Human body proportions by height
Figures on the board use realistic adult proportions that change with height, sex and build. Common artist and anthropometry rules of thumb:
| Proportion | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|
| Height in head lengths | about 7–8 heads for adults (4 for a toddler) |
| Arm span | roughly equal to height |
| Leg length (to crotch) | about half of total height |
| Shoulder width | about 2 head lengths (men), a little less for women |
| Eye level | about 93% of total height |
Try it: add a person on the board, change the height, and watch the proportions and eye level update.
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How proportions change with age and height
A newborn's head is a quarter of its body length; in an adult it is about one eighth. Legs grow faster than the torso through childhood, so a ten year old already has near-adult proportions. Among adults, taller people tend to have relatively longer legs, which is why sitting height varies less than standing height.
Classic rules artists use
- The body is 7.5 to 8 head lengths tall; heroic figures are drawn at 8.5.
- The halfway point of the body is at the hip joint, not the waist.
- The elbow lines up with the waist and the wrist with the hip joint.
- The hand is about as long as the face, and the foot about as long as the forearm.
- Shoulders are two to three head widths across in men, slightly less in women.
Real people vary around these rules by a few percent. The figures on the board follow measured adult averages, scaled to the height you enter.