A soldier is dressed in uniform and faces the viewer.
Achille De Gas in the Uniform of a Cadet
by Edgar Degas
Courtesy National Gallery of Art,
Washington
Question
In order to draw this man's body with appropriate proportions, which part of the body did the artist most likely start drawing first?
(1 point)
Responses
legs
legs
chest
chest
arms
arms
head
head
It is likely that the artist started drawing the head first when drawing the man's body with appropriate proportions.
To determine which part of the body the artist most likely started drawing first in order to draw the man's body with appropriate proportions, we can analyze some common drawing techniques and principles.
1. Gesture drawing: Artists often start by creating a loose, quick sketch to capture the overall gesture or movement of the subject. This helps establish the basic pose and proportions before adding details.
2. Proportion guidelines: Artists typically use established proportions to ensure accuracy in their drawings. For example, the "8 heads" rule is commonly used in figure drawing, where the height of the figure is divided into eight equal parts, with each part representing the height of the head.
Considering these techniques, in the case of the soldier in uniform, the artist most likely started drawing the body by establishing the proportions and gesture of the legs. The legs are the foundation of the body and provide the base for the rest of the figure. By establishing the height and position of the legs, the artist can then build upon them to accurately depict the chest, arms, and head.
Therefore, the correct answer would be: legs.