How to NAIL proportions every time you draw
As an artist, it can be frustrating when you are working on a piece but the whole time you just feel like something is off.
You might have tried walking away and coming back with a fresh eye, erasing parts and reworking. Or maybe you've given up entirely — abandoning the piece altogether!
That's where measuring tricks can save the day!
While for most of these tips, I worked on an iPad Pro, if you are creating traditional art you can still follow along with a straight edge or a ruler! Just make sure for either medium your sketch and reference image are lined up perfectly side by side.
1. Using Horizontal Lines
The first way you can test the accuracy of your drawing is to draw horizontal lines across both your photo and drawing.
You'll want to pick out any important features in your piece. For faces, this would be at points such as the corner of the eyebrow, the corner of the eye, the bottom of the nose, the part of the lips, the chin, etc. However, you can add as many or as little lines as you like to check the areas you feel might be misaligned.
Once your lines are drawn you can compare your drawing to your reference and see if the elements along the lines match up. If they don't line up (and the reference and drawing are indeed the same size) then that means something in your drawing needs to move if you want it to be truly accurate to the photo.
Additional tips
When using digital tools (like Procreate) make sure that your lines snap straight and are perfectly horizontal to avoid any mistakes. You can do this in Procreate by drawing your best horizontal line, then tap your other finger on the screen to make it snap to a perfectly horizontal line.
Make sure to create an additional layer for the lines so you aren't drawing on top of your sketch, and remember to move to the correct layer before you continue working again.
2. Measure a Single Area and Use it for Comparison
Another helpful way to check the proportions in your drawing is to measure a single feature from the reference. You can then move this measurement around the reference to see how other features in the reference compare to it. It can also be good to measure specific features and compare them back to your drawing to see if you have them drawn accurately.
Additional Tip:
When creating the measurement use a color that will stand out amongst the rest of the piece so it is easy to see!
3. Break the Piece up into Sections
Try breaking your reference up into 4 parts with a simple grid. For this, all you will need to do is add a horizontal and vertical line through the middle of your reference image and then duplicate the grid and drag it on top of your drawing.
This can help your eye see what it missed when viewing the whole. Sometimes it can be easier to achieve accuracy when the reference is presented in smaller chunks, versus the more intimidating whole.
Additional Tips:
It's a good idea to use a bright color to create the lines as it can help the eye better see the separation. If you're still having trouble focusing on one section at a time you can use some scrap paper to physically cover the other sections as needed!
And once again, make sure you are on the correct layer before you go back to drawing!
4. Comparing Specific Angles
If there were any angles or specific lines in the drawing you were getting frustrated with while sketching, you can go to a new layer, trace the line on the reference, and then duplicate it and bring it over to your drawing to make sure everything lines up.
5. Drawing Vertical Lines
Similar to the first step of drawing horizontal lines, you can also draw vertical lines down an image. This is especially useful when checking what features will run into if you draw a line straight down from it. Then you can make sure those points are the same in your reference and drawing. For example, in the image below, is the corner of the eye lining up with the lips correctly? Is the edge of the eye lining up with the shoulder correctly? Etc.
Usually, when I start a drawing, I start with freehand observation first. THEN I come in and check the measurements after I have something up on the paper. (I find this helps me stay feeling creative and free and not locked in from the start.)
Having these measuring tricks is an excellent way to be accurate though (when you wish to be, that is!)
Experiment with these different tips and see what works for you. Use them when you feel something is off, are having difficulty, or are feeling stuck.
Prefer to see these ideas in action with a video? Watch here >>
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