The proportions of the human body are diverse and depend on age, gender, type of addition. So, there are three forms of physique: long and narrow, characterized by a narrow pelvis and long limbs; short and wide, with a wide and long body and short legs; the average between the first and second. The proportions of the female figure differ from the proportions of the male. A child, a youth, a teenager are significantly different in proportions from an adult.
Studying all the features of the body structure when creating sculptures is of paramount importance to the artist. Considering a specific model, it is necessary to understand the ratio of individual parts of the body, their proportions. For different people, they vary significantly, which is the individuality of each person. To catch her is the task of the sculptor. Success in this depends on knowledge of the laws of anatomy; the ability to see and carry what he saw into the material. For a beginner woodcarver, as has already been said, it is difficult to achieve high results without drawing and modeling, training and sketching sketches in clay and clay. I advise you to examine your body and face more often. This will help in the study of anatomy, teach to find bone and muscle protrusions, tell the laws of changes in body shapes in various poses. Pay attention to your relatives and friends, peer at passers-by on the street, in passenger vehicles.
Studying figures and faces should become a habit. Let the street, various public places become for you a permanent exhibition, an exposition of a huge museum. It’s good if you always have with you a small notebook or sheets of blank paper with a cardboard cover and a pencil. Interesting, characteristic faces, sketch their features, without wasting time, otherwise they will be forgotten, and you will never meet such. But I want to warn that it is imperceptible to peer and consider, so as not to embarrass those you are looking at - not everyone loves when they are pierced with a point of view. Try not to scare a person so that he does not change his natural state. If you saw something interesting on the street, but could not sketch, do it at home, from memory, the benefit will be twofold: you will save an interesting image and practice your visual memory. The volume of this book makes it impossible to dwell on these issues. We will review overviewly the basic data of typical body proportions, using the already developed schemes. I think they will be useful to start dating, I say this, based on my own experience.
The basis of the structure of the human body is its skeleton. The external data of the individual largely depend on it. This is its architecture, which carries internal organs, a muscular system that complement the general form. In the skeleton, the skull, bones of the trunk (spine with chest) and limbs are distinguished. Only one bone is movable in the skull - the lower jaw. A spine stretches along the back, consisting of individual bones - vertebrae. Between them are cartilage pads, giving significant mobility to the body. The ribs are attached at one end to the spine and the other to the sternum, forming the rib cage. In the upper part of it on the clavicle and shoulder blades are attached the upper limbs - hands. At the bottom of the spine are attached pelvic bones. Lower limbs depart from them - legs. The arms and legs are made up of three large bones and several small bones in the hands and feet. Connecting joints provide sufficient mobility of the limbs.
The structural features of the human skeleton play a fundamental role in the proportions of the body. When creating the statue, the carver should have a good idea of \u200b\u200bthe anatomical structure of the body. I recommend referring to the specialized literature published in sufficient quantities. “Plastic anatomy and the image of a person based on it” M.Ts. deserves attention. Rabinovich (publishing house "Fine Arts", 1985).
To easily determine the ratio of body parts, artists choose a unit of length, the so-called module.
Fig. 7.1. Proportions human bodymodule - head (according to Reacher)
Since ancient times, some part of the body (the head or nose, hand or middle finger of the hand, foot, etc.) has been used for this, with the help of which the relationship between the parts and the whole was established. To determine the total height of a person, the head is often used. On average, its value is constant - about 22 cm. For artists to this day, this is the main module, equal to the eighth of the growth of an adult. For undersized, this ratio reaches 7–7.5. Hence, the higher the growth, the smaller its proportion falls on the size of the head.
If we also take the size of the head as the main module, then its length fits into the distance from the chin to the inter-nipple line, from the inter-nipple line to the navel, from the navel to the pubis (Fig. 7.1). The size of one head also equals the length of the hand with the wrist and the height of the buttocks, the distance between the nipples of the chest. Two sizes of the head are the width of the shoulders, the distance from the end of the middle finger to the ulnar process, from the lower edge of the patella to the sole. Three sizes of the head correspond to the distance from the armpit of the outstretched arm to the end of the middle finger. Four sizes of the head is equal to the foot from the inguinal fold to the sole. Examine carefully and remember the rest of the proportions.
Head and face structure
Studying the shape of the head, we distinguish between bone protrusions. The most pronounced there are twenty. Of these, thirteen on the skull and seven on the front. The main ones: two superciliary (left and right), two frontal, two temporal, nasal, coronary, chin, two zygomatic, two mandibular and occipital.
