Drawing Exercise

Proportion practice, getting the measurements right.

Proportion is the difference between a drawing that feels right and one that feels subtly wrong. It is a trainable skill: comparative measurement, practised until it becomes instinct.

Practice proportion practice now

Measure by comparison

Do not measure in inches, measure in relationships. How many head-heights tall is this figure? Is the gap between the eyes wider or narrower than one eye? Proportion is a constant series of comparisons against a unit you choose.

How to practice it

Use medium timers and consciously check one relationship per drawing, head to body, shoulder width to hip width, the halfway point of the figure. Block in big landmarks before any detail so errors are cheap to fix.

Common mistakes

Drawing the head too large, the most common beginner error. Detailing the face before the skull is the right size. Never stepping back to check the whole against its parts.

More drawing exercises

Build the fundamentals one skill at a time.

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From the Blog

Tutorials, iconography primers, and notes on sacred art practice.

Put it into practice

Open the studio with a reference set chosen for proportion practice and start a focused session.

Start practising