Sliding Dummy Method

• 1
  
  
  Draw one character to serve as the reference for the rest of the picture. This character will be the character that is the furthest away from the point of view in the picture.
  
  
• 2
  
  
  Draw two parallel lines, one moving horizontally slightly over the character's head and one moving through the character's torso.
  
  
• 3
  
  
  Draw a rough circle that is the same size as the character's head. This circle will be the dummy. With graphics programs, it is useful to place this head on a different layer so that it can be moved using the selection tool found in the tool bar.
  
  
• 4
  
  
  Create a new character that is about the size of the other character. Draw a vanishing point on the bottom horizontal line. Draw two diagonal lines, one line traveling from the vanishing point and past the top of the dummy's head, and one line traveling from the vanishing point past the lower part of the dummy's head.
  
  
• 5
  
  
  If you have a graphics program, resize the second character until her head touches both the top and bottom diagonal lines. Wherever she is placed on the horizon line, make sure her head fills the space between the two diagonal lines. If you do not have a graphics program, draw the character's head and then use the stacking heads method to determine how large the rest of her body will be.
  
  

Stacking Heads Method

• 1
  
  
  Draw a head. Then draw a circle that is roughly the same size as the head.
  
  
• 2
  
  
  Draw 4 to 7 circles (or sometimes more if the character is unusually tall or less if the character is a child) beneath the first circle stacked on top of each other. Think of the red, green and yellow lights on a traffic light.
  
  
• 3
  
  
  Draw the rest of the body using the circles to make sure that the body is proportionate.
  
  
• 4
  
  
  Erase the circles. Your character should have a normal-sized body now.
  
  

Floating Heads Method

• 1
  
  
  Draw a horizon line.
  
  
• 2
  
  
  Place a head on the horizon line.
  
  
• 3
  
  
  Use the stacking heads method to draw the body, and make sure that it is proportionate to the head.
  
  
• 4
  
  
  Pick two spots on the horizon line for the vanishing points. Draw lines from the vanishing point over the top of the character's head and under the character's chin. There should be four total lines.
  
  
• 5
  
  
  Make sure that each character's head fills the space between both diagonal lines on the side that the character is on in relation to the character in the middle. Resize the character using a graphics program, or draw the head and then determine the proportion using the stacking heads method.