How to Place Human Figures in Your Sketch

This tutorial is a sequel to the earlier video 'How I Draw Simplified People in Sketches' • How I Draw Simplified ...
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[@astrog8tr]

I don't know why but never seen anything like this, You did a brilliant job explaining this.

[@sylvia4425]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Teoh, I'm the one who asked you this particular question. I can't believe you made this video so quickly! You explanation is so clear and very helpful. And from what I can see from what others are posting....is very much appreciated. You are an incredible teacher, Teoh!!! Thanks again! :)

[@teohyc]

+Sylvia Catalano Thanks. When I started out drawing. I also have problems with how big people should be in the scene. lol.

[@marisangiovanni]

Great question!

[@dorka9268]

I love your presentation in this video with the cut-out bluetack people! :D

[@teohyc]

+Dorka Thanks 😁

[@vwood2]

Wow thank you. This is very very helpful! I usually sit on a low chair when sketching outside, and my figures just didn't look right. I thought the eye was absolute, and didn't realize the horizon could pass through a lower part of their bodies. The cutouts were a brilliant way to demonstrate the principle of how things alter depending on our height.

[@teohyc]

+Vicki Wood Yeah, if you sit low, then your eye level and horizon will cut through the lower part of other people's body.

[@JetPilot747]

Wow, I actually never thought about it this way. This was very interesting. Great teacher, great artist.

[@oldgiapetto]

Wow!! Another sixteen week art class boiled down to twelve minutes. You are a GREAT TEACHER!! I wish I'd studied with you decades ago. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.

[@teohyc]

+oldgiapetto Thanks 🤗

[@ChristineB]

Excellent! Thank you Teoh for making this so easy to understand! *waves from England*

[@teohyc]

+Christine B Thanks (｡◕‿◕｡)

[@bensongoh9789]

Thank you, Teoh. I've been watching and learning from several videos on sketching people... but your explanations and demonstrations put it all in proper PERSPECTIVE! Really helps me to sketch with UNDERSTANDING! Brilliant tutoring, as always.

[@haicautrang5304]

It's always so helpful when you show examples and give ways you can use the concepts in our own practice. Thank you!

[@teohyc]

+Rebecca Nelson Thanks : -) I'm glad it's helpful

[@sannojohasshu7590]

Teoh, this is great! I’ve never thought about this and how you’ve made it so clear. Thank you so much!

[@juelettefadness7344]

I've been doing art for most of my 68 years, and never really thought about this before. Thank you so much for this helpful drawing tool.

[@martynsnan]

Thanks Teoh. This is the best description on this topic that I have seen on KZbin. There is a consideration when including smaller people such as children in a painting but they can be guaged by their relationship to the adults. Your use of the cut-outs was very helpful.

[@teohyc]

+martynsnan Yup, that's the easy way which is to compare to an adult's height. (▰˘◡˘▰)

[@bluovalgal]

I agree with everyone, Teoh!! This is one of the best explanation/tutorial you've made, and the rough rule of thumb is easy for me to remember.... Standing up, horizon line is about eye level; sitting down/squatting, horizon line is about waist level. Now I might actually try and doodle something other than my dog's face! Please keep up these wonderful tutorials!! One of these days, I hope to sketch and color as nicely as you! :)

[@teohyc]

+blueovalgal Thanks 😊 The more you draw, the better you get

[@JaneArtsyOtternutKirkwood]

Great advice Teoh, so helpful. I was going to ask about people of different heights, but I see you have already answered that question from other people, so, thank you :)

[@Artfully_J]

Enjoy your vids so much. This is a really great lesson, Teoh. It really simplifies placing figures in perspective. Thanks for sharing.

[@bevroberts8440]

Great lesson! Your teaching skills are just as good as your sketching skills!

[@teohyc]

Thanks \ (•◡•) /

[@corikay]

Wow!!!! This was a FABULOUS eye opener!!! Great exercise for placement of figures! Thank you so much Teoh, I can't tell you how really helpful this video is!

[@teohyc]

+corikay Thanks ;-)

[@moodysvillage2393]

This is the best tutorial i’ve seen about this topic! Thank you so much.

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

Since subscribing to your channel about 9 months ago, I have been watching all the videos you've made since, and before. Whenever I open a new random video I try to guess the date, but I'm always wrong. You never age! ;) This lesson comes at just the right time for me. I have been avoiding including people in my sketches, so now when I do attempt to start adding them, I'll know the rules.

