Artists measure the body using the head as a ruler: the height from the top of the head to the chin. This is the same sighting idea you used in Sighting with a Pencil, applied to people. The numbers are averages that artists use; real people vary.
- An adult is about 7½ heads tall. The halfway point is near the hips.
- A teenager is about 7 heads.
- A child of about six is about 6 heads.
- A young child of about three is about 5 heads.
- A toddler is about 4 heads.
- With the arms hanging down, the elbows are near the waist and the wrists near the hips.
Key idea
Artists measure the body in head heights: an adult is about seven and a half heads tall; a young child only four or five.
Why it works
The head grows less than the rest of the body after birth, while the legs grow the most. So a small child has a big head for their size and short legs, and the body gets more "heads tall" with age.
Worked example: Head size from height
You want to draw an adult figure 30 cm tall. About how tall is the head?
- An adult is about 7½ heads tall.
- Head = 30 ÷ 7.5 = 4 cm.
Answer: About 4 cm.
Worked example: Height from head size
You drew a toddler's head 5 cm tall. About how tall is the whole toddler?
- A toddler is about 4 heads tall.
- 4 × 5 = 20 cm.
Answer: About 20 cm.
Common mistake
People draw a child as a small adult: a little head on long legs. Children have bigger heads for their size and shorter legs. Measure in heads before you draw details.