads also vary significantly. The upper half of the head is called the cranial mass and comes in many shapes and sizes. Figure 1202: The four most common shapes of adult craniums. Frontal views of adult facial masses are categorized as triangular, rounded, square, or oval. Figure 1203: Adult faces fit into one of these four basic shapes.

3 - 3 - In addition to differences in facial slope, and cranial and facial masses, diet, lifestyle, and age contribute to the ever-changing physical differences of adult faces. For example, the shape of a face can change considerably with a significant loss or gain in weight. Naturally, even slight variations to the basic shapes of cranial and facial masses, can result in billions of totally different adult heads. Which shape (Figures 1202 and 1203) most closely resembles each half of the following four adult heads? Figure 1204 Reexamine the four adults in Figure 1204 and take note that the following general principles of proportion apply to each: The widest part of the skull is around "five eyes wide." In other words, an eye is one fifth the width of the widest part of the skull. The nose is approximately the same width as an eye. The ears are approximately the same length as the nose. The outer corners of the mouth line up vertically with the irises of the eyes. EXAMINING FACIAL PROPORTIONS The shapes of adult heads and the placements of most features will follow the guidelines discussed in this section, but never forget that the proportions of a small percentage of adult faces wander slightly outside the guideline parameters. As an Aside Early in my career as a forensic artist, I did a composite drawing from the description of a witness that seemed to break every possible rule of facial anatomy. When I was finished, I was disheartened and thought that there couldn t possibly be someone who actually looked like this drawing. Then, a couple of weeks later, I was working at that same police department when one of the investigators from the previous incident said, Oh Brenda, we caught the guy from that last drawing you did. Would you like to see his photo? What a shock! His photo looked exactly like the drawing. It was at this time that I gave up on defining facial proportions in terms of rules, and began using the term guidelines.

4 - 4 - Figure 1205 Figure 1206 Besides being simple to set up, the following guidelines are inclusive of most diverse adult female and male faces (Figures 1205 and 1206). First of all, the horizontal lines: Line AB is approximately halfway between the top of the head and the bottom of the chin. Eyebrows are located above line AB. Eyes are touching line AB. Lower section of the nose is touching line CD. The base of each cheekbone usually aligns with line CD (and the bottom section of the nose). Ears are mostly between horizontal lines AB and CD. (The lower parts of the ears horizontally align with the bottom section of the nose.) Lower lip is on or slightly above line EF. Chin is between lines EF and GH. Secondly, the vertical lines: The widest section of the head touches lines IJ and ST. Eyes fit in between lines KL and MN, and OP and QR. Nose mostly fits into the space between MN and OP (nostrils often extend outside this space). Mouth is generally wider than the nose, but the lower lip fits mostly between MN and OP. LINING UP ADULT FACIAL PROPORTIONS In this section you use a ruler to set up proportional guidelines for an adult head. Knowing how to set up accurate guidelines helps you remember where everything goes on an adult face. Simply speaking, you measure and divide the length of a head into two halves (to set up horizontal guidelines) and then divide the lower half into three equal distances. For vertical guidelines you simply divide the width of the widest part of the head into five equal sections (six lines). With practice, you'll be able to visually judge proportions without drawing any lines.

5 - 5 - The most common mistake of beginners is to draw an adult's eyes too high on the head. Think of an adult head as two halves, with the eyes positioned at the halfway point. Line AB in the following exercise will mark the halfway point between the top of the head and the bottom of the chin. The following guidelines apply to the facial proportions of both men and women. 1) Outline the shape of the top half of an adult head. (Refer to Figure 1207.) Base the shape of your outline on one of the cranial masses in Figure Figure 1207 Figure ) Draw a horizontal line to mark the top of the head. You don t need to identify this line with letters. 3) Add a second line slightly below the cranial mass outline, and mark it AB. The tiny space above line AB allows room to later add ears. 4) Measure the vertical distance between the top of the head and Line AB. 5) Draw line GH below line AB. (Refer to Figure 1208.) GH is the same distance from AB as the line that marks the top of the head. GH also marks the location of the bottom of the chin. Figure ) Outline the shape of a facial mass between lines AB and GH. You can choose a shape from Figure The shape of this outline helps determine the placement of the features. 7) Measure the total vertical distance between lines AB and GH and divide it by three. (Refer to Figure 1209.) 8) Draw two more horizontal lines, CD and EF, at these points.