[@teohyc]

Guys tend to look the same for very long time 😂

[@marisangiovanni]

Hi Teoh Yi Chie- FANTASTIC video on perspective!! Thank you! I always measured by my gut feeling when placing figures, and this is such a great method!!!

[@lauriegreen-schillawski4481]

Thank you so much for this! I was having difficulty with this. You explained it so well. Now I feel confident putting people in my paintings.

[@teohyc]

+Laurie Green-Schillawski (Laurie's Art) Thanks :-D

[@jasbenn7872]

This is absolutely brilliant!

[@lynettedouville8826]

Thank you, Teoh. This was very informative for me! I love your videos!

[@HaNguyen-zy2em]

What an incredible tutorial! Very helpful! Thank you so much Teoh! 😘

[@rowantheo809]

ok wow. i just have to say how great your videos are. like, things that i don't think about, and you explain them in such a good way that they just CLICK. a lot of your videos do that but especially this one and the one with color temperature. youre helping me a ton, so thank you!!!

[@teohyc]

+Rawan Thanks 😁

[@janisvogt1079]

This is the most useful perspective lesson I've ever had. Thank you!

[@teohyc]

+Janis Vogt Thanks :-)

[@NelliG22]

I love your videos, Teoh. I learn a lot from them.

[@teohyc]

+NelliG22 Thanks (ʘ‿ʘ)

[@lordwander]

very informative. best perceptive video i've ever seen. simple and to the point. thank you.

[@teohyc]

Thanks :-D

[@blueskiesdrifter7039]

This's extremely helpful, thank you!

[@christinachampion3676]

Excellent explanation! And examples.

[@prplstarstudio]

this was so helpful thank you. i just started urban sketching and going through your videos are super helpful, thanks for taking the time to share with us ^_^

[@teohyc]

+Prplstarstudio Thanks. Share them with your friends too. :-D

[@suzalasuzala1135]

Definitely one of your best. brilliantly explained.. Bravo

[@teohyc]

+Suzala Suzala Thanks. I'm flattered. :-D

[@aprilstark8887]

Another great video, thank you! Love the way you explain things.

[@teohyc]

+April Stark Thanks :-)

[@jimcordle3085]

Great demo to communicate subject simply!

[@warnerdeb58]

Thank you for taking it down to the basics. I learned a lot.

[@teohyc]

+Harry Who Thanks ˙ ͜ʟ˙

[@HeatherSteckler]

Wow I've never learned about this concept before, but it is incredible useful! Thank you for the helpful and very well done video!

[@teohyc]

+Heather Steckler Thanks ~(˘▾˘~)

[@blueplague5911]

so glad i'm subbed, this is put so simply! Super helpful.

[@teohyc]

+Blue Plague Thanks ~(˘▾˘~)

[@tumblyhomecarolinep7121]

Ahhhh this is so helpful. Thank you for your brilliant explanation

[@beckysteffens3976]

Great video, very helpful!! Thank you, Teoh!!

[@SunnysEyes]

I learned something new today! this was so helpful! you explained it so well. thank you

[@teohyc]

+SunnysEyes Thanks :-)

[@SimonBarnsley]

Excellent explanation. Thank you.

[@IllustrationsByPete]

Great lesson Teoh! That helps a lot. Thanks. -Pete

[@teohyc]

+IllustrationsByPete Thanks ☜(⌒▽⌒)☞

[@alifedor]

Loved your video, very informative. However, you didn't explain how to draw people of different heights (especially massive differences, like children), and I cant really find a video that explains this thoroughly. It would be lovely if you could make another video on this specific subject. BTW, I love your art!

[@teohyc]

+alifedor Children are shorter, so their height will be at the hip level of adults. Using the same concept in the video, just draw the adults at half the height. (Of course kids' height vary).

[@ihy8602]

+alifedor You pretty much have to study basic anatomy and proportions. The average adult is about 7 and a half heads tall, while a child will have various different proportions at young ages. You also need to know where it's ok to distort the figure and where you absolutely have to keep proportions. If you want to stretch or lower someone's height the lower leg is the safest place to do so. I recommend grabbing a copy of Andrew Loomis's Figure Drawing For All It's Worth, you should be able to easily find a pdf online.

[@paulaneary7877]

Awesome video, thank you so much!

[@tomeetomee4913]

total beginner here, this lesson was amazing , thanks

[@teohyc]

+tomee tomee Thanks :-)

[@cmumford1477]

Big thumbs up Teoh!

