The skull and the frame of the throat
These three drawings demonstrate (from left to right) the following: why the cranium may be considered egg-shaped;
now the face can be seen as a curved triangle suspended beneath and where the division lies between the two; and the
form of sternomastoid muscles that frame the throat so distinctly when the head is turned and inclined forward.
Bones of the cranium are locked together by
jagged joints. Sinuses in the frontal (forehead)
bone between and beneath the eyebrows are
larger in men, making their brows pronounced
and often ridged compared to those of women.
Bones of the face house our sight, smell, taste,
and speech. Cartilage extending from nasal bones
shapes the nose. Pads of fat resting on the base of
each eye socket support the eyeballs in position. If
the fat is reduced by old age, eyes look sunken.The skull pivots on the first vertebra or "atlas,"
after the Greek god condemned to carry the
Earth. The jaw hinges in front of the ears. Behind,
bony ridges give anchor to the sternomastoid
muscles rising from the breast- and collarbones.Three useful generalizations
General rules about the relative positions of body parts can hinder artists as much as help them, since they are
often based on classical ideals rather than the diversity of life. However, some generalizations can help as a rough
guide to start with, so long as good observation takes over as soon as possible.
In general, when the face is relaxed (not smiling
or frowning), the corners of the mouth are
found directly beneath the pupils of the eyes.
Vertical lines can be drawn down from the
pupils to meet the corners of the mouth.
The height of a young adult's ear is often the
same as their nose and found on the same level.
There is no general rule for growing children,
and remember that ears grow again in old age,
which is most obvious in men.The height of the face is about the length
of the handspan and the eye is normally
halfway down the total height of the head.
A common error is to draw the eyes too high
up on the face.