What is the standard head-to-body proportion most artists use for a man?

• A. 1 to 8
• B. 1 to 6
• C. 1 to 10
• D. 1 to 4

Answer: (A)

Figure proportions in drawing revolve around using the head as a unit of measure. For a mature adult male, the convention is to make the figure about eight heads tall, meaning the total height equals eight times the height of the head. This eight-heads-tall proportion gives a balanced, natural-looking figure with proportionate limbs and torso. If you used six heads tall, the figure would look short and chunky; ten heads tall would look unusually long and slender; four heads tall would look disproportionately stocky and young. So the eight-heads-tall proportion is the standard artists use for a man.