6 - 6-9) Outline the ears so the tops are above line AB and the bottoms are below line CD. (Refer to Figure 1210.) Figure ) Add two slightly curved lines to mark the outer edges of the neck. The tops of the neck outlines meet the lower section of the face above line EF. 11) Identify the widest (horizontal) section of the cranium, and draw vertical parallel lines, IJ and ST, to mark the outside edge on each side. (Refer to Figure 1211.) 12) Measure the horizontal distance between lines IJ and ST and divide this total distance by five. 13) Add four vertical, parallel lines (KL, MN, OP, and QR) at each of the four points. Figure 1211 Your facial blueprint is complete. Refer to the illustrations and guidelines in the previous section of this lesson (Examining Facial Proportions) and add facial features to your drawing. If you want to draw a likeness to an actual person, you need to make sure that each of the following distances is drawn accurately: From hairline to eyebrows (vertically). From bottom of nose to top of upper lip (vertically). (Most experts agree that this is the most important distance on a face to draw accurately.) From lower edge of bottom lip to bottom of chin (vertically). Between the eyes, from one inside corner to the other (horizontally). From the outside edge of one cheekbone to the other (horizontally). CHALLENGE Draw the frontal view of a proportionately correct adult head and face without drawing guidelines. Rather, use the guidelines in this lesson to eyeball the various distances on your drawing paper. You may even prefer to try drawing someone you know (such as yourself). First, outline the cranial and facial mass of the head; then sketch the placement of the ears, eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth; and finally use shading to define the facial forms and hair.

7 - 7 - BRENDA HODDINOTT - BIOGRAPHY As a self-educated teacher, visual artist, portraitist, forensic artist, and illustrator, Brenda Hoddinott utilizes diverse art media including graphite, technical pen, colored pencil, chalk pastel, charcoal, conté crayon, and oil paints. My philosophy on teaching art is to focus primarily on the enjoyment aspects while gently introducing the technical and academic. Hence, in creating a passion for the subject matter, the quest for knowledge also becomes enjoyable. >Brenda Hoddinott< Born in St. John s, Newfoundland, Brenda grew up in the small town of Corner Brook. She developed strong technical competencies with a personal commitment to self directed learning, and the aid of assorted Learn to Draw books. During Brenda s twenty-five year career as a self-educated civilian forensic artist, numerous criminal investigation departments have employed Brenda s skills, including Royal Canadian Mounted Police and municipal police departments. In 1992, Brenda was honored with a commendation from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and in 1994, she was awarded a Certificate of Membership from Forensic Artists International. Her home-based art career included graphic design, and teaching recreational drawing and painting classes. As supervisor of her community s recreational art department, Brenda hired and trained teachers, and designed curriculum for several children s art programs. In 1998, Brenda chose to end her eighteen-year career as an art educator in order to devote more time to writing, drawing, painting, and developing her websites. Drawspace incorporates her unique style and innovative approach to curriculum development. This site offers downloadable and printable drawing classes for students of all abilities from the age of eight through adult. Students of all ages, levels and abilities have praised the simple step-by-step instructional approach. This site is respected as a resource for fine art educators, home schooling programs, and educational facilities throughout the world. LEARN-TO-DRAW BOOKS BY BRENDA HODDINOTT Drawing for Dummies: Wiley Publishing, Inc., New, York, NY, this 336 page book is available on various websites and in major bookstores internationally. The Complete Idiot s Guide to Drawing People: Winner of the Alpha-Penguin Book of the Year Award 2004, Alpha - Pearson Education Macmillan, Indianapolis, IN, this 360 page book is available on various websites and in major bookstores internationally.