[@teohyc]

+Cathy Mumford Thanks \ (•◡•) /

[@chammikaiser7740]

Excellent Teoh. A concept well-handled and of great value in sketching. If you were on a cliff and looking and your eye level would be pretty high, how would you then draw people below you?

[@teohyc]

+Chammi Kaiser If you're on a cliff, those people below you would not intercept your horizon/eye level. You must draw using basic drawing principles, measure and keep in mine the proportion. Those people below will be foreshortened and quite challenging to draw. It's good to use contour drawing to break out of thinking you're drawing people, and think instead of drawing shapes.

[@clarefriend1376]

Thanks for this video. This really helped me a lot.

[@teohyc]

+Clare Friend That's great. Thanks :-D

[@harrycompier6496]

Super info!

[@yolandaly6751]

Exceptional tutorial! Thank you

[@teohyc]

+Yolanda Ly Thanks 😁

[@abbyrivers9971]

ty! This helped me also put people in my sketches without them looking weird and off.

[@teohyc]

+abigail van der Pluijm Thanks. I'm glad it's helpful.

[@priyankajinkstudio]

Great video!! Thanks!

[@USMClifelife]

Very helpful, thank you!

[@margaretcaton2657]

I found this really helpful. Would appreciate some hints on how to draw figures who are lower down - perhaps on the lower level of a shopping centre. You did show something of this in one of the sketches on this video. Do I just have to guess where to place them or is there some helpful rule to follow? Many thanks.

[@teohyc]

+Margaret Caton I'm not sure I have any techniques for that. It's the same observation drawing techniques used for drawing other subjects. When drawing people who are foreshortened, it's important to pay attention to the proportion, and how each body part overlaps with the other from your view.

[@hollybriggs1701e]

awesome video. so helpful. thankyou

[@teohyc]

+Holly Briggs Thanks :-D

[@SergeiBSG]

Thanks! This video is very useful.

[@teohyc]

+SergeiBSG thanks ☺️

[@maggiefreeman6513]

Excellent thank you

[@flossey100]

Thanks as this is made simple via your teaching.....

[@teohyc]

+flossey100 Thank you :-)

[@rhamer987]

That's super Theo I was wondering if this would not apply to, say, a father walking with his little child. The horizon might cut through the father's chest (for example) but that would be way above the child's chest. In this case the child is drawn in proportion to the father and the horizon is ignored. Is that correct?

[@teohyc]

+R Hamer The kid, if short, would be lower than the horizon. It's easier to draw the kid in proportion to the father. The size difference will make it clear.

[@dalex100]

Hey Teoh, thanks for the great advice! I have a question. The eye level cuts through every person at the same body part only if they are the same height right? Let's say if every person eyes coincide with the horizon and I want to make someone shorter, that shorter person won't have his eye on the horizon line right?

[@teohyc]

+dalex100 Yup, the shorter person (shorter than you) will not have the eyes at the horizon.

[@playlistmusicforme]

Like this video very much!

[@teohyc]

+playlistmusicforme Thanks ｡◕‿‿◕｡

[@sherylpond7698]

so clearly taught!

[@teohyc]

+sheryl pond Thanks :-D

[@tiny.kawaii]

Thank you so much for this video. It is very helpful. Where I struggle is when there are children to sketch. They look like very small adults, although I try to make their heads bigger in relation to their bodies. Do you have any tips for sketching kids? This would be very much appreciated. I really love your videos!

[@teohyc]

+Susanne Mandl HI, children indeed have bigger heads relative to their bodies. When it's just a kid in the scene, it's may not be obvious that that's a kid. To make it more obvious, you can have an adult standing nearby so that there is a contrast in height and at a glance the characters will read clearer.

[@tiny.kawaii]

+Teoh Yi Chie thank you for your quick response! I will try that.

[@Lisapizza789]

Thank you

[@nebojsajovanov7609]

Thank you.

[@alinachiu5231]

Mr. Teoh, can you teach us how to draw buildings or interior scenery (ex., inside a cafe, a bus, looking at a building/monument) I get confused on the perspectives, so maybe you can help clarify. :)

[@teohyc]

+Alina Chiu Try watching these three videos first: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXPLiK1ti8-qZ8k kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6fFf415r9h0bJI kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooPJkmyGltljgrM

[@qingduan5612]

好有用

[@RedWhiteNBlade]

thank you

[@teohyc]

+RedWhiteNBlade Thank you ｡◕‿◕｡