Drawing People: Proportions (Part 17)

Practice figure proportions in this art lesson: drawing people: proportions (part 17).

🎨 Studio Brief #33

The average human body is about 7-8 heads tall.

🎯 Your mission

Trust your hands more than your head.

⚡ The twist

Don't fix mistakes. Build with them.

What you'll learn

The average human body is about 7-8 heads tall. Learning basic proportions helps you draw people that look right, even in cartoon style.

Get ready

Techniques you'll practise

figure proportionsbody structurehead-measurement system

Colored pencilsDrawing paperScissors

Step 1 of 4

Draw an oval for the head. Stack 6 more ovals the same size below it for total body height.

Step 2 of 4

The shoulders are about 2 head-widths across. The waist is at the 3rd head down.

Step 3 of 4

Arms reach to mid-thigh. The elbows align with the waist.

Step 4 of 4

Sketch a simple figure using these proportions. Adjust for a child (bigger head, shorter legs).

Did you know?

🤯 Mind = Blown

🤯 Art rules exist mostly so you can break them on purpose.

🌟 Artist Spotlight

🎨 Every artist you've heard of started with one wobbly first try.

You did it!

🎯

We'll pick an art project that matches exactly where your skills are right now.

✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this: Art shapes everything you look at — once you notice, you can't unsee it.

🏆 Try this week: Make one piece of art today — even tiny, even messy.

👨‍👩‍👧 At dinner: “Tell me about the part of your art you love the most.”

Send it to a parent looking for a 15-minute screen-free creative win.