Proper Human Proportions

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

General GuidelinesMeasuring in Heads
  • The first head-length will be, of course, the person’s head
  • The second head-length down will be the chest (nipple line)
  • The third head-length down will be the belly button
  • The fourth head-length down will be the groin (bend line)
  • The fifth head-length falls at mid-thigh
  • The sixth head-length falls a little below the knee
  • The seventh head-length falls between mid-calf and the ankle (shinbone)
  • The seventh and a half head-length will be to the bottom of the feet

Other Tips and Tricks

Head-lengths aren’t just for measuring height, however. There are plenty of other things that can be measured by head-lengths:

  • Shoulders should be one head-length wide each
  • Feet are one head-length long
  • A person’s elbows will fall roughly at their waist level, between the third and fourth head-length
  • Standing sideways, a fit man’s chest will be one head-length thick
  • A forearm is similar in length to the foot: approximately one head-length long
  • A spread fingered hand will cover a person’s face almost perfectly
  • Just like the body, a human face can be measured too: this time, by eye length!
  • A person’s inside ankle bone will be slightly higher than their outside ankle bone
  • Women have wider hips than men
  • A person’s height is roughly the same as the width of their outstretched arms
  • The top of a person’s ears will align horizontally with their eyes
  • A person’s eyes will fall halfway down their face
  • A person’s fingertips will fall around mid-thigh when arm is held straight against the body