HUMAN BODY PROPORTIONS

One of the most important things that I have learned and that has helped me a lot to understand sculpting is without a doubt learning about the proportions of the human form or art canons.

For the Greek artists of the classical period the canon transcended empirical observation and became an ideal concept, that is to say, a norm that indicated how the proportions of an ideal and harmonious human body should be.

Canon of the 8 heads

It is a rule of human proportion according to an ideal type of beauty that takes as a module the size of the head and repeats it eight times. It is an extension of Polyclitus' canon and is attributed to Lysippus. During the Renaissance, it would be considered the paradigm of classical beauty, as it is the canon that best corresponds to the real proportion of a human being.

Learning this, helped me a lot to sculpt correctly the human form and to keep the right proportions and each part of the body in the right place.

It is important to understand the differences between the male and female forms as there are some differences.

Proportions according to gender

WOMEN

Women tend to be slightly shorter and have more hips and less waist. The shoulders are generally narrower, although this also depends on the type of build. In addition, the legs tend to be slightly shorter and the thighs wider.

The breasts may be more or less developed, but the nipples will always be lower than those of men. The shape of the breasts is more like a sliding drop than two watermelons, i.e. they are not perfectly round.

The body in general is more sinuous and there are areas of fat accumulation on the buttocks, tummy, or thighs of the legs.

MEN

Men are taller and have fewer hips and a less well-defined waist. Shoulders tend to be broader, legs longer, and thighs straighter.

The nipples are just a head below the head (higher than in women) and unlike women, their pectorals are visible.

Height = 8 heads

Shoulders = 2 heads (width)

Pelvis = 2 heads (female) or 1 and 2/3 heads (male)

Arm = 2/3 heads (width)

Forearm = 1/2 heads (width)

Upper leg = 1 head (width) 2 heads (height).

Lower leg = 2/3 heads

Hand = face

Foot = forearm

Proportions according to age

The proportions of the human body vary with age. In addition, the transition from childhood to adolescence occurs somewhat earlier in females than in males. Again, this is an approximation; each child grows at his or her own pace, and not all children reach the same height.

Depending on age, there are different proportions of the human body:

Age Height in heads

Infant 1 year 4 heads

Infant 3 years 5 heads

Child 5 years 6 heads

Child 10 years 7 heads

Adolescent 15 years 7 and 1/2 heads

Adults 20 years and older 8 heads

Our heads also grow but at a much slower rate. We are born with heads of about 13 cm and grow to adults with heads of 23 cm. Children have larger heads in relation to their bodies compared to adults.

As an adult body ages, its height decreases because the spine curves and compresses at the same time. On the other hand, the rib cage becomes slightly larger.

Learning artistic proportions has helped me to better understand the human form and make my sculptures more realistic.