There are four main types of faces (Fig. 7.2, a):
1) rectangular: temporoparietal, zygomatic and mandibular highest points are located approximately on the same vertical line;
2) diamond-shaped: the vertical line touches only the cheekbones;
3) trapezoidal, with the smaller side down: the vertical line touches only the temporal-parietal protrusions;
4) trapezoidal, with the larger side down: the vertical line touches only the external mandibular protrusions.
In each case, there may be options close to the main types, it is rather difficult to determine them because of the hairstyle. In profile, the shape of the head varies in the front corner. If two lines are drawn, one - between the central protrusions of the superciliary arches and the junction of the nose with the upper lip, and the second - from this point to the earlobe, an angle is formed, which is called the facial angle. There are three of them (Fig. 7.2, b):
1) a straight line, while the first line is vertical;
2) sharp, while the first line is inclined by the upper end towards the forehead;
3) blunt, while the first line is inclined by the lower end towards the chin.
Fig. 7.2. Head shape ( a) and front angle ( b)
When creating a portrait should take into account age-related characteristics, as well as the affiliation of the portrayed to male or female gender.
For example, the head of an 8–10-year-old child is distinguished by a large skull box, an underdeveloped front part.
Fig. 7.3. The main forms of the head and the anatomical points of their construction
Cheekbones and superciliary arches are hardly noticeable. The lower part of the face - the cheeks and chin - is rounded. Forms are summarized without sharp boundaries. In a teenager aged 14–16, the ratio between the cranium and the face changes. Bone protrusions are indicated, the skull grows noticeably. Thin subcutaneous fat. Groups of chewing and temporal muscles are manifested.
In a young man aged 18-20, the growth of cranial bones usually stops. The change in the external shape of the face occurs due to the formation of facial muscles, and this significantly distinguishes the young man from the previous age stage. A nasolabial fold is formed. The density of hair increases. In a young man, the shape of the head acquires clarity. Bone protrusions and muscle groups are clearly visible. The head of an adult (30–35 years old) is characterized by a thickening of the subcutaneous fat layer. This leads to an enlargement of all forms of the face.
On the head of the elderly, soft integuments are noticeably enlarged, which is why there are wrinkles and deep folds on the face. Bone protrusions and muscle groups stand out, the upper eyelid drops, the hair thinns. Muscle tissue is atrophied on the face of an old man: the skin sags and many folds and wrinkles form. Bone protrusions are clearly marked, muscle attachment sites are visible, veins and arteries are visible. The nose aggravates, the outlines of the skull are clearly visible. At a very advanced age, the skin of the face dries out, becomes covered with continuous wrinkles. Stuck or fallen teeth bring the chin closer to the nose. The eyelids of the eyes and lower lip are dropping, and complete weakness is reflected in the face. The nature of age-related changes depending on the specific structure of the face can be expressed more or less clearly. The sculptor should pay special attention to this.
The structure of the parts of the face
When constructing the portrait, sculptors divide the head from the front side vertically into four parts, each of which is on average equal to the length of the nose: from the chin to the nose, nose, from the nose to the hairline and from the beginning of the hair to the crown, that is, the highest point of the head. The length of the palpebral fissure formed by the eyelids, the distance between the eyes, the width of the nose along the nostrils, as a rule, are equal to each other. They correspond to half the length of the nose. The length of the mouth is one third longer than the length of the palpebral fissure.
Consider the main parts of the face and their features.
Nose
The shapes and sizes of the nose in different people are diverse and depend on the bony base of the skull, cartilaginous extension and muscle subcutaneous layers of this area. The reduction of the latter reflects a particular psychological state of a person, which should be paid attention to when conveying the mood of the person being portrayed. Look at the different nose configurations (Figure 7.4). Noses are divided into four main types: straight, humpback (eagle), soft snub-nosed and upturned, which changes shape with age. The child has a small nose. In old age, the bone and cartilage parts are more prominent.
Fig. 7.4. Nose shapes
Mouth
It consists of (Fig. 7.5) two skin folds that form the lips, at the base of which is the round muscle of the mouth. The upper lip differs markedly from the lower shape. Different people have it differently. Four types of lips are distinguished: thin, thick, medium and swollen. In the middle of the upper lip there is a tubercle called the proboscis. On both sides, small bulges also adjoin it. To the corners of the mouth, the upper lip becomes flatter and wraps inward. In the center of the lower lip there is a small indentation, on its sides there are bulges that end almost at the corners of the mouth. The lips are bordered by a low rim, which is also the border of their color. Depending on the mood of the person, the lips change shape. We see the internal state of a person, his feelings. The artist must capture these subtle changes and, if necessary, reflect in the portrait. Such a portrait will tell the attentive viewer more and convey the truth of the character of the portrait.
