Measured Placements
The marked plumb-line serves as a known place which relates to the vertical alignments in the observed figure. The next step is to measure how many times the measurement from the top of the head to the top of the shoulders goes into the height of the figure. In a standing pose this is regularly between six and eight (and often not a whole number – something like six and two thirds).
It is important to measure as accurately as possible as many other measurements are gauged from this. The drawn plumb-line is then divided into the number of head heights. The plumb-line was divided into six in the gesture sketch below.
The plumb-line in the above sketch is faintly visible, and it is possible to measure the height from the top of the head to the top of the shoulders, and see how it goes into the plumb-line six times. This measurement is also used to gauge horizontal measurements from the plumb-line. For example, the left side of the neck to the outermost of the left hand is as wide as two of the vertical head measurements.
Tags: Figure and Life Drawing, Gestures, human figure, life study, measured drawing