Your Characters in Perspective
Linear perspective has more applications than drawing backgrounds. In fact, the same principles that helped you create a believable space will help you place people to inhabit that space. If you've executed the perspective correctly, the people will occupy their space in such a way that the entire composition will be pleasing.
Placing the Master Figure
Once again, the first step is a leap of faith. You must draw one person who is properly proportioned and occupies the correct space. All of the other figures in the illustration will be guided off this one “master” figure.
The key dimension to hit with your master figure is the height. After you establish the height, you can divide it into quarters (or thirds, depending on the gender). All of the other people in the space will guide off this figure for their correct proportion.
Sometimes it helps to draw a master figure directly next to something in the illustration that helps you to properly gauge the figure's correct height. In a room, this might be a door, a chair, or a window. Outside, it might be a car, a mailbox, or a building.
You don't have to necessarily draw the master figure into your final illustration. He could simply be a figure that is conveniently placed to help you establish proper perspective. When you ink the drawing, he will disappear like a helpful ghost.
Placing Other Figures
As you recall from Chapter 7, the human body can be roughed in along a line that is divided into either quarters or thirds. These divisions help you to position key parts of the body correctly, guiding you toward drawing the body in proper proportion. Your master figure has been built from these divisions.
To place another person in the scene at the correct perspective, simply decide where his feet will be and mark that spot with a dot. Draw a line from the master's feet, through this dot, to the horizon line, thereby creating a new reference point. Draw a second line from the reference point, back to the top of the master figure's height. Drawing a vertical line from the dot to this second line will establish the new figure's height. Divide the height according to the figure's perspective (or draw lines from the master figure's divisions to the reference point, passing through the new figure) and draw the figure to the correct proportions.
Once you have more than one figure in the illustration, you can use any of them as a master for additional figures. Placing the dot above a master figure's feet will place the new figure farther away than the master, and vice versa. Each figure will have its own reference point, and each figure will have to relate to the others in terms of its proportions. This holds true even if one is standing on the ground, another is on a ladder, and another is peeking out of a manhole.
Use the master figure to find the right proportions for any new figure.
Hanging Figures on the Horizon Line
A quick way to check your accuracy is to see if all of the figures “hang on the horizon line.” In other words, if all of the figures are about the same height, the horizon line will intersect them in the same area of their body — no matter where they're standing — as long as they're all in similar poses, such as standing or sitting.
The horizon line should hit the characters in the same place, no matter where they're standing.
As you're checking to see if your figures hang on the horizon line correctly, remember women are generally drawn shorter than men, so they will hang on the horizon at a slightly lower level than the men.