Fig. 7.5. The structure of the mouth. 1 - nasolabial sulcus; 2 - "filter"; 3 - tubercle of the upper lip; 4 - mouth angle; 5 - chin groove
Eyes
At the first examination, we see the main external details of the eye. These include the eyeball, iris, pupil, eyelids, eyelashes, “tear lake”, eyebrow (Fig. 7.6).
Above and below the eyes is framed by the upper and lower eyelids. Between them forms a space called the palpebral fissure. With an open eye, it is almond-shaped, with a closed one it has the shape of an arc convex downward. The upper eyelid is larger and more mobile than the lower. The lateral edge of the eyelid is sharp, internal rounded, it forms a "tear lake". The artist needs to remember that the eyeball can move independently of the eyelids, which, in turn, close and open also independently of the pupils.
A person working on a portrait needs to carefully study the structure of the eye, its changes when looking to the side, down, up.
Fig. 7.6. The external structure of the eye: 1 - outer corner; 2 - Iris; 3 - pupil; 4 - protein coat; 5 - inner corner; 6 - eyebrow 7 - fold covering the upper eyelid; 8 - upper eyelid; 9 - lower eyelid
The ways of depicting an eye in a sculpture may vary. Sometimes the pupil is not indicated on the eyeball (as in antique busts). The iris is formed convexly or concave with a small or significant indentation. The shadow point depends on the depth. To make the eye more lively, they create a highlight, leaving a piece of material on either side of the pupil recess. It should contrastly stand out against the background of the darker iris and pupil, creating at a distance a glitter effect of the eyes, a reflection of the incident light.
They say eyes are the mirror of the soul. Looking in the face, we first look in the eyes that tell us a lot. Viewers in portraits are also first attracted to the eyes. In them, he seeks answers to questions, tries to understand what kind of soul is reflected, what the artist wanted to say with a work, how he relates to the person whom he recreated in sculpture.
The ears
These are cartilaginous plates of complex shape, covered with a skin fold, which are located behind the cheeks on the sides of the front of the head. In its design, the ear, like a hearing aid, is complex, but we are more interested in the external structure and variety. We see and reflect plastically the external superstructure - the auricle (Fig. 7.7). It distinguishes between curl and antihelix, tragus and anti-tragus, the cavity of the auricle. In the upper part of the curl there is a slight thickening - a tubercle. Inside the tragus, the shell passes into the opening of the internal auditory canal. The lower part of the auricle is not filled with cartilage. Here is the lobe. It can be separated or adhered to the cheek. The ears are very diverse in shape. Each person has their own characteristics. With all the differences, they are divided into large and small, long and short, narrow and wide, flattened and protruding. Ears, as a rule, are motionless, but often attract attention if they are not hidden by a hairdo. They give a unique shape to the construction of the head and character to the face. Keep this in mind and do not forget to convey in the portrait.
Fig. 7.7. External structure of the ear: 1 - cavity of the auricle; 2 - antihelix; 3 - curl; 4 - tubercle; 5 - tragus; 6 - anti-tragus; 7 - lobe
Eyebrows, mustache and beard
Each person has their own individual, but the basic laws of construction are similar, which must be taken into account when creating a portrait.
Eyebrow - an elongated area of \u200b\u200bhair located above the eye socket over the brow ridges of the skull. Eyebrows are diverse in shape: short, long, narrow, wide, rare, thick, straight, arcuate. They consist of three parts: the head, body and tail, which reproduce the total mass.
In men, more often thick, in women - thin. They give expression to the face, especially the eyes. Very mobile both together and separately.
Mustache also on each side consist of three masses: under the nostrils, between the nostrils and the corners of the mouth, above the corners of the mouth and beyond. They should be depicted without a noticeable separation of the masses.
Beard. It consists of nine masses: one from the ears, one from the cheeks and the beginning of the chin, two masses at the level of the chin, one smaller size above them (under the center of the lower lip) and the last two masses under the lower jaw.
Such an analysis of the structure of the face is far from complete, but gives the aspiring artist an initial guide when creating portrait works.
It will take time to study the basic proportions of a person for drawing with a pencil or pen. The human figure is one of the most complex structures in nature, and its image has a huge number of variations. And, of course, you should not feel disappointed if something does not work out the first time. Experience comes with time.
Proportions of the human head and body, drawing theory
Naturally, it is natural to change, but in the learning process you need to dwell on the classical figure, which in the measurement is exactly eight heads. Despite the fact that in nature a person’s height is about half the head smaller, in practice such a measurement is inconvenient in calculations.
But first of all, you need to remember that the sketch is not the construction of any scheme, and it is impossible to calculate each person in millimeters or centimeters and transfer these sizes to paper. The main tool of the artist is his eyes and pencil.
Using the head as a unit of measurement is, of course, very convenient, but you must also learn how to use your own eye. It will also help to comply with all the proportions of a person. To draw a human figure, it is initially worth familiarizing yourself with the basic theory of sketching, which will help to correctly recreate the structure of the human body.
Create a custom graphic for your drawing
In order to correctly observe all the proportions of a person’s figure, drawing must begin with creating a graph. It is through it that the joints will then be leveled, as well as the muscular structure of the body. And all this regardless of a person’s gender. 
The graph is divided into eight equal partswhere the first will consist of a head. This dimension was established in the Renaissance and is ideal for creating the necessary proportions of man. For drawing people, average growth has always been used, which was equal to eight heads.
The first part of the drawing, consisting of a sketch: graphics
So, you need to depict an oval or ovoid shape with a pointed end from the bottom in the first part of the graph. Next, between the marks 3 and 4 add as well as the hip joints. Their width is approximately one and a half or two widths of the head. And now you can depict the spine that connects the pelvis to the head. This is the most important part of the human body. Center of gravity and stability. 
Further drawing of a person whose body proportions are carefully observed with the help of a graph goes to the legs and knees. At mark 6, the knee joints are located. Moreover, it must be noted: in order to correctly position the leg muscles at a later stage of the sketch or drawing, the line that connects the knee joint to the hip should be internal, and the one that goes to the foot should be external. This is the natural appearance of the human foot.
Wasp waist and shoulder joints of a person
The next part of the sketch is the chest, which also consists of an oval, and its size is equal to the pelvis. But it is worth noting that it is as if chopped off in its lower part. This will help to create a flat stomach in the future for the male figure or for the female, and maybe even emphasize the fat folds.
The shoulder line is approximately halfway between the marks one and two, and the width is from two to three head. The apparent position of the shoulders can vary, and a lot depends on this. It can be slightly curved down or strained shoulder joints. Then the line will look different, it will be slightly higher. 
The shoulder line is very individual, it helps to depict in the next stages of the drawing either a muscular neck or a long female neck, or even emphasize that a person has no neck, drowning in folds of fat.
Hand and brush sketch
And finally, you can proceed to the wrists, which are located at mark 4, just below the hip. Each person can verify this by checking on himself, standing up straight and placing his hands opposite the hips. The fingers end approximately in the middle of the thigh. The elbow joints are located at the waist level at around 3.
So with the help of a simple schedule, all the basic proportions of a person were observed. To draw the body from the side, you also need to use such a simple scheme. Then, with each subsequent sketch, the human body will look more accurate and more natural. Well, over time, you can completely abandon such a schedule, using only simple sketches. This mainly depends on how much time a person devotes to drawing. The more exercise, the faster the eye will become developed, and the need for such constructions will disappear by itself. 
Appearance structure
And in order to comply with all people, for drawing it is necessary to use several basic rules. In the oval that depicts the head, a straight horizontal and vertical line is drawn. They should divide the future face into equal shares. The upper part of the oval is the frontal. The eyes are located exactly in the middle of the head.
The main mistake of novice artists is that the eyes are often located on the top of the head. This is incorrect and does not correspond to the proportion of the person’s face. For drawing, you should again use the average appearance. In nature, of course, you can meet people who may have a disproportionate figure or non-standard appearance. 
Human head and parts of the face
The structure of the appearance of each person is very individual. But in the initial stages of drawing, it is better to always use standard sizes and proportions. Drawing a person’s head, face proportions are also built using a small graph. Having determined the location of the eyes on it, a line should be drawn on which the nose will be located.
It is located exactly in the middle between the line of the eyes and the chin. The mouth is located between the line of the nose and the chin, and the tips of the lips are always proportional to the eye pupils. And if you draw visual straight lines, looking in the mirror, each person can be convinced of these proportions.
And finally, the ears. They are located between the line of eyes and nose. Naturally, there are ears that are small, neat, and there are, as many call this part of the head, "burdocks." And, nevertheless, their location is still at the same point. So, following simple rules, you can easily learn how to convey the basic person or his figure on paper.
Many artists and scientists have been trying for several years to unravel the secrets of the human body, looking for perfect proportions of man. This question remains open today, since at a subconscious level, each of us strives for harmony and perfection.
What are the ideal proportions of man?
The answer to this difficult question is very simple. First of all, the ideal proportions of a person should be in harmony, taking into account his physique, height and age.
If you carefully examine your body, you will notice that the distance from the wrist to the start of the elbow is equal to the size of the foot. The length of the lower leg (including the foot) will be equal to the length of the thigh, and the patella will divide the leg into two completely equal lobes.
The femur is definitely longer than the shin, and it is longer than the foot. Also, the forearm is shorter than the humerus, but longer than the hand. A downcast hand will reach with your fingertips exactly to half the thigh.
The head length is usually taken as the unit of measurement for the human body. The ideal parameters for the ratio of the length of the head and the height of the human body are 1/8 and 1 / 7.5 in men and women, respectively. Recently, there has been a tendency to change the proportions of the body, and today a 1: 9 ratio for a person is considered the norm.
Because the height of an ideal human figure is eight goals. In general, the head is the most universal unit of measurement, if we talk about a person :).
The width of the figure at its widest point is two integers and one third of the head.
Female figure - two heads in its widest part. Nipples drop slightly lower than men. The width of the waist is equal to one head. The front of the thigh is slightly wider than the armpits, and the back is narrower. Depending on the constitution, the legs below the knees may lengthen. The wrists are on par with the perineum. A height of approximately 170 cm is considered ideal for a girl in high heels, although, of course, in reality, the average girl has much shorter legs and heavier hips. The navel in a woman is below the waistline, and in a man, either below or at the same level. Vertical, the distance between the nipples and the navel is equal to one head, but the nipples and the navel are lower than the division lines. The elbows are above the navel.
If we consider the drawings of people made using different relative proportions, we can see why real or, in other words, normal proportions do not look very attractive. This is especially important in manga, where distortion is used as the main artistic device. Most artists draw people above eight heads, and when drawing a variety of characters and "superhumans" the use of the "nine head" measure will be very effective. It is also worth noting that, as the figure grows, its center shifts lower and lower.
Ideal proportions of a person's face
A person’s face, like his body, must have strict proportional proportions:
The distance from the border of the hair to the beginning of the chin should be 1/10 of the person’s height;
- the length from the top of the head to the beginning of the chin should be 1/8 of the person’s height;
- the distance from the beginning of the chin to the tip of the nose is 1/3 of the length of the entire face;
- the distance from the border of the hair to the eyebrow line should be 1/3 of the length of the face;
- the length of the ears is equal to 1/3 of the total length of the face.
This pattern can be traced on the face of each person. But in life, people with ideal face proportions are quite rare. As a result of some deviations from perfect proportions, individual facial features arise. That is why all people are different.
Change in the proportion of a person with age
With age, body proportions change. Children noticeably differ from adults in a long body, short legs and a large head. So, in a newborn, the length of the head is 1/4 of his height, in two years - 1/5, in six years - 1/6, and in an adult - 1/8. As you can see, only as they grow older the proportions of the child begin to correspond to an adult.
The main body types
To calculate the Pinier index, it is necessary to sum the body weight and chest circumference. Next, from the value of the body length, you need to subtract the result obtained above.
If the Pinier index is 30 or more, then the person is of the asthenic type and has a thin physique.
If the index is equal to a value of 30, then a person can be attributed to the athletic type with a normal physique.
If this index is less than 10, then the person belongs to the picnic type with an obese physique.
Research results
As a result of numerous studies, it was proved that the proportions of the human body directly affect his life expectancy. This fact was argued by scientists from the UK in conjunction with the German Institute for Healthy Nutrition. Experts conducted studies on the relationship between the risk of premature death and body proportions and came to the unanimous conclusion that with a large waist circumference, the likelihood of premature death increases.
Conclusion
Almost all parts of the human body have certain proportional proportions, but their values \u200b\u200bmay have individual deviations. If your proportions do not match the ideal parameters, do not worry. After all, the main qualities in a person are his personality, harmony and health!
Based on materials from sites FB.ua and "Harmony of the body"